Seaside Sparkles

It’s a bit of a catch up this week for the past 3 weeks where the new routines are being established with a new school year. As a teacher my life moulds around this school year rather than the calendar year, so work wise it’s a busy time and at home it’s a time of organisation and planning. It’s actually felt a little overwhelming at times over the past few weeks but there is a little lull now, hopefully, before a very busy October.

Away from work, football has dominated our diaries, we’re back to training twice a week and our son had his first tournament of the season. Then it’s been a busy start to AFCB’s season, these past three weeks, I’ve only been to the one game a 4-0 win in the cup whilst the boys have been to the others, it’s a points thing! However I have been following my favourite football podcast, listening to the games live on the radio or watching on tv. It has been our first match in Europe this week and the build up was amazing. I got goose bumps as I saw the team come out into the stadium in San Sebastián, Spain and the win was the stuff of dreams. We watched it at a sports bar so the atmosphere was great, although the second half was very tense. I am now the proud owner of a podcast mug as I entered a competition, guess the possession, on a whim and won! It’s been really nice as I got a name check and my husband and I have both had texts asking if that was me on the pod! Football is a lovely way to connect. By pure coincidence I also got a mention on another podcast I listen to weekly for parkrun. I had run with a lovely lady and she had written in about the visit and had mentioned that we had run and chatted together. After a difficult spring and summer, I’m feeling really good about my running. I had another physio appointment this week and my hard work is paying off and my runs are becoming pain free, this is such a relief as running is my way to clear my head and relax. I even tentatively started to plan a training schedule for my deferred half in April 2027.

I’ve had a bit of a nostalgic feel in my reading this month, thanks to the book Bookworm. It’s a book about childhood reads and culture. It struck so many feelings. Like the author my dad and I had many trips to libraries and bookshops together and my parents always valued reading so highly that these trips would normally result in borrowed books or newly bought books. I was not a spoilt child and I do remember nos to toys, I still crave a Care Bear, but books were always a special thing. The book got me thinking about my most prized and loved books. I left my first primary school, Sparrow Farm when I was 6 and had been taught by the most amazing teacher, Mrs Bennett, who instilled a love of reading. As a leaving present she gifted me the most beautifully illustrated Jan Pienkowski fairy tale books. I have never thrown these away but I feel that they are either safely secured in my parents’ or my loft in a box of very special things. I really wanted to see the illustrations and reread again so I bought a second hand copy of an anthology of these books. The originals are worth a lot now, a complete set of 6 is around £100, a little out of budget but the anthology has been a delight to read and study. By pure coincidence I looked at a second hand book sale in our local supermarket where I found stunning books for my class but could not resist this chocolate cookbook for 20p. It was one always on the bookshelf at home and I remember the owl cake so well and it being one of my earliest bakes. It was a very well spent 20p for the warm cosy feelings of nostalgia.

My commute audio read has been Heart the Lover by Lily King. It’s a two parter about three friends which starts at uni and then picks up the story 30 years later. I really loved that it was not some whist full love story, the later characters were strong and grounded. It’s a wonderful read, 5 stars in my Good Read review, I shed tears at the ending.

Last weekend we had the town’s folk festival which is always a great weekend but one that I feel signals the end of the summer. I love it not just for the music, the sight of folk dancing everywhere around the town and the sound of jingling bells but for the craft tent! This year there were more stalls than ever which spilled into the main field too. As is typical I picked up a few Christmas presents and some cards too as there are so many wonderful crafts for sale and I do like to get ahead.

I have a quiet day today as the boys are at football and the later training has had to be cancelled due to a double booking. This means I’ll have the time to do a tasty roast and perhaps a spot of home baking. After such a busy time I’m relishing this quiet time at home.

