Time for a catch up in what is always a busy period of birthdays, school and life. This year has been no different and with our son leaving school there are extras too with prom and a leavers’ assembly.

During the first week of this catch up, it was our daughter’s birthday. Her birthday treat was a session on the SUP boards at a local lake. Although the photo looks a little cloudy it was so hot that we were relieved by the clouds to protect us from the sun. The temperature board was reading 26*. Heatwaves are definitely en vogue at present, this weekend sees the 3rd heatwave in a matter of weeks. I did the SUP with the children and loved it and am keen to go again. However I feel it would need to be on a lake, the sea is more unpredictable. I did ache for days after but felt very satisfied. Our daughter chose Thai for a birthday meal and we found a lovely restaurant. It had a great open window, much needed in the heat, our photos look like we’re in the med, with the open window onto a tree lined terrace. It was situated in the area I grew up in and what had been my local record shop when I was her age was now the restaurant. I felt very nostalgic passing all my old haunts, all looking very different now.

This weekend we have been at my parents celebrating my son’s birthday early as there’s lots going on later this month. We had a great birthday barbecue and for dessert I prepared a birthday sweet platter. I did this last year and it went done so well that I shared it with my parents too. Again the response has been great and I feel that this may be a new tradition. With regard to traditions, the platter did include top hats, an essential ingredient of our childhood birthdays, a marshmallow dipped in chocolate and topped with a smartie.

Given the extreme weather this weekend we simply stayed close to my parents home, the children spent a few hours on the pier and then chilled in the garden. I did take my son for a prom haircut and hot towel shave, it seemed all very grown up. Earlier in the day, my daughter and I did an incredibly hot parkrun at Ashton Court on Saturday morning. She is just returning to running so we took it easy with a mix of running and walking but with no shade it was tough. We stopped off at Costa to get iced drinks on the way home and as it was next to the Bristol city stadium we posed for a photo next to the Atyeo statue. When I lived in Bristol I was a season ticket holder at BCFC in the Atyeo stand so it was a special photo for me (and one to wind up my husband who is Rovers)

Away from the birthday weekends, we’ve been preparing and shopping for holidays and prom. I randomly found some Neom dupe oils in Aldi and am enjoying the new aromas. Vinted continues to be my go to for purchases. I have a stunning new black broderie dress for work and get so many compliments for a dress which cost £4. When in big town, we have also popped into the cinema, we finally used up a Odeon gift card, and saw Formula One. It wasn’t as bad as I expected although I did prefer Rush and Gran Turismo, I may not be a fan but my son loves these types of films.

With the heatwaves I’ve really been enjoying and appreciating my evening walks along the beach in the cool breeze. My son has even joined me on a couple of nights as a way to cool down. We may have enjoyed an ice cream from the artisan ice cream stall in town. Life is best with those little sparkles.

It’s a big week in our household with prom and leavers’ day and the end of school in our family. My summers will look different now, no school uniforms to buy, no trips to Clark’s or evenings labelling everything, the end of an era. Our son is off to a college on a supported internship type course so there will still be education it will just look different. It’s strange that this will be his first leavers assembly, he left primary in the Covid summer of 2020 when restrictions meant the good bye was outside, children only, sat on coloured circles 1 metre apart from each other. I really hope this is a very special week for him.