Friday 24 April 2009

Hunter Gatherer

So it occurred to me recently that although my blog is entitled Maternal Tales from the South Coast, I haven't yet made any reference to the fact that we live by the sea. You know how it is... when you wake up every day to the cry of the seagulls and the sound of the waves, you just sooooo take it for granted darling! Add to this the fact that my husband has been badgering me to mention him in a good light and not just as the long-distance object of a daily rant, you'll understand why this post is my little homage to the South Coast and a wonderful husband.

So a couple of years ago when I was pregnant with Edie (sorry - don't think I can write a whole post without mentioning pregnancy or childbirth - it never quite leaves you, you know?!), I had a little bit of a nesting instinct and decided that we absolutely, more than anything, needed to move. My criteria - more bedrooms and a larger garden. My husband's criteria - to be close enough to the sea that he would (a) be able to hear it and (b) be able to carry his kayak to it. Funnily enough, not actually that easy. I'd like to say that my husband is a sea man through and through, but he's not. He's actually a mountain man, from the Alps. But in the absence of any mountains larger than...well in the absence of any mountains at all, he's very much a sea man (when he's around, that is)!

Anyway, without boring you with too many details on gazzumping and gazzundering (yes I didn't know the word existed either until it happened to us), or moving with a 2-week old baby and toddler (good timing hey?) - we did indeed find our perfect house with a bigger garden, more bedrooms, and...you've guessed it...a proximity close enough to the sea so my husband wouldn't collapse under the weight of his kayak before his feet were even wet.

And now with temperatures rising just a little above freezing, hubby (or JP - let me introduce him) is a happy Frenchman because after months of waiting he can finally paddle off into the sunset. But paddling is not all he does in his bright yellow sea contraption. No my dear friends, hard as it is to believe, he is a male multi-tasker! He is also able to fish from it! So imagine my delight when over the past couple of days he has returned, laden with the scumptious delicacy that is Sea Bass. On the first day he managed to catch 3 rather fine specimens and I was impressed enough with them for it to warrant a Tweet. The very next day he returned with 7. And, please believe me when I tell you this - they were not tiddlers. They were enormous. If you want stats, I can give you this. The largest one weighed 4 and a half pounds and measured 55cm from nose to tail. I have to say I almost swooned with pride, although it could have had something to do with the fishy odours, it was hard to tell.

So that's about it really. I may moan about my husband not being around most of the time, but when he is around, he certainly makes himself useful. And if the damn recession ever hits us even more than it has done already, at least we'll be safe in the knowledge that we will never go hungry. I therefore dedicate this post to my hunter gatherer and living by the sea. Two things which make it all worthwhile.

PS - the Sea Bass was divine!

29 comments:

  1. Hi have tagged you over at mine.. great blog.

    BM x

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  2. Sea Bass, ooh I want sea bass, you've made me feel guilty now not sure when I last mentioned Other Half other than to rant oops.Have a great weekend luv Karen x

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  3. You paint an idyllic picture - enjoy the weekend!

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  4. Do those seagulls use your car for 'target practise' too? I'm always washing my car....apparently you have two days to wash it off before the acid erodes the paint!

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  5. Bush Mummy - Thankyou!!! Have paid you a visit x

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  6. Whoopsy. Didn't mean to post it until I had replied to all. Silly me.

    Karen - yeah Sea Bass was amazing. He normally catches Mackerel which is pretty nice, but this was the first time he'd caught Sea Bass. Fingers crossed he catches some more! Don't worry about OH - I'll be back to moaning again soon. Just you see!

    Catharine - It can be idyllic for a moment in time...! But not much longer than that! Have a great weekend too x

    RM - Those bloody seagulls - yes they do! Darn them and their sqawking cries in the morning!

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  7. Thanks! Needed the break - lucky you, living close to the sea... Hope you managed to get some well earned rest when the hubby got home -& some pampering at your M&D's. My hunter gatherer brings me Fossil/Oshkosh/L'Occitaine back from his travels, then I don't moan about him either! Love your stories about the girls & sisterly bonding. My two are at war with each other at the moment & the litchen still isn't finished - it's all sending me a bit loopy.... Lx

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  8. I live by the Italian sea - it is great (off to the beach in a few moments) but being an English girl (?) I can truely say nothing beats the British seaside - lucky you!!!!

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  9. PS I want your life.. we are desperate to leave London and move to the sea. I grew up in the New Forest and had an idyllic Swallows and Amazons childhood which I now want my children to have. Isn't it amazing how children re-focus one's priorities?.. couldn't have imagined leaving London even a year ago.. Now I can't wait!!

    BM x

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  10. You'd better get aq bigger freezer!

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  11. Hunter Kayaker Gatherer...

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  12. Wow, JP sounds well worth the wait! But I guess such intrepid exploits (and fine dining!) make it all the harder to let him go when the next shoot comes up. Hope he can stick around for a bit this time - long enough for you to get sick of Sea Bass anyway! xx

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  13. Mmmm sea bass. My DP shares your former dream of living by the sea...maybe one day we will follow where you have led. JP sounds like a great man to have around.

