We went to a seaside town last week, quite reminiscent of where my parents used to live, only larger. Where there were a half a dozen fishing boats left stranded in the bay when the tide went out, here there were hundreds! Hubs wondered how the fishermen got to their beached boats? Some were a long way off her noticed. I suggested,
“By boat?” without thinking. My husband’s face gave me pause for thought.
“They walk out and wait for the water?” I ventured.
“Right, out they go, clamber into their lopsided, high and dry vessel and sit down to wait for water to float the boat.” The image was quite amusing!
“No, silly, they have a tide table and know when the water’s coming so they time their little walk to coincide with the float!”
But really, we don’t know for sure!
The day was lovely and sunny, warm and fresh, a perfect spring afternoon. Such a welcome change from cloudy, rainy, riot torn, London. We walked along the high street and remarked,
“If this was Broadstairs the streets would be packed with holiday makers pushing and shoving their way to the beach.”
That’s one of the drawbacks of living in a seasonal place, it was the same in Guernsey, come summer, when we made our money for the year, we had to relinquich our sleepy, beautiful seaside spot to the money laden tourists.
But not so here it seemed! Occasionally we’d see a busy restaurant and say,
“Everyone’s in there!”
Eventually we went into a greengrocer’s to buy a snack and I asked him,
“Where are all the people, it’s holiday time and the sun’s out?”
“Half day closing,” he said.
“During the summer?” I asked.
“Old habits die hard!” he said.
I guess. Half day closing was traditionally put in place to compensate for those who worked on Saturdays. Most places have dropped the habit but not in Broadstairs and its surrounding villages and obviously not in this quaint little seaside town either.
My husband said,
“I’ve never heard of such a thing…”
“Yes you have, ” I said, “We’ve experienced it lots of times.”
“Yes, but I mean, in America!” Well, of course not in America, I don’t think they do half day closing, too much money at stake.
Welcome to England!
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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