Sandy knickers

Despite my love of autumn and winter, I certainly didn't grow up thinking that summers were something to be glossed over and got through as quickly as possible. Living so close to Gwithian beach in Cornwall meant that a huge part of our lives revolved around the coast, all year round.

One of my favourite childhood memories is the feeling at the very end of a day on the beach, when you have packed up the towels, the picnic debris and so on, put on clothes over the top of slightly damp swimsuits and an enormous amount of sand and then all troupe your way up the winding path up the cliffs to head back to the car. Everyone's always absolutely dog-tired by this time and sleepy from a day spent in the sun. There would also be that slightly gritty, shivery, prickly feeling from a bit of sunburn too. Back in those days, suncream was something that you took on holidays abroad. And then when you were nearly back at the car, you'd all stop and turn to look back out over the sea and there would be the most amazing sunset setting the sea on fire and then melting into an enormous, languid pool of molten gold and pink. We used to always listen for the sizzle as the sun hit the sea at the horizon and when I was very small everyone else would pretend that they'd heard it and I'd missed it again. I was always so annoyed and could never work out how I'd managed to miss it yet again!

My mother loved sunsets, but most of all she loved "sparkly water" - when the light catches ruffled water and creates a path of glitter leading to the sun. I cannot ever see sparkly water without thinking of her. I hope that's the job that God's given her, spreading glitter on the water. [As always, I'm on the train writing this. Not the best place to have thoughts like that and make yourself do a proper full on well up just as the ticket stamping guy is coming along!]

Those days on the beach growing up formed the backbone of our lives in the summer. There were many times when we'd come out of school and Mum and Dad would be waiting in the car with all our swimming stuff and a cool box packed with sausages and rolls to cook hotdogs on the beach over a fire. It was the best childhood anyone could ask for really.