Project 365 2022 Week 33-36 Day 226 – 253 A bit of a mammoth post, my son and I finally got to spend time with my parents, the Queen passed away and King Charles III came to the throne.
Sunday 14th August – Day 226
Hardly any of my gladioli have flowered this summer, but this one didn’t disappoint.
We finally got to see the new The Railway Children film at the cinema, not the best film I’ve ever watched, but nice enough, and with plenty of links to the original too.
Monday 15th August – Day 227
Brewster found some peace and shade in the cat kennel and I cracked on with packing ahead of our holiday.
Tuesday 16th August – Day 228
My last working day for a while. Got in the car to this indication, something that will need sorting out when I get back from Spain. I’ve hardly done any mileage in the car since I got it in 2020 really, certainly not compared to life before Covid struck.
We had two very soggy cats coming in in the evening, clearly, they didn’t make the best use of the cat kennel today!
Wednesday 17th August – Day 229
We headed to Banbury for a shoe fitting for my son. and got to see the new shopping/cinema complex they’ve built in town for the first time. We couldn’t find any shoes that fit my son and had to order a pair in the hope that they will fit. Fitting booked for the day after we get back from Spain.
We popped over to see my ex-MIL who is doing amazingly well, before heading home to get an early night.
Thursday 18th August – Day 230
The OH dropped us at the airport at silly o’clock. The queues at check-in and security were long but kept moving and we got through to the Departure Lounge with plenty of time to spare for breakfast. Finally, my son and I would get on the flight I’d originally booked in 2019 for summer 2020 and we headed to Spain to spend time with my parents.
It’s lovely to be together again.
Friday 19th August – Day 231
If we thought we’d had a hot summer in the UK, it’s been nothing compared to that seen in Southern Spain and the hot weather is likely to hold fast for our holiday too. In the afternoon we gave my parents some quiet time and headed to the outdoor pool with our family friend for a few hours. The last time my son had been there he was wearing armbands this time he was swimming with confidence and jumping in at the deep end. Lovely to watch.
In the evening I had a bit of childfree time and headed down to the village square to join friends for an evening of drinks and tapas whilst listening to a live fandango band. The band were really very good and it was very late by the time we walked home. Thankfully I didn’t wake anyone up!
Saturday 20th August – Day 232
I took photos of my parents and we attempted to renew their passports online. I’d had great fun renewing our own passports a couple of years ago, photos I’d taken of the OH and son were accepted without any issues but mine eventually had to be taken in a photoshop. Mum’s went through ok the first time but it took quite a few attempts before the site would accept one of Dad’s. But hopefully, that’s now all sorted. Apparently, thanks to Brexit, ‘signed for’ post from Spain is no longer tracked when it reaches UK shores, so I’ll be bringing their old passports home with me to post on.
My son has discovered that they sell Lego sets in the newsagent in the village. Can’t get away from it even on holiday!
Sunday 21st August – Day 233
Whereas our garden is full of slugs and snails, my parent’s garden is full of praying mantids. We’ve been searching them out every morning and Dad’s been teaching us how to spot which ones are female and which are male.
Monday 22nd August – Day 234
We headed into the village to try to sort out a new mobile phone for my parents but the shop that sells sim cards doesn’t sell phones. Another mobile shop is shut until next week. We popped into a local bar for a drink before heading back to my parents. My first cafe con leche of the trip.
In the evening we needed to collect a family friend from the bus station in a town about 45 minutes drive away from the village. Google maps came into its own as I navigated while Dad drove, and my son just enjoyed seeing the scenery and watching the sun setting.
Tuesday 23rd August – Day 235
My son and I walked up to the local viewing area beyond the edge of the village. The landscape is vast and so open and I never tire of it.
Setting up an Amazon Spain account for my parents wasn’t quite as easy as I’d envisaged and after a few hours, I kid you not, we’d finally ordered them the Doro Smart Phone that we’d been unable to buy locally. Bad news though, it won’t arrive until our last full day in Spain next week.
Wednesday 24th August – Day 236
Another walk around the village which is named after the Willow trees that used to be found there. Now there is only one left.
As well as doing our praying mantids check we also got to see one of the geckos that seem to live in my parent’s garden in the evening.
It’s our friend’s 60th birthday today so in the evening we walked across the road to her house to spend the evening with her and her family. My son got to try a few Spanish tapas and he loved having a very late night.
Thursday 25th August – Day 237
Cheese! My son and I walked to the other side of the village with my Dad to pick up a prescription for Mum. When we got back I thought I’d better capture the latest height check as my son overtakes Granny and heads for the height of Gramps.
In the afternoon we left my parents in peace and headed back to the pool with our friend for a few hours. Bliss.
Friday 26th August – Day 238
Our evenings have mostly been spent in the garden and UNO is the family game of choice. My son is getting a little too good at it now!
Saturday 27th August – Day 239
In the morning Dad showed us all of the insects he’s caught since the majority of his collection was shipped to the Natural History Museum in Oxford a few years ago. Fascinating how many different moths he finds in his trap each night.
In the afternoon we headed back to the pool with our friend for what would be the last time on this trip.
