The last batch of last year’s Mablethorpe / Sutton-on-Sea chalet / beach hut pictures (although I may have a few more worthwhile digital picture that I might pull out of the hat if I need something to post one day).
These four were all shot on Tri-X, rather than the expired Plus-X of the others.
Something good that happened today…
It’s been a bit of a lazy Sunday. My dad visited this morning. Then I developed a roll of film I shot a couple of weeks ago (my first official 2025 film photos). Then I spent the rest of the afternoon doing not much apart from browsing the internet and watching a bit of TV. A roast chicken Sunday Dinner has filled my belly.
Given the uncertainty over what could happen tomorrow, I think this relaxed day is something to be happy about and be thankful for.
Another Lifeguards hut. Never photographed this one before, although given that they all look pretty much the same, it’s not so much the hut as the surroundings. This one overlooks the beach at Sutton-on-Sea.
Something good that happened today…
I’ve done little today other than scan some negatives and watch TV. But it’s been relaxing, and that’s a good thing.
This is the new “Cultural Hub” building at Sutton-on-Sea. Still under construction when I took this photo, I believe it is due to open sometime in 2025.
It replaces the old Colonnade and Pleasure Gardens development that stood on the site since the 1950s an, as such modern developments often do, has caused some debate, some residents and visitors welcoming the new, modern structure, others criticising the loss of the old and viewing the new structure as an eyesore.
Whatever people’s views, there is little to be done now but accept it for what it is.
From my perspective, it made for an interesting photo, and I’ll have to revisit it to perhaps photograph the completed building (and maybe go onto the sun terrace to take a picture from there!).
Something good that happened today…
The uncertainty over my job continues, although I will find out one way or the other on Monday. My mood seems to shift from day-to-day – yesterday I felt quite upbeat about things, but today I’m the opposite. I’ve had hints that I have a good chance that my role is safe, but not a guarantee, so I’m tending towards a pessimistic view today as I don’t want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed. This has made it quite difficult to find something good to write about, but I’m going to say that it was the team call we had this afternoon. Most of the people present (and some were not) are in the same position as myself – stuck with uncertainty until after the weekend – and some of them are in a more difficult position as certain grades have fewer available roles between them. Despite this, and although everyone is clearly unhappy about the situation, we are still able to come together and support one another with encouragement and advice. I work with good people, and that’s definitely a good thing.
I cropped in on this a little, but the big 6×9 negative took it well, and the GW690 still keeps it nice and sharp.
Something good that happened today…
A simple thing, but this morning, as I was cleaning out the cats’ litter tray into a bag to go in the bin, there was a very loud tweeting in the garden. The singer was a small robin atop the fence, chirping at the top of it’s little lungs. It was a really nice start to the day (although maybe not the cat litter part…).
A couple of pictures from Mablethorpe beach today, and my last (possibly ever?) Kodak Plus-X shots given I have no more of this expired film left – although I do have a single roll of Plus-X Pan, which I think may be an earlier version. That one is 35mm though, and expired in 1988.
The second picture shows the outfall where The Cut, a man-made drainage channel that winds its way through the flat Lincolnshire countryside, enters the North Sea.
Something good that happened today…
I had a parcel to send so I went for a walk to the collection point (a local convenience store about a mile away). The weather was lovely, with bright winter sunshine, blue skies, and a relatively mild 10° C temperature. After this week’s unsettling news, it was good to get out in the fresh air and stretch my legs.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
This bridge crosses a narrow part of the boating lake in Queen’s Park, Mablethorpe. A sizeable population of ducks, geese, and swans make the lake their home for at least part of the year, and while I took this picture a number of them looked at me hopefully in case I might have some food.
Something good that happened today…
It’s quite difficult to find a good thing today. Our team was notified that a restructure is taking place which will remove around 70% of current roles. While I had some expectation that something like this was probably going to happen, I didn’t expect it to be so significant, or to happen so soon. Obviously the affected people are shocked, frightened, and unhappy about the situation.
I have some hope that my role may be spared, but won’t find out just yet so all I can do is hope for the best. While this is obviously better than hearing my job is definitely being removed, it’s still been a challenging day.
I’ve reached out to colleagues to give support. I know how difficult these situations are, having gone through it before, and I think knowing there are people in a similar situation who will listen and share is a beneficial thing and much better than feeling alone with your concerns. I’m anxious myself, but I hope that I’ve been able to make others feel a little better by lending them an ear.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
It took a little effort to get this picture of these donkeys on Mablethorpe beach. There were plenty of people taking rides on them, so I had to wait for a gap. The lady looking after the donkeys kindly corralled them for me after I asked if it was ok to get a picture. I think I’ve front focused by a tiny fraction (although you can’t really tell unless you zoom right in), but I did quite well considering the rangefinder patch om my GW690 isn’t the easiest thing to use, especially on moving subjects.
Something good that happened today…
This isn’t a particularly good thing in itself. We received notification about a mandatory team call tomorrow and the feeling is that it won’t be good news. I guess the worse case scenario is that jobs are being cut, although I don’t know that for certain. Whatever the case, I don’t think they will be announcing inflation busting pay rises or anything.
I guess the good thing is that, while I feel unnerved about it, I don’t feel as anxious as I have when similar announcements have been made in the past. This is a small mercy, but I’ll take it. I guess I’ll know more tomorrow.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
Another Mablethorpe location that I’ve photographed many times before. It kinda shouts out to be photographed though.
Something good that happened today…
I was going to develop a roll of film today, but I couldn’t be bothered. Rather than beat myself up about this, I put it to one side and spent the day watching TV (Squid Game today). Sometimes it’s good to just relax, and I feel better for doing one thing, rather than ending up frozen by indecisiveness and doing nothing. My dad visited this morning too, which is always a good thing – he generally comes over every Sunday but I visited him last week as the weather was snowy.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic church in Mablethorpe.
I often end up photographing the same subjects on my annual trips to Mablethorpe, and this church is no exception. Here’s an earlier post about it from a few year’s ago.
This year I did something different, and walked to neighbouring Sutton-on-Sea, but I still photographed a few familiar sights in Mablethorpe nonetheless. I think I might attempt to walk around some of the parts of the town I’ve not explored on my next visit. I’m sure there are lots of interesting things to be found.
Something good that happened today…
Quite mundane, but I vegged out on the sofa most of the afternoon catching up on episodes of Silo that I’d not watched. Still got a couple more to catch up before the season finale this Friday, but it felt like I achieved something. I think the volume of things to entertain us that are available nowadays is both a blessing and a curse. I remember as a child being bored because I had nothing to do (mostly on rainy days when I couldn’t go out). Now I have more things that I will ever have time to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, which can feel overwhelming sometimes, especially when the hand of FOMO falls upon my shoulder.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
I think that seaside chalets / beach huts are perhaps a bit of a cliched subject for photography, but they just make such attractive subjects.
Something good that happened today…
I made a stew today, although I almost forgot. My wife had left instructions for this evenings meal. As is often the case, our fussy-eater sons would be having something different, and I had both of their selections sorted out. It was only as I was making my lunch that I realised I had to chop the onions, carrots, turnip, and celery to go in the slow cooker along with the beef (which I had to brown in the frying pan first). This could have been a disaster had I not remembered as stew isn’t something you can really hurry when it comes to cooking it. Everything worked out though and it was hearty and tasty. Proper winter food.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°
Steel City Snapper photography 