Match Day Thread A Blank Weekend

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Somehow I'm very fond of Swanage for more reason than I can remember. Quite odd really. Must have been a really positive childhood experience that my subconscious taps into. Mind you, my first coastal sailing experience was to Swanage and that was excellent, but it's still more than that. It's one of those things where the mere mention of the name brings a smile.

Been to Kingston Lacey house. Good stately home place to visit, if you like that sort of thing.

I'm A big fan of Swanage and it is all down to child hood memories. I also lost my wedding ring in the sea at Studland bay. It flew off while playing catch with my nephew. Spend ages looking forward but no chance really.
 
Must admit I do have a similar soft spot for Weymouth, but I know the reason for that one. All in all, I just love the southern coast to the west of Southampton. To the east of Southampton I can only really point out West Wittering and much further, Pevensey Bay. As you can probably work out, I like sandy beaches, not pebbles. But my love for the South West coast is such that I even like the pebbly beaches along the way.

I love pebbles! Key Haven is another special place from my childhood. Drove that way home from Poole when we were there in October.
 
I love pebbles! Key Haven is another special place from my childhood. Drove that way home from Poole when we were there in October.

In Koeman's I've written a bit about sailors who don't realise they are inches away from going aground. One such sailing friend who I won't go with these days has Keyhaven as his favourite spot for running out of water. I should have known when we first met up. He had reams of amusing stories about going aground. I had one, and I'm the ex-dinghy sailor [you often go aground in a planned way in a dinghy when you beach the boat]. Frankly, he used to frighten me with his carelessness, and I don't easily frighten in a sailing boat.
 
Fran, have you ever been to a fort near Freshwater (Acorn Hill, I think)? - brilliant views North, across The Solent, and South, (towards Hoy's Monument - another place that no-one gets to very often, but which has superb all-round views)
Nope....will have a look. Ta.


Found it: Golden Hill Fort on Afton Down....now luxury houses.
 
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With Saints having a blank weekend, what are my fellow fans up to? Watching the rain tumbling down from above, hiking in the Brecon Beacons (this is great when the weather gets better), walking the dog, getting the garden ready for the new growing season, chopping up wood to get a big fire burning?

I am off to Son Serra beach on Sunday with my friend's two dogs as that is about the only place on the island where the dogs can have a good run off the leash. It takes about an hour and a quarter to get there from Palma. We're likely to take a picnic and then walk for two or three hours.


This! Quite good fun even when the weather doesn't get better.

BTW, the wettest I've been all year was walking up Martin Down (Hampshire/ Dorset border) in a horizontal rainstorm....so it's not only in Wales!
 
Saturday - paper round/running kids around to dance/ tea hut at football club/mark the pitch for Sunday's game/watch son play hockey/out to mate's 60th birthday in Nottingham/home late

Sunday - paper round/daughter dress rehearsals for dance show/son county hockey training/followed by club hockey match/then me to football U15s match....

What exactly is a Blank Weekend?

One with no kids!
 
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Love visiting Stately Homes...that is what I miss on the Island. Used to love visiting houses and gardens most spare weekends. Now I go on one day coach trips...but they limit you to an area you can reach and return from in one day....Herefordshire to Kent really.

My Gran has just come back from a holiday in Italy.
She visited the Royal Palace of Monza, which she said is larger than Buckingham palace, has a spectacular fountain and a very fine English style garden.

You'd need a fast coach driver to get it done in a day.
 
This! Quite good fun even when the weather doesn't get better.

BTW, the wettest I've been all year was walking up Martin Down (Hampshire/ Dorset border) in a horizontal rainstorm....so it's not only in Wales!

My brain was racing ahead of my typing. It should have read when the weather gets better. Maybe in late March or April (hopefully)
 
My Gran has just come back from a holiday in Italy.
She visited the Royal Palace of Monza, which she said is larger than Buckingham palace, has a spectacular fountain and a very fine English style garden.

You'd need a fast coach driver to get it done in a day.

Italy? Fast coach driver? Sounds like the plot for a film. As long as you only blow the bloody doors off (Cue '''Self-Preservation Society' sing-alongs)
 
Yes, but I don't want to wish the time away. The wife and I discussed this week that in a very short time they'll be away at uni and then gone! :(

Don't kid yourself/worry about it. The buggers keep coming back, usually for: money; DIY help; money; help with kids' runs; money; general child-minding and, something else. Oh yes, did I mention money? Parenting is for life, unless you do a moonlight. Great though, if impoverishing.
 
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