Under the weather

 I've been under the weather in more ways than one lately - not just the real weather with its drab greyness, seemingly everlasting rain, floods and associated misery (not that I have been flooded myself thankfully) but also down with a horrible virus which had me speechless for a couple of days - very frustrating as Mr M doesn't hear me half the time normally and not at all when I can't speak above a whisper! Followed this up with a hacking cough day and night which left me with sore muscles in my ribs and diaphragm which has gone on and on for a couple of weeks.  Not surprisingly I felt tired and fed up with it all and my admiration for those who are really ill for months on end went up enormously - not being unwell very often I am definitely not a patient patient!  I tried going to a little place in the Greek Islands or somewhere warm and sunny where I might sit or lie by the azure sea under the shade of an umbrella with a glass of cool lemon to hand but it really didn't do the trick!

 So with yesterday's forecast being for a fine and sunny day and as I was beginning to feel a bit better I really wanted to get out and have a breath of sea air, not having been anywhere for what seemed like ages, so we went to the coast.  We did our usual walk from Weymouth - it's flat and easy and supposed to be about 2 and a bit miles so not too far.

Love this little cove which only ever seems to be used by locals and today there was just a little girl with her Mum sorting through pebbles at the edge of the wavelets.  Patriotic colours I seem to have captured here don't I?

 Speaking of colours I just couldn't get over the colour of the sea round by the harbour it was a deep olive green, out to sea as in the first photo it was turquoise and here along the road to Portland where it flows beneath the road bridge it looks almost Mediterranean doesn't it?  Though I doubt if it would have been as warm.

I must admit I was glad when we reached the Visitor Centre where the cafe was not full  - as it was last time when we had to eat outside as the tables were all taken - so we were able to sit indoors at a table by the window looking at this view as we ate our bowls of soup followed by a hot drink and a shared scone (well they were quite large!)  After a nice sit down and a rest we were ready to set off to the bus stop to get the bus back into town and from there home.  I had enjoyed my day out in the fresh air but realised just how out of condition I had become - will need to build up my stamina again in readiness for the better weather.  I noticed a flask for sale in the window one of the shops selling walking gear which we passed on our way to the bus stop with the words Keep Calm and Go for a Walk - just right for me I thought!

By the way did you know, I certainly didn't, that only 1% of the world's water is usable?  It seems 97% is in the oceans and 2% is frozen leaving just 1% for our use - this I discovered reading one of the posters at the Visitor Centre which told me that they harvest rainwater for use in flushing the toilets.  You certainly learn something new every day don't you and to think that with all that rain and floods we still have only 1% of usable water!  We really can't afford to waste a drop can we?!