Project 52 2024 week 19

This week’s been quite a nice week. Yes I’ve had work, but there’s also been a bank holiday, a flexi day and lots of sunshine. And not too hot for me, just about ok if there’s not too much walking involved, and somewhere cool to go back to afterwards.

Sunday – thankfully it was a lovely sunny day because I had tickets to Morton Hall Gardens Tulip Festival. It was lovely to see the gardens and all the variety of tulips. Plus there were original costumes on display from the Royal Shakespeare Company too. It was quite a lot of walking and driving for my knee but it just about coped.

Monday – spent the bank holiday at home before heading into Oxford for the theatre in the evening. I had to work out how I was getting in because the normal park & rides finish running before 7 on bank holidays. So I went to Oxford Parkway instead which was brilliant, because it’s a local bus, so runs just as frequently and right up til midnight daily. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar, from the most uncomfortable seat, with no leg room. I had the aisle but it was the wrong side to my band knee, so it was a tad uncomfortable. Theatre looked pretty full so no options to change to a seating area I’d want to sit in. I so much prefer Milton Keynes as a theatre for comfort and ease of getting there.

Tuesday – we realised a local agricultural show that N really wants to go to clashes with my hair appointment. A hair appointment I booked 6 months out to make sure I got my 8.30 slot. Sure enough, I couldn’t get the next week, so had to opt for 2 weeks after instead. 

Wednesday – just a normal busy work day. It is strange with no football training or club after school. N just heads out on the farm.

Thursday – a beautiful sunny (hot for me at around 24C) day. I had a flexi day so went to Castle Ashby gardens which were so nice and a lovely walk around.  I detoured to Stoke Bruerne on the way home to see the Grand Union Canal there and the canal museum. It was a lot smaller than I expected, and it was just too hot for me to walk up to see the ‘legging’ tunnel. So I mooched a bit along either direction before heading home.

I stopped via trying the new Raspberry bubble frappe at Costa. It was a different lady working there, and I hadn’t realised until she handed me the drink that she’d just assumed I wanted the large size. That annoys me, because surely the assumption should be the regular size which in my mind is the smallest. Usually at that Costa they ask. It was ok, but I won’t be having another one. The mango one is much nicer.

Friday – short working day, lazy tea of pizza then tennis lesson. It was lovely to sit and watch in the sun without needing a coat or thick jumper.  The excitement of the day night was that the Aurora Borealis (or Northern Lights) could be seen from all over the UK.

When I went up to bed I could see the sky was looking a little green (no curtains worked out well!), so got my phone out and spent an hour going into bed, then noticing a different colour and getting back up again. Phones are amazing as they really can take amazing photos. It was one of my childhood dreams to see them, so I’m amazing at seeing them without having to go on holiday. It was a stunning night sky show.

Saturday – hot day, and it was N’s football club awards morning. It’s always kids vs parents match first. I didn’t play because my knee is still a little painful, but for the first time the boys won. It shows how much they’ve improved this year. Then they do a free BBQ for everyone, followed by awards presentation. I was a proud mum as N won the coaches’ player of the year. For although he’s quiet and unassuming, he works hard, is always where he should be, and aware to always cover when others move out of normal positions.

That was a lovely thing to win it for, and giving him credit for being an important member of the team for results. I hope he’s proud of himself too. They’ve just got the tournament in June, then it’s the season fully completed til the end of the summer. It’s always strange not having training and seeing everyone, but hopefully we’ll see some in the local bar over the summer.

N wanted to cook the chicken on the bbq for tea, so who was I to refuse. It saved cleaning the air fryer afterwards. I’ll be looking forward to Eurovision, and getting the proper camera out to try and get better photos of the northern lights again.

New posts this week:

• Books read and reviews in April 2024
• Morton Hall Gardens Tulip Festival
• Jesus Christ Superstar tour in Oxford

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• A bank holiday and day off to see new places
• Football awards morning and chatting to everyone.
• Seeing N’s (and his dad’s) simmental cows being out in the field behind us. They’re nice looking heifers and N’s already trying to point out which one has which name.

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• Grateful for the work and support the coaches have put in with N and his football team. They’re a lovely bunch of boys and have worked so hard, and N’s done so well with them.
• Seeing the Aurora Borealis from home.
• A flexi day and beautiful weather.