We're Back!

Yes, we're back, after a wonderful holiday at the beach sunbathing and watching the world go by!  It was an experience I will cherish for a long time to come  ... you'll know what I mean when you read our story!  Ning is so proud of his sun tan, though Head Nun says she can't see any difference in his face!  Neither can I but he insists he's two shades darker! 

To get on with our story.  As soon as we arrived at the beach bungalow, we put aside our things and headed straight for the beach. 

This part of the beach is not so popular with the public as it is further up the coast and I was relieved to see only a few holiday makers around.  Thank goodness we didn't have to climb over dozens of sun baked bodies lying on the beach!

We spent our first day exploring the beach.  There were many pretty sea shells - and starfish - and Ning nearly sat on one!  I love sea shells and collected a few.

Then we saw this cool chick sunbathing  She was a lovely ginger colour and Ning was completely bowled over. Alas, she ignored all Ning's attempts to chat her up and soon disappeared somewhere.  We never saw her again.  Poor Ning!

I thought I'd try meditation by the sea but there were too many distractions! See what I mean??

Ning of course could not resist catching fish and he was successful too!  One evening, he built a small fire on the beach and grilled his catch.

I think he was secretly hoping that the aroma from the grilled fish would tempt Miss Ginger Cat to emerge from her hideout!  But no one appeared and he gobbled down everything in the end! 






It was two days away from Christmas and suddenly everyone on the beach was in a jovial mood.  We wished each other Merry Christmas over and over again and we joined in the carol singing on the beach at night. Our friends left for home on Christmas Eve, so Ning and I spent a quiet Christmas together.

Unfortunately there wasn't much to feast on for a Yuletide celebration except for a big cupcake which was given to us by one of our beach friends!  But as I reminded Ning, it is the spirit of Christmas that's important, not the food!

 

On Christmas night, we sat under the moon and stars and to our delight, saw a shooting star!  I hadn't seen one for years and I yelled excitedly to Ning to make a wish!  Ning, always a sceptic, just laughed. I closed my eyes and wished .... oh, I can't remember what I wished for ... it's not important anyway.  But it was a beautiful night and I was sure the Christmas angels were flitting across the sky playing their harps and singing hymns .... if only I could have heard and seen them!

We slept late the next morning and after a quick bite, went down to the beach again.  Our plan was to build a nice sandcastle but somehow it didn't work out ....oh well, cats have never been trained to do this kind of work....

Ning had been swimming of course but I hadn't joined him as I really can't swim all that well.  That morning he strolled out from behind a rock in his swimming trunks ....it was the first time I had seen them and ....yikes!  They were a bright green colour with a pink fish bearing his initial 'N" in front, yellow and pink stars - and pink fins sticking out at the sides!  Oh, oh ...it was so difficult to stifle my laughter.  Ning glared at me, then plunged into the sea, his green trunks bobbing up and down the water.  "Don't scare the fish!"  I yelled. 

The last few days of our holiday were spent lazing around.  I had many quiet moments for self-introspection while Ning was catching fish or sun bathing.  On our last night on the beach, we were sitting there talking quietly when suddenly Ning sat up and pointed to the sky.

"Look!  I don't believe it ... angels?"  I looked and saw to my amazement not one but three angels hovering in the sky near the moon.

"Ning!"  I gasped.  "Remember that night when we saw the shooting star?  I was thinking then how nice it would be if I could see an angel ...."

"Looks like your wish has been granted," said Ning. As we both watched,  they slowly melted into the night sky and were gone in a few seconds.

I don't know how long we sat there, listening to the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore and the soft strains of "O Holy Night" from somewhere far away.  I found myself wishing the night would never end.
It was the most beautiful Christmas both of us had shared in a long, long time...