Seaside Sparkles

Over the past few years, we have enjoyed a UK half term holiday and it has always been a mini heatwave. This year was no exception with a week of hot, sunny weather, perfect for our caravan holiday. We were blown away by the quality and setting of our caravan, a beautiful 3 bedroom van with decking looking out to luscious fields.

We decided on the Isle of Wight as despite seeing it every day from our seaside home, the children had never visited it. The Isle of Wight is a bit of an iconic landmark for us, particularly for weather forecasting. If you can’t see the island from the beach then it is a very bad weather day as it is only 18 miles away. However, our journey to our caravan park was nearly 70 miles on road, including en route the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth and onto Shanklin. I loved the ferry journey, its short and the sea was so smooth that we sat outside for both journeys, breathing in the sea salt spray and feeling the gentle breeze on your face.

Our children are now a little old for the park’s organised children’s activities so we had more off site trips. However they loved the sports courts and many an hour was spent playing football and hanging out with new friends.

We enjoyed lots of trips around the island. Our first activity was cycling the Red Squirrel Trail, which was a fantastic trip, cycling along the beaches and then onto a disused railway track in the heart of the countryside. The scenery was breathtaking and it was my favourite activity of the week, we also discovered the most picture perfect cycling cafe on the track perfect for a much needed drink in the warm sunshine.

Without a doubt, the children’s favourite activity was the Aqua park, it was so good we returned for a second trip later in the week. It is set in Tapnell park and having visited three aqua parks around the country it was exceptional for its organisation, safety, facilities and inflatables. Tapnell park is a beautiful venue, it is a farm for younger visitors, hosts a wonderful gastropub and has a stunning farm shop which sold refreshments for those watching and lots of Isle of Wight goodies which were great thank you gifts for our foodie neighbours. The children loved the inflatables, they were fun, with such a variety of challenges. We have so many videos and snaps of the sessions as the viewing area is so close to the action. It did help that we had two visits in stunning weather but tit really was a happy place for participants and spectators alike.

Another fun activity was a roller skating disco in Newport, the music was a great mix of modern and disco classics and the kitsch decor was perfect at creating a cool vibe.

As the Isle of Wight is such a small island, it was easy to travel around the island and we visited most of the popular towns. I enjoyed our day in Ryde where we discovered a community owned open air swimming pool and had a great session there, it had such a lovely vibe. It felt quite retro to watch that hovercraft whizzing over to Portsmouth from Ryde. We had been at the Spinnaker Tower in April and to look across and see it at a different angle was a nice reconnection to the great weekend. We stayed at Shanklin and I liked the old fashioned feel of the town, especially the old part which is picture perfect with thatched cottages and Chine.

It’s a little random for a holiday post but I must mention my holiday read, Alan Rickman’s diaries, they are brilliant, a real mix of cultural and political commentaries. The book is nearly 500 pages long and I had my Kindle with me at all times to nip into the book at any opportunity. I felt quite bereft when I finished the book. especially as I knew the very sad ending. There are some deaths which shock you and his, David Bowie and Victoria Wood within a few weeks of each other did make me sad, three leading lights in their fields.

I thought the Isle of Wight was perfect for a family holiday, it is a beautiful island with lots to see and do. It is very much a family rather than a party island but it fitted our brief superbly and we will have very fond memories of our sunny half term holiday.

Sometimes your planned week can change and offers you the most wonderful opportunity. The first week of this fortnight offered such a lovely surprise. On Saturday, I was planning on running and volunteering on a parkrun, doing a bit of housework, pottering and perhaps starting a little holiday packing. However I got a text on Friday afternoon to ask if my parents and uncle could pop down and spend the afternoon with us. What made this so special is my uncle lives abroad and was only in the UK for a short visit. I hadn’t seen him in more than 15 years and I was so excited to see him. When I was a little girl he lived with our family in London for a time and when we moved to Reading he was a frequent Sunday visitor for a roast dinner and catch up. My uncle was always so kind and fun and I only have lovely memories of him, following our meet up, he remains very much the same Uncle of my childhood.

