Ahh you’ve bought back gorgeous memories of our family holidays in Bexhill at my aunts house, days on the beach, finding the best spot next to a breakwater to spread out the beach towels away from the wind. Ours was shingle so no sand in the sandwiches, I remember my mothers crusty rolls with loads of soft butter and corned beef which I loved then but I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 18 I’m 67 now !! I remember my dad lighting the little stove to make the tea, then he’d go shrimping with my uncle and they’d bring them home at the end of the day where my aunt would have a big pan of boiling water on the gas stove and the poor transparent shrimps would be plunged squealing into the water and they’d turn pink. We’d all help to peel them and they would be for tea then with aunties salad which was lettuce cucumber and tomatoes with boiled quartered eggs and loads of salad cream!
What fabulous, happy memories, Liz. A corned beef crusty roll, perfect picnic fare, although I don’t each much meat now either, I do eat chicken and fish though. Your aunt’s salad sounded just like my nan’s, although probably most salad at the time was probably the same, I don’t think we had mayonnaise when I was little and I remember she used to put in loads of spring onions that I didn’t like. I can’t remember the last time I had salad cream! I love food memories and hearing about childhood recollections of food, the shrimp story is just delightful, I wonder if the locals can still do that now? I absolutely loved these holidays, honestly I can’t think of anything we complained about, we even had fun in the rain at the amusement arcades in Ilfracombe. Lots of happy memories, thank you for sharing, Liz. x
You’re so welcome Lindsey while having my breakfast this morning reading your post and thinking back it was such a lovely few moments, I can’t remember when I last thought of those days. Keep jogging our memories, I’m now thinking of writing down these memories , thank you for jogging! Xx
That's a great idea Liz, I bet as you start writing them down you start remembering other things about those days too. I know when I am writing things pop up all the time out of the blue. Get scibbling! X
Yes, sandy sandwiches and orange squash! When my twin Phil and I went on our holidays with our grandparents, it was also a yearly ritual to Aberystwyth. Everytime, my grandmother would have prepared scrumptious tiny sandwiches in aluminium foil and an apple tart. The picnic was eaten at a lay-by outside Aberaeron by a working farm so grandfather could watch them farming. What made it so special was that we had our tea made by heating a dinky kettle on a gas stove and the anticipation was something I’ll never forget. That cup of tea was so good! Thank you for your reminiscing tales as always Lindsey 😘🙏❤️
Isn’t that funny Meryl, my mum used to make an apple cake and we used to stop on the journey down to Devon in a lay-by to tuck in to cake and tea although ours was in a flask and always had that strange flask taste! I just love hearing about these memories, they are so very special and it’s saying something that we remember them so vividly from all those years ago. I love the fact you stopped by a farm so your grandfather could watch the farming, it just adds something to the overall picture I have in my head, Just marvellous. Thank you for sharing - have you read Liz’s memories, they are wonderful too. x
Thank you so, so much for your wonderful and very kind comment, Susan. Encouraging remarks like this are appreciated and really mean a lot, honestly. Thank you.
Thank you Annie, happy days indeed. Although it’s a gorgeous day today too, the sun has been out all day here, I’ve done loads outside, just come in for a cup of tea! Have a lovely weekend. x
This is exactly how our summer holidays were, (50 years ago 🤭) only in a hired caravan on a camping close to the beach. Often with family and it was always sunny 😉. Thanks for sharing Lindsey!
Hello Caroline - how lovely to hear from you. Yes, the sun seemed to be constantly shining, memory has a way of always making the sun shine! It’s so kind of you to comment, thank you, I hope all is good with you. x
What a lovely memory, and even more so that you shared it with cousins. Our yearly 2 weeker was also spent on a devon beach. My dad acting the packhorse with windbreaks and so many bags, setting up a little patch where I could make sandcastles all round the perimeter. In those days I was totally freaked out by seaweed so my Mum would lift me over the weed in the white horses so the two of us could have a swim. Happy happy days
Oh yes, mustn’t forget the windbreak and the mallet! So much stuff to carry, Vicky, our poor dads. Such very happy times though, I am aware that not everyone had the same happy holidays so I am very grateful for mine and the memories. I hope you have overcome your fear of seaweed! Thank you for commenting Vicky, much appreciated. x Have a lovely weekend. x
Lovely memories, Lindsey, and great choice of poem to read as it will have connected with your entire audience. I wrote a poem months ago about my childhood holidays in Italy, where we washed in the freezing cold fountain outside the house! Such vivid, beautiful, precious memories ❤️
Thank you Francesca, those childhood holidays were very precious times and they obviously played an important part in our growing up as we can remember so much about them. I hope you are enjoying your holiday now!
I am glad it brought back some happy (hopefully!) memories for you Mary, they were very gentle and simple times, just wonderful. Thank you very much for commenting and the restack. x
I rarely eat meat now either Juliet and to be honest I don’t actually think I would like that ham very much now, I can’t drink orange squash anymore either! 🤣
Ahh you’ve bought back gorgeous memories of our family holidays in Bexhill at my aunts house, days on the beach, finding the best spot next to a breakwater to spread out the beach towels away from the wind. Ours was shingle so no sand in the sandwiches, I remember my mothers crusty rolls with loads of soft butter and corned beef which I loved then but I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 18 I’m 67 now !! I remember my dad lighting the little stove to make the tea, then he’d go shrimping with my uncle and they’d bring them home at the end of the day where my aunt would have a big pan of boiling water on the gas stove and the poor transparent shrimps would be plunged squealing into the water and they’d turn pink. We’d all help to peel them and they would be for tea then with aunties salad which was lettuce cucumber and tomatoes with boiled quartered eggs and loads of salad cream!
