All at Sea - with a bucket and spade!

I had a lovely break away. The pictures are on flickr.

This was our spot - pitch 11. It was lovely. Tucked away in the corner. Lovely view of our field (ladymead) which wasn’t densely populated throughout our stay. I enjoyed a bit of crafting in the sun. The weather was way better then the met office had previously led me/us to believe. It was, at times, quite quite sunny.

On Friday, we went to Bicester Village Outlet Shopping. Emma and I almost fell out over the pronunciation of the town. But we just about managed to pull it back. Phew. I was very lucky to find some fantastic brown work shoes from Clarks. Very very comfy. Sensible. A bargain. £20 from £30. And I really like them. But one day, I want a pair of campers. Camper shoes are very funky. I particularly like (and want a pair of) twins. Shoes which are not identical but compliment each other. These are cool. I also like these. And these. But these are my favourite. On the non-twin front, I like these although they are slightly loud for me. And these. And I really love these. There is also a bodum at the Shopping Village. I’m looking forward to making bunny shaped muffins with Leah very soon. Chocolate I think. Possibly banana. I also got a green mug. Cath Kidston didn’t have any bargains that took my fancy so I bought a couple of pieces of fabric. Most satisfying.

Saturday was by far the best day. Me and Emma made no plans. As it happened, me and Miss Emily cycled into Adderbury. A most beautiful little village. I would love to live there. It’s little. The post office is only open for two half-days each week. And the library is very pretty but very small. There is a small shop which bakes bread daily. Emma sat and watched a lovely waterfall for a while. It made a therapeutic trickling sound. We cycled for ages, enjoying the sunshine. I think I earned my chocolate lunch when we got back. At least my tea was healthy. And contained at least 200% of my five-a-day. Emma flew her kite in the adjacent field while I made stuff and did stuff. It was almost the perfect day.

Sunday we went to Banbury briefly. We’ll go back next time and have a proper look around. We did find a chinese food shop. That was fun. An accessorize with some cute stickers. And a Laura Ashley shop. A set of three storage boxes, a bargain at £4 and a cross stitched ‘home sweet home’ wall hanging pillow seem to have made their way into my bedroom. Oh dear.

We will be back to bo peep. As soon as I get my placement shifts sorted, we’ll be booking another long weekend. Can’t wait. It’s a fab place

I sometimes read and think about the daily bible passage and words from here. I get them via email although I don’t always read them. Today’s was particularly very good. It was a comfort. Sometimes they really are. Other times they give me food for thought. Other times they’re a bit boring. But they never send me on a guilt trip or give me cause to worry. All good.

I telephoned my next placement. I spoke to my mentor. Her name is Emma. So far, so good. I am starting on Monday 23rd June. I am also in Tuesday 24th June and Thursday 26th June. That will be it for my first week. Three shifts from 7am til 7.30pm. I will be knackered. When I come back from my holidaying place (there is internet here) I will call the taxi company and arrange transport for the first week.

Need shoes. Brown shoes. Must remember and buy brown shoes. There is no uniform but I think bare feet will be a no no.

We are at Bo Peep in Banbury. We came here September last year and I blogged about it. It’s pretty. On the way, we dropped Bess off to the Rabbit Lady. She has a bunny in mind for Bess. Mork, was Mork and Mindy before Mindy went to bunny heaven. A gentle giant, she said. A bit bigger than Bess. Might’ve known. Little sweet Oscar chooses big friend Bess. Bess will probably choose even bigger Mork. One little bunny to two giant bunnies in the space of a few months.

It is all quite exciting. I really do love having pets. They make me happy.

I had a fantastic holiday.  It was lovely to come home and have Leah for the night. She’s been away too. She went to Haven with her cousin and grandparents. Her mum and dad have also been away. They went to Prague. Coming home is boring. But Leah made it more interesting. And it was nice going to sleep all snuggled up with a cuddly nine year old.

