Days Past

We did a bit of planning for the bank holiday weekend- we need to with two small kiddos with a ton of energy. I've told you about Finlaystone Country Park before, it's our special family place. For the past few years we have taken out an annual pass. Unlike a National Trust membership that we had before we have really made use of the Finlaystone pass. We headed there on Friday, the kids took in the pirate ship (in the middle of the forest and made from wood), the swings and we did their favourite 'hill walk'. Lunch in the cafe which is now run by the Reith sisters, of the Three Sister's Bake fame - the food was delicious and they were very patient and child friendly! We ended the day with a walk around the formal gardens, beautiful summer light making the flowers look magical. Just look at the ethereal blue of those Himalyan Mountain Poppies (Meconopsis).

I managed to fit in seeing Boo Hewerdine with a good friend- a musician I have loved since I was 14. It was good to hear some of the old songs, some brilliant new ones and Boo's hilarious, wry take on a fascinating and often under appreciated song writing career.

Other highlights were removing an over grown shrub from our garden at home and some replanting. I have had to admit recently that gardening is a new passion. My other half described gardening as 'my hobby' and well, it suddenly dawned on me that it is. It's grown on me slowly, every year since we moved to this house my Dad has given me tomato and courgette plants. This year I have grown the courgette plants and a range of other herbs myself. I'm amazed that I can do it. Start small and learn as you go is my advice, oh and Elspeth Thompson's wise words to hand helps me too. 

Today was a family bowling outing with a pizza lunch, a final garden centre trip for a new hydrangea and now early nights all round but with good memories to carry us through the week ahead.

Promised

This post is for a very old friend. I promised him at Christmas that I would send him the link for my blog and I haven't. It's possibly that I felt self conscious about him reading this- I'm not sure on reflection why. At one time he probably knew me better than anyone alive. Maybe it's my habit of compartmentalising my life and of being woeful at keeping in touch.......

I remember when I was younger I did nothing but talk, we talked about everything and anything, analysed things, speculated, read and discussed. My friend loved the first line in L'Etranger by Camus. How I knew so much about nihilism and philosophy then I'll never know- I've forgotten almost all of it. And I've never really found that talking again. When I see my oldest friends it's there but time and life and children all alter you. I miss that talking. 

We would lie on the pavement and look at the stars, honestly we did, and completely without irony. Long drives in our parents cars on a few pounds of petrol, those beautiful country roads are with me still. I was lucky very lucky to have had such connected relationships. 

That picture is me circa the times I'm talking about in this post- on an art trip to London. Taken by my friend Jacqui.