Otter, Bittern, Sunshine & More!

Took Lucy out for the day to help her with some shopping and managed to have a cracking afternoon out in the field as well! The sun shone all day long and it really felt like a Spring day! On route, a car in front kicked up a stone which hit my windscreen – we couldn't see a chip, so presumed there wasn't one.

The choice of shoe shops in King's Lynn is diabolical, so took Lucy to Holt and went into 'Siddalls' and 'Bakers & Larners' to look for a new pair of concert shoes, which she did find, so mission accomplished!

Met up with Eddie and John F. at Natural Surroundings cafe in Glandford, where we had lunch to celebrate Eddie's birthday. The red pepper and sweet potato soup that Lucy and I had was absolutely delicious, followed by cake (that I didn't have) and washed down with 'pink lemonade'. John was in full swing with jokes from the second he arrived until we all parted later on! Lucy found him very amusing!

The afternoon produced some spectacular sightings indeed! We all walked along the path by the lake and had distant, but extremely lucky views of an Otter!!! Sadly, Lucy was not quick enough with my borrowed binoculars to see it. There was also several Little Grebes, a Shoveler, a Fieldfare (I didn't see) and a Great Crested Grebe. Lots of Snowdrops and also Aconites – all looking very Springlike! Later on we were treated to stupendous views of a Bittern in the afternoon sunshine!

Returned to the car park, where we gave Eddie a piece of Lucy's 50th birthday cake (its nearly finished!) and then listened to John's choral works (via CD in his car), which was on Radio 3 in October 2017. Lucy was very impressed and was talking about this for a good while after we left!

We left Glandford and headed to Cley to look at the sea before heading west. On route Lucy suddenly said 'Penny you have got a crack on your windscreen' – I stopped the car to find that the stone had chipped behind my NHS car parking permit and had decided to crack across the screen for approximately 10 inches!!! So, that will be a new windscreen and excess to pay! This is the second windscreen I will have had replaced for this car – they don't make things like they use to!

At Coastguards, the sea was like a millpond, which I hadn't expected at all! Several fishermen were along the shingle bank and the light was beautiful. Continued along the coast road to Holme to visit mother, picking up fish 'n' chips from Eric's at Thornham on route. Mother was exhausted, as she had not slept at all last night – she doesn't often get a full night's sleep nowadays, which does worry me. The cat has now got another favourite chair – its amazing how much room one cat can take up! Got back to King's Lynn after 9pm. A 'cracking' day all round!