August | 2022 | Had we but world enough and time…

We’ve just got back from a lovely family holiday by the seaside, although it was slightly fraught by the end!

We went to Deal in Kent where my mum’s partner’s family have been going every summer for years. It was a lovely chance to see lots of extended family members and for the kids and cousins to hang out too.

We were all scattered about in different AirBnB houses near each other so constantly popping in and out of each other’s houses, and there was plenty to do.

The kids swam in the sea almost every day, and we went to the park, shopped in charity shops, spent an afternoon in the penny arcade trying to win crap prizes, spent a morning in the leisure pool going down flumes, had brunch on the pier and gin and tonics at the pub, and ate fish and chips on the beach.

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Well now, after the last stressful post things vaguely calmed down a bit.

We had a lovely visit with Grandma and Grandad, even though I was so exhausted I didn’t do a whole lot! The girls had fun and we did some fun activities, and I also got to pick up my glorious new armchair for the living room (it doesn’t go at all with the Curtains of Glory but I have stopped caring about trivial things like that – I’m Reverse Marie-Kondo’ing my life – not getting rid of a thing but buying things that spark joy, and my new chair sparks SO MUCH JOY!).

When we came home I had a very rare, proper night OUT-OUT.

I realised I hadn’t been properly out in the evening without my children since my 40th last July, (except once in November maybe?) and before that probably not for a year or so, so it is a very rare occurrence.

It was a nice posh dinner for my friend’s birthday, at a lovely pub outside of Oxford.

Now obviously I should have driven myself there, but when it’s your only night out in a year, and you’ve paid for a babysitter, you want a bloody glass of wine or three!

However the night did get fairly expensive – taxis to and from the pub were not cheap (although a kind friend agreed to come by cab with me and share the cost). The pub was lovely, did really nice food and wine, but again, not a cheap dinner! Plus the cost of the babysitter and it came in at a really expensive evening!

However I really enjoyed myself, and apart from the odd anxious call from daughter 1 about daughter 2 not going to bed, and worring about what a hard time the poor babysitter was probably having, it was WONDERFUL.

I felt really grown up and relaxed and had a marvellous time and I really needed it just for ME.

Will definitely be trying to have a few more nights out here and there if I can, though probably more local with cheaper taxis next time!