Last day of July, and it has rained for all of it.
5 loads of washing sitting here, spread all over the place, just making the house more humid.
As we are heading over to The Principality again tomorrow, I have asked S2 whether we can bring the damp laundry with us, and hang it, in stages, above their AGA. He has agreed, so all is not lost.
Spent a couple of hours with Daddy today in his holiday home. Back there in a short while to say goodnight. He enjoyed his manicure this morning, and once we had cracked the 'how to stay awake long enough to look at the laptop photos of Elan Valley', things shaped up really well.
Had 2 fab visits today... the lovely B and her 2 children O and L came over, lots of green tea with mint was consumed, the Lego came out, the wet trampoline got bounced on, and all went well. Then Mrs Chinn and Alice came over too, armed with knitting corrections, funny stories and a late birthday present for me! Lots of projects to be added to the list now. It was a book crammed full of knitting patterns. Yippee!
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| Thanks Rachel... |
C1 is on a sleepover tonight, so C1 and I have enjoyed a 99p pizza together, and are looking forward to a sofa snuggle and a film, after the 'good night' pop-in to Daddy.
Tomorrow will mainly consist of packing a bag into the car, including wet washing, sleeping bags and pillows, wellies (going to Wales, after all!) and my crochet bag, picking up C1 from her friend's house, dentist check-ups, then hit the M5. Aiming to sit down to lunch with S2 and his lovely family by about 1pm. There is a bell tent in the garden, which can contain 7 children, so all being well I may have a bedroom to myself tomorrow night while all 5 cousins sleep outside.
August starts tomorrow... just saying......
Warning: when making plans for a relaxing, peaceful and tranquil short break with a pal, in a place with no children's playground or other entertainment, make sure that your children have other things to do, other places to be, so that the above can take place.
Otherwise, the full amount of stress, tears, frustration and inability to even walk across a field without a hanger-on attached to your t-shirt takes its toll of friendships, family harmony, and the bank balance.
What should have been a weekend of bike riding, a pub meal, quiet contemplation of beautiful views, and basic field accommodation for a fiver a night, watching red kites from the back of the trailer tent, is now, thankfully, over.
C1 and C2 are happily installed on the sofa with the telly, the washing machine is on overdrive, I am here, being ignored (why couldn't they ignore me while we were away?), Mr 1957 is back at his, and the situation is never, I repeat, never, going to happen again.
There were some lovely times,
but these were over-shadowed by 'I'm bored', 'I'm hungry', 'she did this', 'he did that', 'can I have' and 'how much longer are we here for', in close competition with the weekend winner - 'do we have to do more walking?'. It started 10 minutes into the journey, as C2 proceeded to throw up spectacularly all over himself and the rear passenger seat.
Ah well, in the words of Mr 1957, 'stupid is as stupid does'.
Happy 54th Wedding Anniversary, Mummy and Daddy!
I think Year 54 has comprised a lot of tolerance and tenacity. Well done, both.
Our day started at the same time as a normal school day, due to an appointment at 9am. Once installed in the waiting room, we realised that the appointment was actually for 9:30am, so I had to go and feed the parking machine with another pound.
On leaving, we were going to go on a mission to find worm tablets, travel bands, socks, crop tops and some sandals. I consulted the Parking Fuhrer, asking him whether the fact that I had parted with enough coinage to allow me 4 hours on the car park, but both tickets were for similar expiration times, would allow me to use the full value. His rude and curt reply was something along the lines of 'should have bought the right ticket in the first place, buy another one' so I decided not to engage in further discussion, but walked away and took us off to a different car park.
Both children were shocked at how this jobsworth bloke had spoken to me.
They were even more shocked when, as we mooched around the shopping centre, clutching our list, we witnessed a child/mother with a screaming toddler, a baby buggy, and some nasty language. I was ready to step in and offer some kind of help, but the screaming woman/girl was so intent on abusing her terrified child that I don't think she would have noticed me. Walking away made me feel awful. C1 put it very well. 'If she's like that in public, what must that poor baby have to go through at home with the door shut?'.
Shame on me, I thought. She had gone by the time I had thought it through.
