I have a playlist entitled Bath Tub Songs. This is because they are songs that I listen to and immediately give the same sense of well-being and relaxation that sinking into a hot bath tub does. Some of the songs included are Drive by The Cars, Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton and I’ll Stand By You by The Pretenders.
There are some places that have the same effect on me, just getting there gives me a rush of peace and contentment.
One of the places in the past that had that effect was Westonbirt Arboretum just because of how glorious it is.
Another place was the Pancake House we visited in the Netherlands. It was a perfect cycle distance from our holiday park and had wonderful atmosphere and we ate pancakes in the sunshine while the children played happily in the large and lovely playgroud. This makes me feel like that because it was one of those unexpected times where everything went well and right and there was no conflict at all.
But the place that does this to me most often and with the most depth is definitely Thorness Bay. Now this is relatively an inaccessible little area with mostly mud and rocks and a steep climb down to the beach which I can’t manage without either Martin’s help or my walking poles or sliding inelegantly on my bum. But there are some beach huts there and some of our friends own some of them and we have spent lovely lovely times there. And I think the reason I love it so much there is because every time we have spent there has been happy.
We have done Cardboard Boat Regattas, Shakespeare Readings, Sloe Chilli Walks, Cards, Dressing Up, Playing Games, Pizza Eating, Cooking on Fires, Sleeping Over and lots more besides. We have been so grateful that we have had friends who were willing to share what they had and so this place has taken on so much more significance than it really should. We also spent for us a significant Sunday there.
So last week when we were going to a BBQ and to meet up with some friends who had moved off the island I only had to step out of the car to experience that Bath Tub feeling. The kids ran off and arrived well before me, we BBQed and chatted – the kids headed for the beach and I sat on the sheltered veranda by myself for a while knitting and loving being there.