Summer Ball

Friday the 13th of July and night of the Sixth Form Summer Ball.....

 ....and she looked beautiful (Very Mel C in this pic!!)

Her dress was from the very first shop we went in - was meant to be x

Of course we had to have the obligatory family shots in the garden first!

I then dropped her over at her friends house in Wells, more pics in their garden, then chauffeured them up to school, where the Ball was being held in a marquee on the school field.

They looked lovely, so happy and full of self confidence. As with all these type of events, you never know what to expect but it was a proper sit down meal, wine at the table, dancing til 11pm then on to various pubs, clubs etc in Wells. I was designated chauffeur again, home and in bed just after 1am!!! Oh to be young and carefree again. 

Vitamin - Sea

On Sunday evening we escaped to the sea.

A few days in Cornwall staying with my parents, a chance for some to swim in the sea or in my case, just simply breathe in the sea air.

A rare chance for the four of us to spend time together.

Jeff took this one of me on cliff side, trying to take a good pic of the setting sun....

.... I think it was worth it!

We went to Portreath, the beach of my childhood. My Granny lived on the cliff top, middle bungalow of 3, with views out across the Atlantic, for 57 years. I spent every summer there, I guess I never truly appreciated just how lucky and spoilt I was, I didn't know anything different....

....sunsets like these were a regular occurrence.

Wasn't I a lucky girl?

The bungalow is no more, well not as it was, it's been knocked down and something 6 times the size has gone up in it's place but....... 

........ the Pepper Pot remains! Perched on the cliff edge, just down from Granny's old bungalow, where many a Summer's evening was spent.

Monday, with fabulous sunshine forecast, we headed to St Ives for the day.

Straight to Porthgwidden beach, our favourite spot and partly because it's a dog free beach for Sophie. It was slightly odd going out of proper school holiday time, it was still busy but not as busy as it will be in a week or two's time. 

These 3 braved it, I'm waiting for the med in a few weeks time!!

The boys even found a rock to dive in from.

Pasties were on the menu, of course.....

....from the best bakery in town!

And then tea in the Hub....

.......best place to eat, best table, with the best view.

We went back to St Ives on Tuesday - Fore Street busy as usual.

The sea changes so much from one day to the next - big waves and surf. The boys spent ages in the water, whilst Sophie and I had a mooch around the shops.

The day was ended with fish and chips, sat on the harbour wall watching the world go by but always with an eye on the sky.......

....and the ever present menacing seagulls, ready to swoop!

Wednesday and it was time to head home. Mum and dad were probably relieved to see us go, as poor mum had fallen on the Sunday evening we arrived, fractured her arm and was in casualty when we got down there. 6 weeks, arm in a sling now follow. We popped in to see my Granny before we headed home and had a sort of cream tea, pastries type thing. She'll be 95 at the end of the month and due to timings no cake on this visit, we'll get to celebrate a day or two after the big day. 

We got home in time to watch the football. 

Sadly it wasn't to be but the dream lives on now for 2022, or so I'm told!

So a lovely few days in Cornwall, brilliant weather and lots of vitamin-sea! I still have a few more days off work, Sophie has her Summer Ball tomorrow evening. I'm then back at work Monday through to Thursday, before we enjoy a few more days by the sea, a slightly warmer sea, one I might even swim in!! It might seem a little sad but the thing that excites me the most about going on holiday though, is not cooking, not having to think about meals, not thinking about what to have, no cooking or meal planning for a whole week - that to me is the perfect holiday!

Rest of the weeks round up!!

So on Monday I did an early at work, 6am alarm!! Sophie and friends headed off to Cornwall for a few days, staying in the Youth Hostel in St Ives, driving our car! Was a relief to get the text to say they had arrived safely, I must say.

We celebrated, with ice-cream, our 3 year house anniversary. Doesn't seem possible that we've been here 3 years already but on the other hand feels like we've lived here for longer! Pic on the left was the last night in our old house, eating up the contents of the freezer. Pic on the right was taken, once bribed with ice-cream, to get a comparison pic!!

This one has enjoyed his first week of the holidays - England just might be 'coming home'!!

Jeff and Sam went to Yeovilton Air Show yesterday - Father's Day pressie. They enjoyed it but it was very hot, too hot. They watched the Red Arrows then came home for the football1

We are enjoying a mini heatwave here at the moment, for UK standards! It's been gorgeous wall to wall sunshine. I'm still working in a very cold, air conditioned supermarket but making the most of it when off. I now have a week off, a few days in Cornwall planned, then back in time for the next England game!!! and Summer Ball for Sophie.

YR11 Presentation Ceremony and PROM!

Sorry! it's got to be done - lots of pics to share, as a memory of Sam's last day at school.

 Year 11 Presentation Ceremony, followed by Prom!

The Year 11 Presentation Ceremony was held at school in the morning. The Head, Head of Year and a couple of students spoke, there were a couple of performances, then every child in their tutor forms were called on to stage, to be presented with a photograph of their year. A fitting end to school life! There were then refreshments served, whilst Year Books were signed.

Then the main event, Prom!

Sam didn't want to go, finding a suit was extremely stressful but we got there in the end and he looked fantastic - my handsome boy x

The obligatory family shots taken at home, so not to embarrass him later. Sophie made it back from St Ives in time to see him looking dapper and Prom ready!

We then dropped him off at a friends house, so he could arrive in style and whizzed over to the venue so we could get a spot to take pics of their arrival.

No idea what the car was, just know it cost us £30 for the privilege!!

 

I must say they all scrubbed up well, looking fab, the whole bunch of them.

It seemed a lot more showy than Sophie's year and of course an array on transport to get them all there! Yes someone did arrive in a helicopter! There was a host of sports cars, which I'm afraid were lost on me. The ice-cream van was my favourite and yes, that is a tank! The tractors were driven by the boys themselves and yes there was a little overheating and smoke from some!

One of the teachers taking his role very seriously!

All in all, I think he had a good night, his feet survived his new shoes (just!) and he didn't lose his jacket, so my final prom! Summer Ball next week for Sophie on Friday, a different occasion completely.