Plotting and planning!!!

I have spent a bit of time this week plotting out and planning our summer 2026 island hopping trip around the Ionian Islands. It is very involved!! Working out ferries, routes, public transportation, accommodation etc The initial plotting needs lots of reworking and at one point, I had four different options. Driven by two really great accommodation choices (which we have just booked up today) our route is confirmed, but still lots of logistics to work out.

The sun has been shining this week, which has been a little frustrating, 

having  to work and be inside. 

We've had bright, chilly mornings and.......

........ beautiful sunsets to end the day.

I've been in the gallery four days. 

I had my hair coloured on Monday. Met a friend for coffee on Tuesday. Should have been in the Lake District this weekend to meet up with my old Uni housemates, but made the difficult decision to cancel. We facetimed, which was great, but really wasn't the same. I wasn't able to leave work until midday on the Saturday and had a 6hr run up and then would have had to leave the following afternoon, with a 6 hour drive back. So time was soooo limited for such a trek. This is when I wish I didn't have to work and could be a completely free agent.

I did use my free time though, to meet up with my sister over at the Newt. My membership runs out on the 1st, so I really wanted to squeeze in another visit. I may re-join or may wait and see how much spare time I have to really make good use of it. On paper, visiting once a month should be easy to do, but in reality, I do struggle and it's so expensive now -  £95 or £80 on DD for a single membership. When I first joined 5 years ago, it was £17!!!!

Time is whizzing by! How is it October on Wednesday!?! I have to go in for training tomorrow and I'm hoping to get out and walk on Tuesday, if the weather stays dry, before I start my four days of work in the gallery. Jeff is full on at school, Sam is looking forward to his first pay packet. Poppy moves down to Bristol today, so I guess he'll be spending his free time from now on over in Bristol. Sophie is coming to the end of a manic time at work.....so we're all busy!!

 

EXEAT!!

It's EXEAT Weekend here!! That means Jeff and I have a bonus weekend off, together!!! The school closed on Friday lunchtime, and teaching doesn't resume until Tuesday morning. The gallery was closed on Saturday, so Jeff and I took advantage of time off together and headed over to Bristol. 

I bought tickets back in June for the new musical 'Starter for Ten' based on the book by David Nicolls. I read the book years ago, watched the film too (I think) Mel Giedroyc, from Mel and Sue comedy duo was in it, with a really great cast. The production was brilliant!! Funny, fast paced, great songs, brilliant acting, full of energy.....highly recommend you go see it, if you get the chance.

It was on at Bristol Old Vic, not a venue we'd been too before but I'd go again and get there an hour before for drinks. A really cool venue. Will keep my eyes peeled for future events.

We made the most of our time in Bristol and went out for food afterwards, pizza at the Stable. We don't do much normally on a weekend in term time, because Jeff teaches on the Saturday, then referees in the afternoon and often referees or runs on a Sunday, so time together in term time is rare and worth making the most of!! The payback for working a Saturday is the longer holidays, but it would be nice to have a regular weekend sometimes.

I've been in the Gallery all week, but came home to a nice delivery on Thursday evening.......our new overhead, cabin sized rucksacks. Sometimes, if we go away for a week plus, and move around a bit, it's easier to take rucksacks than drag around a suitcase. And now we have EasyJet PLUS and get our overhead/cabin size luggage included, we will, barr our big summer trip, opt for this type of luggage. Our next trip to Lisbon will be hilly and next Easter we are off to Italy for 10 days, moving around to a few different places, so these should be perfect!! Will swap for our larger 50L rucksacks in Hold, for our longer Summer trip.

It's been a mixed week of weather and today the temperature has definitely dropped.

 The sun has been out, which is always a welcome sight. Makes ploughing through the continually full washing basket, a slightly easier task. With Sam back home for a bit, it's quite incredible how much extra washing one person can create and how much extra food is being consumed!!!

We're definitely moving into Autumn. Feel slightly frustrated having to work on dry, sunny days. I could be out walking, making the most of the sunshine but I need the money. One day I might win the lottery!! The topic of retirement is becoming more frequent. Jeff is always tweaking/fine tuning his exit strategy. Depends on what sort of week he's had!! HA! I would stop tomorrow if I could. I can easily fill my time if there is someone out there who'd like to fund it!! HA!

