If a picture paints....

Yesterday (Sunday 8th) Nigel & I and quite a few members of the Schultz and Mylchreest family attended a delicious meal served at Cliff House and then supported Val & Peter in the evening at their farewell meeting and retirement service for Peter, this was held at Boscombe Salvation Army.  Peter has completed 44 years and two months as a Salvation Army Officer and now enters retirement, whilst Val (like me) has a few more years to go and  so she will be taking up another appointment.

Simon (Nigel's brother) Nigel and Me

We sat upstairs in the gallery so that we had a good view of the whole proceeding.  Nigel wasn't too sure about this as he's not good with heights!!!  but he coped :))  The service was emotional, for many different reasons, but it was also filled with laughter and it was a pleasure to be there in a supporting role.

After lunch I went for a walk as everyone else watched the tennis and considering that we had driven through torrential rain this morning here, in Southbourne, the sun was out and so I enjoyed a pleasant walk along the cliff top.  I stood by some railings and looked out to sea with the sun on my face and, every now and then, taking a few photos. I soon became aware that VERY elderly looking couple had arrived and silently sat on the bench behind me - they didn't speak to each other but just sat there...

They appeared to be lost in their own little worlds.. I walked past them (intrigued) and strolled further along the cliff and found another fence to lean against.  When I looked back I could see that they were still there, frozen in time, the little a lady appeared not to have moved at all and the gentleman was still gazing out to sea.  The song says 'If a picture paints a 1000 words'  oh how I would have loved to have gone back and chatted to them just to find out their story, what they were thinking, why they had come out to sit on the bench... but time, unfortunately, was not on my side.. 

July 9th is my Dad's 74th birthday and this photo was taken a couple of weeks ago when Nigel and I visited my parents - mainly to drop off my Dad's birthday present - we bought him an annual pass for The Beth Chatto Gardens.  Today (July 9th) my Mum, Dad and my brother, Jeff, have travelled to visit The National Memorial Arboretum, which is what Dad wanted to do for his birthday.  I received a text from them both saying how much they were enjoying the visit and tomorrow, on their way home, will be visiting Lichfield Catherdral.

Happy Birthday Dad xx