Picnic


The view seen when lying on one's back, under the dappled shade of a beech tree, on a glorious Sunday afternoon in May.

Errands

Every time I buy a paper-wrapped bunch of flowers it makes me feel like Mrs Dalloway. Unfortunately, I am not decorating my house for a party. Rather, I have to go home to unblock the Hoover nozzle and tackle that paperwork mountain. I decide to delay these tantalising jobs and instead stop off somewhere for a frothy coffee in the sunshine.

Three beautiful things

1. The smell of lavender that wafts up from the bush which I push past in the garden, on my way to peg out the washing.

2. A cream tea and a good chinwag, shared with Beautiful Girl and my Best Friend, in the sunshine.

3. There is a job which I've been putting off for ages. Tonight I decide to just hunker down and get it done. Three hours later and I have a horrid headache but it's done and I feel so much better.

Weekend Fun

One of the New Year's Resolutions I seem to make every year is to really appreciate the weekends. To make them restful but filled with fun. It rarely happens. So much of the weekend gets swallowed up by things I need to do, rather than things I want to do. Schoolwork, housework, trips to the supermarket, ferrying Beautiful Girl to riding lessons and birthday parties, trips to town to buy new school shoes or renew bus passes.... I'd say "boring" but that suggests something calm and unharried. Last week we decided, for no reason whatever, to buck the trend and go away for the weekend.

We went to Shropshire which is, after last summer's wonderful holiday there, my new favourite county. Saturday was spent in Ludlow, such a lovely little market town. We had fun in the old castle, followed by a big lunch. There was shopping too - a gorgeous French linen nightgown for Beautiful Girl (far nicer than anything I sleep in), pretty china for me and this being foodie central, lots of grub! On Saturday night we stayed with a beloved aunt and uncle who filled us with good food and a little too much wine and kept us up late talking. Sunday dawned, grey and wet, but we didn't let it deter us. Off we went to visit Wroxeter, a Roman city (Beautiful Girl is obsessed with all things historical. Entirely due to Horrible Histories I should add) and then to Attingham Park (I am obsessed with all things National Trust. Due, in no small part, to Downtown Abbey) where we dripped all over the beautiful carpets, then stripped off our rain gear and had the most elegant and delicious afternoon tea. (Lovely Husband: "Is that it? I could eat that on my own, in 5 minutes flat...).

A great weekend - it's strengthened my resolve to keep that resolution. And as for the "lose weight and exercise every day" one... (coughs shiftily and looks away).....