Trails of the unexpected

First plan for the day was to stay in bed so I'm grateful I gave up on that one. It was much sunnier and warmer than I'd hoped it would be and I really fancied striding out in the middle of the countryside far away from people and all their stuff and nonsense (apart from perhaps the occasional fellow strider) but this was an even more far fetched idea than usual as I couldn't even manage to get away from the duvet long enough get dressed until lunchtime. I'm grateful for my perseverance and eventually getting out and onto a bus to somewhere very different - a seaside spot much favoured by the kind of masses who need a lot of chips to maintain their mass. I had a 'regular' portion and it would have sufficed for three of me!

The reason I went there was desperation for a change of scene and also because I had one of my retail premonitions that was where the small rucksack of my dreams would be to replace the one I used to take striding with me and which is getting very battered after over ten years of sterling service as a beach bag and light shopping hauler as well. I've been searching for some time for a replacement on line and in real life but not found anything the right size with the right pockets and at the right price and in a design I find pleasing to the eye, so was very grateful when I got off the bus and there it was just inside the door of the first shop...just the one, just waiting for me!

Even more gratitude for finding afterwards the trails in the nature reserve behind the beach almost deserted so that the sense of being 'walking in the country' was suddenly miraculously right there too. I give thanks for the peacefulness and beauty, the bright yellow flags and the air dancing with midges and tiny downy flying seeds.