The week ahead is back to normal - Jeff teaching, me in the gallery, Sam working, but also looking forward to Poppy moving to Bristol next weekend and Sophie is busy, busy, busy!!She was in Bristol last weekend watching the Rugby, is in Reading today meeting up with her Uni friends, so all go!!

It's exhibition time!

What a week!?! 

It's been a busy return to work. It didn't help having our delayed flight back from Corfu and then it was straight back to work in the gallery the following day, which is a straight 4 day stint.

And we kick start the exhibition run with Artist talks and the Private View. 

They're great and well attended but they make it a late night.

The weather has turned. It's been like a switch!

It's been chilly, it's rained and it's cold!!

But we still have sunflowers out and some still in bud. Berries and cyclamens are in abundance and we have our one and only self seeded pumpkin clinging on in there.

I don't mind the shift, just wish it was a little warmer and a bit drier! 

It's been a shock to the system!!

So much so, we've put the warmer duvet on and I've got all my jumpers back out.

We do still have our trip to Lisbon in October to look forward to. I'm hoping we'll get a few warmer days, even if the mornings and evenings are on the cooler side. Anything but rain!!

So it's more of the same for us all for the week ahead, albeit an Exeat weekend ahead. Jeff and Sam will finish at lunchtime on Friday and have the weekend off and the gallery is closed on Saturday for me. Sophie has been kept busy after her week off, lots of catching up to do. So we are all getting back into new routines for the new academic year ahead x

Kalimera!!

Sophie and I have just returned from a fabulous week away to Corfu.

We stayed in a fabulous studio apartment in Benitses, just south of Corfu Town. It was a short transfer from the airport, had a pool, and was by the sea....all Sophie's requirements!! The place was a great find. Was modern, clean, fab pool, really lovely staff and we had the added bonus of breakfast every morning.

The first morning we explored, got our bearings, Sophie acclimatising herself to the Greek heat. 

I will say, going in September was lovely, hot but not roasting, a really enjoyable temperature.

We found our beach spot, sussed out the bakery and supermarket options and where the bus stop was. 

Benitses isn't a beautiful resort, but with any place, you can find the positives. The main road runs right through the centre and the road is littered with empty, derelict nightclubs, hinting at it's party resort past. Sophie didn't want to go exploring much. She just wanted a week relaxing, reading, resting up, and it was perfect for that. There were a good number of options for eating out in the evenings and it felt busy enough to not feel you were the only ones there!!

And the food did not disappoint.

Annoyingly we woke to rain on our second day ......

....so we changed plans and got the number 6 bus to Corfu Town.

Jeff and I stayed in Corfu Town for a few days back in 2021.

Sophie didn't love it. She doesn't do heat and it was quite muggy and it was busy, probably because of the rain and the large cruise ships that descend on the place

There are a few swim spots but it is mainly walking through the old town...

...and I did take her to where Jeff and I had stayed.

Here's a link to a blog post from that time.

Thankfully, the following days were dry and we spent them on the beach or by the pool.

We found a lovely, quiet spot!

Sophie read! (lots)

7 books in a week!!

I read 3!!

And we swam in the sea and....

...in the pool.

We ate delicious food and....

....and drank Aperol Spritz....

...and Greek beer!

YAMAS!!

And we enjoyed quality time together xx 

Mother and daughter time xx

And yes, we did miss the boys!!

I think Sophie may have fallen a little bit in love with Greece too x

Annoyingly, our flight home was delayed and I crept into bed just gone 4am!!

I still woke early, so got 3 loads of washing done, out on the line and dry, before it started raining. The food shop is done and my case packed away, ready to start work in the gallery tomorrow morning. 

Poor Sophie headed back to Cardiff this morning and had a tyre blowout on the M4. Thankfully, she's an AA member and was a priority call out, as she was on the motorway and a loan female. Not quite the journey home she was expecting. Sam is working hard up at school as a General Assistant and Jeff is back in the thick of it, with 6 weeks until half term. 

I must go and get my bag ready for work tomorrow, my 5 week stint in the Gallery begins and I will be needing an early night, after our late arrival home from Corfu!!