Lobster bisque..........

And so back home after a brief camping trip to celebrate PP's birthday on Thursday. Small dog is exceptionally enthusiastic about both camping, and birthdays, and thus was in seventh heaven for the duration. Especially as our pitch was opposite the entrance to the dog walk and she was able to closely monitor the movements of assorted pooches, like a small furry guardian.

She completely entered into the birthday spirit and helped with the unwrapping process before shredding any wrapping paper she could get her paws on.

Apart from the more conventional birthday gifts, PP was also the lucky recipient of a large lobster pot, which is now gracing our little bit of shingle beach area in the garden. It attracted more than a few curious glances and several people braved Small Dog's perimeter patrols to enquire why we had brought a lobster pot on a camping holiday.

We BBQ'd both nights, and each evening sat outside the campervan in our little tent awning, wine glasses in hand, citronella candles flickering on the grass, while Small Dog assumed her alter-ego of Little Grey Wolf and sat just outside the circle of candlelight, ears pricked, every fibre of her body alert for any rabbit incursions into her exclusion area.

In fact, on the whole campsite, which has well over 100 pitches, only us and two other groups of campers were still outside at 9.30pm. Everyone else was in their motorhome or caravan, watching their flat screen televisions or tucked up in bed. Personally I don't see the point of going away to do exactly the same things as you would do at home. But maybe that's just me.

Anyways, the advantage of going not very far from home, was that we were back and unpacked by lunchtime, and this afternoon, in an attempt to make up for 'working' time lost over the past two days, I have unloaded the bisque firing from the kiln, sorted out all the arms and legs and prepared the bodies/faces for their first china painting session tomorrow. So I now have a warm glow of achievement.

In other news, there is a definite autumnal feel in the air, and on the way home in the van, drifts of leaves were already falling from the trees. This weekend in Hastings is what I think of as the last big event of the summer season.......the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival, which is on today and tomorrow. We're planning on going tomorrow to enjoy the wonderful fresh fish on offer. Plus perhaps a soupcon of wine.

As a final celebration of the summer here on the south coast, here's a montage of images from local photographers via the Channel Hastings Blog. All were taken over course of this summer in Hastings and St. Leonards and it brought a lump to my throat to be reminded that we are so lucky to live in such a little gem of a seaside town.

Enjoy..........

Splash from Terry Russell on Vimeo.