I have had a bit of a migraine since I got home. Well, if truth be told it started on Sunday morning. I was working on the laptop when I could only read one word at a time. I had to move my head to see the next one. And again to read the next. And so on. Not nice. I really hate the tunnel vision. But I’ve been really lucky with this one and haven’t really had a headache. I do feel as though I’ve got cold water running down my scalp and my head feels full of cotton wool. Like totally jam-packed full. Not pleasant but nowhere near as bad as a throbbing headache. And I feel weak. And seasick. I hope it passes soon. I’ve got an assignment to work on and I just can’t read effectively or write sense!

Anyway, back to holiday. It was fab. Photos here if anyone’s remotely interested.

Some of my favourites:

I have tidied up now. All packed and about to go away for three days. I’ve got some work packed, an Adrian Plass book. Some craft stuff to doodle. And a few games (Blokus is fab). I hope Lorraine survives the bunnies. And vice versa. Bless her! Cheery bye

Little bo peep is a wonderful place to take the caravan for a weekend, week, month, forever - weather permitting.

Nice and quiet. Lovely scenery. Peaceful. Friendly. A little bit of heaven.

If you click on the next two photos (and look closely), you can see Emma eating her coco pops in the new half-size awning she picked up off ebay.

If you look really really closely at the next two, you can see me - on the laptop playing freecell/spider solitaire/inkball and standing outside the fantastic kath kidston shop at Bicester Shopping Village

No-one told me there was a Cath Kidston shop at Bicester Shopping Village.

Emma bought me a set of three hat boxes - reduced from £45 to £18. I love them! When I get home, I’ll put a photo up.

There’s also a starbucks and they sell toffee waffles! They’re made by the same people who make the famous welsh ones - tregroes - only they’re a bit bigger and called caramel waffles. They taste exactly the same - gorgeous!

That’s my weekly treat at Uni sorted. Off into town to starbucks to buy waffles. (348 calories a pack of 2 - not bad as a treat) I’ll take my own coffee. I’m going to be a poor student after all. The waffles are only 75p for 2. The coffee’s £1.75. I’m going to get a good flask. I love my coffee!

We’re off to look at Chipping Norton today. Then pack up and it’s off home. It’s been a lovely break. Beside’s all the other good point about this place - the showers are free. Still ain’t having one though. Very proud to still be wearing the clothes I came in two days ago. I’ll have a nice hot bath at home. Probably.

The site is lovely. Nice golden brick buildings. Lots of flowers and plants. Big birdhouse (dovecote) with loads of little windows. Doves on each window. Kite-flying field for Emma. Yesterday we saw a deer running through it. Loads of rabbits running about. Lovely river walk.

There’s a little summerhouse that’s always open - even in the middle of the night -  with a computer in it. Free to use. I’m sat at it now! Broadband I presume. And a bookcase with loads of crappy novels - if you’re into that kind of thing. A box of games and toys for kids. All the leaflets of local attractions and places to visit. Magazines. A few comfy chairs.

Everything’s spotless. But mostly it’s really really peaceful. Because it’s nowhere near the sea or family fun park or anything, there’s no children running around. I like children but I like that there aren’t any!

And the staff are really friendly. We asked about what time we have to be out tomorrow. They said stay as long as we like. Most places we’ve been too so far charge a fiver or something if you want to stay past 11 or whatever kicking out time is.

They have a website but it really doesn’t do it justice at all. As soon as I get my university dates, we’ll be booking to come back. Emma’s happy because it’s only an hour away

We’re off to Oxford now. Hopefully, I’ll find somewhere that does nice coffee and Emma will find breakfast!

Yesterday was my last day at work. Five years with rethink.

I woke up with a really bad headache today but I feel really relaxed. It’s like a fresh start.

I’ve enrolled with Coventry Uni and looked at all the internet stuff. It’s fab. There’s online support for all kinds of things like maths, academic writing and harvard referencing. And you can drop in to the various departments any time for one-to-one support. There’s an online message system and chat room. Other stuff. Lots of groups to join.

