Summer rolling onwards

It's been so busy! Lots of weekends crammed with going here and there, near and far. 

After Bella's last GCSE exam, we headed to London for the day, a trip postponed from half term due to the train strikes. We began our day at the Tate Britain, somewhere I haven't visited for many years. I think I prefer it to Tate Modern.

One of my most loved pictures here, The Lady of Shallott, was sadly on loan to a different gallery but I still enjoyed looking for other favourites. 

We wandered through Whitehall, stopping for a quick lunch on the way, then spent the afternoon exploring and popping in and out of shops.

We had ice cream somewhere around Leicester Square, popped into Waterstones Piccadilly, then made our way back to Victoria station via Buckingham Palace and Green Park. 

We walked about 18,000 steps. It was hot, but also a really fun day.

Work has been really busy. We had a 3-night school residential (during which I climbed the climbing wall, a lot of fun), an Enterprise Fair, Leaver's play, Art Week, and many other activities which are all highly enjoyable for the children but exhausting for the teachers.

It has been lovely to spend time with friends lately. I have really packed lots in: now my timetable involves less planning and marking, my weekends are a little more free. Sadly, my energy levels are struggling a bit!

There was very nice day in Horsham with my friend Abbie, during which we had coffee outside, lunch inside and a wonderfully long browse in Waterstones. 

I very much enjoyed all the recommend signs around the store and succumbed to a few.

 

The bedside table reading pile reflects my current book purchasing. I am so excited to spend some time reading over the summer holidays. I've just finished Trespasses by Louise Kennedy and thought it was very good. Eight out of ten, maybe a nine. It's set in Belfast in the 1970s during the height of the troubles and is really compelling.

Occasionally, John and I leave the kids behind on dog walks. We always ask them to join us, but if they really don't want to come (it depends where we're going) we make a little date of it, go somewhere nice, buy an ice cream. This was raspberry ripple and - something I've never had before - chocolate sorbet. It's like frozen chocolate mousse. Very rich. I wished I'd got the raspberry ripple. It perked up a very dull and flat-skied Saturday, anyway.

One of my oldest friends from Leeds, Kate, was over visiting from Australia, where she now lives. She was staying in Kent and we worked out that the Birling Gap was pretty much halfway between her place and mine, so met up there for a pub lunch and a long walk.

I don't know this part of the south coast, with the rolling hills of the Seven Sisters, at all, so it made a change to walk somewhere different, and in such good company too.

There have been moments at home too, with a mixed bag of weather. When it's been warm and sunny it's absolutely glorious. I am much better at stopping and relaxing when it's hot, more inclined to sit down with my book, rather than keeping busy with jobs. (I loved Magpie Murders - great twist!)

I don't feel like I've cooked anything of note lately, and certainly not baked anything (no time/too hot). But there has been pizza, cooked outside in the oven.

Roast chicken with a huge salad of couscous, roasted vegetables and fresh herbs, homemade chips (for the kids), green salad and - the best thing about a meal on a hot day - a bottle of rose.

The warmer weather had me craving a lunch that makes me think of France: Boursin cheese on a baguette topped with sliced radish. The combination of crispy-peppery crunch and gooey, garlicky cheese is good.

The currants in the garden were finally ready to pick.

I have in the freezer I kg of redcurrants and 300 g of blackcurrants. I wish it was the other way round, but I have enough blackcurrants to make ice cream which is all I want. I think the redcurrants will become jelly. They are all safe and sound in the freezer until I have time to think about cooking them.

Some moments of self care in amongst the busy weekends and work days: a haircut, new nails, some crochet, reading, watching TV, new clothes and buying books. I am terrible at prioritising rest but have tried to make time to do quiet things.

Now we are on countdown until the end of term. I have so many things I want to do in the summer holidays, I may have to write a big list.