Oscar & Archie

I'm on holiday for the next week and a bit...well, I'm flat sitting for my sister down the road in Portchester while she goes on a cruise to the Med, but still it's a change of scenery anyway.  As a bonus the flat comes complete with two bundles of cuteness in the shape of 9 week old kittens Oscar & Archie.  Slightly short on brains these two spend most of their time charging/skidding round the (mock) hardwood floor, chasing their own and each others tails and biting fingers and toes of those silly enough to leave an appendage within 4 feet of them.

Standby for some vomit inducing overly cute pictures

One of the few moments these two settle for a kip (L Archie, R Oscar)

Then just when you get them off to sleep the doorbell rings....I failed to capture the image of the pair disappearing under the couch at light speed, brave little kittens they are not

Archie spying something interesting.....

Apparently fingers with pizza residue are indeed very tasty

Your Programme Will Contiune After This Short Break

So, it's been a little while and I'd love to say I've been ridiculously busy, alas it's much the same old stuff occuring in my little world at the moment.  New stuff includes a recent foray into the world of keeping fit via torturous devices contained in a mirrored room which smells every so slightly of musty old socks...yes, I've joined a gym.  From the advice of my doctor, because apparently exercise is good for you...who knew ;-)

Other bits of stuff include the continuing dry spell, indeed parts of the country are under a hose pipe bans and others have had flash floods.  My little town seems to be avoiding both currently, although it's now turned muggy as hell, a few steps outside leaves you sweating like a Sumo wrestler after injesting a packet of red hot chillis...great for burning off the calories I guess...less so for the amount of times you have to change your shirt in a day.

My is mostly a mixture of brain teasers, reading and writing these days, though I have been out locally a couple of times.  A visit to a nearby seafront gardens to see the impressive and very colourful blooms and a exploration of some nearby footpaths...of which I was sure to take a few pics to add some visual stimulus for this otherwise bland blog post.

First up Marine Park Gardens which is a 15 minute walk away and a mere stones throw (pardon the pun) from the beach.  I know I've shown pictures of this garden before but this year those involved with the garden have put together a very impressive and colourful display...Even after a group of chavvy vandals pulled up a bunch of plants and chucked them into the fountain the day after they had been planted...grr arg!

A floral nod to the anniversay of the Battle of Britain during WWII, I don't think Bognor was much of a target during the war, but saw more than a few stray bombs as Germans lightened the load. A Junkers 88 and a Messerschmitt 109 both ended up in the waters off Bognor during the Battle of Britain, as did a Spitfire...which I believe is still out there.

A bunch of local junior school kids put together this mosaic sun dial for the sensory aspect of the gardens, though when I tried it out it seemed to be 15 minutes slow ;-)

The next walk I did was a short 4 miles round trip and is only 10 minutes away.  I stopped by to feed the (rabid) donkeys on the way then on to a footpath leading across corn fields

The whole area was once an airfield used during WWII, so I dread to think what may be hidden under the earth round here.

And if TPTB had their way this whole area would become a new housing development...a couple of thousand pointless houses or argricultural land with these views...huh, it's a ponderer right? 

It started off dry and very hot as I wandered along the dusty tracks, then as I turned to make my way home I spotted this ominous sky creeping up over the downs.

Found a pleasant little corner of the field filled with vivid blue corn flowers, which unfortunately don't look quite as vivid or blue in the photo.

Yup, there's that arty farty button on the camera again

I did like the way the tractor marks and large cracks gave the impression of the Mid West and found myself whistling a touch of Ennio Morricone as I decided to get a shift on back to the homested.....

....Before this decided to dump it's load.

Even though day turned to night, as I walked back home, not a drop of rain fell once again in Bognor, so dads two 40 gallon water butts will just have to remain empty and the grass remain brown for now.  That evening was subsequently really comfortable for sleeping...if you like it muggy, sticky and hot as Hades!

Strange Boat Advert

Someone thought this was a great idea....really?

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Cruising the Coast...Well as Much as You Can Cruise by Foot Anyhoo

Apparently it's been the driest 6 months in the country since 1929 and the recent spectacularly consistent hot and sunny summer weather has been the best since 1995...which I can attest to since I took my G.C.S.E's that year and consequently spent more time down the beach than studying!

The cloud cover today may be welcome for some, I however find it most disagreeable even if is is only for the one day.  Though it does provide ample opportunity to catch up with some overdue blogging. On a recent, and earlier blogged, excursion to West Wettering and the sand dune spit of East Head I realised there was actually a fairly decent walk to be had in the area.  So, at the next opportunity...ie when I could procure a lift...Me, my carefully made sarnies and cybershot camera made a beeline for some coastal sights.

Starting at the little village of Itchenor which boast some great views of the South downs to the north and the motley craft moored nearby

The walk is flat and the very dusty path meanders close to the shoreline with some welcome breaks into small patches of woodland

Part of the walk leads into the conservation area wetlands and salt marshes (granted they weren't looking awfully wet as I passed through) a haven for much wildlife.

More of the rather dries up wetland, though it is also partly tidal...the grass surrounding the area is also testament to just how dry it has been around these parts lately as it was more like kindling (parts of our region have had brush fires from discarded ciggies or poorly put out bbq's...grrr arg)

Ah, a bit of British spirit, a welcome addition to a country walk (at the time England were even still in the World Cup, but the less said about that the better...*hangs head and wanders off muttering of rubbish linesmen and even worse footie players*)

I found a particular picturesque little cove for my lunch complete with optional  rope swing...did I have a go? well it'd be rude not too...30 years old my arse!

At this point I may have underestimated the gentle lapping of the sea and got my feet a tad damp taking the following.

Ooo, lookie, I found the 'make it look artie fartie' button on my camera!

One of the things I love the most about these country walks are the wild flowers...not a Scooby as to what any of them are but the look pretty

And at the end of one of those dusty tracks a quintessential proper English cottage, with thatch 'n' everything, wouldn't want to speculate the coast though...somewhere in the region of a mint!

Then I found myself back at East Head where I hung out in the sunshine for a spell before heading off to catch the bus(es) home.

Oh, and near East Head I came across a pool in which you can catch crabs *juvenile snigger*...apparently they're quite the fan of bacon.