In the evening we all headed out for tapas with our friend and ended up in a bar that had been a disco the last time I’d visited. The food was lovely and my son enjoyed another late night.
Sunday 28th August – Day 240
We had a chilled-out day, mantis spotting, and just enjoying the weather.
Monday 29th August – Day 241
Weird weather day and cloudy. Not the weather we’ve become accustomed to at all. We waited all day expecting a delivery from Amazon which didn’t come. We received an email to say that the postal service had tried to deliver but no one was home. A lie and very frustrating as we now had no hope of getting the phone set up before I fly home tomorrow.
Tuesday 30th August – Day 242
Time to fly home and by the time we landed in Birmingham my parents had finally received their phone. The attempted delivery on Monday had been in a village 10km away from them. Grrr.
Wednesday 31st August – Day 243
I feel exactly like Pippi – knackered! We headed to Banbury first thing, checked the shoes we’d ordered, thankfully they fitted and headed back home.
In the afternoon we attempted to teach my parents how to use a smartphone over Skype. I can remember how frustrated I was years ago when I moved from my beloved Blackberry to my first iPhone. Learning to swipe up is a whole new world for my parents.
Thursday 1st September- Day 244
Back to work and I have a lot to catch up with. Nice to still see a bit of colour in the garden.
Friday 2nd September – Day 245
After work I headed out for a bit of pampering time, getting my nails done and went for a purple shimmer this time around.
Saturday 3rd September – Day 246
Love these two.
Sunday 4th September – Day 247
We headed down to Tunbridge Wells to meet up with family friends to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary which took place on Thursday. We arrived early so got to explore the sandstone outcrops which were dotted around the hotel.
Monday 5th September – Day 248
Our 13th wedding anniversary and I haven’t killed him yet. There is time. I’d forgotten to take my ritual shoe photo whenever my son goes up a shoe size so got that done.
Liz Truss was announced as our new Prime Minister today. She will fly up to Balmoral to see the Queen tomorrow.
Tuesday 6th September – Day 249
Pippi is such a pretty cat.
Wednesday 7th September – Day 250
Time to get my hair sorted out. My hairdresser hasn’t moved yet so I managed to get one more cut with her. Think it’ll be unlikely she’ll still be here for the next one but we will see.
Thursday 8th September – Day 251
My son started Year Eight at Secondary school today and although he didn’t want to go back, he was glad to be seeing his friends again. He’s not going to be in the same classes as his best friend this year but seems to have accepted that without any issues, what a difference a year makes.
During the day it was announced that the Queen was seriously ill and I watched events unfold as the family flew up to Scotland to be with her. I thought it was clear that things were not going to end well when I noticed them taking down the No Entry sign behind the gates at Balmoral. Seemed like a strange thing to do unless that scene was going to see a major announcement. My son and I watched as the TV screen moved back to Buckingham Palace, we saw the flag at half mast and the death notice put up on the palace gates. Queen Elizabeth II had died. Truly the end of an era.
Friday 9th September – Day 252
The weather seems to sum up the feeling of the nation at the moment, dull and wet. I thought I’d dodged the rain when I went to the shop but no, very wet feet by the time I got home again!
The King and Camilla returned to London and he greeted well-wishers at the gates of Buckingham Palace. How he managed that when he’s just lost his mother is beyond me. Sometimes I really do think that we expect too much of our royal family.
In the evening he addressed the nation for the first time as King, and I thought he did amazingly well. It was definitely emotional.
Saturday 10th September – Day 253
We watched the proclamation announcing the succession of King Charles III, the first time that this ceremony has been televised. I’m not sure that my son appreciates fully the history that is playing out before him at the moment. But hopefully, with age, it will sink in. I’m really glad that we visited Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament this summer. We’ve stood in Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth will be lying in state next week. I guess we will know by early next week when her funeral will be, fingers are crossed it isn’t the 18th as I have plans with a friend!
My neighbour’s rose is so tall we get to enjoy looking at it over the back fence.
Gosh, that was indeed a mammoth post. What a lovely idea to take photos of shoes as your son moves up sizes.
Pippi and Brewster are both very beautiful. Pippi has the look of a Maine Coon.
Yes I keep forgetting to publish on Saturday’s – got out of the routine. Pippi is part Norwegian Forest cat 🙂
What a few weeks you have had.
I am so glad you and your son got to visit your parents. It sounds like you both had a lovely time.
Your son is looking so grown up and so smart in his school uniform. I hope he has settled in OK back at school. x
Thanks, all ok so far but homework hasn’t fully kicked in again yet …… 🙂
A very eventful end to the summer! And what a strange week this has been for the UK, with a new PM and a new monarch all within just a few short days. It feels very sad that the Queen is gone. And like you, I was amazed that Charles managed meeting the crowds outside Buckingham Palace the way he did.
Strange times, and history in the making x
It seems so strange to hear God Save the King, makes me tearful every time
Yes, it feels really strange x
Glad your trip to Spain finally happened. It has been a strange week. I have no idea how the royals have coped so soon after their mother/grandmother’s death when they have to speak to the public.
I feel that in this day and age we should really give them at least a bit of time to grieve before the demands of the constitution take over. They must be exhausted, emotionally and physically.