Beautiful Soller

Well that flew by - a sunny, happy week in Soller.

It wasn't a great start - a one and a half hour delay at the airport, then sat on the plane for a further hour and more but the pilot put his foot down and we got to Palma with 5mins to spare from getting delay compensation once over the 3 hours!!

The transfer taxi was all booked, didn't have to wait long, a 30 minute drive and we arrived at our new home for the week. I always worry whether it'll live up to the pictures, thankfully this did and some! Of course Sam was the first one in!!

We spent the first day exploring Soller, finding the supermarket, as our closest Spar was closed on a Sunday. It certainly was a less touristy area.

Soller is a beautiful town. Quiet is possibly not the right word to describe it, as there were people around, the tram travelling down to the Port through the centre but it had a calmness about it. We breakfasted in the Square, found the train station, Miro exhibition, then wandered back and spent the afternoon at the villa.

On Monday we went to Port De Soller via the Tram. 

 It was nice, not as nice as Puerto Pollensa, where we holidayed last year. We had a wander along the seafront, swam in the sea, had an ice-cream, then got the bus back to Soller, with the promise of returning one evening.

On Tuesday we left Sophie behind. Jeff, Sam and I caught the bus to Deia, then walked down to the rocky cove at Cala De Deia. It was a proper rocky path and mix of roads spiralling down to the sea. 

A scene from The Night Manager was filmed there. We didn't go to 'the' cafe, instead ate our bakery breakfast looking out to sea, after the most welcome swim in the rocky cove. The walk back was hard going in the heat but we were grateful at the top in Deia for a shady bus stop and air conditioned bus back to Soller.

That evening we met up with good friends Steve and Jan, who are lucky enough to live on the island. It was great to have a catch up, always a good time and delicious food. 

We spent Wednesday having a relaxed Villa day.

Jeff and I went into the Square for breakfast, 

the perfect spot for a little people watching and good coffee.

That evening we got the bus down to the Port, in the hope of a sunset (not that impressive) and a different spot to eat. My one rule on holiday is that I won't cook. I'll put together breakfast and lunch but the only thing I'll cook is a boiled egg!! It's my one week of the year where I can have a week off. It was certainly more expensive here than in Soller, which I actually preferred.

The alarm was set for Thursday morning and a day trip to Palma. I loved the city and will happily return but it was far too hot for 4 people to just mill around.

We went to Palma on the old train from Soller, through the mountains. The station in Soller is beautiful, quite arty and it was lovely to sit and eat our breakfast there, in the peace and stillness of the station before other people arrived.

As I said Palma was great, the architecture, atmosphere, mix of old and new. We stumbled on areas rather than having a plan for the day. The Cathedral was impressive but it was so hot and exposed. Our plan had been to walk along the seafront but there was no real shade, so we headed back to the old town and their shady streets and found a quiet square to get a drink.

We had lunch in St Cristo Bakery. I always do the bakery run on holiday, getting fresh pastries for breakfast, bread for lunch etc. I chatted to Alfonso most mornings, mentioned we were going to Palma and he told us to find his wife Rene in the Palma bakery, "tell her Alfonso sent you!!" which we duly did, 10% off and we got to meet his lovely wife. I love meeting people like that on holiday.

So Friday, our final day, pretty much went like Wednesday, with Jeff and I breakfasting in the Square, lunch back at the villa, time relaxing by the pool and our final evening in the Square.

Saturday came around far too quickly. We breakfasted at the Villa, having to leave at 11.30. Our pre arranged transfer arrived, super speedy drive down to Palma airport, where we spent the afternoon waiting for our flights.

It was a lovely holiday, time together, although whatever the age, Sophie and Sam always bicker. Not helped by the fact that they had to share a room but that was the compromise when booking for a larger pool. I do wonder if that could have been our last family holiday as a four. I'm guessing Sam will still holiday with us next year, maybe Sophie but she may have started her placement year by the time we go. I'll share villa details with you in the next post for anyone that's interested, this is way too long as it is. Sadly it's Adios for this year but as always, I'm beginning to research where to go next year. Always need something to look forward too x 

Holiday prep!

