Sunday 7 August 2022

Green and grey

 











We loaded up the dog and headed up the road to Wales last week. It was beautiful there as ever. There was even some rain. Glorious. There were ferns tucked into slate walls, sea ducks out on the estuary, mountains topped with clouds, mullet feeding in the bay in the evening, mist on the lakes in the early mornings and sheep and rabbits all over the shop.

The eldest boy likes to climb mountains at sunrise and sunset, while the littlest boy likes to dig holes in sand and jump into the sea. The middle boy is easy going and likes all of it, and coffee and good food and funny conversations. Well, okay, maybe he's not a huge fan of digging holes, but he did shin up a mountain and swim in the sea. I climbed up half a mountain and looked at the sea. 

In the evening they played football together and I read my book and lightly policed it when it threatened to turn bickery. It was all rather blissful. And now we're back home and the garden is of course parched and the work has piled up. Not complaining though, not at all, it's all good. Well, not the climate change obviously, but I am putting out water for wildlife and doing what I can to be part of the solution etc. etc.

I need to up my game and entertain the urchins a bit I think. It's very easy to think, oh, I'll work this week and do something next week, and then the weeks slip by and I realise I haven't done anything. The littlest boy has a new-to-him bike which he is loving, so we did do a bike ride today. It's hard to think of things that teenagers would all like to do together though. With their mother in tow. That doesn't involve me handing out wads of cash. Ideas gratefully received.

How are things at your end? Back soon with the sorry tale of my garden bench, which I was going to tell you this time, but I couldn't bring myself to quite yet, it needs to settle a bit first. CJ xx

14 comments:

  1. I am sorry I have no idea of things to do with teenagers together other than talking. I fear I have given up on that, I know that is very neglectful of me, but son usually choses to stay at home when I take daughter out and daughter is too young to be left on her own so she reluctantly comes out with me when we take son to do things. I remind myself I don't have them at home for much longer so it is all ok. I have no children this week which is rather strange it is the first time in nearly eighteen years, they are both at a scout camp, there is something that they do enjoy doing together! I have a long list of things to do!

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  2. Your holiday sounds wonderful. All that beautiful scenery and rain - I remember rain!
    The Bristol Balloon Fiesta is on soon. If I remember correctly, entry is free ..... it's the parking that is extortionate but, if you know the area well, you may be able to park nearby. Geocaching might be fun or some sort of photography treasure hunt. The sky seems very clear at the moment too, so maybe a family stargazing evening with hot chocolate. I'm hopeless at recognising constellations but there's bound to be some sort of app to help. Tesco used to let you spend your vouchers on an English Heritage membership (sadly, not NT), which is always useful if yours like mooching round castles and the like. Whatever you get up to, have a brilliant time. xx

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  3. What a wonderful holiday! Loving those atmospheric photos. Snowbird.xxx

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  4. Yes I second Geocaching, especially if you have teens who like to walk (or bike)!

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  5. Lovely muted colours and I’m very envious of your rain. Mountain climbing,swimming and cycling sound the perfect combination. Even had our bikes out last week. Can just picture you with a book making the odd comment as the football gets too heated. I’m reading Ken Follett at the moment: The Eye Of The Needle, an excellent summer read.
    Must be exam results very soon. Keeping everything crossed that the results are just what they need. B x

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  6. Your week in Wales sounds perfect, it's an area I'm not very familiar with, we had a weekend there a few years ago and we loved it and said we'd return but we haven't yet. It's a problem knowing what to do with kids when they're all at different ages and enjoy different things.

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  7. A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. Glad to see that you all had a good time, especially Bertie by the look of it.
    Thankfully all okay here, and plotting along as usual despite the dry ground and warm weather. xx

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  8. Everything is parched here. Our garden is suffering badly. I just hope all the plants recover/

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  9. We've watched foreign films or series together late at night, with snacks. Walks, trips to historic or museum-like places (here, they're very inexpensive). Themed meals (things you've always wanted to try, new things you saw at the market, etc). Volunteer at an animal shelter or to clean a green space together with a treat after (ice cream or bubble tea, for example). I have girls, so maybe these aren't going to work as well in your home. Star-gazing or meteor shower watching have been fun in the past, if you have visibility. Again, snacks are helpful.

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  10. Feeling your pain on the holiday entertainment. I look back now on how easy it was to take the younger girls to the park, or to have friends round to play or just do some crafting. I think it is hard to compete with a phone! We always write a list of thigs everyone wants, to do at the start of the holidays so that we work towards those. My things are included too and it stops us making pie in the sky sweeping statements and then running out of time. Good Luck! xx

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  11. Wales is so beautiful. It sounds like you all had a great time with everyone's needs catered for. When the Kid was a teenager, he needed very little in the way of suggestions as he was just happy not to be In School or revising for exams. Mind you, he was the sort of lad who actively liked natural history museums and weird old churches, so I think I got away lightly. My nephew goes out biking or running with my sister and is equally satisfied with that - quality time that costs nothing. Enjoy the rest of summer! Txx

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  12. I have always wanted to go to Wales, thank you for taking us along. The sea here feels like bathwater it is so warm, that water looks a bit colder. I am so glad you enjoyed yourself.

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  13. Wales is high on my list of places to visit. One day. We've got three days of summer holidays left and no doubt you'll hear the big collective sigh of relief of Scottish parents down South. It has been a long six weeks. I am torn between letting them stay on their devices all day long (in their darkened smelly teenage caves) and encouraging them to "do something". Having recently discovered that "do something" includes unauthorised risky activities such as exploring disused and blocked off railway tunnels, I am now erring on the side of letting them play on their devices. Have a wonderful week xx

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  14. Camping and sailing has been a hit with our teens. If you can borrow equipment than it is not usually too crazy expensive.

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