It’s a double issue as there’s not much noteworthy in the first week. I had the final days of work which were training and the tough job of moving into a new to me classroom. There was a lot of work to do to, so not the most relaxing end to the school year. Then we went straight to my father in law’s to spend a few days with him before returning home. We have had family birthdays too, it’s our most hectic time of the year for family celebrations, now it’s just our wedding anniversary to come and then I can relax .. I did make a mistake when ordering balloons, the 17 were very different sizes despite me checking carefully when ordering. However I didn’t check until I went to inflate them but we were able to laugh it off. I will be more careful next year, although as it’s an 18th the balloon numbers do tend to come together. I also have had my birthday, as it was so close to our holiday I spent the day having my hair, nails and waxing done with a nice lunch out. My nails are insanely gorgeous, the base is bright pink with a chrome finish which makes them look sparkling and shimmering from pink to orange.

This week is carnival week which is the best week of the year in town, although still only part way through it has been a cracker. The theme is whacky Wild West and it is one of the best in years, it’s been embraced by all. Our parkun on Saturday was brilliant, I was dressed as a cow girl for my pre run volunteer stint, courtesy of my friend’s borrowed hen party outfit, think pink and sparkly. The theme then went through all parts, a witty briefing. marshals all in fancy dress, and a much needed water squirting in very hot conditions.

I love the fireworks during the carnival and other the years different traditions have evolved. On Saturday night displays, we used to stand on our street and watch the fireworks with our neighbours. However with the passing of my lovely friend I just felt too sad to do this so decided to go to a different viewpoint nearby. It was a brilliant spot and the photos I took frame the bay and are stunning. The Wednesday display is one we always watch with a bag of chips. My daughter and her boyfriend joined my son and I and we started off watching some live music which was the band of a friend’s sons, they are hugely talented but it showed the passing of time. The little boys I used to walk to school, my friend and I took turns depending on our working days, are now fully grown men embarking on life. My daughter is an adult now and my son is tall and strapping. The emotions I felt were shared by my friend too. However it was an evening of joy and just the best vibe. Standing watching live music, on a warm summer’s evening with an ice cold cider followed by the best chips in town and then fireworks felt perfect. Our view of the fireworks was so good we just sat and watched, no photos needed the memories are there.

I love the summer as the light evenings do inspire and invite us to be outside. In these hot days it’s just lovely to be sat outside in the evenings with a book and a cool breeze. However this week, there have been nights out, the World Cup semi finals, a prom and a visit to my parents for the weekend.

Sadly the football didn’t go as planned and England lost their semi final. They were criticised for their defensive play after going 1-0 up and eventually lost 2-1. It was a depressing watch and I had no real intention of watching the bronze match last night. However the tv was on and I watched the most amazing, attacking first half performance from England who were 4-0 up against France at halftime. As it was a late kick off I did go to bed but woke up to read a 6-4 win for England, the best game of the tournament was the one no one wanted to play or watch. I’ve not enjoyed this World Cup, the times have been awkward and there is such a sense of corruption within FIFA. However there have been highlights, Cape Verde’s debut, Norway’s spirit and fans, Scottish fans and their Boston adventures. I’m now watching the most bizarre pre match ‘show’ before the final starts, so far I’ve seen Robbie Williams in a sequin tracksuit singing the FIFA anthem, who knew it was a thing, the World Cup arriving in a Louis Vuitton case and Tom Cruise doing a soliloquy. I think all were supposed to be hyped by this, it was simply dull.

It was a very busy week and on Thursday I was at our school’s leavers’ prom. As I started at the school four years ago, it was the first year in which students I have taught were the leavers. This makes it more emotional as you really know the young people and their families. It was a lovely evening, although wearing mascara and eye liner was a mistake when the photo montages were shown, there were lots of tears from families and staff. As we are a 3-19 special school, these students have been with us for a very long time so seeing the students photos from Reception to Year 14 gave all the feels. We are also a special school and it was heart breaking to see the deterioration in some of the students’ presentations. You presume children will grow taller, stronger and healthier but sadly in a school like ours this is not always the case. It makes us even more privileged to be able to provide a happy, warm and joyful school environment.

