floral decorations outside blenheim palace frontage

Project 52 2022 week 19

Another week, and it’s a big one. SATs week for year 6 pupils. Here’s our week 19 for Project 52.

On Sunday, we didn’t do anything much. N went out on the farm, then spent the rest of the day trying to persuade me to play football with him. Turns out I’m quite good for a 45 year old unfit mum. It take sme back to playing on the green at home with all the kids on our estate.

Monday was the start of SATs for N and other year 6s. He said the first day went ok – he was pleased they got their school breakfast of pastries, orange squash, and then cakes between the 2 tests. He seems quite relaxed about them, although he’s disappointed the afternoons were full of booster sessions rather than his longed for sport. 

On Tuesday it was more work and school, and not a lot else. We’ve started planning days out for half term. Or we would if the booking website would accept my card. I think it’s the new card security verification check that’s failing, as my card’s fine on all other websites. I’ll have to ring them instead.

Wednesday was just work and school. I nipped out at lunch to post more Vinted things. I’ve made close to £100 in the last week or so. I need to probably remove all the old items on there, and re-add them because there’s no budging. If they then don’t sell, I’ll charity shop them.  N’s private tennis lesson changed to Wednesday. It was at the same time as his friend’s private lesson so they did their warm up together. We definitely made the right choice in which coach to stick with. The other one is great, but this one really works N hard and gets results. 

On Thursday work whizzed by. I remembered to finish early to get back my flexi time. That was SATs finished. N was pleased that he finished all of his papers and had time to check them, he thought they went ok. They had cross country in the afternoon for a little bit. He’s not done running for a long time at school, no cross country since pre-Covid. It was probably good for him, he seems to do quite well on longer distances.

Friday was a lovely day after a frustrating start. I had a flexi day but of course the day I needed to go out, it was late in the hour, rather than my usual arrival just before or on the dot of the slot starting. Then I got stuck in all the traffic queues in the village going to pick up my prescription – the lane to the surgery was blocked by a delivery of gravel and sand bags to one house near the junction. In the end I parked and walked up.

I spent a few hours at Blenheim Palace. I hit the jackpot as it was going to be closed the next day, presumably for a wedding, so they were decorating the front of the steps and pillars with stunning flowers. I looked round the Churchill exhibition, some of the gardens, the main part of the palace. But I’d also booked the Upstairs tour, looking around the private apartments. Such interesting history, great tour guides, although it must be strange for the current Duke and Duchess and their children to have people wandering through their house, and nosying at their family photos.

N had a good tennis group session. His tennis is much more consistent now, and he had some brilliant serving.

On Saturday it was the first football match. There were a few players missing, so N got to start. He was put at right back (or whatever the football equivalent is), got switched, then got brought back on fairly fast again. His second stint he got moved to right wing. He did ok for a first time out. Nothing spectacular, but held his nerve, and he can say he it was a clean sheet as the opponents scored when he was on the bench. Our team won convincingly though, so it was a good debut match to play in. It looks like there’s a couple more friendlies to play in. And he’s got some kit too, so he looks quite pro.

It does mean that match Saturdays are a wash out – it’s a 25 minute round trip to wherever we want to get decent bread from, so we’re late back for lunch. I did treat him to a milkshake from the nearby milk vending machine though. The rest of the day has been spent trying to finish a book, baking, and prepping tea. Hopefully Sunday will be more relaxing.

floral decorations outside blenheim palace frontage

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9 Comments

  1. I really must try Vinted, I seem to be stuck in my old eBay habits. Glad the SATs went well. Blenheim Palace looks stunning, I have only ever seen it on the outside

  2. Glad N’s SATS are all done and that he felt they went well. Good luck for the results. Lovely to have a day out at Blenheim Palace – those floral arrangements at the front of the palace are stunning. Glad N enjoyed his first football match and that his team won. #project365

  3. Bleinheim palace looks lovely…it’s on my list of places to visit.

    Sounds likes a good week and the SATs went well.

  4. Sounds like a lovely visit to Blenheim and a bonus visit with it being decorated. Was there a wedding? Weekends will never be the same with football matches plus mid week training.

    1. Yes it was a wedding the next day. Must have been pretty spectacular. At the moment they don’t have training other than Saturday’s when they don’t have a match. They don’t seem to have sorted out timings yet, but I’m just hoping it’s on a Tues or Thurs as anticipated otherwise we’re going to have some tennis clashes.

  5. I’d love to visit Blenheim. Like you, I’d want to book the upstairs tour. I don’t know how the current residents of these great houses stand having the public and/or movie crews traipsing through, but it’s a case of “needs must” I suppose.

    1. They have a house in a nearby village so at least can retreat there when it’s too busy. But yes, I guess to keep stately homes going there’s so many costs to recoup

  6. Well done to N with finishing the SATs. That is such a shame he didn’t get to do sports on the afternoon though. That is great you are doing so well on Vinted.
    The front steps of Blenheim Palace look beautiful. You really did hit the jackpot.
    That is good that N got his first match and that they won. x

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