Saturday was one of those perfect days you cherish and made me smile all week. I did manage my parkrun and got my 25 volunteering award and then ran down to town to collect the fresh ingredients for lunch. I kept it simple with the most delicious olive bread from our local indie bakery, a Greek salad, hummus and dips, local cheese and cold meats and fresh summer fruits. After weeks of rain, the weather was perfect and we ate outside. Not only did we have my parents and uncle, my daughter’s boyfriend also came and neighbours chatted over the wall. Following our relaxed lunch we walked along the beach and then stopped at the artisan ice cream shop, if you’re going to do the seaside you need to do it in style. The day was just so lovely to spend time with my family and catch up, it felt there was no time between our last meeting.

On the same day, our boys were away all day as they had tickets for the final home game of the football season against Man Utd, it was sad they missed the day but perhaps it gave us more opportunity to reminisce and chat. The boys had a brilliant day too and I’ve made a photo book of all the photos my son had taken with his team as they posed for photos and signed autographs as they went in.

Apart from work, my weeks were very much getting ready for our half term holiday to the Isle of Wight. A holiday means a holiday hair colour and cut, fancy nails , holiday playlist etc.. I also am a keen organiser and had many holiday lists so that we were all ready for our car packing deadline of Friday evening. We have a new car since our last holiday with a smaller boot but by replacing our suitcases with fabric holdalls, I think we can actually take more things in a smaller space!

We travelled over to the Isle of Wight on Saturday morning. It’s quite exciting going on the little ferry and then travelled across the island to our caravan park in Shanklin. The caravan is lovely and the campsite beautiful. So far we’ve only been here for just over 24 hours but have enjoyed an outdoor swim, a walk to the beach and had a lunch of fish and chips (and veggie options) on the seafront. We also have reservations for local attractions too during the week, which I’ll report back on next week. The weather is gorgeous and best of all predicted to remain so all week.

These last two weeks have just shown it’s family and community which can make you feel so good, the connection helps you be the best you. Life is always about appreciating and embracing the simple things in life.

I have really enjoyed the consecutive bank holiday weekends and the temporary return to a four day working week. This weekend has definitely felt short in comparison as you try to squeeze everything in, especially as its been a beautiful sunny weekend, a real contrast to the preceding two wet weekends.

Monday was a very wet and miserable day, but it suited our plans I drove our daughter to her boyfriend’s and then took our son to the cinema to see Guardians of the Galaxy 3. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the film, it was very watchable, with a great soundtrack and some very pertinent plotlines, animal testing, family etc.. It was also nice to spend some mum and son time together and of course there were cinema snacks too.

The working week was good and productive, so evenings were spent relaxing. We finished the Diplomat on Netflix and are now awaiting the next season to find out what really happened at the end. I’m not a tv person, I enjoy watching a few things but have been very happy reading and finishing my book, ‘Its not me, its you’ by Mhairi McFarlane. Chick lit is wrongly maligned as a genre, but I need light and witty and I love McFarlane’s work. We also watched the latest Ted Lasso and again this series is simply genius. Hannah Waddingham, Rebecca in Ted Lasso has been co presenting Eurovision this week and has been absolute class. I haven’t watched a lot of Eurovision but caught a little of the end of the two semi finals which were more enjoyable than expected.

We tried to pack lots into a sunny weekend, the weather has been so grey and wet this year, that a sunny day demands an outdoor adventure! On Saturday, I did some pre run volunteering and then parkran, before a quick shower and change to do a walk between two local villages, stopping halfway for lunch, fresh pasties at a local bakers. The route took us through a forest carpeted in bluebells, through a farm and fields and meadows, before arriving at the very picturesque village. I was amused by the village’s leftover Coronation decorations, there appears to have been a scarecrow competition and we came across a bedraggled Prince Harry complete with bottle of champagne.

