Saturday 26 September 2020

Good to have around x


A huge positive to come out of the pandemic and current situation that we're in, is time with my boy. Sophie is always a willing partner in crime but Sam? he'd rather be up in his room on his computer or out with his mates. When we were in proper lockdown and the only 'allowed' activity was one walk a day, Sam would join me for our daily 'Boris Walk' as he termed it. When we were allowed to travel to exercise, we went just up the road to the Poldens, just 5 minutes from the house but a fabulous place on our doorstep to walk and explore. Sam is currently taking a Gap Year, he's sharing his time between working up at school and revising for his A Level resit in a couple of weeks time.

To give him a break from work, I persuaded him to come out for a walk. Hoping we'll make it a weekly thing. He too is interested in photography, so used it as an excuse to try out my new camera too.


We have no idea who took which shot, as we were each taking turns to use the camera, but between the two of us we didn't do too badly. I'm very much still in automatic mode, will be for a while, so very much still point and press and hope for the best but we got some good photos.


Sam


The most perfect toadstool


Autumn colours

You can see more pics over at @peapics50


In other news this week, I cleaned the kitchen floor with my new steam mop. My old mop stopped steaming and wasn't really cleaning very much, so my new one makes the job a lot easier. Serves me right being lucky enough to have such a big kitchen, so much floor to clean!


I'm still picking the late raspberries, a random strawberry and a few beans.


It does suddenly feel very autumnal, with a slight chill in the air. We've enjoyed a little burst of sunshine but it looks like it's about to turn wet from the middle of next week, timed to perfection for my time off from work! I am thinking of getting myself National Trust membership though, to open up more places to explore and photograph. There are a few places near here Sam and I could go to during the week, when it would be quieter and a few coastal car parks would then be free. I'm trying to make the best of the current situation and giving myself places and spaces to explore, a way to open up more experiences whilst staying close to home. Have a good week x

 

Saturday 19 September 2020

A busy week, all round!


So the week didn't get off to a great start, with Sam rolling over on his ankle and badly spraining it. Sophie and I had to go and collect Sam and the car, as he couldn't drive, couldn't weight bear, couldn't work!!! So the perfect gift, extra time to do Physics revision!!!


I worked Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, always seems full on, head down, get on with it....


...then on Wednesday I went to Bristol. Quick visit to IKEA to replace a broken chair, then a visit to WEX the camera shop. I've been doing lots of research and basically I'm treating myself to a new camera for my 50th. Poor Liam got the unenviable task of talking through all my options and although there were far superior cameras to choose from, I went for one that I could envisage myself using and it literally came down to size! Maybe that's a blog post in it's own right, when I have a little more time.


I spent the afternoon out in the garden enjoying the warm sunshine before it disappears.


And then in the evening Jeff and I made a mad dash after his Spanish lesson, to the top of Walton Hill to catch the setting sun. Hop along came with us, trying to walk a little more!


So with my new camera, I've been having a little play!
Pumpkins...


...conkers...


....and sunflowers!

I'm sharing any camera pics over on a new Instagram account @peapics50 
If you're interested, go take a look. There aren't very many yet!!


Anyway this morning I managed to tick something off my Bucket List, 
something I've wanted to do for years... 
....stand in a field of Sunflowers!! It was simply stunning!


One of my colleagues at work shared a local event on Facebook, a Pick Your Own Sunflowers weekend at Thurloxton Farm. It was only half an hour away and I'm so glad Sophie and I made the effort to go. It was £5 to enter and pick 6 stems per adult. Any further stems was a donation to charity. Poor Sophie ended up carrying them all and they got to be quite heavy, so I could take 1000's of photo's!!



Head over to my Instagram account to see more.


And now my house is full of sunflowers, 3 vases to be precise and they look stunning. 
So tomorrow it's back to work and my new hours. I've dropped my Friday and am now working just the Sunday 8hrs, Monday 8hrs, Tuesday 6hrs. I'm hoping it'll be easier to switch off from work when I'm not there, as I was finding it hard and quite stressful. Finger's crossed this'll do the trick. 
Anyway here's hoping we all have a good week ahead xx 

Saturday 12 September 2020

First conker!!