Straight after work on Friday, we travelled to Somerset to see my parents. It was a little family celebration for my son whose birthday is coming up. One of my first jobs after getting there was to charge my car on a public charger. Fortunately it was a skill I can now tick off and I feel more confident in knowing it’s easy to charge the car away from home. I always like to do a bit of parkrun tourism when I’m away but my challenge was to avoid the M5 on the first weekend of the school holidays. This is pretty impossible so I looked into alternative transport options and discovered that there was a parkrun minutes away from the Severn Tunnel Junction station, and by chance there was a direct train from the local station to STJ with timings that fitted around the parkrun. With such luck, I went off to Rogiet parkrun which was a fantastic little run. I was worried given my recent injuries but the flat course meant I could run around gently without issue which was a huge bonus. I was back home and ready to go out to lunch so it didn’t impact the day too much. In fact I was showered and dressed before my daughter who had not come with me preferring a lie in. After lunch and a few bits of shopping I came home to prep a few bits for the birthday tea whilst the children amused themselves in town. On the past few birthdays the children have preferred a sweet platter with macarons, meringues, berries dipped in chocolate, top hats, so this was what I prepared for us all. It’s great treat and all gets eaten on the evening. I still put on candles and a sparkler to get the full birthday experience. Later in the evening the children did some Lego together, it’s been a while since they worked on a model together, this was a floral heart my daughter had received for her birthday and it was just so nice to see them enjoying it.

Although the students have finished for summer, we’re still in until Wednesday and then the cruise prep starts in earnest. It is the best feeling when we finish on Wednesday, 6 weeks of holidays awaits.

And so another entry, another heatwave. I’m not sure when hot weather became a heatwave but it’s the buzz term this summer. Work and my car with their excellent air conditioning provide daily respite and sitting outside in the shade at home makes evenings easier. I’ve still not quite figured out the best way to sleep in this weather though.

It feels like one of my key strategies in keeping cool is to eat ice cream, it’s a daily staple in this heat and I am loving every bite. I am experimenting with every flavour, if you’re going do it, go in hard!

Last weekend was quiet, so we decided on a day trip on the Sunday to Weymouth. I love a little day trip and we like to catch the train to make it feel a little bit different and to offer no stress with traffic and parking. There was a food festival around the harbour, perfect for pottering around, where we bought some delicious brownies. We also did a bit of holiday shopping and walked along the beach.

This weekend has just been wonderful as an old school friend came to stay. There is something very special about a friend who knows you. The history of countless time spent dreaming, chatting and laughing in teenage bedrooms, school and days out, so many shared experiences, being part of the life story that you don’t need the gaps filling in, 40 years of friendship that made this weekend so easy and warm. We did simple things, it wasn’t about grand plans but catching up. Yesterday we mooched around town, walked along the beach and sat on the field with a drink listening to the jazz festival before heading back into town later to watch the football in the pub. Today was park yoga, a little throw back to PE lessons, paddling in the sea and feeling the warm sand under your feet. This weekend made me feel like me, the original version.

The World Cup has been continuing this week. England played a Round of 16 match at 2am on Monday morning but I didn’t stay up to watch it , the thought of little sleep, a busy working week and fun plans for the weekend meant I only saw the highlights. For someone who normally sleeps well, I surprisingly woke up naturally at 4am, checked the score on my phone and then followed the last 2 minutes before sleeping again. Ironically it seems that this was England’s best performance by far. Last night’s game was a mixed performance, moments of class but also of frustration. However England won in extra time, by this time it was around 12.40am and I think we were all relieved we could get to bed. I’ve not enjoyed the tournament so much because of the time difference it’s been pretty much 12 hour windows with the earliest games at 5pm to those finishing at 4/5 am. Thankfully the next World Cup is in Spain and Portugal so a much friendlier time to watch all the matches. Last night’s game was against Norway who have been one of my favourite teams of the tournament. They just got the vibe perfectly, the team photos as vikings, wearing the tops of their first youth football teams to the rowing and drumming and star quality of Haarland. They were a very refreshing team to be in the tournament.