Today we decided to make full use of the £2 bus fare and went over to the neighbouring seaside town again. However today, we got off the bus early and walked along the prom for a few miles into the town centre, it was a beautiful morning and a sunny beach is the perfect Sunday morning vista.

Next week’s plans are preparing for the upcoming holiday with nail and hair appointments , before packing the week after as we leave straightaway when we break up. I like this anticipation and planning, holidays are our special times together.

May is proving to be a lovely month for bank holidays, two consecutive three day weekends. After our busy Saturday and Sunday last week, Monday was simply a lazy, pottering day at home, I sorted out a few cupboards, put away the winter scarves and hats to be replaced by sun hats and caps and did some fadmin (family admin) a lovely little day.

There was a bit of a family drama this week, but that has now been resolved in sort. I would love a quieter life but with two teenagers in the house, this may have to wait for a few more years. We did have our daughter’s parents evening this week, school is difficult for her, its just not the right environment and she struggles with her behaviour. However, the consultation wasn’t as bad as we were expecting and there is that hope that if she can settle down in Year 11 and focus she may get the grades needed for the college course she is interested in. As a teacher, I have had students who didn’t thrive in school and am confident that my daughter’s character, intelligence and wit will serve her well in adult life. At the parents evening we had lots of resources shared with us to help independent study, one of which was Duolingo. I couldn’t resist and have signed up. At present its French ( I have a honours degree in the language , so perhaps not the most taxing for me) and I may try a new language too.

This week has been all about the preparation for the Coronation. There are Union Jacks hanging from every lamp post in our town and neighbouring villages. The King Charles post box topper is near my daughter’s school and the crown (which is huge, as tall as me) is at our local station. I haven’t put up any bunting, as there are parts of the coronation I feel uncomfortable with, most notably, the cost, upwards of £100 million in a cost of living crisis. I feel there is more indifference to this celebration and a lot of people are considering if this is the beginning of the end of the monarchy. However, as a teacher, we have looked at the history, made crowns, learnt how to sing and sign the national anthem, dressed in red, white and blue, picnicked and thanks to excellent reports on Newsround have considered the monarchy’s role in modern British society. Tellingly one of my students asked why the money for the Coronation could not be spent on the nhs, our young are wise beyond their years.

Our Saturday parkrun had a Coronation theme, so I borrowed some of the crowns we made at school, draped my leopard print Union Jack scarf around me and did my pre run volunteer stint. The weather was awful, very, very wet so all the accessories were taken off so I could concentrate on battling the wind, rain and very muddy conditions on the run. However, post run, I ate one of the best ever fruit cakes I have tasted, with the perfect amount of marzipan and icing printed with the coronation symbol. We also stopped for a second breakfast in the parkrun café so despite being the wettest ever parkrun, it was one of the most memorable too. By the time we got home the Coronation was in full swing so I had it on tv, whilst we showered and warmed up. I was wowed by Penny Mordaunt’s outfit (that dress, the cloak, the head piece) and role in the ceremony, standing perfectly with a heavy sword for hours was mighty impressive. Tbh, it was the fashion which caught my attention rather than the solemnity of the ceremony.

As the children have plans for tomorrow, today, Sunday was our dedicated family day of the weekend. Thanks to the national £2 price cap on bus fares, we took the open top bus across the ferry to our big seaside town, where we had a ‘Spoons’ breakfast and had a lovely meander along the beach, played on the slot machines on the pier, walked through the gardens and returned back home. There was a really nice atmosphere at the seaside, I think everyone was enjoying the sunshine as again the forecast is awful tomorrow.

My photo this week is a simple example of how one can ‘gram’ your life. The blue skies belie the awful weather we endured most of the week, and the snow blossom in the title refers to the blossom furiously shaken from the trees by Storm Noa. We were very fortunate that the two days we had outdoor plans this week, Thursday and today, Saturday were beautiful sunny days.

