Waking up to seagulls squawking means we are either very close to landfill or the coast thankfully we are in Hayle just across the bay from St Ives. Our first full day of our South Coast holiday in an apartment looking over the sea and the sun is blazing, maybe not so much as it has for the past two or three weeks but enough to walk down the coast after bacon butties to see what high tide looks like.

We walked the headland because the sea was lapping the rocks that last night when we arrived at low tide were 500 meters away from the sea. The the tide was now going out so once we’d got as far as we could go there was a bit of sand showing almost all the way back so we were able to walk back along the beach.

We took our time and managed to get back completely on the sand, for me a perfect start to the day. We packed up our beach stuff once we got back Jamie made sandwiches and we went back to the beach for the rest of the day.

I ventured into the sea which was very tough at first but once in they couldn’t get me out the waves were pretty big but the actual depth even 35 metres out I was still able to stand up. I enjoyed diving through the breakers but preferred floating on me back over the rest, eventually though after nearly an hour I got a bit cold and made me way back to the chairs.

With the kids now back at the digs mom and me sat and soaked up the sun while we dried off and warmed back up.

Its still only 6pm as I sit writing this still baking in the sun with a beer,  the day is far from over but so far its been perfect.

Lincoln is lay on the couch looking at his phone, mom’s cooking spagbol for tea before we go out and Reagan’s asleep, so as family holidays go so far this is a great one and its only day one!

Reagan applied for a job at the Fox and Hounds in Sproston and they called her this week to come and do a trial shift so tonight while mom and Lincoln were at his last show of 13 I dropped her off to do her first shift.

It was very surreal watching her confidence as she walked to the door not looking back for reassurance just disappearing in to the pub.

I went to pick her up 4 hours later and sat on the carpark waiting only to see her finishing her shift clearing and cleaning tables in the garden area.

From being handed this tiny baby 16 years ago to watching her start her first job has been a roller coaster of emotions but tonight was a proud feeling.

As she walked towards the car I could tell it had gone well from the huge beaming smile on her face not normal for the girl who tries not to show emotion.

How did it go, was my only question

REALLY WELL, DAD!

I shadowed a girl called Emma, who said I did really good and recommended me to the Becky the manager for aanother shift.

They asked me to clear tables and clean them but realised I was good at it so eventually I was taking plates to the tables then taking orders and taking payments. The weirdest thing was going behind the bar for a drink, I needed it I’ve been on my feet for 4 hours! LoL

How did it go Linc? Stopping everything to focus my attention on the star of the show as he got home I got:

Apart from forgetting a line in my solo it was good yeh!

Did you handle it how did you manage the mistake?

…….?

Nothing, on his phone not even listening so fuck it I am not here to be ignored I showed genuine interest wishing him luck before he left and being 100% present when he got home but I consider my time to be too important to waste so switched my podcast back on.

His pointed out how rude he was but I didn’t have his attention so he is no longer  getting mine.

I get it he’s a teenager blah blah

I guess I’ll be able to critique the show first hand tomorrow but tonight it was “good”

Not having a great deal of time to actually do anything today other than work and ferry Lincoln to rehearsals at the venue for the actual performance. The Kings School Macclesfield looked huge and a bit intimidating but he strode in and I drove off.

On the way home I decided to start redesigning the garden shed on wheels which I made last year but got stuck, as I always do when something doesn’t quite go as I wanted it to. I am glad in this case because putting the doors on the short side just makes so much more sense so I spent the hour or so waiting to travel back to Macc taking the lathes off the (now) front of the shed.

This is a project I intend to complete during my time off but wanted to see what i was up against before buying the wood.

I am writing this sat at church the day after because the match didn’t start until 10pm and it went to extra time so it was gone 1am before I got bed.

The result was 2 – 1 to England which is what we were all hoping for but as is England’s way we were put through the wringer. In command for 23 minutes then after the first hydration break the went 1 nil down and could have been even worse before they sorted the problem out and Jude Bellingham again scored a vital goal at a very important time to make it 1 -1 at halftime and the momentum wrestled back.

Second half was energy sapping for both sides but both sides had chances to go ahead but extra-time was needed and a nerve settling early goal made it easier tactically because we could dictate the pace of the game in 30? plus high humidity. 

Reagan had joined me just after halftime so was also feeling the stress as Norway threw everything at us. I did relieve some of her stress as a young Norwegian fan was shown jumping up and down on TV I shouted at the telly “SIT DOWN YOU LITTLE RUNT!” which sent her into hysterics and then every time she thought about it for the rest of the match!

Defensive substitutions proved beneficial late in the game, protecting the lead but it was still a relief when the referee finally blew for time!

So, it’s the Argies next on Wednesday and a chance of redemption for 1986 and 1998 bot cuts that still bleed…