Easter half term - 2nd week. Covid vaccines, sunshine, Wells, Old Vic theatre

We've been having some lovely weather so I have been doing plenty of pottering around the garden and enjoying seeing the flowers and blossom come out. 

On Good Friday, I spent some time outside. Woo was revising and Mark and Bunnykins were keeping to themselves with books and podcasts. I had started a sketch for a painting of my Mum. I sat out under the pergola to work on it which was a nice spot to be in.

After tea, Bunnykins (I think it was) suggested we play a game. I was so happy with that idea. It had been such a warm day and was still wonderful to be sat out. We played Catan which is a family favourite.

On Saturday morning, Woo got on with some revision for an hour. Then met Bunnykins and I at the library. We went to the sewing shop in Downend, then the charity shops. Bunnykins was into it, until I suggested we walk up to Staple Hill. Mark met us up there to carry our bags. He and Bunnykins bought some pasties for us, and we all met in the park for a picnic. 

Bunnykins had done alright, getting a dress, a t-shirt, joggers and a book. Woo had come back with a great haul!

Including a Slazenger tank top - lucky jammer!

I loved this Oliver Bonas shirt with bamboo and monkeys. It was a size 8 though, so it was never going to be for me!

This Topshop skirt (below) also was a great find and looked fab.

I had thought I had got loads of stuff for me. When I got home, I realised that I had only got one dress

oh and a beautiful glass, that I realised later I couldn't use as it was lead crystal!

On Saturday afternoon, I took the girls for their second vaccination, so on Sunday they were a bit zonked out. Woo stayed in bed all day really, feeling tired and achy. Only coming down for lunch, a quick egg hunt, and a film in the evening. Bunnykins had a bit more energy but kept being hit with a headache and had a painful arm.

So I spent quite a bit of the day reading in the garden. I finished my latest book Quichotte by Salmon Rushdie. I felt a bit restless, as though I should be making better use of the time. But I know it was good for me to just try and chill out and do nothing.

As I sat out, I could hear a brass band in the park. That combined with the sound of the rescue parrots next door (including Joey Joey). It was really rather lovely.

The girls were zonked but did eventually have a wander around the garden for a small chocolate hunt.

On Easter Monday, the girls were feeling much better. We went out for the day to Wells. I hadn't been for years. I think the last time was when Mum and John were visiting. I am not sure if Bunnykins was born at the time. Woo was, but it was so long ago. Also, at the time - Hot Fuzz wasn't a thing (it was filmed there) 😄.

We went first to the Bishop's palace and gardens. We got there just in time for an unintentionally hilarious falconry display. The bird flew off into the nearby tower and was then being menaced by a crow. The mic'ed up falconer was wondering around saying "oh dear, this doesn't normally happen", and that was about it!

The gardens were small, but very pretty.

I loved this tulip and silver birch glade so much. It was just stunning. I would have wallpaper or a fabric made in it, so I could just be in there all the time.

There was also a more formal tulip bed which was currently stunning.

We were enjoying the spot, when the falconry guy appeared with his owl for a photo shoot.

We wandered into Wells for lunch.

And then visited the Cathedral

Woo and Bunnykins having a dance...

It was certainly a nice day out, but I suppose it may be another 10yrs before we go back again.

Someone has added Haiku to a cherry blossom in the park 😍 

Woo has been revising for her mocks, so we haven't planned anything else in. I just wanted her to get her head down and not be too distracted. She has been working really hard. 

Bunnykins is more than happy to be at home, she's been baking and getting back into her Lego, but mainly reading.

Mark and I worked through the week. On Friday I did some gardening and helped Woo with her English revision. I also read a book cover to cover - The Buddha in the Attic. 

On Saturday we went into town to go to the theatre. I had some credit for the Old Vic from a performance of the Great Gatsby that had been cancelled in the early days of the pandemic. I had booked us in to see A Monster Calls. Bunnykins had recently read it, which seemed like a good enough reason to choose it.

I have been worried about going out to this kind of thing, but I really wanted to overcome that. I grew up going to the theatre - John would regularly take us to Hull Truck theatre to see John Godber plays, or whatever was coming through. Sometimes it would be music performances. I want that to be a normal thing for the girls too, not just for special occasions like a Christmas treat.

We arrived early enough to sit in the café a while. Woo went through her Physics flash cards with Mark.

We had good seats right at the back of the dress circle, with a very good view. 

The performance was amazing. The sound of it was really immersive, with a 2-man orchestra in their own box up on the back of the staging and the actors singing at key points beautifully and with such power - not in like a musical kind of way, but in a way that the music was just such a part of what was happening and then you realised that these incredible sounds were coming from one or more of the cast on stage. 

The lead actor and the monster were so compelling. Everyone was great really, but those 2 roles were acted brilliantly. I won't give away the story but for the last half of the second section I was pretty much crying non-stop. I was just blubbing and trying not to snivel too loudly in the quiet bits. It was incredibly moving. 

Bunnykins and I were talking after and she was glad she had read the book or else she would have found it a bit overwhelming. I still couldn't believe the rest of TeamChallis were quite so dry eyed. When it finished I just exclaimed - was it just me?! 😄

We walked around the corner and had a really lovely meal together, chatting away about the play and all sorts. Love my TeamChallis.