Downings Day

I awake at 6:30, read until it's light out, then take Paddy to Downings beach at 7:30. The morning light is so soft, the beach feels sacred.

Then home to make breakfast for mom. Slab of wholemeal toast with avocado and fried egg. We head off for our day, first snapping a photo of Doe Castle, which is near our cottage.

Mom goes for quite a long walk on Downings beach. She is struck by the beauty, the sunshine, the blueness of the sky, the shape of the clouds. She clearly feels invigourated by the sea.

She isn't the only one. Beaches bring out the crazy in Paddy, who just wants to fetch a stick/ball/frisbee, preferably one thrown into the sea.

I climbed up a dune to take one more photo before we thought about lunch.

We head into Downings village and check out McNutt’s wool shop then lunch at a nearby cafe above the pier and small harbour. While mom checks out gift shops, I go into Downings Beach Hotel for my first internet since leaving Belfast—confirming mom tested negative. We went back to the beach, one closer to town, for a shorter walk.

On the way home, stopped at Boardwalk Restaurant. Tea and mom's first Bakewell tart.

Home. Dinner spinach and mushroom turnover for mom, curry chickpea for me (both from Camphill). I made a kale, mushroom and tomato fry up with pomegranate molasses. Watched a game show called Catch Phrase and the Chaser.

Mom is really enjoying Toast, a memoir by Nigel Slater. She said it's funny and sad at the same time. It's bringing back memories of foods she hasn't tasted in years.

Oct. 2