It's been a busy old week - with a day trip to Cornwall to celebrate early with this one. Granny will be 96 on Saturday, we'll be on an aeroplane, so we brought forward the celebrations with fish and chips for lunch and chocolate caterpillar cake for pud!

I love seeing Sam and Granny together, he's now a giant!!

It was lovely, although brief to see her x

Here's wishing her an early happiest of birthdays x

Sophie, Sam and I all finished work on Wednesday and Sophie and I decided on Thursday, the hottest day of the year, that we ought to start the packing!! I've done lots of bits and pieces before but we lay it all out together 'tit for tat' and then I end up doing the actual packing bit, performing a minor miracle and getting it all into the actual case!!

This is the Villa! Hoping it's as lovely when we get there!
There's always that bit of trepidation about what you will find but all the photo's have recently been updated on the listing and it does look lovely - will share on our return xx

Another week.....

.....another night out!

This time in Bristol at the Bristol Harbour Festival, watching New Order.

It's a 'Bucket List' band for Jeff, not my music really but he had a great night and I recognised 4 tracks. Also managed to spot my sister and her hubby in the crowds.

Sam has now broken up and joins Sophie working the odd shift up at Millfield Prep. I keep telling him to "just think of the money" as he groans about having to get ready!! We go on holiday soon, so he'll have a genuine excuse to not have to work then! Jeff's been busy tackling the hallway - stripping off the old wallpaper and giving it all a fresh coat of paint, a work in progress!

I went along to my SW group this morning to get weighed before hols. I'm back in target and I realised it's now 5 summer's that I've managed to keep the weight off, pretty proud of that little achievement. Not gonna lie, it's blumin hard but I'm determined to keep the weight off.

As always, when the holiday approaches, the garden does it's thing!! Sweet peas in full flower, the beans are growing madly, still need sunshine and warmth to ripen my figs, loads of daisies in flower and lots of bursts of red from the geraniums. All looking lovely, am paying my neighbours boy to keep things watered and hopefully alive, whilst we are away xx

Fab week, results, Bath, SFG

What a week! Soph got her results on Tuesday - a First for Year One!

Not that it counts towards her degree but will helpfully aid securing a good placement year,

 in Year 3. Her face says it all, over the moon and one very proud Mum, resulting in treats on our day out in Bath xx

The boy has applied for his Provisional License!! 

How is that even possible!?! Keep off the roads mid August!!

In between work and everything else, I've been thinking about our holidays. I'm such a list maker, don't like to leave anything to chance - think I'm getting there!

Last night, other than Sophie's results, was the highlight of the week for me

 Scouting for Girls at the Cheese and Grain in Frome! 

Fourth time for Jeff and I seeing them, but Sophie's first and they did not disappoint. We ended up right at the front, for me they are THE best live band. Best songs, can't help but dance and sing along and fair play to Howlin' for Riley, the support band, best we've had, other than Rick that is! But boy was it hot! They were giving away free bottles of water and let's just say, we all had to shower when we got home!!

Sophie started listening to them last Summer, her playlist to her A Levels - her destress in the car, roof down in the mini with SFG's playing on full volume! They'll play She's so Lovely at Uni but they are coming to Reading during their new tour, so I think she'll persuade some others and go see them again! Jeff and I will be trying to get tickets for Bristol, worth every penny x

Belated 'Pinch and a punch....'

WOW!!! July already and a week into the month too!

Also, 4 yrs ago on the 3rd we moved house. 

How is it 4 years ago already??

Jeff has finally given in to the horrors of the hallway. I must confess I have run out of steam where the decorating is concerned but I think it's begun to annoy him more, so now he's on his hols for the Summer, he's stripped off the wall paper and made a start on making it look a whole lot better.

He did take a break and came with Sophie and I to see Yesterday!

I enjoyed it, coffee and biscuit matinee, what's not to like!