Thanks for evoking the memories Lindsey xx
What fabulous, happy memories, Liz. A corned beef crusty roll, perfect picnic fare, although I don’t each much meat now either, I do eat chicken and fish though. Your aunt’s salad sounded just like my nan’s, although probably most salad at the time was probably the same, I don’t think we had mayonnaise when I was little and I remember she used to put in loads of spring onions that I didn’t like. I can’t remember the last time I had salad cream! I love food memories and hearing about childhood recollections of food, the shrimp story is just delightful, I wonder if the locals can still do that now? I absolutely loved these holidays, honestly I can’t think of anything we complained about, we even had fun in the rain at the amusement arcades in Ilfracombe. Lots of happy memories, thank you for sharing, Liz. x
You’re so welcome Lindsey while having my breakfast this morning reading your post and thinking back it was such a lovely few moments, I can’t remember when I last thought of those days. Keep jogging our memories, I’m now thinking of writing down these memories , thank you for jogging! Xx
That's a great idea Liz, I bet as you start writing them down you start remembering other things about those days too. I know when I am writing things pop up all the time out of the blue. Get scibbling! X
Yes, sandy sandwiches and orange squash! When my twin Phil and I went on our holidays with our grandparents, it was also a yearly ritual to Aberystwyth. Everytime, my grandmother would have prepared scrumptious tiny sandwiches in aluminium foil and an apple tart. The picnic was eaten at a lay-by outside Aberaeron by a working farm so grandfather could watch them farming. What made it so special was that we had our tea made by heating a dinky kettle on a gas stove and the anticipation was something I’ll never forget. That cup of tea was so good! Thank you for your reminiscing tales as always Lindsey 😘🙏❤️
Isn’t that funny Meryl, my mum used to make an apple cake and we used to stop on the journey down to Devon in a lay-by to tuck in to cake and tea although ours was in a flask and always had that strange flask taste! I just love hearing about these memories, they are so very special and it’s saying something that we remember them so vividly from all those years ago. I love the fact you stopped by a farm so your grandfather could watch the farming, it just adds something to the overall picture I have in my head, Just marvellous. Thank you for sharing - have you read Liz’s memories, they are wonderful too. x
Oh yes I remember the flask taste too!
Lindsey you are such a good writer. You always manage to make me laugh out loud & bring tears to my eyes at the same time!
Thank you so, so much for your wonderful and very kind comment, Susan. Encouraging remarks like this are appreciated and really mean a lot, honestly. Thank you.
What wonderful memories, Lindsey. So beautifully written.
Thank you Annie, happy days indeed. Although it’s a gorgeous day today too, the sun has been out all day here, I’ve done loads outside, just come in for a cup of tea! Have a lovely weekend. x
This is exactly how our summer holidays were, (50 years ago 🤭) only in a hired caravan on a camping close to the beach. Often with family and it was always sunny 😉. Thanks for sharing Lindsey!
Hello Caroline - how lovely to hear from you. Yes, the sun seemed to be constantly shining, memory has a way of always making the sun shine! It’s so kind of you to comment, thank you, I hope all is good with you. x
What a lovely memory, and even more so that you shared it with cousins. Our yearly 2 weeker was also spent on a devon beach. My dad acting the packhorse with windbreaks and so many bags, setting up a little patch where I could make sandcastles all round the perimeter. In those days I was totally freaked out by seaweed so my Mum would lift me over the weed in the white horses so the two of us could have a swim. Happy happy days
Oh yes, mustn’t forget the windbreak and the mallet! So much stuff to carry, Vicky, our poor dads. Such very happy times though, I am aware that not everyone had the same happy holidays so I am very grateful for mine and the memories. I hope you have overcome your fear of seaweed! Thank you for commenting Vicky, much appreciated. x Have a lovely weekend. x
Lovely memories, Lindsey, and great choice of poem to read as it will have connected with your entire audience. I wrote a poem months ago about my childhood holidays in Italy, where we washed in the freezing cold fountain outside the house! Such vivid, beautiful, precious memories ❤️
Thank you Francesca, those childhood holidays were very precious times and they obviously played an important part in our growing up as we can remember so much about them. I hope you are enjoying your holiday now!
Ooh I feel the sand between the toes! ☺️ So many memories evoked this morning. Thank you, Lindsey! ❤️
I am glad it brought back some happy (hopefully!) memories for you Mary, they were very gentle and simple times, just wonderful. Thank you very much for commenting and the restack. x
I'm a vegetarian (mostly) now, but I well remember eating ham sandwiches (with sand) on many a childhood beach picnic.
I rarely eat meat now either Juliet and to be honest I don’t actually think I would like that ham very much now, I can’t drink orange squash anymore either! 🤣