Letter to a 7 year old

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36 Day 234 – 254.  A three-week round-up of our adventures at home, in Cornwall and the first week back at school.

Sunday 21st August – Day 234

Project 366 2016 Week 34Today has been concentrating on my BIL.  Looking like he’ll need another operation on fluid around his lung.  I totally forgot to take a photo until I went to bed.  New book, a classic, I’ve never read before.  Can you guess what it is?

Monday 22nd August – Day 235

Project 366 2016 Week 34

Monkey stayed at home while Daddy P worked, and I went into town to get supplies together for our trip to Cornwall.  When I got back I talked to Monkey about sorting through his toys.  It’s all getting a little out of hand and with his birthday and Christmas both in December, we need to clear some clutter.  He was less keen on this idea, but very keen to write his birthday wish list.  Yes, writing!!! Willingly!!! I wasn’t going to discourage that.

Tuesday 23rd August – Day 236

Project 366 2016 Week 34

We were meant to see my ex MIL but she wasn’t well, so Monkey and I headed over to Blenheim Palace for the day.  We needed to renew our annual passes, and the sun was shining so we got there bright and early.  I persuaded Monkey to walk around the formal gardens and around one of the lake walks for a change.  We stopped at the Rose Garden to enjoy the blooms.  I turned around to see this, I’m so glad I managed to capture that moment.

Wednesday 24th August – Day 237

Project 366 2016 Week 34

We were meeting up with Iona and her kids for the day at Charlecote Park.  I should have known that it was all going to go pear-shaped by the meltdown Monkey had before we’d even left home.  The day didn’t quite go to plan but we did get to see a little of a favourite haunt before coming home again.

Thursday 25th August – Day 238

Project 366 2016 Week 34

We had a day at home, I needed to catch up with some washing and I wanted to sort our packing for Cornwall.  Monkey received this cute passport for Biff earlier in the week and apparently it’s needed for Biff to cross the border!  It’s very sweet, got his photo, signature (Biff is very clever you know) and his date of birth inside.

Friday 26th August – Day 239

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

Brewster went on his holiday to the cattery and then Monkey and I got out in the garden while Daddy P got some sleep.  It really was a lovely sunny day and hopefully a good omen for the week ahead!

Saturday 27th August – Day 240

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

We made the decision to leave home at 4.30am so we could drive down to Cornwall and hopefully avoid the bank holiday weekend traffic.  We stopped off for breakfast and were walking around Boscastle by 9am.  I thought Monkey might sleep on the way down, but he was way too excited.  We couldn’t check into our cottage until 4pm, so once we’d finished at Boscastle we went to Tintagel and Port Isaac.  I hadn’t been to Tintagel for about 20 years, and we all loved the setting.  Cornwall always takes my breath away.

We checked into the cottage on the edge of Bodmin Moor and headed to Peckish in Camelford for or fish and chop takeaway.  The holiday had begun in style.

Sunday 28th August – Day 241

Project 366 2016 Week 35

We were up bright and early and headed to Lappa Valley for some steam train fun.  As well as the steam train there’s an activity park with canoes, crazy golf, play areas and a couple of miniature railways.  We also found three different nature walks which kept all of us happy.

Just down the road is the National Trust property Trerice so we decided to pop in for a bit of tea, cake and a general exploration.  Monkey loved their Grass Maze and had us all running around it.

From there we headed to a rather overcast Perranporth for a quick walk on the beach through the sand dunes before heading into Truro for dinner.

Monday 29th August – Day 242

Project 366 2016 Week 35

We headed out early again and ventured down to Mevagissey to see the harbour before the bank holiday throngs would descend later in the day.  No visit could be complete without a trip to the World of Model Railways.  We also popped into the Aquarium on the quayside which is free to visit.

From there we headed to Glendurgan Garden.  Well worth a visit and they have a wonderful laurel maze there.  You can reach the beach looking out on Helford River too which made a perfect setting for an ice cream break.

We ended our day in Falmouth, looking over the estuary at all manner of boats.

Tuesday 30th August – Day 243

Project 366 2016 Week 35

We started the day with a clifftop walk to look down on Bedruthan Steps which was just stunning.  We then headed for a more accessible beach for some fun at Porthcothan Bay which was perfect for Monkey to run around and have some fun.

When the tide brought the sea back in we headed to Padstow for the evening.

Wednesday 31st August – Day 244

Project 366 2016 Week 35

It was raining when we gt up, so we put on our waterproofs and headed to Cardinham Woods to explore one of their trails.  It’s a beautiful woodland and somewhere we would like to explore in more detail in the future.

From there we headed to Polperro for lunch, a Cornish pasty one of course.  We popped to Talland Bay to relive some of Daddy P’s childhood memory, grabbed an ice cream and walked straight into Victoria Welton and her family.

From there we popped into Fowey before heading back to the cottage and our beds!

Thursday 1st September – Day 245

Project 366 2016 Week 35

The sun was out, we packed the car up and headed to Rock for the day.  It was glorious weather and Monkey had so much fun making sandcastles, finding crabs and just running up and down the beach.  It was a truly perfect day.  When the tide headed back in, we put everything back in the car, we’d got all day parking. So we walked on to the ferry which took us to Padstow and enjoyed dinner on the quayside before catching the last ferry of the day back to Rock.

