February 1st & 2nd

I used to hate winter, and I used to really hate February, the shortest month of the year that ironically felt like the longest. But sometimes you end up doing a 180, like when you decide to close down a blog and then realise six months later that that’s not at all what you want to do 😉. Well, finally this winter I’ve come round to absolutely loving it (ha, forgetting that I very much still abhor Christmas, and can’t see that changing, but never say never I guess?). So how did I get here? It was a gradual surrender, first starting with running through the winters, then switching to cold water swimming six years ago, oh and of course the odd ski trip to the Alps when our budget permitted. I also accepted that the short days and the dark weren’t my enemies, but that I could instead heavily lean into burning candles, turning the lights low and being cosy (basically be more Scandinavian, like how I grew up - duh). Also, to layer up in serious thermals and blankets, and add a hot water bottle if I got too cold at home, because I’m a weirdo that gets cold indoors, but happily swims in frigid water without a moment’s hesitation. I also accept that I will move less and eat more, and that fighting against our innate need to hibernate is futile. In my self inflicted acceptance of loving winter, I’ve forgotten that I’m in the minority, and when I hear others say how much they hate winter I’m surprised now, just as they are when I say that I feel the exact opposite.

My favourite days are the sunny and freezing cold ones, and while we’ve had quite a cold winter this year, compared to last year at least, we haven’t had a lot of sun. So how lucky were we to get this amazing weather the weekend we went to see our friends in Suffolk, at the beginning of the month?

Very lucky. The light on our Saturday afternoon walk was so beautiful.

I tried to catch it wherever I could.

On the Sunday morning we went to Shingle Street,

which for a while felt like a very unfamiliar but cool landscape.

I didn’t bring my swimming gear but Ruby the dog went for a dip.

She refused to jump in a second time to play fetch, because I guess not everyone is a natural cold water swimmer.

I have no idea what my husband and our mate Y were doing here, but I like it.

How did this guy end up here?! It was quite far inland too. Maybe he swam against the tide as well, preferring land to water, whilst his pals all went “What? Why?? You’re mad!!”. In his case it might not have been such a good idea though.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day. In summer we expect days like these and can get disappointed when the sun isn’t out, whereas a sunny day or two or three in winter feels like such a gift. And that’s how I feel about the whole season now, apart from you-know-what, which I need to figure out whether I can change my mind about, because my first thought when I wake up on December 26th is always “Thank f-ck that’s that done for another year!!” 🤣

26 hours in Suffolk

Last weekend we drove to the Suffolk coast (Walberswick to be exact) to meet our friends SA & Y for some fish & chips by the sea. We lucked out with the weather, just like last time we went.

After lunch we went for a little walk to see what else was around, and saw these weather worn fishermen huts along the way.

And through this restaurant window I spotted these two, perfectly colour coordinated with the chairs 💙💙

To get from the car park to the fish & chips place you had to cross the water on the blue boat you can see to the right here. Thought it quite a racket as it cost us £20 for six people to cross back and forth. We’re clearly in the wrong business. For this weekend trip I thought I’d switch out my lens on the camera to a 50mm, and after having been shooting on a wider lens for years, I immediately regretted my decision. The pics I took on the boat are too tight, and there was no room for me to simply take a few steps back. What a fool.

Never mind. On land I can always take a step backwards to fit everything in.

Y looking through an abandoned house; pretty amazing huh? We couldn’t quite figure out if it had been just used for storage or lived in. Looking through the windows I couldn’t see a kitchen or any fireplaces, so I doubt that it was ever residential (or at least not in winter).

Time to say hello to the sea.

Hello sea 👋🏽

O did his usual thing of dipping his toes in. Good attitude to have in life.

Back at SA & Y’s house. Such a great one.

Ruby the dog needed a walk (or run rather) when we got back, so me and SA went out for a late afternoon walk in the surrounding fields, just us ladies. Everything is so green at the moment; that special intense new green that only exists when everything is freshly sprouted, but eventually grows less bright as summer takes hold. I love how nature just does it’s thing, like magic, every season.

Hey Rubes, how goes it? You’re very cute, aren’t you?

Nice bit of evening light on some painted poppies.

After dinner we played Syringe. Such a brilliant game - I recommend it wholeheartedly. Basically you write down a category of something and then something within it that you don’t show anyone (for example: countries - France, cars - Ford, fruit - passion fruit) and then you walk round the table with a syringe filled with water. If anyone guesses what you wrote down, they get squirted with water, and if no one does you have to squirt yourself in the face. So simple, and

so

much

fun.

SA and I used to work on interior design projects together years ago, and her and Y’s house is full of nice stuff. I seriously need to know where this lamp shade is from (she couldn’t remember - doh).

Ruby supervising the breakfast chefs.

Another lampshade shot, just because.

On Sunday morning we drove to Framlingham Castle to have a wander in the gardens.

It’s medieval innit

and built in the 1200’s. Crazy.

It’s also the only castle I’ve ever seen giving you the finger. With both towers. Do we think that it was a way of saying eff you to unwanted intruders (I know they’re chimneys but let’s pretend, as it’s funnier than the truth)?

We didn’t go inside the castle (but I kind of wish we had now, as my inner pensioner would have loved it); instead we walked around the lake. This dude was just setting up - not a bad spot either.

Window shopping in Framlingham. Lovely building too.

And finally, right before we left, a Polaroid being taken for O’s wall of friends and family that he’s got up in his room. A sweet ending to what felt like much longer than 26 hours, and I mean that in the best possible way.

It's a Suffolk thing

So many of our friends have left London over the years, and last summer our peeps SA and Y packed up their London life and moved to Suffolk. It had been on the cards for years but Covid sped things up. A few weeks ago we finally got to go for an overnight visit, and it was so nice to see them and their kids again. We began our stay with a no-cook lunch - the best kind of lunch.

Since we saw them last summer there’s been a new addition to the family - Ruby.

She and Mr Famapa became friends immediately.

Even though he lost her ball.

Digression. Don’t know what these are, but they were pretty.

In the early evening we went for delicious pizzas at @theshedsframlingham and the super relaxed setting was just perfect.

So crazy that our kids are or are close to becoming teenagers. Seeing how much this young lady has changed in the past year is quite something. It’s Oomoo’s turn soon (well, not that soon, we’re 18 months away…). Gulp.

One middle aged lady with a camera was enjoying the planting very much.

Very much.

After the meal some chose to digest their meal playing football.

Nut jobs.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather; this summer has been British to say the least. Maybe it’s a Brexit thing? Luckily the fire pit at SA and Y’s made it possible for us to continue sitting outside for the rest of the evening.

What you looking at Ruby?

Whatever it was - a cuddle was even better.

Y going in to get provisions.

It got late.

Click click. We started playing the Intro Game where you have to guess the song from the first beat of the intro. SA and I were very good, and I may say so myself. It’s amazing that you can recognise a song in a second or two. Of course we’re talking 80’s and 90’s music here. We didn’t attempt any songs from after then.

The fire had me mesmerised in between.

Day 2. How’s this for a conservatory/dining room? Drool.

It was way too hot to sit in though.

Had a look through SA’s interior books, and this portrait of an elderly couple in the Apartamento book, made me fast forward a few decades - I really like her style.

Stop Hammock time.

Summer and friends are the best.

Hope we get to see them again soon.

Suffolk windows

It’s funny, back in the days when I used to post on Instagram, I seemed to be taking pictures of windows more often, and now it feels like I hardly ever do. Shame on me.