Thursday 3rd October 2024 - Not a Good Start, Preparations and Cliff Top Bench

Weather wise, it’s not been a good start to October.  So much for saying, in my last blog for September, about the garden looking tidy; rain and winds have once again made it look a mess!   We were back in the garden this morning with rakes, broom and buckets.  After much consideration and reluctance, I have decided the time has come to put away summer clothes and replace with thicker ones, as well as changing the footwear on the shoe rack. 

This is the time of year when, after placing my order for stock for the annual Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, I start preparations.  First there are emails and direct contacts, to see if those who had collecting tins, poppies and wreaths would like the same again this year.  So far, I’ve had positive responses.  I have taken delivery of most of the stock, some I was not able to order until Tuesday and will follow later in the month.  Next step is to check my delivery and after this, start constructing trays, labelling tins etc.  I am quite relieved that I can place collections, which are in effect unmanned, any time on or after 17th.  We have visitors over the weekend of the 19th, so it will be good to get most of the stock out of our spare room so it can be used as a bedroom!  The remaining stock will be located in our laundry room.

There has been, what initially appeared to be, an act of vandalism in the village.  The bench on the cliff top path, was removed and thrown into the grasses on the camping field, leaving two gaping holes on the cliff top.  Since the bench was constructed and set on the cliff top, it has been well used, a place where people could sit and look out to sea.  On Tuesday I put a post up on Facebook with photos of the bench in the field and the two holes.  Comments made have shown how important this bench has been for some villagers, as a spot for reflection and during the Covid lockdowns a place of solace. On Wednesday, when walking on the cliff path we saw the bench was no longer in the field.  I posted again on Facebook with an update.  More comments followed along with photos of the bench in use.  Later, the wife of the man who constructed the bench posted, ‘The bench was erected 8 years ago by my husband, for my father to enjoy the view when he came to live with us. We are delighted it has been enjoyed by many. On Monday I discovered the bench was tilting over and unsafe therefore I removed it.’  So, that explains why the bench was removed.  The bench will be greatly missed; maybe it will be re-instated or replaced, not necessarily by the original person, so that people can once again sit and gaze out to sea.

Todays’ photo is of the cliff top bench, which I took a few years ago and subsequently, printed and framed to hang, with a selection of my photos, on one of our walls.