I'm enjoying spending time with my daughter, aware that the long slow summers with her will come to an end in a few years time. We are less likely to clash when the pressure of school isn't there and she can sleep as much as she wants. I'm not booking her into any of those activities she used to do like Stagecoach drama. She's not so keen and is happy to entertain herself. Unfortunately this usually means watching rubbish TV. (The latest dreadful programme is something called 'I Wanna Marry Harry' - fake prince, gullible American girls competing for him.) She also spends a lot of time watching a girl from Brighton called Zooella on You Tube. She 'internet famous' according to Kate because she makes video logs of her life which loads of teenagers watch. Should I be restricting this and insisting that she takes more exercise and does improving reading like Jane Eyre? No, I'm no tiger mum - I'm going to let her take the summer at her own pace. It's her last chance because GCSEs begin for her in September so she'll be on the exam hamster wheel for the next however many years. Let it go...
Our sloth contrasts with husband's very busy life. One of the reasons we haven't gone away is that he has just returned from a trip to Italy. With his nephew, he drove 2,000 miles across Europe and back to compete in the Maratona, a challenging cycle event in the Dolomites. They did it but it was tough with lots of climbing and they struggled to cope with the altitude. And now he's back at work, up early every day for his long commute while I'm still in bed.
Yesterday was my birthday and I had a lovely day. It started with a morning walk in Delamere Forest with husband, who'd taken the day off, and the dog. Then a relaxing couple of hours at the hairdresser's eliminating my grey roots. Kate and her friend who slept over on Thursday evening had made me a Lemon Layer Cake and in the afternoon a few friends called for tea and cake. Moved on by 5pm to the bottle of champagne husband had brought back from his trip - he'd stopped off en route to Italy at a vineyard in Reims. Then out to our favourite local restaurant where I had aubergine parmigana which was delicious.
My present from my husband was a Polar Loop activity monitor. So next week will be able to measure just how idle I am.
Happy birthday (belated, but still)!
ReplyDeleteTerm has just ended here as well and we aren't going away either. Like you I also don't mind, and am looking forward to days like today: slow ones!
Enjoy your holiday. Loving your blog recently.
DeleteThanks so much for your kind words, Doris. May I just take this opportunity to say that my 'join this site' button is working again.
DeleteHappy Birthday Doris. It sounds like you had a lovely day. Your husband would get along well with mine, also a keen cyclist. Enjoy your well deserved holiday. Cx
ReplyDeleteThanks. Hope you are enjoying your holiday in Cornwall,
DeleteHappy birthday. That sounds like a nice way to spend your day. Very relaxing.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely day, thanks!
DeleteHi Doris, I'd like to wish you a happy belated birthday. I hope you enjoy your summer hols. We don't break up until tomorrow. We're heading off to Ireland on Saturday - I can't wait to get away! X
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a good time and that the weather holds, Where are you going?
ReplyDeleteThank you. We're going to Galway for the first week then off to Wexford for the second. Apart from a weekend in Dublin years ago, we've never been to Ireland so we're really looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday- sounds like a perfect day and perfect holiday. I agree with your parenting approach - no need to intervene once they're doing no harm. Far too many children are put under pressure without having time to chill out and find themselves.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed it's worked for me so far.