I’m looking forward to Monday at 11.

But for now, it’s off to Adderbury, near Banbury. A couple of days away in the caravan. A good book. Laptop. Hot chocolate. Rain outside. It’s suprisingly fun whatever the weather

I went to Borth and the surrounding areas - clarach, ynyslas, aberystwyth, machynleth - a couple of weeks back. Me and Em went with the Burnetts. Pete and Lorraine and Enisa. Sam came for a couple of days. The weather was bad mostly. The laptop died on the first day. I didn’t feel well for some of the time. I only had one shower. I think the latter is evident in some of the pics. I was pretty smelly in the end. All part of the fun!

But a holiday is a holiday and I came back feeling rested and like I’d had a break. Part of the pleasure of holidays is sitting around doing nothing.

But we did go somewhere every day. This is us at the top of constitution hill. And me, Lorraine and Enisa getting rid of a few 2p pieces. And Sam and Pete. Pete has since had a tattoo apparently. Blogged here.

Fake crocs which, I have to say, were incredibly practical. And comfortable. The first two pics are at Borth. The third one is climbing sand dunes at Ynyslas, a very beautiful place. I’m a bit wary of the tides there. The sea comes in quickly and unexpectedly. One minute you’re standing looking out to sea; five minutes later, you’re standing on an island surrounded by water without having noticed the tide coming in from the side. A bit scary.

I did manage to get a steak in. My ‘eating out’ treat is steak and salad. Rare steak. Ribeye or sirloin ideally. We took bikes. Cycled off to the beach and round the campsite. The loos were 5 minutes away by foot so we mostly biked there too. I love our little caravan.

Til September then! (Going away for 2 nights in between leaving work and starting Uni - a little caravan park in Oxfordshire. If it works out just going for a night or two, we’ll go places when I’ve got essays to do. I’ll work on the laptop. Emma can look at grass. She likes that sort of thing!)

In two hours, me and Em are going on holiday here. Back Friday. There’s loads of good stuff to see. Going with Mr and Mrs and Miss Burnett. I think Sam might be coming for a wee bit too. Really looking forward to it.

The only sad thing is, I’ve finished Harry Potter. Shame. Brilliant read. The best book of all. I’ve heard people say the books got darker as they went along but, personally I disagree. I found this last book fantastically inspiring - lots of self sacrifice, choosing to save the lives of friends and enemies alike, incredible courage. That sort of thing. Can’t say more because I know people who are still reading it

Anyway, I have a new little addiction, making miniatures from printables/printies on the web. So I’ve uploaded and printed out a few sheets to make up if I feel the urge. I’ve made up a little minaturist kit with, I’m pretty sure, everything I could possibly need!. And the laptops coming so I might try my hand at designing a few of my own. Maybe a miffy range. Or miniature paperchase print. I’ve got a few ideas.

Ester, the folding caravan, is equipped with playing cards, top trumps (2 harry potter sets, lord of the rings, 2 doctor who sets, maybe others), uno, blokus and pass the pigs. Usually we sit down every night with a game of something.

And if all that fails to keep me amused, maybe I’ll chat. Pete’s always good for a philosophical/theological debate. Lorraine’s on the course that I’m starting in just over a month so plenty to chat about there. I’m sure Enisa will want to talk about detling - they were there all last week. It was a powerful experience for her last year.

Charlie oversaw the packing. I feel for Charlie. Not the oldest. Not the baby. Not the bravest. Not the prettiest. Not the Cleverest. She was in the spot where the suitcase used to be quicker than……….can’t think of a  metaphor. I was always rubbish at metaphorising (metaphorisation???). Whatever, I was always rubbish at it. I think that’s why my poetry is never all that good. So. back in a few days…..

(I’m sorry to any friends I’ve ignored or neglected this week. I haven’t been very well. Off work. Feeling lots better. Will gradually text and say hi over the next day or two).