I've found my first conker of the year, always worth noting!


In fact I'd say it's most autumnal. I took myself off out for a walk the other day and there were signs of Autumn everywhere and still some late warm sunshine.


Sam and I were supposed to be in Prague this week, so I've kept the time off work, I need a break away from it all. In fact I've just changed my hours, so in future I'll only be working 3 days.


So with a little time off, Sophie and I headed over to Bath on Tuesday, hoping for it to be quieter. It was to begin with but steadily built as the day went on, so we headed home after lunch. Shopping is no longer the fun activity it used to be. You can't touch anything, try anything on, you can't linger, you're constantly looking over your shoulder to make sure people aren't too close. I think unless I really need something, I won't be shopping until things improve.


On Wednesday, the day finally arrived.....


....for Sophie to start her new job. 
Working from home sadly, not quite the experience she was hoping for but for now, it's still happening and she has a job for the year.


Sam and I decided to spend Thursday together, up on the Polden Way. It wasn't strolling over the King Charles Bridge or sipping a beer at some pavement cafe in Prague but we did enjoy a packed lunch with a view....


..... and a lovely couple of hours walking and talking


Took some fab photos along the way too.


I actually went out out in the evening!! I met a friend for a meal, got chauffeured by Sophie, so I got to enjoy a couple of drinks too. It was so lovely and a much needed catch up. Earlier in the day, news of renewed restrictions broke. It's back to being no more than 6 people inside or out. It doesn't really affect me. Sophie had been hoping to meet up with friends from Uni next weekend, which now can't happen and now Sam's friends are heading off to uni, he should be quieter anyway. He has only 4 weeks until his first Physics exam, so needs to knuckle down anyway.


So it's back to work tomorrow, the last of my old hours and last Friday! The weather forecast is wall to wall sunshine for tomorrow, typical as I return to work. I have just been out to inspect the garden and my self seeded pumpkin patch. We've 6 pumpkins, although the smaller ones are still very green, hoping the sunshine will help ripen them and it continues well into the rest of the month. Anyway, I'm heading out to the garden with a coffee and my book, making the most of the sunshine.
Have a good week x


Saturday 5 September 2020

Into the 'ber' months

Pinch and a punch.....


....hello September!
As we enter the 'ber' months!!


We say farewell to August, a busy month celebrating - our 24th Wedding Anniversary, Sams 18th and his A-Level results. Jeff was happy to return to refereeing, we got a new car as a result of the mini failing it's MOT . The weather has been nothing special, in fact there has been a strong autumnal feel for the past couple of weeks.


Sophie and I day tripped it to Cornwall on Wednesday, to see Mum and Dad and mainly to visit Granny, who is sadly beginning to show/feel her age. She's fiercely determined to stay at home, which puts a lot extra on to my dad and now has to have carers in 3 times a day. We had to be indoors this visit, so wore our masks, still no hugs, keeping our distance....


.... but it was still lovely to spend some time with her and see Mum and Dad.
  

It was a lovely day, the journey home on the other hand was nothing to write home about. There had been an accident 2-3hrs before we got caught up in it and we ended up in crawling traffic. As a result, instead of getting home around 6pm, we walked through the door just before 9pm!!


Thursday was a first! The first time I'd been home ALONE in 6 months.
I had the whole house to myself. Sophie had gone to meet friends...


....Jeff was back to work....


....and Sam too!!
He's been taken on full time from his Sunday job, for the duration of his Gap Year. I think he's glad to have something to get up for, plus he'll be happy to receive his first pay cheque.


So with Autumn in full stride, the cycle of returning to school and work begins and we start to settle back into some form of a routine. Obviously it's not like previous years. Jeff will be the most 'normal' in his daily comings and goings. Sam will be working different hours every week but I'm sure that'll settle into a pattern and Sophie? Well she remains at home, starts with the ONS for her Placement Year on Wednesday but from the luxury of the box room! It will be lovely to have her around at the weekend, when she's not off visiting friends. So a different time ahead. It feels good to be opening back up into a new 'normal'. Obviously things could change again, just like that, but hopefully we can settle into a new routine and I can enjoy the odd period of peace and quiet at home xx