I feel like I have been MIA, but although I have been busy, we haven’t really done much outside of work and school, despite having half term in the middle.
Here are our last 3 weeks:
Sunday 18th May
An exciting and slightly nerve-wracking day.
In my last update I shared that I was adopting a cat, Ruby, for my Mum and today was the day to collect her.
I picked her up and she wasn’t over keen on the drive to my Mum’s, but in my experience, not many cats enjoy car rides!
Mum was absolutely delighted with her, although we did have to do an emergency cat proof the house session! Ruby hid behind the sofa’s for half an hour or so, before deciding to have a look around her new house.
Monday 19th May
Now our garden is looking a little more presentable, we keep picking up little trinkets to add to it.
I have a slight obsession with Highland Cows, so meet our latest additions to join Myrtle – these two are Maud and Millicent!
Tuesday 20th May
Work is getting me down a bit. There is always an overtime shortage at the beginning of the year but it hasn’t picked up like it normally does as Tesco is changing its ways of working, meaning it always feels like we are short staffed. I know we will get used to it, as will the customers, but we are surrounded by retirement flats, so the majority of our customers come in to store for the interaction at the checkouts and refuse to use self service tills, which means I am pulled away from my job to help serve them.
I finally made it to see the VE Day inspired postbox topper!
Wednesday 21st May
I headed down to see Mum and to see how Ruby had settled in.
It is safe to say she has made herself at home, choosing her preferred chair to relax in. She is a loving cat by all accounts and loves to sit and watch TV in the evening with Mum.
She is a little wary of me still, but did come over to say hello and prevent me from taking photos.
Thursday 22nd May
I had an old helix ear piercing opened up last month and decided I wanted the other side down.
I was slightly nervous, as the previous one was extremely painful when it was originally done, 20 something years ago, but gone are the days of guns and despite an initial ouch moment, I didn’t get that throbbing pain that I remembered from last time.
I went for a lightly different blue in this one and my next plan is to try and get a chain piercing from the top of my ear to the bottom like Jodie Whittaker has when she was Dr Who.
Friday 23rd May
Saturday 24th May
I worked the morning and then met Abbey in the afternoon whilst Eliza had her Modern dance class, treating us to a Starbucks.
I enjoyed their own version of bubble tea, which is delicious, whilst Abbey told me all about her holiday to Egypt.
Sunday 25th May
One of the highlights of spring in Dorset is a visit to Abbotsbury Swannery near Dorchester to see the cygnets.
Swans can be notoriously scary, especially with cygnets but they are so used to being around people here that they really don’t seem to care that we are so close to their young.
They even have a Whooper swan here from Iceland, called Ralf, who seems to have settled and developed a lasting friendship with another male Mute swan, meaning he won’t fly home to find a mate.
Monday 26th May
Bank holiday Monday, but a work day for me and it was busy with both regulars and tourists down to visit the beach.
At home, we have been trying our bird feeder in different positions and it seems the birds prefer a more central location. We now have Robins, House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Blackbirds using it regularly.
Tuesday 27th May
A day of appointments for me.
I took myself off to the GP Surgery in the morning for a blood test, only to find out that I should have been at their sister site 4 miles away – safe to say I wasn’t impressed. I then had an actual appointment in the afternoon, which was sightly more successful as I was in the right location this time.
The kids had far more fun though, they headed off to Hampshire with Dad to see a preview of the new Extinction Lego event at Marwell which starts in the summer holidays.
Wednesday 28th May
Eliza and Isaac are members of an acting school and needed new headshots are their last ones were done over 18 months ago, so we headed to see my photographer friend who has been taking their pictures since they were babies.
It was a fun morning, with them taking turns in front of the camera and Deb even managed to get a picture of the two of them together for me, much to their disgust.
In the evening, Eliza and I headed to the Pavilion in Bournemouth to see an amateur production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
There was nothing amateur about it, no expense was spared and it was amazing. Eliza loved it so much she is auditioning for their next production of Annie in the Autumn!
Thursday 29th May
Whilst we were at the swannery, they had a pop up market and Eliza choose some new plants for her fairy garden, which we planted today.
We also introduced Myrtle to Maud and Millicent. I am looking forward to the plants starting to take over now.
In the evening Eliza had some friends for a sleepover. All was fairly calm until they decided to do some blind baking – thankfully it didn’t end up too bad, but we did end up having to tidy up after them.
