This time only my youngest and I went as my eldest has gotten herself a job, and as yet is not entitled to any holiday, mind you I am sure any holiday she accumulates will be used for going to concerts and festivals!
Off we trundled on Monday morning to the train station to begin our journey to Suffolk, it takes just over 3 hours on the train and about 1 hour 30 mins by car. Going by train always gives me a sense of accomplishment and if the journey is smooth, its very relaxing. I can manage the first two train stations with out my stick but when I get to Cambridge I rely on the stick to guide me and my daughter to check platforms and departure times, and I am very proud of my youngest for being so calm and confident, it was a real treat to spend five days together.
Cambridge and my stick brought the usual strange looks, I don't notice them but my daughter was unsettled by the amount of people that hop out of my way then turn to stare, It doesn't bother me, firstly I don't even notice until its brought to my attention and secondly I don't give a flying fudge cake what people think, if they haven't seen a lady using a white cane at a train station before then that's their tough cheese, not mine. If I sit at home waiting for things to happen or for people to take me places then I will have a long bloody wait, so the stick/cane whatever you want to call it gets used.
The nearer to Woodbridge we get the more relaxed we become and all my thoughts, worries and irriations are left far behind, and then you get off of the train and you see this......
Ok, so the tide was out, but nether the less, we sat watching the boats looking stranded in the mud and sighed a lot!
Joined to the platform is a café and guest house, it has become a bit of a tradition that is the second place we visit when we arrive, the first being the boats and water of course. its a must visit, food, service and cake is just fab!
The minute I am off the station my stick goes in to my bag, the pace is much slower, everyone sort of wonders about, and I am confident in familiar surroundings.
some things were new, like this....
Don't ask! I have no idea, apparently you can sit in them if you want too....errr naaa you're alright thanks!
As one walks through the thoroughfare, one passes The Cake Shop, famous for winning Britain's best bakery, thing is, the last time we visited, there was a massive selection of lovely cakes and friendly staff, this time they have had some sort of a minimalistic revamp, and frankly its not what is was, the cake selection was rather dull, and the staff we less than welcoming as they seemed pissed that we had interrupted their chat about what they had been up to over the weekend, However, tucked around the corner is another little bakery, with a massive selection of cakes, and the staff were so lovely, they even gave us tissue for wiping our sticky fingers after devouring their yummy treats (don't tell the weight watchers lady)
We had a lot of catching up to do, so this involved a lot of cake, chatting, relaxing, eating cake and relaxing some more!!
As always Daisy was delighted o see us and proceeded to follow mw around like I was a long lost friend. we had a lovely morning together chilling in the sunshine, this involved a lot of me rubbing her tummy and Daisy trying to stick her tongue in my ear and smother me in doggie kisses, gwad knows what the neighbours were thinking when they heard me yelling....I ALREADY TOLD YOU ONCE, NO TONGUES!!!
Over the next few days we went for long walks, ate good food, visited the sea side and found some truly amazing places.
We walked to a small Quaker burial ground, it is tucked behind some houses along the main road up from the town, there's a tall wall around it and a tall gate with a plaque explaining what it is, as you go inside and shut the gate, peace envelopes you, there is a huge sense of calm. At first glance it looked to me to be very over grown, but in fact there is a reason for this, there are many wild flowers and plants in the grounds and as you sit on one of the benches and enjoy the quiet gentleness of the place, you hear the breeze through the trees and the grass, some really beautifully perfumed flowers and the busyness of insects, this all forces you to look around and take a moment to appreciate this place and respect those buried here, I also found myself feeling that the people buried wouldn't see their living visitors as intruders but as visitors who would look at the Quakers as being proud to be buried here. 
Do you know why they were called Quakers?? It was because as these people sat and prayed they sat so still that their bodies began to shake, or quake, hence Quakers!!
There was also a famous poet buried in the grounds called Bernard Barton, I looked him up, poetry has never really been my thing, but it seems he was quite good at it!
We also stumbled, and I say stumbled, because I always knew it was there but hadn't realised how beautiful it is. St Marys church, now then, I was christened a Catholic and I have no real interest in religion at all, however, I am intrigued as to what others believe and I like to listen to their views, I feel its important to respect everyone's view on religion, and these religious type have some amazing buildings.
I am a sucker for a old building, I really wish I had taken some pictures of the inside, but I was so mesmerised by the stain glass windows and looking at all the statues getting my phone out to start snapping was the last thing on my mind, a truly beautiful building, if you happen to find yourself in Woodbridge, its another must visit.
This week has really awoken my need to fit as much 'seeing' into my world as possible, the need to visit as much as I can, there is so much to see...and then there's the sea!
This is Aldeburgh sea front in the evening, the sun was behind us, and although its a really Stoney beach, the sea is calm and strangely therapeutic.
This, however is Felixstowe, the same evening, about half an hour later, the sea is much choppier, and my picture didn't really give it justice, but it was a great sunset, sending all the clouds bright pink and orange, a perfect way to end the day!
But, the most important part of my stay is getting my fix of tinkling boats! I think the sound of boats masts chinking together is the most relaxing sound ever, it fills me full of a emotion I don't even understand.
Maybe I was a sailor in a previous life!
Now we are home and the washing is up to date and my food cupboards are fully stocked again, I am ready to go looking for more beautiful places!
Oh before I go, let me just show you this picture of a flower I found, I know some of you will think, yeah, its a flower, but you're not looking through my eyes and when you are so used to not noticing things, the things you do notice are almost over whelming, so enjoy my flower, speak soon xx
Thank you! :)
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