Onwards to the old house, to collect a parcel that had been sent to the wrong address (we have only been gone from there for nearly 2 years, after all), which was kind of emotional (old bedroom door with C1's sticker scars still showing - chucked onto a scrapheap outside the front). Hard to see, but easy to walk away from.
On to the parents for afternoon tea. Scones, jam and clotted cream. Yummy, but all too soon proved that my dairy intolerance is still alive and well!
Packing lists printed and distributed as soon as we returned home. C1 and C2 are now adept at packing their own bags - just pillows and a toothbrush to add to the mix in the morning.
The forecast looks fairly promising. All good.
Holidays are comin', holidays are comin'.......
At last.
C1 and C2 are so tired - we all need a break from getting up at stupid o'clock, getting out, getting in, and getting back. Looking forward to 41 days off!
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| Last day in Year 3 |
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| Last day in Year 6 |
Tears on the playground, tears at home, friends moving on, and a lesson on how 'real friends' never stop being friends no matter how many miles there are between them.
On a different level, I had a lesson this morning from C1 on how to apply eye-liner correctly. Shock horror. My daughter is more adept with face-slap than I have ever been!
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| Like this, Mummy... |
The day was spent being busy, and breathing the last peaceful air for a while, due to the schools breaking up today. Mr 1957 and I have packed the trailer tent, done the shopping, done a list, and now just need to wait for departure day.
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| Ready..... |
C1 and C2 are anticipating the thrill of a chemical toilet, fetching all the water we need from a stand-pipe, and playing wild and wonderful games in the fields and woodland around Nantserth. They were not originally included in the plans, but now, they are in the thick of it. Ha ha!
I have Mummy and Daddy to thank for the years of experience gained from caravan holidays through my childhood. Memories of queuing up for a go with the winding tool to get the legs of the caravan down (jostling with my brothers for the prime job of setting up!), pitching the toilet tent....
... fresh air, no technology, no electricity, torches, outdoor cooking, French cricket, and being forever amazed at how comfortable and homely our little pitch could become, in the space of a couple of hours. I hope and pray that C1 and C2 continue to get the same excitement as I did.
Simple living.
No more, no less.
And tomorrow is Mummy & Daddy's 54th wedding anniversary. Respect to both of them. Afternoon tea with scones, jam and clotted cream is on the cards for tomorrow. There will be love all around.
School academic year down to 3 days left. None of us can wait for the holidays to begin.
Spent a lovely day mooching around Evesham with the lovely, inspiring H, looking at house clearance emporiums and charity shops, with a major coup achieved in one of the many charity shops there...
2-layer stainless steel steamer pan with a lid. It matches my other 4 pans exactly, is something I have wanted/needed for a long time, and I got it for the princely sum of £1.50. Joy. Steamed veg-fest - especially now we have new potatoes, peas and runner beans! Result! And only using one gas ring!
C1 and C2 are too hot to cook for, so sandwiches are the order of the day for tea. Good.
Having 'discussed' his current frame of mind, I have taken the decision to keep C1 and C2 with me this weekend, instead of sending them to BabyDaddy.
They will now be accompanying me and Mr 1957 on a wild camping trip to a field with a stand pipe and a chemical toilet waste disposal point. Nothing more. And a tent. And a football, an I-Spy book, some string and the potential for picnics, walking and some Red Kite spotting. Oh, and a day at Elan Valley. I reckon they won't have the time or the inclination to say the dreaded 'I'm bored' mantra even once!
Had a good conversation with SallyBally, who is currently unavailable to work due to poking herself in the eye with a bit of laurel twiglet while pruning. A&E trip later, and we both now have gruesome 'eye injury' stories to tell squeamish people.
Tomorrow is Mummy & Daddy day, with haircut, garden stuff and some quality time.
Let the holiday countdown continue.
Sunshine, happy places and peaceful thoughts.
The weekend passed so quickly.
C1 excelled herself in the Victoria Sandwich department.
The day was spent somewhere else - best laid plans etc. It was decided by all concerned that a day at a steam fair would be expensive, a little testing on the attention spans of small people, and it would be altogether a better plan to spend the day at a play area with a picnic.
This turned out a whole lot better than we expected, as we arrived to find a community activity day setting up, and stayed for most of the day! C1 and C2 had a go at a climbing wall... both seem to be natural, fearless climbers!
