It is unusual for us not to be on a family holiday at the May half term but being in the midst of GCSE exams, Mr S ongoing recovery and our big summer holiday, we decided not to book a May holiday this year. However thanks to our families living in the West Country we spent some days away from home giving us all a break.

Our break was very relaxed, we all felt a little poorly at some point but the only thing we did cancel due to all feeling a little rough was a shopping trip. My daughter wasn’t too upset, I think she’s already bookmarked most of the Shein website. It does make me shudder a little but my encouragement to have a look on Vinted has not succeeded so far.

On our first evening, we took a walk in Weston Super Mare to see the knife angel in the Italian Gardens. The angel is part of a charity project to educate against knife crime. It is an incredible sculpture, made from 100000 knives , many confiscated by police forces and some had been used in crimes. It is huge and really makes an impact, I felt very moved by it. The face is so expressive and sorrowful, showing the pain caused by knife crime. The sculpture spends a month in a different British town and is a hugely important project.

The big highlight of the week was watching the touring production of Hamilton at the Bristol Hippodrome with my mum and daughter. I don’t have the superlatives to express how unbelievably good this show is and all generations were equally wowed. The songs are great and of course I’ve been listening to the soundtrack on repeat ever since our visit. However the production is so much more than simply the songs, it is so clever in its choreography, movement, lighting, use of the stage, it was innovative and outstanding in every aspect and an absolute privilege to be part of the audience.

I do like to make special events like a show an occasion, so we dressed up and went out for cocktails before the show. I find that having a pre theatre meal can be a little fraught, always watching the clock so we had a delicious late lunch at home, giving us lots of time to sample the mocktails as none of us were drinking. The bar had a terrific range of mocktails, all beautifully presented. I had also done a personalised box of chocolates for the show, special events need treats! One unexpected pleasure was driving home on a warm, still night on the high of an amazing show and seeing the Bristol Suspension Bridge all lit up, sparkling in the dark sky, gorgeous.

I did buy my first bunch of peonies this week, sadly not for me but my mum as a thank you. It was a lovely bunch of flowers with lilac stocks too and I was super impressed how quickly they blossomed. For me at home it’s always tulips in the spring and peonies in the summer, bringing the sunshine inside.

Next week we begin the final half term of the year and my daughter’s final few GCSE exams before school is out forever. It’s an emotional time and one definitely showing the passing of time.