After a day spent obsessing over card shuffling like the pros we realised the sun was setting on our last days of vacation. So we set up at the beach to soak up the last rays of sunlight before the hot day to come. We nestled in a sheltered nook out of the wind amongst rock pools and beached seaweed. The dogs played with the ball until cheese, corn chips and frittata came on the menu thanks to Nanny Annie.

Ember tasted her first lime which looked like it tingled on her tongue, but she kept licking her sticky fingers with some interest after the remainder had long since fizzed in Phil’s corona. She didn’t sample the corn chips but the packet held her interest for the duration of the picnic.

Whilst little dog dashed into the surf for the ball, elderly grace dog hung close to the pack. Dylan set up his tripod for some ND filter magic as waves closed in almost sweeping the tripod of its three feet. Spirits were high as we climbed the steps home, despite the fact that sandy dogs have to sleep in outdoor cupboards not on their customary rag rugs in the laundry. Some things are worth the sacrifice.