Burgess Hill and Beyond

Filey is full of visitors today. How can I tell?
Well here the normally very quiet new Tescos is full , well at least busy, with people buying ready meals and pizzas, Packs of Stella and bottles and bottles of fizzy water and Chardonnay.

On the way to Tescos, municipalia in excelsis

We locals know when the shoppers do not live here, but have caravans  and holiday homes here  because in the winter it is just us. I grew up in a large village, and Filey always feels the same to me. My mother used to say when she sent us to the shops   'Don't tell the village your business!' 

So , walking home from the trip to my local small Tesco store I was so pleased to see the Season is now well and truly STARTED. A sunny, and warm day, (19degrees  in the garden today) and Filey is the ideal seaside town for a  weekend. 

I love seeing people relaxing, walking on the Brigg and beach, having a coffee sitting outside Frothies or the Corner Cafe, and  browsing in our small shops or eating fish and chips from the box in the Crescent Gardens looking out at the sea . I always want the weather to be glorious for all of them, from Rotherham,  and  Hull, and the Yorkshire ex pats from London. A seaside town is a great leveller. 

We too will soon be on our way to Burgess Hill to stay with our daughter , her husband and our 2  grand-daughters. 

Burgess Hill is not a village but a large town, five times larger than Filey. 

It has small shops too, our favourite is the secondhand Bookshop called the 'Bookden' which is run by the Lions. We never have to take a book to Sussex to read. 

WE have a dilemma always about finding a Church. The last 2 we tried seemed very Dull, so this time we are trying one where our grandchildren have some friends. Spouse has been a singer all his life,  and for the first 20yrs of our time together I always had to sit alone in church whilst C was in the choir. St Martins Dorking had a wonderful choir. All the children learned to sing , and worked for their RSCM medals. Here in Filey I don't thank God , have to iron any surplices. So In Burgess Hill we would like some beautiful Music OR a full on Holy Spirit Service. Both together would be fantastic. 

Nymans

The South Downs have just achieved National Park Status. Burgess Hill is just out of the Park, but we see the hills a few miles  from the town, and know some beautiful places and villages around. 

Brighton, London by the sea  is only a OAPs bus ride from BH. I love it. It is my favourite place in the whole country for shopping . 

TAJ, my favourite shop in Brighton

And so I wander around Burgess Hill as the visitors amble around Filey, spending money in interesting shops, devouring the leaflets in Tourist Information outlets, trying cafes and remembering for next time (bacon sandwiches in the Burgess Hill indoor market), enjoying looking at the provisions in Waitrose (and longing for one nearer than Willerby), sitting on town centre benches, and going back to temporary home and wondering what's for dinner, and thanking God I didn't have to get it ready, and daughter has a dishwasher.