How are we in the last week of May?

Time is literally flying by! 

I worked my Sunday, Monday, had a dentist appointment on Tuesday, work meeting on Wednesday but in between caught up and ....

....walked with Jeff on Tuesday evening. 

The weather had been wet all day, so it was nice to make the most of the evening sunshine.

I walked with my friend on Thursday, thankfully it stayed dry.

We're both members of the National Trust, so we headed over to Stourhead Gardens.

The Rhododendrons looked fabulous, much needed colour on a grey day.

Then in the evening, on a school night!! the much anticipated, rescheduled

 KILLERS Concert in Bristol.

We seriously couldn't have got a seat any further away!!! Can you spot Jeff??

It was bloody freezing as the wind whipped through the metal grate behind us ...

.....we had an incredible view.

An absolutely FANTASTIC evening, albeit a late one!

Yesterday was sunny and I spent the afternoon relaxing!!

I need to acclimatise as the weather in Florence next week is HOT, HOT, HOT!!

I've started packing, worked out what to wear, caught up with my sister about what we're hoping to do. 

All very exciting and even more so as we've waited 2 years to go! and I guess 30yrs to return to Pisa and Florence, when we inter-railed together in the summer of 1992. Just got to work my Sunday and an early on Monday, then an early flight on Tuesday morning and pray that the airport chaos of recent weeks doesn't affect us xx

What a busy week!

What a week!!

Worked the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday....

....got my new 18 month academic diary!

I LOVE a new diary!!

Day off on Wednesday and I headed off into Bristol for the day!

I did a bit of shopping, although unsuccessful!! Am trying to find a dress for Sophie's Graduation and Jeff's brothers wedding celebration party and can I find one???? They are all so long, so revealing, no sleeves...... the list goes on, so I'm still on the look out.

I also had tickets to see Singing in the Rain. Again Sophie couldn't commit due to her exams, so I went on my own. Boy did she miss a treat, it was fantastic! Loved it and so cleverly done with the rain scene. And then the finale......... I just love musical theatre x

I then met up with the boy and his mate Smithy! Nearly didn't recognise him with the new hair cut!!! Treated them to tea at the Real Greek and then brought Sam home with me. He's off to France next week with friends, needed his passport, so given all the trouble with passports at the moment, I thought it best he collected it in person! Good job really as he's ended up at the doctors, got tonsillitis, So he's still here recuperating, got antibiotics and should hopefully feel better by the time he goes on holiday.

Then Thursday I was up early, London bound! My last London meet up with Sophie, whilst she's at Reading. Managed to get train tickets half price a month or so ago and as Castle Cary train station is just 20 mins away, it's so easy. We had no real agenda for the morning.......

.....so headed down Oxford Street and Regent Street on the search for a dress!!! 

Still no joy but WOW! how good was London looking, all ready for the Jubilee Celebrations.

Covent Garden was the same, all decked out with Union Jack bunting.

We then spent the afternoon at the theatre, yes another musical. We decided as it was our last trip from her time at Reading, we would go all out and see a musical and Sophie plumped for Frozen! It was absolutely amazing, the pure talent on that stage, all the set, the effects, everything......just brilliant!

I had a later train back, so we headed to the far side of Paddington Station, by the canal, to find somewhere to eat. It's a lovely area and you really wouldn't even know it was there.

So we had a celebratory drink, she's nearly done, last exam on Monday.

Had a bite to eat, then a stroll along the canal.

Fab art installation.

So a really lovely day and a good week. Got to spend time with both my children too. 

Spent Friday and today catching up at home, food shop, washing, cleaning etc Got another busy week next week and then it's off to Florence with my sister, so I'm writing copious lists, just so I don't forget to do anything. The weather has been mixed here this week, will be glorious whilst I'm away, it always is but to be fair Florence is looking hot, hot, hot!!!!

Have a good week x

And then there were 3!

Wow! time is flying, another week been and gone!

Whilst I worked on Sunday, Jeff was busy in the garden, potting up the geraniums ready for summer. They always give a great show of colour by the back door.

And, I have rhubarb, finally!!

It's only taken 6 years to get to the stage where I can pick it for my own consumption and it was delicious. I'm the only one who eats it, so it's great that I can just pick what I need.

