Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Meon Shore is near Titchfield Haven RSPB bird reserve, quite near Stubbington... about 20 minutes from Southampton. It is a little quiet oasis of calm with a backdrop of big old cities of Portsmouth and Southampton... and I love it there.

Ma and Pa Orlebar own a beautifully sweet little hut, which has been in Ma's side of the family for generations. G and James grew up spending entire summers there.

It is right on the beach - a shingle beach - and overlooks Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Consequently, you can sit and watch yachts a-coming and a-racing, plus the Wight Link ferries to-ing and fro-ing, not to mention the odd HUGE cruise liner sailing out of Southampton on their way to exotic climes full to bursting with excited cruisers happily exploring their cabing, unpacking and deciding what to wear for the dinner dance at 8pm.. well in my mind, anyway.

Last year we saw the QE2 on one of her last journeys - she's titchy compared to huge Oceana or whatever they're called these days.

Anyhoo - we were at Meon with Ma & Pa last weekend and the sun shone. It was blissfully perfect, as usual. And it has got G and myself itching to get back there for our holiday - but we've only got to wait a week... hurray!