It was such a lovely evening we headed out on the moor close to the cottage to explore the landscape.  The perfect end to the day.

Friday 2nd September – Day 246

Project 366 2016 Week 35

Certainly not beach weather today! We headed to the Launceston Steam Railway in the rain, to enjoy a trip on their narrow gauge railway.  Monkey was clearly in his element. The tickets allow you all day travel, so we decided to head into town and visit Launceston Castle whilst we were there too.  It’s a ruin but offers great views of the surrounding area.  A cream tea awaited up back at the railway before we took another train trip.

I’d heard from Fiona at Coombe Mill that she was back from her holiday so we popped in for a quick catch up.  Monkey was thrilled as he really wanted to see Rocky the goat and he was instantly at ease.  It’s a magical place.  We said our goodbyes and headed to the village pub for our last dinner in Cornwall.

Saturday 3rd September – Day 247

Project 366 2016 Week 35

Time to head home and say goodbye to the view over the moors we’ve had for the last week.  We had a brilliant week in Cornwall, and will return again to explore the southern end of the county in the future.

The motorways weren’t quite so quiet heading home and the rain followed us for the whole journey.  I sent the menfolk off to collect Brewster whilst I tackled the unpacking and washing.

Sunday 4th September – Day 248

Project 366 2016 Week 35

This one was so happy to be back in his domain and let us all know who was boss.  Our BIL had been admitted to hospital before we went away, and whilst we were in Cornwall he had to have another operation.  Luckily it all went well and he was home recuperating so we popped in to say hello.  He’s 83 and hadn’t fully recovered from the operation earlier this year, you can see it’s all taken its toll, but we’re lucky he’s normally very fit I think.

Monday 5th September – Day 249

Project 366 2016 Week 36

The first day of Year Two which rather eclipsed the wedding anniversary.  Monkey went back to his moaning default setting about why on earth he had to go to school.  But once I got him there, he was pretty much the first child to walk into class.  It’s helped so much having the same teacher in the same class room.  I felt rather sad that he went without a backward glance – never happy am I!

I decided that after 7 weeks of almost totally solo full time parenting I was not going to be my normal dervish and I’d treat myself to a relaxed day.  I didn’t even look at the laptop until the evening for the first time in over a week.  Go me.

Monkey came out of class with a broad smile and chatted away, I even got to hear a few things about his day.

Tuesday 6th September – Day 250

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

Where has the sunshine gone!!!  Working with the lights on during the day already is so depressing.  Monkey went to school without too much fuss this morning, but getting him back into reading mode has been somewhat challenging.

Looking out at the front and back gardens, they are both in need of some tlc, and we’ve lost so much colour – green, green, green.

Wednesday 7th September – Day 251

Project 366 2016 Week 36

Went out for lunch with a friend as we reviewed The White Horse, the food was amazing. My friend reminded me that I really need to look up more often.

An evening spent with my friend H, blogging niece C and her Mum at the Hotter Blogger event in Banbury. I picked some lush boots, but I’m also rather in love with my nieces choice!

Thursday 8th September – Day 252

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

I was in desperate need of a haircut and colour.  My hairdresser has had a baby and had to stop work earlier than planned beforehand.  She’d had to cancel my last appointment before the summer holidays and I hadn’t had a chance to sort anything else out.  Thank you to Rush in Milton Keynes for coming to the rescue!

Friday 9th September – Day 253

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

I met 3 of my NCT group for lunch at our favourite local haunt, The Milk Shed.  Two of the second generation of NCT babies had started school in the last week, so it was a chance to hear how they were getting on.  We never have enough time to cover everything.  The lunch was fab, as you can see, and it’s also the only photo I took today.

Monkey was tired after his first week back at school.  It took an hour to get him to eat 5 pieces of tortellini for his tea, a massive meltdown and floods of tears and that was me done in for the night.

Saturday 10th September – Day 254

Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

We spent the day with my ex MIL.  The weather this morning was horrific driving up the motorway but people were still driving like lunatics.

We got there eventually and had a lovely day as always, sharing news and laughs.  Monkey was in his element giving out orders as always.



8 thoughts on “Project 366 2016 Week 34-36

  1. What a busy few weeks for you. I can’t believe how much you packed into your trip to Cornwall. It sounds like you had an amazing time.
    Love the photo of Monkey smelling the rose. I doubt my kids have ever smelled a flower in their lives!

  2. wow where to start, 3 full fun packed weeks. the holiday looked lovely, so nice to have family time. Hope monkeys first day back in school for year 2 went well and well done on the writing. Yes we do need to look up more, in fact just look around us more often

  3. I love how you also pack so much into every day when you’re away. I do the same and think it’s normal, but it doesn’t seem to be many others.

  4. Wow, you’ve had a busy few weeks! Sounds like you had an amazing time in Cornwall. Glad that back to school has gone smoothly x

  5. I am with you we always preferred to leave in the early hours of the morning and miss most of the traffic. Love your harbour picture. It is nice when they get that bit older and you can stay out later in the evenings when on holiday.
    Glad MIL is feeling better. Hate the motorways in the rain as you do get a lot of speeding idiots and others with no lights on looming out the greyness at you

I'd love to hear from you and try to reply to all comments