2/12/2025 Second day of summer in Scarborough

It’s been significantly cooler today, only reaching mere 25 degrees. Sheesh … just can’t get the weather can you? I bumbled down to the beach and took what has become  my usual spot. I was earlier getting there today so apart from the city workers who were pressure washing the steps down to the beach,  there wasn’t a soul to be seen.  I much prefer it this way!

Rudely there were a few clouds in the sky today, but they were pretty to watch as they danced across the sky. 

Within the hour, the usual surfers rocked up, and the life saving crew commenced their daily practice sessions. They’re pretty impressive to watch as they go through their drills. I went through my daily ‘get my feet in the ocean’ routine and bravely went up past my ankles, such a brave girl. I managed to forget to put sun block on my feet yesterday, on what had been the hottest day in weeks, and successfully burned them to a crisp so they’re more than a bit tender.  It looks like I’m wearing flip flops when I’m not. Bloody idiot. I guess it could have been worse, I could have forgotten to do the rest of me and be walking around today resembling a squishy. Today they are buried in the cool sand to protect them from further crisping.

The Australians have always impressed me with their pre and afterschool care facilities for primary age kids, right from my first trip here 30 years ago. They’re open from 0600 til 1900hrs which has to be a massive help for working parents. I’ve seen the same kids and teachers taking advantage of the early morning  temperatures every day. There is a huge sun shade over the steps down to the beach and others dotted down the esplanade which is well utilised and the kids are all involved in team games on the beach regardless of ages. 

Given the vast expanse of beach it never ceases to amaze me when people put down a towel a metre away. Just feck off out of my space you bloody weirdos. Just why?? Trust me,  my body language is screaming keep away and leave me the fuck alone to be miserable, it is not sending out sweetness and light vibes and inviting people into my space. Ugh. 

A slightly better day today, not quite so many tears, just the overwhelming heaviness in my chest weighing me down. The breathing exercises and tapping are helping keep my shit together and the anxiety feels less overwhelming which I think is a result of just sitting in silence, watching and listening to the waves and trying to process everything in my mind. The downside is an increase in the flashbacks and they’re a bit savage to be honest, breathing through them helps but I would really rather not have them sneak up on me from nowhere spoiling my day. Mother Duckers. 

As the morning wore on, and the beach filled up, as you’d expect more people were in the ocean. There was some excitement around 0800hrs when the life saving truck bounced across the sand and came to halt just where I was sat. The life guard got out with a megaphone and instructed everyone to get out of the water straight away. It emptied in seconds and everyone was then standing on the beach, hands on hips scanning the water. The Surf life saving club has a lookout tower that is manned during the daylight hours, and they’d spotted a ‘large predator’ (his words) close to the beach where people were swimming. Duh duh, duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh…. I scooted back a bit on my towel, you know, just in case and within the hour people were allowed back in the water. That would be other people. Not me. I’m not dipping my crispy little trotters in there again! 

I spent the rest of the morning scanning the ocean doing a great impression of chief Brodie regretting not bringing my binoculars!  

By 10.30 I was about cooked, and went to what is now my favourite juice bar. They’ve become my guilty pleasure, Celery, apple carrot and ginger once a day. It’s an easy way to get my veggies in and significantly more appetising than a bag of carrots. 

After enjoying the juice and people watching I called into the supermarket, stocked up on water and jumped on the bus that had arrived. It’s a new free service called the surf cat. The buses have been modified to take surfboards and the aim is to help ease up the congestion in parking spaces at the beach.  I went to Innaloo shopping centre which is one of the stops and had a look around. What I was really doing is kicking the arse out of the air con!  I wandered around and sat and people watched for a couple of hours,  and after some lunch caught the bus back to the beach. I bloody love a free bus! 

I’m checking out of the hotel in the morning so I decided to go back and pack my bag. It resembles a shelf in a Primark store at the moment and everything is hanging out of it.  Once I’d packed I sat on the balcony and tried to do some reading but that was a non-starter so went down to the bar, ordered a beer and sat under a sunshade instead by the pool. Significantly better. 

Another day in Scarborough over, another day closer to joining Si. Tomorrow I will go to Julie’s. We were all supposed to be taking a trip down south  but Carey and all her family are sick so that excursion may have to wait till next week now. 

Much Love 

Mrs Leonard

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