Week 56 - blue skies

Monday first thing I got up and had a run. Neither Mark or I had time booked off for the day and the girls were still on half term. But I had booked a family lane swim session for lunch time. 

It was brill! We went up to our nearest pool at Kingswood. For £20 I had been able to book a whole lane just for us for 45 minutes. We could swim, do relay races, the girls were diving for sinkies (which in the 3.5m depth of Kingswood pool is no mean feat!). I much preferred this to any normal swimming session. It was like having our own pool, not having to worry about odd behavior of other people. We weren't able to use the showers, but aside from that, it was great and I am keen to do it again.

It was back to work once home for Mark and I. Then in the evening I went across to Kevan's house for the first UkuleleLand practice, in the flesh, of 2021. It was just me, Ben, and Kevan. But it was a beautiful evening and Kevan had got some fizz for us. I was driving, so only had a very small amount, it was just so nice though. Kevan's garden catches the evening sun and is a lovely place to sit. 

I took one video...some great camera work 😁, also, note to self...I must stop messing with my pants every time I walk away from a camera I have just set up!!! 😂😂😂

On Tuesday morning I went for a walk. It was a bright, cool morning.  

Mark had the afternoon off and encouraged the girls out into the garden. 

He finished the job of getting rid of the old raised bed by the greenhouse. We had decided it needed to go in our garden review. Eventually we may put a more substantial garden building down the end there and that bed would interfere. The bed itself was a bit of a mess. I was keen to replace it with more pots and a larger gravel area where we can put a fire bowl.

While getting the goggles yesterday, I had found another of my old flower fairies. She was missing both legs and had been in the bottom of a basket. I gave her to Bunnykins. She put her to rest in my bed. 

I went in to check on her and pulled up a chair to read and keep her company. Bunnykins brought her some juice and crackers. She certainly looked a bit brighter. 

Wednesday morning started with beautiful skies. I went for a run. It felt pretty good.

Mark had the afternoon off. He took the girls down towards Warminster to meet his parents at a services so they could have a picnic and catch up after what has been so long.

At lunch I went out to the garden and potted up some plants that had arrived. 

Some geraniums and sedums.

I noticed my tulips by the house were starting to open. It is a bit more shady there, so they have been a bit behind the others in the garden.

Mark and the girls arrived back. They had had a lovely time. There was also exchange of Christmas presents. Bunnykins was over the moon to have got a Lego "attack on the Burrow" set. She got to building it straight away.

Mark had been out running in the early evening, so it was quite late before we could open the rest of the presents. It was funny to be opening Christmas wrapping in April.

On Thursday I had taken a half day. I started with 2 hrs work. Originally the plan was to go swimming at 11:30, but various things were conspiring against that, so in the end I moved the booking. I had a meeting I needed to attend at the end of the day, so I took my half day from 11am to 3:30pm. 

Bunnykins went out for a walk with Ursula and the twins. Woo, Bear and I went to sit in the garden.

We both read for a while in the sunshine. It was really peaceful.

After lunch the girls were keen to get on with their own things. I decided to take my book and the new garden bean bag out to the back deck and just read.

Every time I had a thought that I should be doing X for someone else, or Y or that I should be using my leave to be more productive - I thought - no, no I really shouldn't. And I went back to my book. 

I did a couple more hours of work. I was finished by 5:30pm and had got the outside area set up already. Mark had the tea in the slow cooker, so when Ben arrived at about 5:40 it was all pretty calm. We ate outside then got on with playing. I had asked for Fleetwood Mac songs this week.

We did a fair bit of practice on my favourite which is Big Love. I love the live versions by Lindsey Buckingham (without the rest of the band). This video shows us pretty early on in the process! Sadly, my phone was out of batteries so I couldn't take any of a more polished version.

Bunnykins had had a very unsettled night on Thursday so had a good lazy morning. 

Woo was up early. Mark dropped her at Jason's so that Jason could take her and C off for a walk up Pen y Fan. 

At lunch, Mark, Bunnykins and I had a nice walk and a hatch visit. Bunnykins - when asked why she had pulled this face..."don't argue with the magic 8 ball". 

Meanwhile, Woo was having a great time. It was such a beautiful day. Her and C were getting on well, though certainly seemed to manage plenty of social distancing!

Woo making a break to be the first to the peak...

On Saturday morning, the skies were blue, the air calm. It was mild and glorious. The girls and I walked down to the library.

When we got back, we all went out to join Mark in the garden. 

I got on with a few planting jobs. I checked out the seedlings the girls had planted too - exiting to see them coming up.

The girls were keen to read their books on the new garden bean bag.

Though Woo did help me with the strawberry plants.

Bunnykins took the bean bag up into the tree house, which is what we had planned for the prime location of the seat.

When all my planting was done. I took a lounger and laid out in the sun to read.

It was blissful. I didn't feel like I needed to be somewhere else, doing some other thing. I was comfortable. I was warm. I was happy and content. 

Bunnykins and Mark sorted out lunch for us, which we ate out at the far table. It took me back to this time last year.

In the afternoon Mark got on with planting up the veg bed with mange tout, kale, potatoes and radish.

I carried on reading in the sun.

For teatime we got set up under the pergola and ate outside. I was enjoying the sight of my tulips so much.

and the blossom...

On Sunday morning, Mark went off running fairly early. When I woke up, I pottered around getting the cushions outside for later (as it was looking like another beautiful clear day).

Then I took my breakfast outside to the greenhouse spot.

I did a bit more tidying around, got the washing on and such. Mark was already on his way back from his run. I sat for a while reading by the pergola.

We had a lovely lunch outside, then at about 2:30pm ish, the Dicksons joined us. For the most part, M and Bunnykins were up by the tree-house, but Hannah had brought a chocolate tasting with her, so for that the eight of us were all together (with Bunnykins and M sitting fairly close as they are already in a bubble). For the 6 of us from 2 households, it wasn't hard to socially distance. For 8 of us under the pergola it was a little more tricky. 

But as I say, for the most part, Bunnykins and Martha were very happy down by the treehouse.

It was a lovely afternoon. It was so nice to chill out and chat.

At one point I said to Hannah that if I think about being in Mauritius - sitting on a beach in a comfortable lounger, reading my book under a shade in the sun. It's not like it's the same...but I am just as happy. 

Maybe it was something to do with the 2 bottle of prosecco Hannah and I got through 😂😂...

When they left, I had a little moment, collapsed on the bench while Mark and the girls tidied up. 

This week was definitely a quieter week at work and while I haven't talked about it much on this post, it was quite an introspective week. I have been asked if I want to apply for a particular role for when this role finishes. I made time to think about that and came to the conclusion that I do want to apply for it, but along with that will need to make clear that I don't want to work full time. I will need to have the conversations next week, it will be interesting to see how that goes. 

I think also, the good weather has done wonders for my spirits. I have been able to enjoy being outside and have had so many moments of feeling rested, calm and content. Here's hoping the good weather is building from here to the summer.