From Scotland to Crosby

The most common things that people say when they find out I’m a teacher are, “The holidays must be good,” and “I could never do that.” And I just think (I don’t bother arguing my point out loud anymore), “I need the holidays to make up for the 50+ hours I work each week,” and, “I love it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Anyway, the holidays mean that every six weeks or so I can jump in my campervan (a converted Mercedes Sprinter called Aoife), with Mr Andrews (that’s how the crafty teacher refers to her husband in class) and Peppa the cockapoo and take to the road. This October half term the destination was Scotland- the Isle of Mull to be exact. We usually visit Scotland during the Easter holidays, spending the past two years on Uist, where we’ve been treated to the most beautiful scenery and rare sights in nature I could imagine: white sanded beaches and white tailed eagles to name a few. October is usually mid wales to mooch along rocky beaches and see red kites soaring across the skies. This year though we thought we’d give Mull a try, partly so that Mr Andrews could visit Tobermory and pretend he was Archie the Inventor or PC Plum. The weather wasn’t great but we made the most of it and after visits to Calgary beach, Lochbuie, Fidden beach and Loch na Keal I had collected some shells, sea glass and driftwood to create some pieces of art with.

Back at home, I washed, dried and carefully sorted my finds before returning to school to embark upon Autumn 2- also known as the lead up to Christmas! I still had the beach bug though and so the past two weekends I’ve visited a beach local to me- Crosby (well technically Hightown), craving sea air and the opportunity to find more treasures. I wasn’t disappointed. After WWII, much of the rubble that was created when Liverpool was bombed was taken and dumped along the coast, just north of Crosby. It’s known as ‘Blitz Beach’. There are certain parts where the big lumps of concrete and bricks have been worn into rubble by the Mersey tides and amongst this rubble, pieces of sea glass and sea pottery hide, waiting to be found by me! Fast forward to earlier this evening when me and Charlotte were sitting cross legged on the floor of my craft room (formerly my eldest daughter Lucy’s room) sorting glass into colours and sizes. I can’t wait to make a start on bringing the many ideas I have flowing through my mind to fruition…