Blogging from Whitby

Here I am in the Coliseum again, what a useful place, a nice cafe, cinema, theatre and all round community resource. £1 for half an hour. Bargain. Although it was relaxing when we arrived on Saturday, it's really chilled out now, all the regatta crowds have gone, and there is a several day lull before the folkies arrive. Time for me to get some serious fiddle practice in, if I am going to be fit to participate in any way fiddle-wise. Son had a low half day yesterday, claiming to be bored....after sleeping for the drizzly afternoon, we went for a reviving meal at the Khyber, and he is restored to good humour, enjoying a late night 'creepy' walk with Phil and a lot of gazing at various views with us both today.
After seeing a few bods fishing on the jetty by the lifeboat house, he announced that he wished he'd brought his fishing rods to Whitby after all, and could we front him with the funds for another. We agree, as he will be able to while away a good few hours doing this, which will be particularly useful when Phil and I are doing various workshops etc during folk week. He even said it would be quite nice to live here, a concept that Phil and I toy with on a regular basis. Whitby is so great, but really a pain to get to, which probably enhances the feeling of 'away from it all' remoteness that I love. The return journey will take about seven and a half hours, but has the advantage of being only by train all the way (apart from Kings X to Waterloo).
Tonight we may go to The Magpie; Ingrid Flute gave me a £10 voucher to use in there, as I'd mentioned their agency on this blog. Am not snacking on anything until then, so that I'm good and hungry for that treat. And no, I'm not going to partake of their famed fish and chips, but something more interesting of their varied menu. Hopefully we'll get a table by the window, as I can't get enough of soaking in the many and various views available. Was speaking to Nick, who I think manages the Coliseum, and he said he had only moved here recently, and what had stopped him doing so previously was, as with Phil and I, the responsibility for an ageing relative, in his case, his mum. She had told him to go, but I can't imagine my dad saying that, also, visiting him is a pleasure, too. It gives us space as well, to think about what we will do when he's not around any more, as it will be quite an opportunity to look at change. Hey ho, more soon, back to the flat for that fiddle practice.

here I am

Here I am in Whitby again; we arrived on Saturday afternoon, Monday today. SO relaxing; we knew our flat would be perfect and it is, thanks again Ingrid Flute. We're in a modern flat with a clear view of the harbour, the Grand Turk and Church St from the two big sitting room windows. We were starving when we arrived and went straight to the co-op and back to the flat to gorge ourselves on french bread, cheeses and other bits and pieces. Sat and tried to take in the view; almost too much. I'd been looking forward to this since leaving Whitby last year, and here we are again with the teeming intensity of the harbourside on Regatta week Saturday right smack bang in front of us! So brilliant. We went out for a walk to try and work up an appetite for our promised first night dinner at the Khyber, but even three hours later couldn't eat it all. We had a great time though, looking at the views from the Khyber windows, and drinking a lovely dry white wine and feeling very full.
Phil and I went for a walk along the beach towards Sandsend, and then up a zigzag to the cliff-top. Clean fresh air and uninterrupted views out to the North Sea. So magical. Son, who had been at the amusements with two quid, summoned us by the magic of mobile to meet him in the little cave- type aperture by the Khyber. He just wanted to stare and stare at the view; this from the boy who didn't want to come to Whitby yet again this year. When we got back to the flat, he stayed up later than us, staring out at the night-time harbour; more transfixing than the tv.
I've discovered the Coliseum-thanks to a poster on Whitby online - where the've got an internet cafe, so will be able to blog live from here every couple of days or so. Took me about half an hour to remember my blogspot username and password to begin with, but all ok now, phew!