Week 71 - Summer School

It's been a pretty hectic week, with routine entirely shaken up. 

Bunnykins is going to secondary school in September, and at her new school there was the possibility of attending a summer school for the week. It was a good opportunity to meet her new school mates, as well as there being a lot of freebees on offer. It was running from 9am to 3pm each day from their school in the center of town. So I signed up for a desk space for the week in the office.

On Monday morning, we got ourselves ready then Bunnykins and I got the 7:44am bus into town. 

 

It was good to see that people were still wearing masks on the bus. We walked up Gloucester Road, which is always a pretty full on experience of all the graffiti and independent shops, as well as the homelessness and anti-conformist culture that can make it feel a bit overwhelming to us sub-urban-ites.

I waited for Bunnykins to go in, then walked across to my offices. There were a couple of people in, which was nice to say hello to some new faces. At 2:30pm I then walked back across town for pick up and Bunnykins and I got the bus home. It was quite a chunk out of my working day. 

I got home and got a bit more done, before grabbing some food and heading out with Claire. She had spotted a music event called the Ham Farm Festival. It looked really interesting, but I had no idea what to expect. I agreed to come along for one night and Claire chose the Monday night as she was intrigued by the South American music. I was just up for anything and the chance to catch up with Claire. 

We arrived just before 7:30pm and set up our chairs. It was a magical setting: we were in the orchard of the festival organiser's house. It was tucked away behind a modern development, I have been down the road so many times over the years but would never have known this little bit of paradise was there. 

We sat under the fruit trees in the evening light and calm. Birds were singing; next to us was a messy but exuberant herbaceous border. We had brought prosecco and snacks, plus jumpers and blankets to keep us warm into the evening.

It was lovely! It was not at all what I would have envisaged (standing in a field?), it was so much more. Just sitting in comfort under the trees was enough. Even listening to the act tune up was a mindful and relaxing experience. And then to be there with Claire....bliss...

She is always such a fabulous person to share a new experience with...open minded, thoughtful, and yet full of fun.

There really weren't many of us there.

We loved it. We of course stayed chatting in our seats when it finished. The performers (who it turned out where the festival organisers and owners of the house), were tidying up around us, but assured us it was fine for us to stay put and chat. They then came back to explain about trip hazards now it was getting dark. Claire was asking questions and we got talking. They were keen to chat too, so glasses of wine and chairs were brought out and 5 of us (including the mum of the lady performer) were chatting on into the night. 

Eventually I dragged us away, as it was their son's 5th birthday in the morning and they needed to get organised. We walked back to Claire's, laughing and chatting all the way. Scott gave me a lift home. For a Monday night it was a pretty late one. 

Tuesday was pretty mild and pleasant to start the day. 

Bunnykins and I were off on the bus again. I was impressed with Bunnykins; she had had a pretty rubbish and overwhelming day on the previous day. She didn't want to go back, but I asked her to trust me that it would get easier during the week, and to her credit, she gave it another go. 

We stopped on Gloucester Rd for a smoothie.

At lunch, Woo came into town. I went to a cafe and got us some lunch for when she arrived. 

We didn't have long to eat before she was due for a hair appointment. It has become clear that Woo has very very curly hair. It is more like her aunty Marian's, and not something I am used to looking after. I had thought I might have been making a mistake by brushing it dry (which I was) and I thought it would be nice for her to get some advice.

The lady cut her hair with a few layers. But the majority of the appointment was her giving advice, talking through and showing Woo how to care for her hair and style it. I listened in, but it was really nice how the lady was talking directly with Woo for the most of it. 

I gave Woo some money and she went to hang out in a bookshop. She bought Heart of Darkness and took it to read in Castle Park, she then went up to the school to pick up Bunnykins and travel home with her. This was such a great help. 

I had so much work to do, especially knowing how busy I was in the evenings. I ended up working very late on the Tuesday and getting quite a headache. Mark came in to rescue me in the car which was really appreciated. 💗

Wednesday was a wet day. Bunnykins and I made it to the bus (only just!) and headed into town.

I had brought the big umbrella, which turned out to be a very good move as we would have been soaked without it.

We had to stand and wait outside the school a good 20 minutes. It was good to hear that Bunnykins was finding things easier and had started to make some friends. I'm really glad she stuck it out.

I had to head back across town to the office. The heavens had opened, and the careworn pavements and roads along Stokes Croft were transformed into rivers and lakes! I was laughing in the end - it was so extreme.

I had worn a raincoat (though should have gone for my good waterproof coat), anyway the raincoat and the umbrella kept the top part dry. I had also put on a light skirt with the thought that it was warm and it would dry quickly. I had then put on my boots that at one time were waterproof, but I guess that doesn't last forever, and it certainly couldn't stand up to the weather of this morning! Fortunately, there was no one else in the office that day. I stuffed my boots with paper towels and hung my socks to dry on the radiator!

