Project 365 2021 Week 28-29 Day 192 – 205 The fortnight where the British Grand Prix became a pilot event for mass gatherings and my son completed his lasts days at Primary School.

Sunday 11th July – Day 192

We spent the day at Brands Hatch with my brother, his eldest daughter and her partner.  It’s somewhere my brother and I visited a lot as children, but somewhere I’ve not been back to for over 40 years probably. The event was capped at 4,000 visitors but it felt like a lot less were there than that, or were just very well spread out.  We certainly didn’t feel surrounded which was nice.

The circuit seemed much smaller than I remembered but I guess most childhood memories do too.  We had a lovely day and my son took loads of videos.

We only saw one aeroplane as we drove past Heathrow in the morning, but I think we’d seen at least eight when we drove back in the afternoon.  We didn’t see any at all at the end of May.

We were home in time to watch the Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley.  The OH doesn’t like football at all but he was outvoted and even though the result didn’t go our way, it was a moment of history for my son to watch.

Monday 12th July – Day 193

One very bleary-eyed boy got up for school this morning. I guess the same will be said across the country today.  He was certainly in a foul mood when he came home.  My son visited his Secondary school with his class bubble who will be going up together.

I was thrilled to see that my Passionflower is flowering when I got home from work.  It had looked like it had died earlier in the year and I was gutted as it’s normally so full of flowers.  Fingers crossed it has returned from the dead!

Tuesday 13th July – Day 194

I spotted a flash of colour in the garden just before I needed to leave for work this morning.  Isn’t he beautiful?  Another new visitor in the garden.  I had to snap him quickly through the glass of the patio door but still not too bad a shot.

After school, we went out for dinner with my son’s best friend and his family to celebrate the end of Primary school years.  It’s a journey we’ve been on together right from the start and I don’t think either my son or I could have got through it all in one piece without their support and friendship.  I’m very thankful that my son has such a lovely best friend and his Mum is just one of the nicest people I know.

Wednesday 14th July – Day 195

I joined my second Ramblers walk and the sun finally made an appearance.  It was a lovely walk but we were all rather glad for the shade whenever we found it.

Got home to hear that my Auntie’s care home is back in lockdown.  There’s a Covid case in one of the houses and the whole place is now closed to visitors.

I had a virtual meeting in the late afternoon and will have some news on that on Monday.

Thursday 15th July – Day 196

We got some wonderful news today, we WILL be allowed to watch the Year Six leavers assembly next Wednesday.  It’s going to be held outside and parents will have to socially distance themselves from one another, but that’s all fine.  Just to be able to be there for him with tissues in hand will be wonderful.

Time to prep for the Grand Prix weekend and an early night.

Friday 16th July – Day 197

I’m off to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix weekend with the tickets we’d transferred from last year.  I’ve got very mixed feelings about going, to be frank.  I’m not sure how I feel about being surrounded by so many people after all these months regardless of who has been double jabbed or has provided a negative LFT.

The weather forecast was super hot, although Silverstone seems to have its own micro-climate.  I was rather amazed when there was no wind and just wall to wall sunshine.  We had centre access passes and managed to get to the paddock entrance, but were swiftly moved on.  No chance of seeing any of the drivers close up this year.

We decided to settle down in Chapel (a new grandstand) for the day rather than grandstand hopping as we would normally do.  The racing format for the weekend has changed and quail is now on Friday from 6-7 pm.  Whilst I still think the time is rather mad, the format worked well generally.  The chaos in the car park afterwards did not.  A total shambles, why on earth Silverstone was not prepared for the volume of people leaving the circuit at the same time is beyond me.  Three hours to get home is a new record and left me slightly concerned for the ‘busier’ days ahead.

Saturday 17th July – Day 198

I’m at Silverstone again today but I will also be thinking of my hairdresser friend who is finally getting married today on the third attempt, and praying she has a lovely sunny day so the ceremony can be held outside with no one needing to wear masks.  She deserves it, she really does.

This car design is the future of Formula One when all the new rule changes come in next year.  The design is meant to make the wheel to wheel racing and overtaking much easier.  Time will tell.

Sunday 18th July – Day 199

Race day and it was officially roasting at Silverstone by 9 am.  I’ve never known there to not even be a breeze. I thought for a moment we might get a Ferrari win but it wasn’t to be and Hamilton won again. I was rather relieved when the track wasn’t opened up after the race.  Although I missed getting up close to the podium celebrations, I really didn’t fancy being crammed in with thousands of people.  This year we had that joy just trying to get back to the car park.

Monday 19th July – Day 200

Shattered as always after a Grand Prix weekend.  Emotional as it’s my son’s last week at Primary School.  Excited as I started a new second job this afternoon.  Not totally new though as it’s for the company I have worked for before when they needed maternity cover.  It’s working from home, with hours around job one again.

We met up with good friends in the early evening.  We had planned to walk to one of the villages but decided it was still way too hot, so I drove us to The Launton Arms for drinks, pizza and a good catch up all around.  The pizzas were lovely.

Tuesday 20th July – Day 201

School leavers party day.  His year got to go to the local trampoline park before returning to school for a party, pizza and water fight.  He certainly didn’t look this fresh when I picked him up from school at 6 pm!  But he’d had a great time and all of the kids so deserved it.

It was flipping hot again, and after I’d watered the plants in the garden late in the evening I noticed a rather large bite on my leg.  Savlon, a quick message to a friend and I knew I’d have to get some advice in the morning.  I marked around it before I went to bed to see what happened overnight.

Wednesday 21st July – Day 202

I walked my son to school with his best friend and his Mum and then headed on to the local pharmacy to get some advice on the bite and pick up some antihistamine. I walked home past the school and could hear his class and then past his pre-school and the last nine years flooded back.

I logged into job two for an hour so I can finish an hour early tomorrow and then saw we’d had an email from the school with a video from the kids to us parents.  I will definitely be a mess later at the leaver’s assembly!

One of my orchids has sprung back to life.  They are always very neglected and in serious need of repotting really.

Thursday 22nd July – Day 203

The last day of Primary School and we made it without having to self isolate, unlike so many friends.  I am so grateful for that. Another scorcher, my son got his PE top signed by a lot of his classmates but he didn’t want to join them in the park to blow bubbles at the end of the day, so we headed home instead.  I thought I’d feel rather emotional, but no tears were shed, which for anyone who knows me will know, is strange!  I think it was such a relief that we’d actually made it to this point.

Friday 23rd July – Day 204

The summer holidays have begun and so starts the juggle of two jobs and time with my son.  At least my second job is working from home, so he can entertain himself whilst I’m still working.  We will find our way through it and at least this year I have a full day off on Wednesday which will break things up for him hopefully.

Saturday 24th July – Day 205

Say hello to Wonky.  He’s one of the young grey squirrels who visit us regularly.  At some point, something has happened to his tail and the end is a bit wonky, hence his name. At least it helps us to identify who is who.

It’s much cooler today, grey and cloudy and feels as if it’s going to rain, typical as we are meant to be going to a steam rally this afternoon.