Saturday, 26 July 2025

Went the day well?



 


Just added one of me with Rosie that Tam took.  Rosie's t-shirt was a nod to one that grandad Keith had from Florida I think it was (got there when in Belize I think.  A holiday on the way home perhaps.  I can't remember now).


My wonderful family.  


First of all, thank you all for your kind comments yesterday.  I won't reply individually, but your kindness is much appreciated.  I would have found it so hard to cope without the support of friends and family.



Gabby arrived on Thursday night, so I wouldn't be on my own.  As Tam had been so off-colour and she and Rosie still tired, we went to her as per our change of plan and we all met up by the Pier, and had fish goujons and chips and curry dipping sauce.  Rosie joined in!  We sat under one of the umbrellas and were safe from the Seagulls, who seemed to be mostly sat out on the rocks in the shallow part of the bay. Ironically - we wondered if Keith had a celestial hand in this! - playing "American Pie" with the line, "this'll be the day that I die" . . .  We smiled, rather than cried, at the irony. 


The remains of Aberystwyth castle left, and the War Memorial.  It has a rather controversial bare-breasted (well, bare all over if I am honest!) woman emerging out of foliage, which is meant to represent Humanity emerging from Chaos.  I imagine the Italian artist who carved it had a great time, and the men it represented would have appreciated his artistic endeavours :)


We all came separately so met up in Borth (after I'd galloped through M&S and got a new bra in a colour not dissimilar to the new paint on the woodwork here).  Keith would have appreciated the colourway I'm sure :)



Rosie making a move for Tam's sunglasses.


Dan's special t-shirt in honour of our family name.


We all had a paddle.  Quite a few people swimming and good to see the Lifeguard presence there.  We decided against going up to the dunes and beach at Ynyslas as it's a longer walk to the beach, and Tam had mentioned Adders being seen up there - I think a dog was bitten recently.


Gabby in her cheerful orange top.  I wore my coral one and - for a change - a skirt!

Tamzin had had a lovely idea, and bought along a sprig of oak leaves each (Keith loved oak trees) and we threw them in the waves, thinking of him, though we were a little early for them to be carried out to sea despite the tide going out.  Danny was charged with wading out as far as he could as he had the shortest shorts on.  We heard this week that the tree Gabby had purchased through the Multiple Systems Atrophy Trust, had been planted.  I hope it's an oak tree. . .

Danny had to get back to Carmarthen to pick Emma up, so didn't come back here for our special meal.  We each had steak in a tasty cream/Worcestershire Sauce/pepper, beans from the garden (SO good) and Potato Dauphinoise.  Scrummy. 

 


These beautiful flowers (the Gladioli was one that broke off in the garden here though) were from friends of Gabby's, who also gave us a lovely bottle of Vintage champagne (M&S) which we drank after our meal, whilst watching Only Fools and Horses, which Keith loved and watched again and again, and we laughed rather than cried.  I hope we remembered him as he would have wanted - a happy day, a few tears but he felt close to us all day.  

Now it's just Tam, Rosie and I here as Gabby's gone back to work.  We are planning to visit the little church just outside of Llandod.  So photos later.






14 comments:

  1. I read yesterday’s post, good photo to remember Keith with RIP. Borth I remember driving though the place which I though a bit of a dump. Reminded me of a town near me called Didcot where you drove though a row of shops which may are mostly east European or Turkish hairdressers along with charity shops, it’s even worse than Borth which seemed to sell a lot of holiday trappings. The one good thing about it the place has nice beaches. Didcot only has a Railway Museum. The Church, would that be St Michael Cefnllys by any chance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. May I reassure you that Borth now does not resemble you memories. There are few shops only two of which are beach/gift shops. There are also two food shops, (I once counted three types of tahini in the Nisa), an art gallery, a pharmacy and I think eight places where you can eat including Uncle Albert's Ice Cream Emporium. Plus two pubs, The Star of the Sea performance venue and an independent cinema with fine dining. So do give Borth a try the next time you are in the area.

      Delete
    2. Yes, spot on with the church. Just changed my header to a photo taken from the churchyard, looking across the hills. I think, as Ruta said, Borth has changed a bit recently. Aberystwyth too - I remember it is very down at heel when we first moved to Wales and visited early 1990s - but now lots of students there, and lots of individual shops.

      Delete
  2. How lovely all that sounds x
    Alison in Devon x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We made it a special day. Llansteffan next year - that was our "local" beach and we would go there after school some evenings in the summer as well as summer holidays time.

      Delete
  3. What a wonderful day for you all to get together and remember Keith. Sending you much love xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sal. We managed to turn a negative into something more of a positive.

      Delete
  4. How lovely that you were all able to get together to remember Keith. Memories are such bitter sweet things.
    When our son died we put his ashes and all the heads of the roses from the funeral in the sea at his favourite surfing spot and then burnt the stems and basket on the beach before going home to have his favourite kebab meal with our family and close friends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Ruta, I am so sorry about your son. I didn't know. It sounds like you gave him a good send off.

      Delete
  5. What a lovely way to remember Keith and more laughter than tears. I'm sure he was sitting up there smiling down on you all and how pleased he'd be that you had all come together. Back from a lovely week in Falmouth, back to the usual routine. Take care. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My family are wonderful and have supported me throughout. What would I do without them?

      Glad you had a good time in Falmouth. Hope you can find some outings to break up that usual routine.

      Delete
  6. What a lovely day for you and your family. The photos are a delight.

    ReplyDelete
  7. A lovely tribute. Regards Sue H

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad the day went well, but please, please wear flip flops when paddling as weaver fish incidents are at an all time high!

    ReplyDelete