August endings!

August is rapidly drawing to a close. 

There is a real feel that the summer is ending.....

....before we've even had one!!!

It's been a funny old week. With the feeling of summer ending, Jeff beginning to get back into work mode, it's almost felt like wanting to stop time! Sophie went back to Cardiff  on Monday morning, then on Tuesday Lynn and I met up for a walk.

Our sole purpose, to pick blackberries!

Not for me, I picked some last week, but for Lynn.

They are looking plump and plentiful!

Spotted these gorgeous dahlia's whilst out, in someone's garden.

How glorious do they look x

The mornings are misty and there is a chill in the air.

The pumpkin is beginning to ripen, although we discovered there is a massive hole underneath, so it definitely won't make it to Halloween.

My figs are still the gift that keeps on giving.

IF we get a long, warm, sunny September, and it's a big IF, I could be picking for weeks.

There is still so much fruit on the tree.

I've been getting between 3-6 figs every day....

....far too many for me, so I've been gifting them to friends.

We have had the occasional bit of sunshine. It's certainly 'make the most of it, whilst it's here' mentality. This summer really has been a shocker, got to be one of the wettest on record. Had we not been lucky enough to go away, I really do think I'd wonder if we missed it altogether. This was the first time I'd felt it was warm enough to get out the umbrella. Jeff was in school Wednesday and most of Thursday for GCSE results. He's back in again from Tuesday next week and then, that really is it. A six week term hurdle to get over, before we go to Barcelona in October Half Term.

The only real summery thing left, are the sunflowers. 

I went out this morning to check on the figs and spotted this colour coordinated spider! According to Google it's a Yellow Sac Spider! 'Common in the UK, a beneficial predator in agricultural fields, also known to be mildly venomous, with bites causing itching and swelling!' 

Will just admire from afar then!!

More than happy to see the bees! 

If for no other reason, it's been worth growing sunflowers, just for the bees. 

They've loved them x

So it's the final Bank Holiday before Christmas. For once I get to have the time off, although to be honest, it feels the same as any other Sunday now. We don't tend to do anything, go anywhere as the summer holidays draw to a close, as Jeff enjoys the time at home before term starts. He's been doing a few more jobs out in the garden, a tip run and I've made another round of crumbles. Some for now, some to freeze! I hate waste and now I've no job, I feel I should make the most of any freebies xx

I am currently making a list of jobs around the house to keep me occupied. There is so much decorating to do. I used to love painting but could happily leave it now. I have all the door frames to do, which just seems so tedious but am going to list all the jobs in order of priority and once Jeff goes back to school and on any wet, housebound days, I shall begin to work my way through them.

Mid August.......

....and still no real Summer to speak of!!

We have not had any consecutive days of sunshine. No warm evenings where the doors are left open until bedtime. Just no real good dollops of sunshine! Not gonna lie, feel we've been cheated out of a summer. It just two weeks time Jeff goes back to school! So I've been planning next years summer adventure inside, whilst Jeff has been busy outside......

.....cutting back everything in the back garden......

....giving the front hedge it's annual trim......

......washing the windows!!

I met Jo in Bath on Wednesday. Was lovely to have a relaxed catch-up x

On Thursday I met up with my friend Lynn and did the Millfield Loop, whilst it's still the holidays. Although it was A Level results day, so people about!!

Friday was a mixed day, was supposed to be getting my hair coloured but Sophie decided to come home. She's having a stressful time at work with Rotations not going as planned, so came home for a few days. I dropped her off at the train station on Saturday morning, London bound to meet up with her Uni friends, and I went on for a walk over at Coombe Hill Woods, as it was on the way!

I've not been over there for ages! 

I am going to make a real effort once Jeff is back at school, to get out and walk more again. 

It does me wonders once I'm out!

Although I will say, there was a real hint of Autumn in the air!!

Picked a few blackberries along the way......

....enough to freeze....

....and with the figs and apples from the garden....

.......enough to make a .......

....crumble!!

With Sophie home, we have spent today planning our Amsterdam trip. 

Just getting a rough plan of what we want to see, where we want to go, what are the must eats!!!

