Monday
Monday was a bank holiday. I had forgotten it was until Sunday night, so it was nice to think that we would have another day with us all together. I slept really badly on Sunday night however and didn't wake up until 10am - which is unheard of for me.
Mark made us all pancakes and we talked about what we could get up to. We decided we would have a bike ride out to Warmly, to the cafe there.
We had some toasted bagels when the film was all finished and attempted a game of Luxor, but the kids soon peeled off with complaints and huffs.
I wanted to go out to Ukuleleland practice on my bike. The cycle path was certainly quieter already by the time I set off at 6:20pm. I got there in about 25 minutes.
It was a lovely evening. Kevan has a beautiful garden. As we were playing I kept being distracted by the way the evening sun was falling on the flowers.
Bunnykins wanted me to help her make some Yoda trousers for Big Rabbit. She had already made him a tunic. We looked up a few videos on how to do it, then drew round him, added a bit of spare and cut it out to make a pattern. I left her to sew them up while I did some yoga and then had a shower.
Woo watered my plants for me, while I deadheaded the roses. We all had lunch, then Mark went out to an eye appointment while the girls and I set off to visit Court's Garden which is another National Trust place over towards Melksham.
We packed up at 8pm. Ben walked me back to the cycle track and then I set off. It was still light, but on the cycle track the trees create a thick canopy. I was glad my cycle light was strong. There were very few people on there now and I couldn't help feeling nervous. It was so quiet and dark. A fox ran out across my path once and then a cat. I was glad to be home. I enjoy the journey, I just may be of too nervous a disposition to keep on doing this into the autumn and winter months - though tbh - we may not be wanting to practice outdoors for much longer.
Tuesday
Did a 30 minute boosted walk, then had breakfast which is back to smoothies. We cancelled the veg boxes while we were away, so I have been having toast and jam for breakfast or pancakes. I've been having a lot less fruit and veg too. My gut and I are pleased to have the veg box back.
It is an early 20th century garden with some lovely formal water gardens and then a small arboretum where we sat and had some drinks and a cake from the tea rooms.
We sat on a bench here for a while. It was a perfect temperature. We just each gave a suggested event then we had to come up with what our outfit would be for it. It was silly and lighthearted, but lovely. Woo came up with some very elegant designs, Bunnykins came up with some bonkers suggestions that I am sure she would rock. I pretty much described what I would wear anyway.
After a while we decided to head home. It wasn't a huge place, but it had been a nice excuse to get us out of the house.
After tea I read for a while by the back door. I was feeling quite shattered, so occasionally drifted off also. After the girls went to bed we settled down for quite a bit event....the final Buffy! We started watching season 1 back early in lockdown and it had become a very comfortable routine. Yogurt-y treat, hot water, two episodes of Buffy. Each episode is 45 minutes long, there are 22 episodes per season and 7 seasons and here we were at the finale. Given that it was the 1st of September and in a few days, the girls would be back at school it seemed particularly strange to have it end now. I know it sounds silly, but it was upsetting me to think that I wouldn't have that part of my routine at this time when everything is changing.
Mush has said she will lend us the Angel series DVDs, so that is certainly something to take us through this period of uncertainty.
Mark was still elevating his heel. We were ready for our last drum and air guitar performance together over the intro...
My favourite character has been Spike and I am a sucker for the romance between him and Buffy. I would take Spike any day over that smirker Angel. 😄👿😍
It was a gripping finale. I was quite literally gripping Mark with the excitement. Him, not so much as he remembered how it went from the first time round. I appreciate him putting up with it for me though.
Wednesday
Mark went off early into the office so I couldn't do a run. I did a walking workout instead and then took the smoothie he had made for me up to the study and woke the girls.
Bunnykins wanted some help making a cloak for Big Rabbit. She had already made the base of the jacket, but wanted a hood. We drew around Big Rabbit's head to make another paper pattern and then cut out two pieces of felt. Again, I left Bunnykins to get on with sewing it.
I'm super impressed at her crafting skills. She may have fallen behind in school work this summer, but she is on the road to becoming quite a seamstress! I do think all the crafting has been good for her sense of initiative, development of spacial awareness and how to turn a 2D pattern into a 3D thing, her planning and perseverance.
It was really a bit of a nothing day. Bunnykins and I went through her PE kit stuff and decided to order a few more bits and pieces. She got a shower and tidied up her room and we made sure everything was ready for school the following day. Then we all sat on the sofa to watch some Friends episodes which was rather nice as it had turned into a pretty miserable afternoon.
At 7pm I had a call with John and a good catch up.