Then on Monday I had a blood test first thing, menopause related and then collected Sophie from Castle Cary train station, before heading off to work. She's full on into exams, needed a change of scenery, so came home. She had an online exam on Tuesday, so I kept out of her way. I had to go to Bristol for a work meeting Wednesday, so she revised all day and then on Thursday, we went out for lunch before I dropped her back to catch her train, ready for another exam all day on Friday!

But in between, we did book a little mini break for a few weeks time, when all her exams are over. A few of her friends have already finished their exams and are off travelling or away with their boyfriends or families, so rather than miss out completely, we found five days when we could both be free and booked a mini break in Majorca. We've gone for a package deal, something I vowed I would never do again but as it's not full season, I hope there won't be the sunbed hassle. With just the two of us, we can easily head out for the day and we went for half board but will happily eat out if needs be.

The hotel is more geared to German visitors according to reviews but it looks lovely, is in an area we've not been to before but we can easily get a bus up to Puerto Pollensa if we wanted to. I'm quite keen to go to Alcudia one day and at a push we could go to Palma but this is 5 days of relaxation and time to de- stress before she starts her job in September.

 

Checked in on Sam. He's having the best time. Because he's changing courses, he doesn't have to sit the exams, just turn up!! So he's doing no work, just enjoying himself. He might be going away with friends, has a summer of festivals lined up, catching up on all he missed out on due to Covid!! Living his best life and why not! Although I have said he needs to knuckle down next year or rethink if Uni is for him. Time will tell!!!

It was lovely having Sophie home, although I do wish I could take all the stress away!!

So I had Friday to myself, just pottered and caught up with all the house work. We dug up the alliums out the front. They were a bit of a mistake in our bulb selection, as they still have another few weeks of flowering to go but we desperately need to plant out the sunflowers, geraniums, lobelia etc so.......

....we've moved them into pots and hope they survive for a few more weeks. I actually really like them clustered together on the deck by the hostas. Will have to remember that for next year.

So I'm feeling totally spoilt. More like two and half weeks now, until I go to Florence with my sister, then back home and just two weeks to lose the pounds before I'm beach body ready for Majorca. Can't eat loads there, despite being half board as I've only two weeks to lose the pounds for Greece!! There are worse things to worry about, I know!!

So another busy week in the diary ahead. 

I'm working Sunday, Monday, Tuesday then off to Bristol on Wednesday to see 'Singing in the Rain' at the Hippodrome. Then on Thursday I'm off to London for the day with Sophie. We booked this ages ago, before she decided to come home, as there was a sale on for cheap train tickets and it'll probably the last time we'll go, certainly from Reading. I'm looking forward to it and it breaks up the exam revision for her. Her final 'Final' is the following Monday and then she is done! She actually gets her results whilst we're away, so will definitely be enjoying some cocktails one night!!

Anyway, I've washing to hang out, a few bits of shopping to get and I'm in need of another coffee, so I must go and crack on. Here's to a good week x

The merry month of May

Pinch and a punch....

Already a week in, where does the time go?

Worked my Sunday, Monday and went in for a meeting on Wednesday, before....

....going into Bath for the afternoon to meet up with my sister.

Had a bite to eat, did a bit of holiday planning and......

.....then the main event - tickets to see Corrine Bailey Rae, who was fabulous! 

I spent many an hour listening to her album during my dots and spots days.

Thursday was walk with my friend Lynn day and if it hadn't been a date in the diary I wouldn't of gone. I was so tired but because I'd made a commitment, I went and I'm glad I did. Just up to the woods but the vibrant greens more than made up for my sleepy head.

Everything is growing!

Our sunflower seeds are showing and....

...the alliums, out in the front planters are beginning to flower.

When they go over, we'll plant out the sunflowers.

Friday was super busy. I spoke to Sophie first thing, then headed over to Shepton to meet a friend for coffee, before getting my hair coloured. Raced back in time for Di to arrive to cut it and before you knew it, it was time for tea!! Days just disappear!

Today is supposed to be wall to wall sunshine but it keeps getting cloudy, hence I'm inside writing this. Went and did a food shop first thing, then have spent the majority of my time out in the garden. This morning was glorious, not a cloud in the sky but it's on and off now. Still I've got 3 loads of washing out on the line, finished my book and enjoyed my lunch out in the sunshine, can't complain.