It’s been a funny old summer, this was the second heatwave of the season yet it feels like it’s been a dull summer so far. The first heatwave fell in half term but this time it was a working week. Fortunately our school is a new build and we all have very effective air conditioning in our classrooms. I cannot imagine what classes would have been like in other schools as the heat was intense, definitely higher than the predicted temperatures. It’s rare to have a first in my 30 year teaching career but I achieved that this week with the first ‘hot’ break akin to wet break, as we needed to stay inside as it was too dangerous for the children to be out in the sunshine and heat during the day. When we took the children out at the end of the day, the intensity of the heat was like when you step off a plane on a sunny holiday abroad and the ‘hot’ break was definitely the correct option. Whilst I’ve had excellent air conditioning in the classroom and new car, the heat has sapped my energy and it has been more challenging to sleep at night. I have a smart watch and generally get a very good sleep score of at least 80 a night, this week it’s averaged 50 as I’ve tossed and turned in the sweltering heat. It’s also World Cup games at very different times so bedtimes have been affected by watching the games too. England have played at 9pm and 10pm so that’s late bedtimes. Neither game was particularly good but results mean that England got through and now play their next game in Wednesday at the very reasonable time of 5pm. I am finding it difficult to follow this World Cup as so many of the games are played at night. Normally, I love to try and cram as many games as possible in but it just isn’t possible and this tournament seems a little disjointed.

It was a full on week with two late nights at work, for a meeting and parents evening, a further late night as I sold my old car to a car dealer after work and then had to catch a bus, home, 1 hour 20 minutes on a sweltering bus, for a journey easily done in 35 minutes by car. Living rurally the bus goes through all the villages and towns en route to our town, it’s a long and windy journey. I was impressed by the ease of cancelling my insurance, breakdown cover etc.. Sometimes online admin works brilliantly.

After all the busyness of the week, we’ve had a much needed quiet weekend at home. I volunteered rather than ran at parkrun as I am trying to recover from injury. It feels like I’ve been injured on and off for most of the year. It was a lovely morning I had great company on my marshal spot and then had a lovely chatty breakfast with my parkrun buddy and son on a warm and sunny terrace. I do love chatting to the tourists and met some really interesting people, I was fascinated by a couple whom are just finishing off the South West Coastal path after walking it over the past few months, what a great adventure. I spent the rest of the day doing some admin, a couple of passes needed to be redone for the new car and I finally got to personalise the car, it’s now got the football club sticker on the back window, my spare glasses etc.. It’s my new on the road office! I am also loving the electric car, I have an app which tells me our charging costs and reduces it to the best possible rate, I charged it up yesterday, admittedly it was on 55% charge when it started but it cost less than £1. I did cash out my loyalty at the petrol station this week as I won’t be using my loyalty account again and got a nice little Amazon voucher.

This morning I went to park Yoga, again an absolutely beautiful session. Before I started this summer I had never done yoga and I worry in the winter months that the wonderful al fresco yoga I’ve been doing will mean that indoor practice won’t feel so special and relaxing. On my walk home from the park I walked along the beach and got a takeaway coffee, life felt pretty perfect. I also did something that I haven’t done so far this year. I got the garden recliner out and simply sat and relaxed listening to a few podcasts for an hour, the break was very much needed.

I have a new audio book for my commute, one of this summer’s bestsellers Yesteryear. I’ve read about a quarter of it so far and it’s already an interesting take on influencers and one whose themes are making me uncomfortable. I’m not quite sure where it’s going which is great, as it’s unusual to read an original story.

I’m hoping to have another quiet week, before the busy last fortnight of the term. I’m moving classes so have a little extra on my to do list too. I’m hoping to do as much as possible so the 6 week holiday is a time to relax, play and explore.