Thursday
I had said to Bunnykins that I didn't think she needed to be up very early. We used to all get up at 6am, but we would have lots of time in the morning for reading and spellings and the like. I have got very used to a 7am wake up. But she said she wanted to set an alarm for 6:30 so she could do a workout (?!). My alarm was set for 7am, but Mark had a 6:30am alarm so tbh the decision about when I woke was out of my hands. I couldn't hear Bunnykins, so at 6:45 I was stood in my pjs wondering whether to go in and wake her, when her door opened and out she came - fully dressed, tie on, hair done.
We had breakfast. Sorted out snacks and water bottles. Checked her bag. She was ready by 7:30 and went to read.
At 8am I persuaded her that I wanted back-to-school photos. There was some discussion about where was best: the old favourite - infront of the fridge, in the hall - but the lighting is bad there at the mo, or start a new tradition (because things are different as she pointed out) by taking one by the lego table or in the workshop. In the end we had a go at them all.
Woo wanted to do some drawing, in the end she found a puzzle/colouring book that she liked the look of and had a go at that. I decided to draw her - it's been a while since I drew a face live. Faces were always my favourite subject.
I drew directly into charcoal. It's not perfect, it was quite hard as she wasn't really staying in one place. But I think it is recognisable at least.
It was a bit strange just having the three of us in the house for lunch. After lunch Woo and I went down to Halfords in the orange car to have a new battery fitted. The young guy was very helpful. All around are these signs saying battery fitting from £15. I knew in my head that a battery was more than £15, but there was something about how many of these signs there were that focused on the £15, that when he told me the price as I was paying (over £100), that I exclaimed "How much?!!!" quite loudly. Even through my mask - I startled him and he explained that the fitting was £15 and the battery was £90+... and then I came to my senses and was all smiley and "oh, yeah, of course!" But it did make me laugh.
Woo spotted that the front tire seemed low. We started pumping it up.
But the nice young man came out with their electric pump, which sped things up considerably.
I had done the meal planning earlier in the week and decided that we would try a slow cooker Korean beef (using Quorn mince rather than beef). It has been our Friday tradition for a long while that we have an "around the world" meal. Most often it is a Sainsbury's Indian cook-at-home takeaway or more lately the Charlie Bingham ones. We find some appropriate music on Spotify, have a chat about what we know about the country, maybe find it in the atlas. So when I see a recipe for a particular country's cuisine - I do like to give it a go. We don't normally do puddings, but on Friday, I like to find something that is either from the same country or compliments it. The Friday meal is like "we got through this week, hurrah, we have the weekend ahead - yay!". I had searched up Korean desserts and decided to go for this Yakwa one.
The recipe itself was already supposed to be a simplified version on traditional Yakwa and the author apologized for that. I took it a step further and just went for some puff pastry that I would then soak in a honey and ginger sauce. I am really not sure that a Korean person would recognize it at all. The recipe suggested that overnight soaking in the sauce was best, so I made them, cooked them and left them to soak before nipping down to the school to get Bunnykins.
Around 4pm, Ben arrived for the lesson. It wasn't actually that cold out, but the wind and damp in the air made it feel chilly. Ben hadn't really brought enough warm clothes with him. I think soon we will need a new plan for lessons. We can be inside to practice, it's having room to eat is the main problem. Ben and I ate outside. Hopefully when we get our pergola, it will be a nice space outdoors. We talked about a lot of deep stuff, but did manage to get some practice done.
In the evening, Mark and I started watching "Little Fires Everywhere". It was really good. I think I could get into it. Though I knew I was going to see Mush the following day to pick up her box set of Angel DVDs...something to help me get over the loss of Buffy!
Friday
Bunnykins and I walked to school. It was a much more pleasant day out than Thursday. Once I had seen Bunnykins to the gates I set off to meet Mush. Her youngest is still at a Primary school which is just around the corner from Bunnykins' one. We had a good long walk, first across to Emersons Green to the Boots there, and then to Costa. We picked up hot drinks and sat in the park at Emersons Green a while. It was great to talk with her. As I have said before, Mush and I can go to deep places, there aren't really a great deal of taboo or no go subjects. I do feel really grateful to have people like Mush in my life. An unbounded and honest conversation is one of the things that makes life feel worthwhile for me.
Anyway, we eventually walked back towards my house, and said our goodbyes.
As I said yesterday, I had put a version of a Korean slow cooked beef. It used quorn mince and I threw in some cauliflower...just cos....I doubt that a Korean person would have any idea that this was supposedly Korean. But it was really tasty. We stuck on some K-pop. It was a really nice meal.
Followed by the Yakwa and ice cream which was yummy.
After tea, it was time for the big finale. Part IX of the Star Wars films. I really enjoyed it. I think it was my favourite of them all.
