You know that you live at the seaside when...

Oh wow, you LIVE at the seaside! Yes, we do and it's great! Not to brag(!) as it's hard work too sometimes but I wouldn't change it for the world!

But there are some things that only people who live at the seaside will understand...

1. All members of the family have a least one pair of shoes permanently half full of sand!
2. Even after a post-beach evening shower, there's always a bit of sand in your child's bed in the morning!
3. There's always a bucket and spade strategically placed by the front door.
4. You can (and do) take your children to the beach straight after school.
5. When the sun decides to shine, you know that the sea won't be warm enough for a paddle for about a week! Only the non-locals jump straight in!
6. You still can't walk along the shore line without collecting at least one shell or pebble.
7. Following on from #6... you'll always find a seashell or pebble in the pocket of a jacket that you haven't worn for ages!
8. You feel like an expert when you can tell the non-locals where the best place to crab-fish is... and the secrets of which bait to use!
9. You know which RNLI launches are 'real' and which are practices because everyone knows someone who is on the crew!
10. Finally, an impromptu walk along the prom can be done at a minutes notice and doesn't require military planning!

But... no, we don't go to the fun fair everyday - that's still a treat! And, no, we don't eat fish and chips on the harbour every day - that's still a treat! And, no, we don't eat sticks of rock, donuts or candy floss for dessert every day - they're still a treat!

But one thing we do still do is holiday at the seaside! We appreciate and respect what we have where we live but we still like to explore other coastal areas. But after all the trips we have made, I still love that view when coming into our home town - priceless!

Well, I hope I haven't made you feel too jealous! If you're having withdrawal symptoms from the beach, come and visit! There's a lovely B&B you can stay at.... Crystal House Hotel! (not-so-subtle hint!)