In reading back last week’s post, I noticed that I hadn’t added photos of my table decorations and the bumper selection of Easter chocolate I had gathered for the Easter hunt, so I have added these as really who wants to see grey skies and pictures of sitting at a desk and doing admin?

The week started with a wet and dreary bank holiday Monday. I sorted some holiday insurance and then inspired by Mr S’ suggestion to move my bureau into our light and warm dining room, I rearranged the furniture in our lounge and dining room. Its a bit of a misnomer calling our dining room a dining room, as we no longer have a dining table in the room and it is more of a day room in which Mr S and I now have desks, a sofa and a television. It has a glass door onto our little courtyard and double aspect windows so is a lovely bright and warm room, rather like a snug. I am really pleased by the transformation and its made me more productive in the evening as I’ve sat at my desk and planned and organised rather than being on the sofa. Monday felt like a very productive use of a very wet day.

On Tuesday, Mr S took the children to Exeter to visit his sister and drop off our son who was going to stay for a couple of nights. This was arranged quite late and with two pre-booked appointments, I stayed at home. I can’t explain the joy of having a day to myself. I am always surrounded by people; at work, at home and even on my commute, I am accompanied by my daughter. I am so rarely alone that the simple pleasure of being on my own is blissful. I had a few hours to potter around, wash my car, take a few things to the dump (I know what a way to spend a day!) and then had a good old natter with my hairdresser and an appointment with my osteopath. I popped into town and had the good fortune to bump into two old friends and there were lengthy catch ups with both.

Wednesday was another wet and miserable day, so again it was a home day and in the afternoon, I drove our daughter’s boyfriend back home to the neighbouring town and my daughter and I popped into town for some bits and bobs, tshirts, underwear etc.. not an exciting shopping trip but essential.

Thursday was a real highlight with a return trip to Abbotsbury Sub tropical gardens. We were last here in October and had wanted to return to see the blossom in the spring. Its a convenient mid point for us and our sister in law to meet up and we had a lovely day out with both families. The weather was gorgeous and the blue skies so welcome. There were so many beautiful colours with all the blossom, an uplifting sight. I was so pleased to see my son too, it may have only been two days, but I missed him lots. He’s away with Mr S again next week as he has an extra week of holidays and they’re off on a boys trip to see Grandad. In the meantime I’m trying to make the most of our time together and I sense a mum and son day is needed soon.

Friday was again really wet, miserable and cold. In the morning, my son and I walked to the market, but there was little pleasure in such a wet and windy walk, many of the market traders hadn’t set up stalls due to the weather. In the afternoon, I had a meeting with two of my local councillors about my complaint on our son’s EHCP, they were really helpful and I do hope that the matter will get resolved. I finished the afternoon with a café trip with my friend for a much needed and overdue catch up.

This morning, I was so surprised to see my son up and dressed in his tracksuit and asking to come to parkrun. We’ve been trying to persuade him to come along for all the years in which his sister and I have been doing parkrun, and prior to today he has only done one parkrun in which he walked with Mr S. I don’t know what the motivation was today, possibly blue skies for the first time in ages, but I was delighted to have him come along and run. The two children went off and ran together, sharing ear buds and listening to their playlist of drum and base, whilst I pootled behind with my playlist of 70s and 80s tunes. I would love him to become a regular parkrunner and I hope today has inspired him. The rest of the day has been our usual potter down town and watching the footie results with another crucial win for the boys’ team. This evening I continued with my new weekly recipes and made a pea and asparagus tart which was delicious with a real spring flavour.

Its back to school next week for my daughter and I, although it will feel a little different with my son and husband being away for a few days. I’ve no real plans for the upcoming week, I would like to pop to the gym to try and do some of the cross training recommended by the osteopath, but its more about quietly easing into the new term. The summer term is my favourite of the year, especially this year with a bonus bank holiday.