Once the kids had gone to bed, then Mark and I could watch two episodes of Angel! It was funny how as soon as the credits were playing - they seemed so familiar. We did watch it on TV back in the 90s though I can't really remember it at all. It is super cheesy, but I love it. A feeling of ease and reassurance descending over me...this will be a little reward at the end of each day. Ah, and relax!
Woo had been in on her own, as Mark had gone out to the office. I grabbed her and her blazer and we got in the car. We needed to sort this blessed thing out and Fridays were the only days now that you can visit the shop without an appointment.
The shop was in a much better place parking wise than it used to be, and was easy to get to. We joined a long queue but it turned out that was for click and collect, so we got in much quicker than I thought. The blazer I had bought for Woo had been the cheaper of two options (with no explanation on the website as to why one might pay twice the price for a blazer with the same picture). It turned out that the blazer of the same size as I had bought, but in the more expensive version was much more fitted. And hence fitted Woo much much better. We went to queue up to pay, I readied myself for the use of the force (Jedi style). I handed over the blazer we were returning with the bit of paper that came with it. This ridiculous bit of paper said only that returns could be made once the shop re-opened but not if it had been ordered in 2019 (which ours had...but as I said previously...it took 5 months to arrive by which time the shop was closed due to Covid-19). I told her that we would exchange this blazer for the more expensive one and I would pay the difference.
The assistant started trying to look for an order number on the paper (none to find). Then she started looking up the order on her system. She could only find an order for a school jumper. I said that I had changed e-mails since ordering. She still couldn't find it. I just said very clearly and firmly (despite the mask) - "it took a long while to be delivered to me". The assistant by this point had got a colleague to help her. They looked at me and I used the full might of my well dressed 5'11" and a bit to silently assure them that a solution needed to be found. The colleague decided on a manual exchange, and behind my mask I could smile (and have a sigh of relief that I wasn't going to have to start arguing the point about how ridiculous their delivery and policy had been).
I was just so glad to have got it sorted. We will probably have to buy another blazer in a year or so for Woo if the uniform changes. But at least this blazer now fits and I wont be sending her off on Monday in something that is making her anxious as she has been getting anxious about enough things regarding going back to school.
Mark had finished his work for the day so decided to join me in a walk down to get Bunnykins. It was a nice temperature out. It is about 2km there and 2km back, so it's a decent little stroll.
Saturday
We got up and Mark made pancakes. Bunnykins and I walked down to the library to pick up some books for her.
I had some time so whipped up a grey mask for Woo for school. They have to be plain and in black, blue or grey. I made a few errors with it, but I did appreciate having everything to hand.
Then after lunch we had a visit from Sheila and Ken - Mark's aunt and uncle. They are interesting people, so it's always a fun chat.
It was only just warm enough to sit outside. The girls gave up with it eventually. Sheila had brought a load of M&S bagged toys that she had been given for shopping there. They were all dolls house food items - which went down particularly well. She also brought a lovely fluffy teddy called Frasier. He was quickly adopted by Bunnykins.
Once Ken and Sheila had gone, we had pizzas for tea (Mark had made the dough in the morning). We then all watched a film chosen from some of our charity shop buys. We went for Zoolander. The girls enjoyed it, but it did raise a lot of questions from Bunnykins who does have a tendency for being extremely literal.
Sunday
Mark was up early on a run with Jason down the cycle path from the center of Bristol to the center of Bath (then back on the train). He was back about 10:20am, but I went off to yoga in the Bean Tree for 10am leaving the girls a little while.
It was great to be back at yoga. Numbers were limited to only 8, so I think it is tricky for Pippa finance wise. I am glad she is still running it though. I think she really likes the space. I did feel the impact of my yoga over lockdown as we went through some of the recognisable sequences that Pippa includes - I could feel how much more flexible I am now than I used to be.
I got back and put on the lunch. I was then invited to a picnic tea party in Bunnykins room with Woo.
In the early afternoon I suggested we have a scone and play some card games. Bunnykins got upset about who was sitting where and couldn't be consoled, so it was just me and Woo to start with and we had a go at speed (which I haven't played in ages), then Mark joined and we played 7s.
We had some tea and all sat down to watch the film "The Dish". It is a great film, funny and interesting as it was based on the true story of the involvement of an observatory in the middle of the Australian outback in the Apollo 11 moon landing.
At 7pm, I had a call with the mummies. We nearly had a full house, but Naomi couldn't join at the last minute. It was lovely to chat with them all - lots of stuff about going back to school, but that it all good and important. We wandered onto other subjects like making time for ourselves and reading and had we imagined back in March that it would be this long until the kids were back.
I may be remembering it wrong, but I think I was pretty sure that the kids weren't going to be going back until at least September and even then I wasn't sure it wouldn't be later. I don't think I said it much to other Mums incase that opinion was upsetting. But hey, we all got through it. Though, having just typed that...we aren't out of it yet.
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