Woo came in again on the bus at lunch. She met some friends at a cafe and then went to pick up Bunnykins. I had given Bunnykins some money in the morning. The two of them went and did a spot of charity shopping before coming home. 

Woo was very pleased with all her purchases of big check shirts! She also got some interesting books.

I was heading back out to the Ham Farm Festival. I had loved Monday so much and had checked out the events for the rest of the week. When I saw a video of the Churro Band - I wanted so much to go back and Claire was up for it which was great. 

I picked her up and we got there just before the band started.

The Churro Band were great. It is a bunch of musicians who sit in the round. The kind of music is all salsa and South American. Great for a little dance to (which of course we did!)

We were having such a good time that we decided to stay for the next act - the finale of the week - a jazz band. 

They were great musicians, and alot of the music was quite Folk/Jazz and very relaxing. There were definitely moments when it went a bit avant-garde. 

There was one song that was supposed to be about warding off evil spirits. As they played, the wind got up and the trees showered down seeds and pollen. Claire couldn't help cracking up about whether we were safe and in trying not to laugh was then just gone with the hilarity of it. 

For some reason, we got into our Flamenco faces....

But again, I loved it. I felt so relaxed. There was a particular drum - a Tabla, which is Indian in origin which when it was played was such a deep and resonant sound. In one song, it was played with such a relaxed but steady rhythm it just slowed everything down. 

Thursday morning I was feeling pretty tired! We went off again. Bunnykins wearing a new velour hoodie from the day before. 

While we waited outside the school I couldn't help but take pictures of her; she looked like a Madonna from a Renaissance painting.

....perhaps not the scowl...

But a classical beauty if ever I saw one...

😍

I love this one! 😄

Mark came to pick up Bunnykins, and I got home on the bus just in time for Ben to arrive. It was a beautiful evening, especially when the rain came down. The evening was heavy, close, and grey with no wind. 

I was so tired by Friday! It was another damp day, but warm.

Off we went...

I got my work done, just powering on through. Mark went across to Bunnykin's graduation ceremony - where she got a tablet for full attendance and good behaviour! I then walked to join them at the car park to catch a lift home. 

I got a bit more work done and then got ready to see another member of the dream team! I had booked a table at Mokka for Hannah's birthday way back. I had fixed the sleeves of my dress (one of which had broken when I last was going out for Hannah's birthday) the night before. I decided to pair this with a cosy cardigan and boots. It was actually a warm evening, but the rain had made it feel like an evening for comfort. 

We ordered...going for burgers...no big surprise. But the burgers were huge!

It was really lovely to catch up. I actually managed to eat it all, but I think it was because I had hardly eaten all day. I had had a smoothie for breakfast, then a sandwich and snack bat at 10am. Then just worked and worked through to get everything done.

I even had room for desert - I went for churros - which were delicious. But by the end I was definitely feeling stuffed!

Our table was only booked until 8:30pm, so we went outside for a cocktail...with a view of the roundabout 😄.

A sofa came free inside and the staff ushered us back inside!

Saturday morning was the official start of our holidays. I hadn't wanted to race off on Friday night - and given the busy week, it would have been crazy to get packed and ready in time. 

I spent a bit of time in the garden: feeding the pots, tending to the tomatoes and beans. There were so many tomatoes. Woo picked them and took some next door for Nancy.

Admiring my flowers (and thinking how I would miss them).

And putting in some copper rings as defenses against slugs on some of my plants that have been struggling to get established. 

We all got packed up, tidied up the house and did our tests.

Then with very little food in the house, we went across to the park to get lunch.

The drive down was uneventful but is never relaxing. It was nice to get here. We had a chat, then I had a read and a snooze. In the evening we just watched a bit of Olympics before collapsing into the big bed!

On Saturday morning the girls and Mark got up and went to Park Run to marshal. 

When they were back, we walked up with Granny to Tescos for a few things. Then popped into the Costa.

We then had a wander around the Cancer Research charity shop which was open despite it being Sunday. 

It was lovely to see Deirdre's garden in full bloom. She has lovely dahlias.

After lunch I had a look at a potential research job I was thinking about applying for. I decided against it in the end. It is in a research group that I am really interested in, and while I could spin a great case for me being the right candidate, I wasn't as enthused about the detailed research question and didn't feel I had such in depth expertise as I would be able to apply for other topics in this area.

The girls went for a swim, while I got this blog written up. 

In the evening there was a zoom call with Deirdre's sisters. Really looking forward to 2 weeks ahead without work!