The Beach Hut

The Beach Hut

Friday 25 November 2011

Notes from the Beach Hut


A beach hut in November isn’t the warmest of places and this evening I lit the calor gas heater for the first time this winter.  No more cold nose or even colder fingers; it’s almost impossible to type on the keyboard of my little netbook with frozen fingers.  The hut warms quickly and I know I’ll have to brace myself to leave in a couple of hours, so I’ll make the most of the warmth and the pleasant glow of the flame while I update my blog and work on a new short story.

With the door shut firmly against the cold dark evening no-one would know I was here, the almost silent tapping of the keyboard as I type won’t give me away.  However I can hear everything; couples passing as they stroll along the promenade, their dog sniffing around the back of the beach huts and a group of teenagers kicking an empty can across the pebbles, cheering as, with a final kick, it lands in the sea.

One more cup of coffee from my Thermos and I’ll get on with that short story.  Then back home to the heaps of washing up and ironing that the family is sure to have left for me.  On second thoughts, perhaps I’ll stay a little longer tonight.

Saturday 19 November 2011

The Paracetamol Police

Earlier today, over a delicious breakfast at The Royal in Eastbourne, I said that I would not be spouting my opinions on this blog.  But then I went shopping ……

It makes me so mad when I can’t go into a shop and buy more than two small packs of pain killers. 

When I have a migraine it’s likely to last three days and I want to know that when I need a three-day supply of paracetamol they’ll be in the cupboard where they should be.  However, there are five adults in the house, any one of whom might have a headache, or a cold, or a sore throat; so the chance of there being enough tablets available when I need them is remote. 

I’ve been quizzed in Boots by the pharmacist, my husband was refused service when he queued behind me in the hope that between us we could buy a double ration and even the checkout operator in Tesco has refused to let me take three packs of Ibuprofen.  In Poundland today I was told that I couldn’t buy some cough sweets and Lemsip together because of the amount of paracetamol in the combined items.

So who are these people who say I can’t buy the pain killers I want?  Why can’t I buy any more than the single person who lives next door?  I am an adult and no-one has the right to tell me what I can or can’t buy.   

It makes me so mad!