Lent Day 37 : Rules for a family beach walk

1. The walk must begin with a child crying because they don't want to go on the walk.

2. The walk must end with a different child crying because they didn't enjoy the walk. 

3. The magical bay to which you are headed must be less magical in person, and potentially covered in bluebottles.

4. The family selfie must actually be several selfies, each one with a different family member either subtly pulling a peace sign, grimacing into the sun, smiling with teeth covered in chocolate or shouting at children to smile because the timer is about to go off. in the end there must be no good selfies.

5. Everyone must eat the insipid apples at the bottom of the beach bag (that have been there for a good week) before they can have a marshmallow Easter egg. The eating of the apples must happen 'met lang tande'. 

6. Said marshmallows must be melted. 

7. Only Stephen must find a cowrie shell.

8. A wind must pick up in the death throes of the walk making the final sprint from the wet beach sand across the hot sand to the path that much more dramatic and Dunkirkish.

9. Parents must sigh a relief that the bonding walk is over and that we can all go and sit in the shade for the rest of the day. 

10. Family will talk about the beach walk for the rest of their lives, laughing, reminiscing and remembering it with fondness. Another memory going straight to the pool room.

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