Out and about!

Making the most of the dry but overcast weather - I went with the boys walking the Polden Way. It's only 5 minutes drive away and follows the ridge line to the Hood Monument, with fabulous views and then a wander down through the forest, before we turned and came home before the rain.

Couldn't resist taking a pic of these little toadstools.

On Wednesday Sophie and I enjoyed a day trip to Southampton. Southampton was on our Uni Open Day tour and she liked the Campus feel, just needed to see what the actual city offered. It didn't really tick the box, so we're back to Cardiff in a couple of weeks, to see what that has to offer and see if we can get past it not being a campus uni! We've added Reading Uni to our tour and possibly Leeds!

So today was results day! The school said it would email results through from 6am, more like 7am before they 'pinged' in and the anguish was over. She did well but was disappointed, as there will be no guarantees of an offer from her favourite uni, Birmingham. It's still in the mix and with hard work, she has every chance of achieving her dream. I'll be so glad when this is all behind us and both of them, are where they want to be, doing what they want to do and are basically happy. 

So glad it wasn't like this in our day - I think there is almost too much information, decision making and pressure on them now. I chose where I wanted to go from a paper prospectus, had an interview (as it was for teaching and art) got C, D, E in my A' Levels and still went to study where I wanted and went on to get a 2:1 and teaching qualification. Fingers crossed it'll all come good in the end.

Mid- summer hols!

We're at that mid point of the Summer holidays.

and finally we've had a little overdue sunshine.

Not all day, every day but snippets of blue sky, worthy of getting the sun lounger out for! Saying that, I think there is already a slightly autumnal feel in the air, a coolness behind the sun, trees already starting to turn and a need for a blanket in the evenings, whilst sat on the sofa.

We have been spoilt by some fabulous skies in the evening.....

Sam called to me to capture this beautiful sight. His room, at the front of the house, had turned orange, so he called for me to see - only lasted 10 minutes but was stunning.

Mid week I drove up to Gloucester Quays to catch up with old school friends. It was a grey old day but as we mostly sat, drank coffee, ate and caught up, so didn't really notice the weather.

Friends since the start of Secondary school!

Jeff treated me to a pair of new trainers. I feel I should be out doing some exercise and have missed the benefits of running, so am hoping these might get me out there again. It's been a year since I stopped, due to a back injury (from falling off a table!) and a hip pain that wouldn't go away. The man very kindly advised me as to which pair would best suit. These have extra support and as I have flat feet, were actually the only pair suitable for me - I'm hoping they'll lessen any hip niggles too. I've been out once, got a baseline time to improve upon, now to get out for a second run and start making it a habit again!!

I'm conscious that my 'enjoy summer' dieting model, possibly hasn't been the best approach for me and can feel the extra pounds creeping on. So rather than wait until September, I'm mindfully starting to be a little more focused again. We have been patiently waiting for things to grow and ripen in the garden and this morning I picked the first of the blackberries, with the apples not far behind. See another nudge to autumn right there. I feel we've been cheated out of a summer this year, unless we are to be treated to a lovely late edition, fingers crossed.

Birthday Boy!

I love birthday's - setting the scene, bunting, present wrapping and....

....cake making!

Today this one ......

.....turns 15!

When did my 'baby' get so tall!?!

Still young enough to.....

....blow out the candles and make a wish x

Happy birthday Sam x

August or did we jump to October??

So it's August, not that you'd notice......

..... by the grey, miserable weather. It really is rather unseasonal!

21 years ago it was a beautifully sunshiny day.

The most perfect day to marry your best friend.

And look how happy we are, 21 years on x

It wouldn't be our Wedding Anniversary without a bunch of sunflowers in the mix.

We've marked the occasion by booking our flights for next years holiday! 

It feels good to know it's all booked and paid for.

We are doing things slightly different next year to try to please everyone. Previously we've booked a package holiday through Thompson's, partly for the peace of mind if anything went wrong and partly because it was just easier to tie everything together in one go. But on our last family trip to Ibiza, the sunbed dash in the morning was just awful and I vowed to never do that again. Last year holidaying in Sorrento with Sophie confirmed that, as although we had a hotel as a base, we went off to do other things rather than be tied to a sunbed spot. So this year we have booked a private villa with a pool and then arranged our flights separately. We're going to somewhere we've been before - Puerto Pollensa, but we intend to see more of the local area as we won't have to bagsy a sunbed for the day or be tied to meals with an all inclusive set up. I now have a year to save up some spending/food money and have something to look forward to on these grey, miserable August days.

Day three!

Yesterday was my Granny's 94th birthday. 

We celebrated a day early, with a Cornish cream tea (always cream on the top!)  

before we headed back home.

I took this pic of Sophie and Sam with Granny just as we were leaving, then remembered I'd taken a pic previously in the exact same spot. When I got home, I found it.....

What a difference 3 years makes.

Sam, stop growing!!!

Day Two!

Day two and we ended up back in St Ives. With a questionable weather forecast, we decided to go for a walk rather than have a beach day. It was supposed to be 7k but we somehow missed a turning and cut it short by 2k but it was good to see the views from the top of St Ives and will definitely do it again, with the missing bit next time.

Some of us enjoyed it more than others!

And some us became the 'big kid' again!

Fab views from the top and once you are at the top....

....you have to come down hill!

Sheltering from the odd drop of rain.

Reward at the end of the walk - Cornish cream tea.

Such skill and patience.

Extremely low tides at St Ives

The Boy!

Passing the time of day - perfect people watching spot.

Have to have an ice-cream at the beach.....

.....and fish and chips!

Just have to keep watch that the St Ives Seagull doesn't get to it first.

Chasing the sun!

We're not able to go on a proper family holiday this year and with everything going on in the 'kids' lives, there are just snippets of time to do anything together. Fed up with the recent weather, we saw a reasonable forecast and a couple of free days, so decided to head down to Cornwall to stay with my parents in search of the sun.

Blue skies and bunting greeted us in St Ives......

.......and a busy Porthwidden beach. 

The boys contemplated for a while......

....but eventually went in for a dip!

A little chilled after their swim.

Proper Cornish pasty has to be eaten on the beach for lunch.

St Ives has always been my favourite place in Cornwall. As a child I remember coming down in an evening, en mass with all my cousins, crab catching along the harbour wall, eating fish and chips before the seagulls could, milling around the shops - still open at 8pm, treated to a bag of fudge or pebble sweets and loving the busyness of the place, people watching at it's best. It's still my place to go when we are down. I still love the hustle and bustle, although it was very busy this year. This pic is the view from our favourite place to eat 'The Hub' - we were lucky enough to get a table overlooking the harbour and what a view. 

The 'kids' are growing up fast and aside of the moans and groans, I love them dearly! Quality family time together is going to get less and less and I savour these times together, even if most of the time, they'd rather be somewhere else!

The Hub at it's best!

Chased the sun along the cliff road on our way home, to capture the setting sun.

Will share day two in another post!