Fifth Thursday in August

 Nearly September now and you can certainly feel the seasons rolling along here in South Wales. Where I was feeling a bit panicky about Summer drawing to a close, I feel a lot more accepting now. We have had a lot of fun and good times, and they don't stop as the weather turns. It feels as though we have had enough Summer out of our Summer. 

My eldest's bike is in the shop being fixed at the moment (brakes), although this may be a couple of weeks as the fellow who works there is going on holiday. We have had a wonderful time getting out on our bikes though, together as a family for the first time. We cycled miles and miles at the weekend, and now only am I enthused about us all getting about together, but I am also reminded to use my bike more for errands, and to keep it going through the winter as well - especially handy with the allotment to look after now. 

Speaking of which, my task for he evening - not a big task - is to plan what I shall be planting and what needs doing in my two raised beds. We are rolling into Autumn so there aren't a lot of options, but I shall enjoy it nonetheless. I also have a large patch of comfrey in my garden which I will cut down next week and dig into the allotment. I'm glad to finally have a use for it, besides the occasional poultice. 

I've been objectively rubbish with money this month, but August is nearly over and September brings with it a chance to balance the books and get back on track. The stakes are higher as the year goes on as our power is metered, so costs twice as much in winter as in summer. Getting a bit of a credit on the meters next month will make all the difference, as well as ordering in some wood for the fire - I'm drawing a blank at the moment.

As always I have a list as long as my arm of housework to do today. I would like to relax about it until the girls have gone back to school next week, it'll keep, but the laundry has piled up while we have had visitors, and at least the washing up and floors need to be done. Then we are planning a beach day, maybe one of our last this summer. 

Fourth Friday in August

 Another month that wouldn't end, although I'm cautious to wish away the last of the summer. 

We have another visitor this weekend so I need to get up and going and tidy up my house a bit which has been rather neglected. It's been the summer of visitors, and though I like to be hospitable I think I would be more discouraging next year as it feels we've barely had a weekend free this summer - in fact I'm not sure we have at all if we include birthday parties. I'll get a record on in a bit and get going. 

Big news here is that we have been offered a half plot of an allotment! We have been on the list for 3 years and this is slightly sooner than anticipated. They aren't our most local allotments but maybe our most convenient as they are about 3 miles away along the seafront - a fairly short cycle, or a very short drive. We have asked to stay on the list for a full plot also. 

Using my computer less has been noticably nicer already. I've just had it switched off and left upstairs and that ensures I'm only using it when I'm actually using it, not just picking it up mindlessly. 

Yesterday me and the girls spent a lot of the day making extra buildings for their sylvanian families from cardboard. For their birthdays a friend gave them some die cuts from the mouse mansion in Amsterdam, and we've had so much fun making the rooms ready for them, and scouting around the house for things to repurpose. 

Off I go.

Third Wednesday in August

 I need to start giving these blog entries proper titles again or I'll never be able to find anything I'm looking for in future. I would also like to start taking pictures again. All seems a bit difficult.

Yesterday we had a good session painting some of the garden furniture. It's a pity that we didn't get going until about half 3 in the afternoon, but we still managed to get a lot done. We brought with us from Cwmgors a few pieces of furniture as well as the girls' wooden playhouse, which they are so on the verge of completely outgrowing. Fortunately we also brough with us stacks of outdoor wood paint, as when we moved I felt completely unable to part with anything, We still have the shed to do, and the little house and picnic bench need another coat, but it was very satisfying to get going on and we were saying how much we missed that kind of work, which there was in spades in our old place. 

I am trying to use the computer less, for loads of reasons, but the straw the broke the camels back is that I am now so anxious about the news and world events that I can hardly function. The less I use the internet and the more I life my actual life, the happier I will be. So I am keeping it switched off and upstairs. I have a deranged feeling that I need to be checking my email and my whatsapp in case I miss anything important, but if it's that important someone will either ring me or knock on my door. 

I've overspent this month buying a few things - a towelling robe in the sale for winter swimming, a new pair of swim socks for winter - although they were too big and I've had to send them back to swap for a smaller size, here's hoping that goes smoothly - and three black linen dresses off of vinted, which are all I want to wear right now. They will be ideal for summer as they are linen, and good for winter too as roomy enough to wear on top of leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt. And they are black so I'm able to indulge my inner goth. 

Better get going on the day. It's almost the end of the school holidays and H has the week off so want to make the most of it, although I think we're all pooped really and the weather is so so. Perhaps we can go for a long walk.

First Monday in August

 Drizzler today. 

Had a lovely fire at the beach last night, hanging out with H and the girls and a couple of friends. Saw bats on the way home. Lost and lorn today and feeling a bit like I've spent a lot of my life treating people pretty cheaply. I wonder how I grew up to be so self-involved? I always have been. 

Coffee and a tidy up this morning after a crazy weekend, and then I'm taking the girls to the botanic gardens for a guided nature walk in the afternoon. We must be coming up half way through the holidays, so it feels like the clock is ticking re home education. I imagine at this point we will try school again, see if this year is any different, and just keep HE at the front of our minds. 

Perhaps I need to find more to do with my days, more of a sense of purpose. I wish I was a writer or something, had any kind of discernable skill that I could devote myself too. I don't have a career as such and even if I did, no job really works around children and school hours. I used to have so much ambition.

First Thursday in August

August now, blimey.

Considering reinstating all of the old blog posts, just because it seems like such a wonderful record of our time and our efforts to live a good life, a pity for it to be gathering metaphorical dust in the archive. 

Nice weather here this week finally, although I think today is the last hot day. All of the windows are open and I can hear things being blown over in other rooms. I need to summon some energy to pick up the house today. 

Summer holidays are rolling along in a wonderful dream. Mentioned the possibility of home education to my youngest yesterday and was met with an immediate no thanks. We'll revisit that. I'm still unsure what's the best thing. I can say in all confidence that my oldest is so much happier and more her old self after a week and a half off of school. 

I've been trying to get back into the drawing. I'm enjoying what I have done, but lacking inspiration. I never really go anywhere but the beach to have nothing in my head. It was easy when we lived in the countryside and only had to look out the window to see something wonderful. We have gained so much in the move back to the city that it would be an insult to try and list it, but there is a big part of me that still feels homeless and displaced and hankering after my lost garden. When the wind blows a certain way I am transported back to the oak trees and it's hard to bear. 

The answer of course is that I need to get out more. Or get out in different ways. Go for walks in the woods, the parks, the meadows, the streets, look around, notice things. 

Well, this morning I am going to put on a record and straighten up the house. I rarely listen to music or watch films these days, I think because it all belongs to a lost past. I need to claw some of myself that I left behind into the present.