Lloyd Rowling

Today was Matt’s 17th birthday!

We’ve had an excellent day starting off with collecting his present, a bicycle, from Gosport and riding it home along the cycle paths on the disused railway lines.

This evening we went to The Coach House for a celebratory meal with the family and Matthew’s Grandparents. Jen and I had a nut roast whilst everyone else had a huge meat carvery.

Plus Jen and I still found time this afternoon to watch an episode of Star Trek. All in all, an excellent day!

Tomorrow we’re going to visit the Roman Palace at Fishbourne which I’m very much looking forward to.

Today we travelled to the opposite side of the island to visit The Needles.

These are a series of rocks jutting out of the sea from the far western point of the Isle of Wight with a lighthouse on its far end.

It took a fair while to get there on a series of buses, all double deckers. Once there, Ffion filled a glass teddy with the coloured sands of Alum Bay and then Matthew and I went a boat trip to see the lighthouse close up. Luckily the waters were very calm.

Matt on the boat with The Needles behind him

The Needles

Coloured sands of Alum Bay

Matt in the pub while waiting for the bus in Yarmouth

This evening has been wet but still warm. Lets see what tomorrow brings!

It was a gloriously hot summers day today so this afternoon Jen, Matthew, Ffion and I went to Stokes Bay beach to cool down. It was remarkably empty for such a hot day, no doubt due to the football match between Engand and Germany. I suspect with hindsight that many of those who watched it would rather have come to the beach!

Fi and I went for a paddle in the surprisingly warm water.

Walking to the water over the shingle

In the water… something you don’t see me do too often!

Wet!

Afterwards we headed off to the the Coach House for a meal and then home.

A good Sunday afternoon.