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  14. Ooooooh dear getting homesick for the sea again.....! Seabass and husbster both sound divine. Lucky girl x

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  15. I would love to live by the sea. Not so much interested in the sea bass, though, what with being veggie, but hubby would love it.

    I used to love visiting my granny in Deal and going for long walks along the beach with the dog. Strangely, though, we lived in Southampton for a year and I got as far as the sea, once, when my mum and sister came to visit. Hmmm... I may have to go and drool over houses for sale by the sea, now.

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  16. I am extremely jealous that you live close to the sea. We live about as far away from the sea as it's possible to get in this country :-( Maybe one day that will change? I'd like to think so.

    I totally relate to your pregnancy compulsion - I had one to paint a wall once. Hence my ex coming home from work to find a bright pink kitchen wall.

    Whoops. x

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  17. It's lovely living near the sea....we live about 10 minutes drive away...so not close enough to walk with a kayak...not that I have a kayak. We also live opposite mountains, so we have the best of both worlds.
    No sea bass though...I don't think, although I've seen a few minnows in the local river if we get desperate ;)

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  18. Ok, who stole my comment? I wrote it out this afternoon and now it's gone AWOL. Go on, hands up! No, I'm not going mad....

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  19. We live about 20 minutes from the sea. Far enough inland to be away from the holidaymakers but close enough to be there when they've gone home. You talking about fresh fish has rekindled our recent hankering for a village boat at Lyme.

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  20. Lydia - Oh poor you!! Well despite the girls' bond they still drive me loopy on a daily basis so I can definitely empathise! Glad you managed a break though - mine seems like far too long ago already!

    Kathryn - Hello and welcome! Ooh I have to say, I think the Italian coast beats the British one any day!! But very lovely of you to say the opposite! Hope you had a good day at the beach.

    Bush Mummy - Yep, when you have children your priorities definitely change. I was born and brought up in London and never thought I'd leave, but when I moved to Brighton I realised I didn't miss London at all. Now when I go back to visit I can't wait to get back home again!

    The Dotterel - Ha ha yes you're right. However, we ate one, froze two and gave the rest away to friends and neighbours. Anyone else want some??? I'm taking orders!

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  21. Iota - Indeed! But lots of other things as well!

    Mamma Po - Yes, you're right. I should be used to it by now - I kind of am. Just have to make the most of him while he's here.

    Cave Mother - He is! I will never go hungry with him around. And yes, living by the sea is amazing, especially with children. They love looking for crabs in the rock pools...

    Reasons - Come back!! I can hear the sea calling you...

    Tasha - It's always the way - when you live somewhere properly and not just as a tourist you rarely visit the sights. I've never been inside the Brighton Pavillion! And yes, I used to look at seaside houses all the time, especially when I lived in London and was stuck in traffic every day!

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  22. Kitty - The sea is great of course - although we've just come back from visiting some friends for the weekend and they live miles from the sea. But we went for an amazing walk and stood at the top of this enormous hill which had the best views ever. My friend turned to me and said - 'we may not have the sea, but we have views like this'. And they were just as good (well almost)!!

    Magnumlady - If you have too much of a good thing you tend to get bored, or take it for granted at least - if you have the sea close by and mountains too then it sounds like you've got it sorted. If you get bored of one, then you go visit the other. Was thinking about minnows the other day - about how they appear in children's books all the time but how we never see them any more. (At least we don't - but maybe that's because we don't visit rivers often).

    Notsupermum - Don't you just hate it when that happens?? Don't worry - I'm forever checking back on blogs only to discover that my comments aren't there! I sometimes write thema gain and they they both appear later and I look like a fool!! But that seems to be when they need the owner's approval. Don't need it here - so it must have disappeared into the ether. Go on, what was it that you said??

    Maddie Grigg - Sounds perfect - yes tourists and crowded beaches can be a bit of a pain in the Summer...Go on - get the boat. You know you want to!!

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  23. Living by the sea is wonderful isn't it. We live about 3 miles max from the coast. Even though we are surrounded by countryside.

    CJ xx

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  24. CJ - Didn't realise you lived near the coast as well as on a farm. Now I think I may be a tad envious!

    AMM - Coming over to look x

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  25. Hello! Many thanks for popping by.
    Sx

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  26. Hello MT - thanks for the visit! The similarities continue - 2 kids, near south coast (Hants)!

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  27. a rich life indeed. I don't suppose you caught Monty Hall's Great Escape (or something like that)? THAT is a life I could enjoy.

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  28. Scarlet-Blue - Hi and thanks for coming by!

    Kate - How funny! Too strange. Have had people tell me they've seen my doppelganger before, but never me. I'm sure if we met we wouldn't look at all like each other...Nice photo though!

    IBHH - Rich in substance, yes. Rich in other terms, I can only wish... No didn't catch Monty Hall's Great Escape - will try to google it and see what you mean!!! xxx

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