Windy Barton – Mum’s 80th

Just a short non-travel post to record my mother’s 80th birthday celebration.

We initially stopped overnight at my house in Southampton before continuing on to Barton on Sea to meet up with my parents on this gorgeous Sunday at the beginning of August.

After a glass or two of fizz in the garden, the four of us pottered along to Pebble Beach Restaurant and selected a table overlooking the cliff edge.

The views here are tremendous, with the Isle of Wight’s Needles appearing to be within touching distance and, in the other direction, Hengistbury Head and Mudeford Sandbank. That’s where my dad spends a lot of time sailing, having been a member of the sailing club here for a few decades.

You can see why they retired here over 30 years ago. Life slows down in these parts. Less traffic, less hassle, less noise. Time to breathe and enjoy what nature provides for free. We travelled here and back through the New Forest, five minutes up the road and full of natural beauty, along with its famous wild horses and ponies.

The meal itself was lovely, with the location and the day marking it out as special. We last came here eighteen months ago to celebrate my parents’ 60th anniversary. It was a lot earlier in the year, and we got lucky with the weather then too.

After staying the night, and before returning to London, I caught sight of a photograph album and a couple of snaps that I couldn’t recall having seen before. They were taken in 1963 when my mum and dad were 17, so I couldn’t leave without taking a photo of them.

So, back up to London and a few jobs around the house before next weekend and our next adventure.