Hungry Troublemaker

When your daughter turns into a photobombing graffiti vandal on her first visit to Sandend.

It's a super moon, or a harvest moon, or something like that. That means the high tides are very high and the low tide is very low. I got a bounty of treasure in the morning when the tide was way low but by the time we got to Sandend in the afternoon, the tide was very high. Beth cared not. She started to bounce along the tiniest strip of sand not yet claimed by the sea on all fours, smiling from ear to ear. Dogs do smile. Happy dogs are mesmerisingly duffus-like in their demeanour, you can't help but smile back. Beth is the living embodiment of Doug from Up, if Doug occasionally grumped at other dogs n humans that is. Meanwhile Sam was all about capturing the wee birds using the old sea defences as look out points on his camera. Mad max the frisbee fiend was obsessing about every throw, catch and return like all collies do. And Dave? Well, he was just trying to stay preoccupied.

We also visited the harbour where two wee boys decided I was their latest best friend, told me about their beach treasures and how I should smash stones against the harbour wall to release the crystals. I bigged up their treasure hunting skills which made them beam. The harbour midden made for some way too sharp shards on the shore line that hadn't yet been cooked by the sea so we headed further along to find some rough and tumbled smoothies.... pottery that is, not Dave.