Friday 30th May
We had been promising Sebby all week that we would take him to the arcades to play the 2p machines, so we headed to Swanage.
The kids won enough tickets for a small sweet haul, but the Capybara in the grabber machine eluded us again – I think it will be cheaper for me to buy one for his birthday!!
Saturday 31st May
A day of running errands before the kids go back to school and I go back to work.
We drove through a village and every postbox had a topper on it, which was very cute. I really must learn to knit.
Sunday 1st June
Abbey’s partner Paul turned 40 back in March and for his birthday the family bought him a wing walk and today was the day.
We travelled to Henstridge, on the Dorset / Somerset border, early on Sunday morning to watch him.
It was a general consensus with the spectators was that all the men would do it, but us women would much rather be sat in the cockpit of the plane.
In the afternoon, we met Callan, Chelsea and Barney at Moors Valley where Barney got to meet his Gruffly friends.
We completed the play trail and my kids had fun haring around all the places they used to love.
Get the kids together and there is always some horsing around.
Monday 2nd June
Back to earth with a bang and back to work and school.
My excitement for the day was our new scratchcard unit being delivered. My only concern is it’s much taller than the last one so I might struggle to reach the top of it to refill it.
Tuesday 3rd June
Another work day and it was one of the bakery colleagues birthdays, so another colleague had made him a cake, which was delicious..
Wednesday 4th June
My day off so I headed across the boarder to surprise my Dad with a visit as he is just back from a long visit to Australia.
Sadly I should have checked he was in first, so I headed for a walk along the clifftop instead.
Thursday 5th June
Sebby turns 12 in the middle of June and has decided he wants a football inspired party.
I have booked FTY LAB, which is like a footballers playground and picked up his invites – what a great idea to have them themed as game tickets.
Friday 6th June
Abbey’s birthday, although we didn’t actually see her as she was off for a weekend away with friends.
How do I have a 32 year old?!?!?!?!?!?
Saturday 7th June
The kids headshots have been approved and I LOVE them.
The agency they are represented by have chosen their favourites, but I don’t agree, so will get my favourites to keep too.
How has your week been?
What a lovely few weeks you’ve all had.
I love the photos of the postbox toppers, some people are amazingly talented, I can’t even sew, let alone crochet.
Sorry to hear that work has been getting you down. I’ve read in the news that a lot of supermarkets are making changes, some not for the better.
It’s lovely to see Ruby settling in so well.
You have certainly had a busy few weeks. I am glad Ruby is settling in and is company for your Mum. Paul was very brave doing the wing walk, there is no way I could have done anything like that. The head shots look fantastic.
Love their headshot photos. Good luck for Eliza’s Annie auditions. Sounds like some busy weeks, and fun with birthdays etc. Glad Ruby’s settled in. Our cats are all feral on the farm. Spotted a tiny dead kitten by the verge, so that’s one gone (and evidently the german shepherd chased and killed another. I hadn’t even known there were new kittens again). Our neighbours have a new puppy so that’s lots of excitement at the moment.
You have had a busy few weeks!
I hope Ruby has settled in well with your mum.
Aww! Self service tills are great but I understand why the older people don’t want to use them. Bless them!
The cygnets are just adorable and good job with feeding the birds.
hahaha! The blind baking sounds like fun but I wouldn’t want to be the one cleaning up after them!
Oh my goodness! Wing walking would be my idea of hell, it looks like Abbey’s partner loved it though.
The kids heashots are fab! x
Your weekly photos capture summer so vividly! Those shots of your kids splashing in puddles remind me of my family’s rainy-day adventures. They inspire me to grab my camera more often!
Love the Highland cows. Glad Ruby has settled in well with your mum. She is such a beautiful cat. Love the photos of the swans with the nest and the cygnets. Glad you enjoyed seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and good luck to Eliza with auditioning for Annie. Blind baking sounds very messy! The wing walk looks like an amazing experience but I don’t think I’d be brave enough to try it! Hope Abbey had a lovely birthday. That last photo of Isaac and Eliza is gorgeous. #project365
I love the garden ornaments. I’ve got a fairy door I want to add to for the grandchildren. Those head shots are stunning. Good luck to Eliza with the Annie auditions. We only get post box toppers at easter, Christmas round our way.