Then, as the heat continued, a visit over the road to the Co-Op proved the point that we are, actually, experiencing a heat wave!
Once we had exhausted the options, we made our way to Golden Valley, to look at swans, ducks, mud and stuff. C2 appeared to sprout horns, until I realised that he had acquired a couple of goose feathers!
The heatwave continues. My solution is simple and effective.
This time last year I would have been suffering with this heat. Swollen, sweaty, jock itch and feeling totally wiped out. This year, I am happy to say, the part of me that suffered all of that is the part of me that has now been shedded!
Sleepover city! C1 went to the park at 4 yesterday afternoon with Lovely Meeeeeeea, and is not coming home until 11am today. How lovely to have such flexible friends, such a flexible mummy. She is on Victoria Sandwich duty this afternoon, however, so had better be awake by then!
Spent a lovely morning yesterday with Mummy & Daddy - some great ideas were whirling around the garden, and as I did a spot of pruning (supervised by Daddy) the nugget of an idea sprouted wings.
The bay prunings were brought home with great ideas of entrepreneurism, but all I found in the honesty box was a crust of bread! Pffft!
Today is BBQ day chez Mr 1957. There will also be some bunny-bothering, jolly times and hopefully a nice breeze coming from the hills.
Lovely morning spent with Daddy while Mummy went off doing her thing. Daddy walked up and down the 'track' at the side of the house, straw hat on, confidently stepping out, while I picked loganberries with a weather-eye on him. Then it was time for a cup of tea and a biscuit. The relaxed mood was continued with some snoozing while I listened to the soundtrack from 'Call The Midwife'
as I crocheted a blanket for my friend Hanbury Kate. It has what seems to be a beautifully chosen colour-scheme (ie random out of the stash box) which I am really pleased with.
I appear to be still harbouring a bit of a hurty thumb though, related to a cycling incident a while back. This is impeding the progress of any crochet, and it seems that knitting is not a possibility at all. I trust that it will all calm down very soon.
Having spoken to Mrs Typist at C2's school yesterday, I have now acquired 3 display boxes for my proposed craft fair ventures. They will look great covered in a tablecloth, with my makes arranged tastefully on top. They will be irresistable, and will fly off the shelves, and my little crochet world will be such a happy place.
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| Display box things |
Just 9 more school runs until the summer holidays - that should have an impact on the petrol bill!
Now all I need to do is sort out Furbaby Care while we are elsewhere. I have a spreadsheet!
Another glorious day.
C2 had a jolly sports day, winning a 1st for his efforts in the obstacle race, and losing with a grin when he lost his spud in the 'spud'n'spoon' race.
Pre-birthday visits from Auntie and Grandad provided C1 with some lovely birthday surprises.
Mr ASDA arrived almost immediately after the departure of the family visitors, so we now have the necessary ingredients for the Knickerbocker Glory-fest and other birthday-related 'stuff'.
A lot of fun was had by C1 and C2 in the paddling pool before, during, and after tea. Doing the 'science bit' with washing-up bowls, a bit of a vacuum and some serious bubble blowing - I am sure I am a frustrated home-schooler!!! (Calm down - it's really NOT an option!).
I am loving receiving emailed photos from Mummy.
First we had the stately demise of a beautiful rose...
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| THE END |
... and then, one of my favourite blends of fragrance, picked in their garden, sweet peas and clove pinks.
Beautiful summery visuals. I would like to make a crochet 'something' using these colours.
Had a lovely offer from one of C1's friend's mummy to share the transport tomorrow for the cinema excursion. I am grateful and relieved, as the quotes I had from various taxi firms were hair-raising! Offer accepted, and she will be plied with an icecream sundae with an extra cherry or strawberry when we get home!
All in all, a lovely day.
Topping this, a pitch has been found, on a site in the middle of nowhere for our 'back to basics' camping experiment, with the prospect of a more 'reasonable and comfortable' experience later this year somewhere in the Gower area. There is nothing like a spot of anticipation to make life more interesting, and this is one of those YOLO moments that I was going on about a while back. Hoorah for a chemical toilet with matching tent, a stand pipe and a stripey wind-break.
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