This fortnight has been one of preparation, planning and getting ahead. Next week sees a college residential, a special weekend away for our daughter’s 18th birthday and Father’s Day, so the ultimate level of planning is required. I’ve made sure I’m ahead in my work, as this is key report and assessment time, it’s actually really lovely not to be thinking about it as it’s all done and ticked off. Last weekend was wet and miserable and I didn’t mind focusing on my work admin to give me more time to organise the nice things.

So far for the birthday weekend I have confirmed our itinerary and with the exception of Mr S have organised new outfits for the special dinner. We are going to a Great Gatsby themed dinner with live Jazz music where dressing up is encouraged. I have found a couple of amazing 1920s flapper dresses on Vinted for my daughter and I and have managed to sources some accessories too. I didn’t want the outfits to look like fancy dress but stylish clothes. I hope I’ve succeeded on this project as I’m really pleased with the designs. I’ve been unable to persuade the boys to dress in 1920s fashion but did take my son shopping yesterday to get a smart shirt and trousers. Clothes shopping is not his thing unless it’s sports clothes in JD Sports but we managed to get some nice clothes which he is happy to wear.

I’ve also made a This is your Life photo book for my daughter, it took a number of nights trawling through all the photos and then theming them. I decided against just putting them in date order, except for the first double page spread which is photos from 0 – 18, and have pages as sister, daughter, granddaughter, animal lover, dancing queen etc.. There are some beautiful pictures and it was a work of love. I also chose 18 photos and had them printed as Polaroids to stick on the mirror in our hotel room to complement some other decorations I have too. It’s been hard work but I do take joy from making the sparkles.

Away from all the report writing and birthday prep I have been doing some other things. I did a special evening 5k trail run around a local beauty spot called Chase the Sun. A little bit of a misnomer as the weather has been so dull and wet over the past few weeks that there wasn’t much sun to be seen. However it was a stunning route and definitely a race to return to next year. There is a 7 miler too, so perhaps next year when I’m injury free it’ll be a treat! My son came to cheer me on and enjoyed exploring the area too. There is a really fun rope bridge so after the race we had a little play here and I got some great race photos. I did like the description the race director gave in his briefing, a summer barbecue and drinks with a little run. The race also coincided with World Running day so I got a badge on Garmin too, win, win.

On my commute I have listened to two brilliant books. Susie Chan’s running book and Libby Page’s ‘This Book Made Me Think Of You’ this is my new favourite book of the year with so many book recommendations contained within it. I managed to find the full list and have printed it off for future inspiration. I really like Libby Page’s work, other great reads have been the Lido and the Vintage Shop of Second Chances , she writes beautifully and her characters are so well written. She did an online book reading via our local library a few years ago which I watched and she came across as such a lovely, warm person. Susie Chan’s book was a recommendation after reading Sophie Raworth’s running book, the epilogue was an interview between the two women whom are friends and her enthusiasm and zest for life just made you want to read more of her running tales. She is an exceptional woman and the book was brilliant. However despite her enthusiasm, I will never do more than a half marathon. I prefer to live voraciously through others’ running adventures.

As I write I am also watching a World cup game. It’s actually been a slow start to the competition as timings mean that half of the matches have been played overnight due to time differences in the USA and Canada and England don’t make their debut til next Wednesday. I like a tournament where the games are crammed into the days and you can watch 3 or 4 matches a day quite easily. I’m hoping it’ll pick up as the tournament progresses. We have our WSC World Cup poster up in the snug. I reckon I’ve been buying the WSC magazine with the tournament’s free poster for about 35 years now! It’s always the best one, witty, cartoons and a clear scores and progression map. WSC remains a quality football magazine and the only one I read.

Finally, peony season has arrived and my first bunch from the supermarket have been perfect. The petals have bloomed and spark joy each time I sit down at the kitchen table and see them in the window sill. It’s always the little things which bring joy.