Sam is still up in Cardiff, working throughout the summer in Maria's Taverna. 

Sophie heads back to Cardiff tomorrow, back in to work on Tuesday. 

Jeff has to start thinking about school, in on Wednesday and Thursday for GCSE results and then INSET days the week after, Summer over!!! I know we've done a lot but it's flown by. Even though we've no 'kid school starts' to really consider, I still like September as a start over, wipe the slate clean, fresh, new routines. In fact I prefer it to January, as a new start.

I have so much I want to do.

I want to get into a better routine, exercise, food, sleep!

I have so many jobs I want to get done - decorating, de-cluttering, re-organising.

Sophie's room and eventually Jeff's study, both need a complete makeover. 

The whole house needs doing. We moved in here 8 years ago and in some parts we need to do some decorating for the first time and then start over, painting everywhere!!

That's why I haven't got time to work!!!!

A long week!

It's felt like a long week! Monday we were up in Cardiff celebrating the birthday boy and that just feels like ages ago now!! The weather has been hit and miss, we desperately need a week of settled, dry!! warm, sunshine, just to feel like we've had a summer!

Tuesday, I met my sister in Wells for a mooch and a catch up. It rained, it was miserable, so we basically coffee shopped our way around. Ending up in Loaf for their delicious pancakes.

I've not been brilliant food wise, since coming back from Croatia! I'll blame it on the weather, lack of a goal to aim for, although I do have Amsterdam in just under 3 and a half weeks time now! I just can't seem to stop craving the carbs. Had a good fast day yesterday, hoping that puts me back on an even keel. Although as I sit typing away, Jeff is making copious rounds of toast and the smell........makes it so hard to not buckle and make myself a slice!!

I need to exercise more too!! 

Jeff and I went over to my favourite, Stockhill Woods on Wednesday.

It was actually okay'ish weather. It stayed dry!!

And because it's been so wet, there were plenty of fungi finds!

Thursday was spent in the garden, the first proper, sunshiny day in two weeks!

Jeff did a lot of cutting back in the garden. Because it's been so wet, the garden has gone crazy and so needs a good trim, everywhere!! We need to get as much done, whilst he's on holiday, as once term starts, there's never any time.

One 'happy chappy' though! A year on, from his impulsive eBay purchase, the Peugeot 205 has finally passed it's MOT and can actually be driven, rather than permanently sat on the driveway!

I spent yesterday, a wet, grey, miserable day, researching our summer adventure next year . We're planning on Island hopping our way around a few of the Cyclade Islands in Greece. It is a labour of love!! I could, and do!! spend hours and hours looking at 100's of websites, travel journals, blogs, images, flights, ferry timetables, accommodation websites...... I THINK I now have a route, chosen the islands for this trip but now need to get into the detail of each island. Where to stay, what to see, how to travel around the island, the must see things, the best beaches etc etc If we did it all, it would take months. We're saving a few places for our retirement, when we could go out of the main holiday season. One, it would be cheaper and two, less busy and crowded. So Santorini and Mykonos, the two most popular Cyclade islands, are on the wait list!! Will dip in and out today, as it's meant to stay dry but spend a full day on it again tomorrow....yep! more rain in the forecast!!

Birthday Boy!

Today, my 'baby' is 21!

21st birthday celebrations

Samuel James Peabody x

Doted on by his big sister Sophie, right from the get-go!!

My fabulous boy! 

Where have the years gone??

We headed up to Cardiff to celebrate with him.

Sensibly meeting at Sophie's for coffee and present opening.

Birthday Brownies for breakfast!!

Obligatory birthday balloon!

We then headed over to Sam's neck of the woods and went for lunch at the Greek Taverna, 

Sam works at. A fab place if you're ever in the locality!

Got my 'FIX' fix!! Yamas!!

Deeeeelicious Greek food!

Birthday cheesecake on the house, from his boss Mario!

Although we were all stuffed, so shared his slice.

Would've been rude to have left it!!

Hard to believe this shy little boy, has grown into this.......

.....fabulous young man. 

I couldn't be prouder of the young man he has become. 

So many adventures lie ahead and I can't wait to see how they unfold xx