On Friday we went 'en famille' to Cardiff, in an attempt to stir a little enthusiasm, inquisitiveness in Sam about the possibility of going to University. He's an August birthday, young for the year, so we've already agreed on him taking a year out but after that he has no clue what he wants to do. He's not desperate to leave home and he's not the most studious individual or self motivated to study, so this was a chance to see if anything stirred any hint of enthusiasm in him. It did confirm he wants to do more with Chemistry but it won't be in Cardiff!! I still think an Apprenticeship Degree would suit him better, where he's employed by a company and whilst working for them, gets time off for study - one: he has someone keeping him on track two: he earns money three: he can decide if he can commute or board weekly - it just gives him, I believe, a more structured way of doing things, they just seem to be very few and far between. One thing he will be doing is learning to drive when he turns 17 and start saving up for a car in his year out, so he has even more options when the time comes.

We've had some lovely weather, watering the garden is now on the daily list of jobs. Sam is being paid to look after our neighbours garden whilst she's away on holiday. Finally, thanks to a little warm sunshine, the sweet peas are beginning to flower, the daises too and everything is growing at last!

Running out of time

I feel I've been on the back foot all day today, a rare day with us all at home, determined to enjoy some sunshine, I now have loads to do this evening.

I can't actually believe today we say farewell to the month of June, a jam packed month of fun trips to see Matilda, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Paul Young, Father's Day celebrations and end of term for Jeff. Sophie's return for the summer and a trip to Reading to pack her up and bring her home. This week saw a flying visit to Cornwall to check in with my Granny, who has been a little poorly and ending the month with a whizz up the Tor last night, to see the Festival lights but instead an unexpected sunset stole the show!

Night out with Paul Young - 1983, I was 12!!

Day trip to Cornwall to see Granny and a few Cornish treats too x

We've finally had a little summer sunshine, timed brilliantly for those at Glastonbury Festival and for Jeff as he starts his Summer break. I've been doing lots of overtime at work, so grab any free 5 minutes out in the sunshine when I can.

Last night we decided to go up the Tor to see if we could see the Festival lights, ended up in a race with the setting sun. Got to the top just in time to see it set beautifully - we are lucky to live in such a fabulous part of the world.

Year One packed up and over and out!

Been a busy old week adjusting to Sophie being back home, Jeff's end of term rapidly approaching so many different comings and goings to plan in and Sam just doing his own thing!! Glastonbury festival is fast approaching and the looming traffic chaos it normally brings in its wake, work hours are changing to accommodate this.....

.....so we grabbed an overnight stay in Reading to pack up all of Sophie's Uni stuff and bring her home fully for the summer, before the madness begins. Obligatory shot on Stonehenge...... 

...and some fabulous flashes of red poppy fields, on the way there.

We left straight after I'd finished work and got down earlier enough to pop in to Reading, a quick mooch around a few shops, then met Sophie's friend to take her out for tea! She's staying in Reading all summer as she has a job and can move into her house soon. Where as Sophie is going back into Halls next year and was fine about going back to where she worked last summer, here at home. They give her loads of hours and the pay is good! But saying that, I'm guessing she'll be back to Reading a few times in between.

As we walked back I did the embarrassing Mum thing and got her to stand by the sign for a pic! It was getting dark and I was pushing my luck asking to take another, so this was the best I got!!

She slept on the floor and I had her bed and this was my view at 6:30 in the morning - I wonder if she'll miss it!?! We couldn't do it in one day due to me working, as we had to hand in the key, so it had to be an overnight stay.

So up bright and early to pack. To be fair to Sophie, she'd made a good start and we were pretty much done by 9:15, 4 trolley loads if I recall. So lucky to have some sunshine, as it was torrential rain when we moved her in!

One empty, clean room! 

We won't talk about the state some of her flatmates have left the kitchen in!!! 

Where, oh where has that year gone? Doesn't seem five minutes ago that we were moving her in, giving her a massive goodbye hug and wiping away the tears, before leaving her to it.

The good old Micra came up trumps again and we managed to squeeze everything back in. Of course we were without Jeff but still, we had room to spare (Just!!)

So a long trip back, the A303 is notoriously bad on a Friday and it had been the Summer Solstice, so lots of extra people around, coupled with large lorries heading to the festival site. Still we were done!

A fabulous Year One!

Blink and we'll be back down, ready for the start of Year Two x