Category: Daily Life

Cycling Clowes Wood

Since I was young I was always taken to Clowes Wood, we would take our family dogs down whilst our parents would walk we would often be allowed take our bikes.

Fast forward a few years and I now often bring my children here.

It’s a beautiful woods at all times of the year, with good clear paths.

This weekend just gone we took our bikes for my first proper bike ride since I had an accident whilst I was on a charity bike ride earlier this year. I was nervous I’m not going to lie, it’s been 12 weeks and I still have pain and have to sleep in an unusual position at night. So going through these familiar woodlands was a good place to start back at something I love so much.

The woods have the ‘crab and winkle way’ running through them. This means if you park at the woods you can choose to either ride into Canterbury or into Whitstable. We personally prefer going to Whitstable it’s a really wonderful seaside town.

Clowes Wood

Crab and Winkle Way

OS Map Location- Clowes Wood

0

Be a real life hero

What is a hero? For me a hero is someone that does something selfless, with no intention that they want anything in return. But that’s not quite true for what I did in early May last year.

I registered to be a blood stem cell donor with DKMS. I did this because I wanted someone to have a chance of finding a match and an opportunity to live their life longer and healthier. I did this to make me feel good, to know that I tried to help and in the hope that one day I could be someone’s hero.

Little did I know that I would lose my beautiful step daughter later that same month, unfortunately there was absolutely nothing that anyone could do to save her. No one could be her hero (believe me the NHS staff tried their absolute best and I am thankful for that).

For me registering to try and help someone has even more significance now, if I could save the heartache and unbelievable sadness that came into my world then I will be there in a second.

If you would like the chance to be that hero please register here.

0

An evening with friends

Another great evening with friends last night. Each year many of our neighbours have BBQs and invite us, it’s always amazing and we have some great nights. As we have been renovating our house I have always thought it was too messy to invite others. So that’s it it’s my turn to host an evening. I will pick a date now and send an invite out today. No matter if everything is not finished and perfectly how I would like.

0

Thursday Thoughts

This morning when I told my children to get ready, so I could drop them at their Nan’s both not knowing each other had said exactly the same thing ‘You look like Nan’.

For me this is an ultimate compliment, my Mum is a strong, caring, loving and wonderful person. She is selfless in so many ways and is always there to help when ever I need her.

* My parents separated when I was 7 and I lived with my Dad. I saw my Mum regularly although my Dad has always found it hard. I don’t think about it really, but I do look like my Mum and have we do have a lot in common when it comes to personality. Seeing me must be a constant reminder to my Dad of my Mum. And the real sad bit is that my Dad has never got over my Mum leaving, he will say ‘hi’ if he has to, but that’s it. If he knows she is about he will just not come to see me. And I have learnt over the years just to let it go and not to worry if that’s what he wants to do that’s his right.  *

1

Evening beach walks

Strolling the beach in the evening ❤️

Remember that the beach is not just for the day time.

When so many of us are cooped up in offices working all day it’s no wonder so may of us end up with anxiety or mental health issues. I know it’s easy to just go home, sort everything out and chill – for me it’s the dinner and getting myself and the children ready for the next day, then TV or book and bed. But I can assure you that sometimes pushing ourselves to go back out again is beneficial to our souls. This evening I dragged the family out to one of our many local beaches much to their annoyance, as you know they had been busy all day at home, been cycling and enjoyed their day and I was making them go out for a walk.

It was a beautiful evening, the water was lovely and warm on my feet and the sand was cool under foot.

Then on the way home a family discussion turned into them all giving me a history lesson about the world wars, there were some key things that I really had missed by not taking history in secondly school. I must read and watch a few more documentaries about the war, not normal ones though I would like to hear some real life stories from all over the world and understand it’s true impact on peoples every day lives.

So me and my family had an amazing couple of hours just being a family in the world in the moment.

Botany Bay is a small bay on the Thanet coast close to Broadstairs, parking in the evening is generally not too bad. There is a pub The Botany Bay, previously the Fayreness for food, drinks and rooms for the night if your not local.

Further information on Botany Bay

OS Map Location

1

Weekly reflection

Sunday night is here once again and tomorrow brings me another week of the day job.

Reflecting back on my plans for last week and this is how they went:

* I made time for me most days, sometimes it was much easier than others. A few things I did for me were, a walk, read a book, had a facial (done by myself at home) and baked scones.

* Children are currently not zombies but they have been trying to convince me for extra Xbox time at all points of the day every day.

* As the boys had friends over their rooms were very tidy without any nagging. However I still cannot understand that washing ends up next to the washing bin and not in it?!

* Children made pizza and cooked brownies for tea. We did have a code red when a glass bowl containing molten liquid smashed and plastered most of our bright white kitchen with chocolate. Accidents happen and after I cleared it all up they finished making the brownies. It was very nice when we got to eat it 😜. And they did enjoy themselves so they can cook again!

* We decided to have a weekend at home and spend time with friends. This gave us a chance to recharge our batteries and enjoy our beautiful home.

How was your week?

2

Just another week

It’s been a crazy week, I had originally planned annual leave but unfortunately had to change it. I thought that as everyone knew I was meant to be away that I could plough through a lot of work and do a load of admin that has built up. It started well but by the end of the week I was driving around to meetings again; don’t get me wrong the meetings I attended were well worth attending however I haven’t managed to get all the admin I hope to finished 😔.

And looking at the diary for next week it looks like I will not have a minute to spare for what I would like to get done; note to self I can only do what I can and that’s why I prioritise daily what needs to be completed. ✅

My work is fast paced, challenging and complex. I often need to take a look at what I have done and achieved to remind myself that I have done more than many do.

Then when I get home from work and as the boys are on summer holidays I get a barrage of:

‘Mum can I do ……’ ‘What are we having for tea?’ ‘How long until dinner’ ‘I’ve been looking and can I have this game?’ ‘Can we go see grandad?’ ‘Can you please wash my bedding as I have friends coming over’

Sometimes I don’t think they draw breath between questions! Then I have to remember to answer them all or give instructions as to what they can do to help with what they want:

‘Not right now, Pizza 🍕 your cooking remember? And don’t forget you wanted to do brownies too, I did leave the bits on the side so you could have made them today whilst I was out. Your cooking so whenever you would like your tea. I will look at the game later and we aren’t going to grandads tonight sorry. If you get your bedding I will wash it now and put a clean set on for you in a bit.’

Now I can put my bag down and try to escape upstairs to get changed!

The thing is as a working parent it’s hard to get the right balance in the summer holidays. The children are older now so most things, when I am around, are uncool, too boring or just too much like hard work for them. They do miss you though and you know inside that they would just like you around to taxi 🚕 them about or as a sounding board for their questions or woes.

I try to make sure they have something to do every day; it doesn’t have to be big but just something to get them up out of bed and off their Xbox’s!

So today after a late one with friends last night, we didn’t do a lot other than, sleep, watch tv, read and layabout together 😁🛏🛋📚💯💤

0

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