Project 366 2020 Week 31 Day 208 – 214 Another week of getting used to the new normal, our first trip to an indoor venue since February and my last week in my second job.
Sunday 26th July – Day 208
We’d been invited to review The Silverstone Experience earlier in the year and it had been postponed twice due to Coronavirus. Third time lucky and we got to visit on Sunday, our first time visiting an indoor venue (other than our supermarket) since February! Everything was really well organised and we all enjoyed our visit. I should have been at the British Grand Prix earlier this month, but looks like this is the closest we will get to the action this year!
Monday 27th July – Day 209
Paddington had the right idea today. It rained and rained. I had the day off with job one but not job two, so I swapped my hours round and then spent ages catching up on blog stuff.
Tuesday 28th July – Day 210
Daddy’s little helper.
I spent some time trying to figure out if I can afford to take my son away in England somewhere when I’m on holiday at the end of August (when we should have been in Spain). He doesn’t want to go to the coast and everything is just really out of my price range at the moment. Think we’ll end up having to make do with days out instead, it’s hard to get enthusiastic about it all at the moment.
Wednesday 29th July – Day 211
I’d bought a local visitor’s pass for Buckinghamshire Railway Centre last year and it ran out earlier this year. They are reopening on Saturday and have offered pass holders a sneak peek of their new socially distancing measures today so we popped over after work. They have extended everyone’s passes which has made my son’s day and means we can also visit next week.
Thursday 30th July – Day 212
The sun has decided to make an appearance at long last – let’s hope it’s here to stay.
Paddington has a thing about boxes, of any shape and size. If there’s an empty one anywhere, he’ll claim it for his own. Today was no exception. My son was going to use this one to pack up some Lego train track in, Paddington had other ideas.
Friday 31st July – Day 213
My last day in my second job and a bit of a weird one as my direct boss has been on holiday all week.
After work, we headed to Waddesdon Manor – our first visit since Christmas, and time to see what the ‘new normal’ is like there. We’d decided to walk around the grounds and not use the shuttle bus when I booked our tickets last week but little did I know that today would be the hottest day of the year. We were in need of the ice creams I bought once we’d got to the top of these steps!
It was such a shame to see none of the colourful bedding plants you’d expect to see at this time of the year. I hear that it’s a similar story at other National Trust gardens normally known for their displays. Sadly Coronavirus is changing so much of what we’ve all taken for granted.
Saturday 1st August – Day 214
There are days when it’s nice to do nothing. Today has been one of those days. Yes, I’ve got on top of the ironing pile but other than that it’s been a lazy day. We’ve watched the British Grand Prix qualifying session on tv, it’s still surreal to not actually be there, and to see the circuit empty.
My son has spent the day having races with his own Lego F1 cars and building all sorts of new Lego creations.
What have you been up to this week?
The Silverstone Experience looks fun, such a shame you missed the British grand prix. Our holiday to the South of France has been cancelled and I don’t think we can afford a UK break either as our circumstances have changed.
I think so many of us are in the same boat right now Kara
How exciting to visit The Silverstone Experience. I know you are a big fan of the grand prix.
Ahh! Days out sound like a good idea. Going away anywhere seems so expensive at the moment.
It sounds like you’ve had some fab days out this past week, I think you deserve a day of doing nothing today. x
Yes it’s nuts isn’t it.
It must have been nice to get out and about this week, even if things are a bit different. Sorry to hear you won’t be able to have a holiday this year, but I know how much your son will enjoy his days out.
Love the photo of Paddington in the box.
It’s a strange year for all isn’t it
Good that you’re getting out. I really fancied trying the Silverstone Experience. We’re not F1 fans, but it’s localish, and we like motor museums in general. I’d usually take N away last minute at the end of summer, but I hear so much is booked up. The OH is moaning whenever we go out anywhere that’s mixing with people, so not sure he’d be happy if we went away on holiday, even in the UK at the moment. I can’t believe we’ve basically only been away once this year so far. Usually we’d have done something at Easter and May, plus camping and another break at the end of Summer. So much we’re all missing.
I was looking through photos the other day and realised our last night away was a review in February. Yesterday was the first time we went to a ‘new’ NT place. It’s the most bizarre year ever. But now with only my very small salary coming in, I have no idea what we will do next.
I can’t imagine what it must be like with older children and not being able to go out. It’s hard enough with a baby! I’m please you’ve been able to start going out again even with new rules and social distancing. It’s great they extended your tickets so you can go again next week!
We had it much easier than my parents in Spain. We could go out for an hour of exercise fairly early on in all this and with good weather we walked a lot. In Spain my parents were literally stuck indoors other than their weekly shop. I’m so thankful we have a garden and live right on the edge of a town. Living in a flat in a city must be horrendous
Glad you finally managed to get to visit the Silverstone Experience and had a good day out. Hope you can manage to sort something out for your holiday at the end of August. Good to hear that your Buckinghamshire Railway Centre passes were extended and you’re able to go back there again. Lovely to have a visit to Waddesdon too. #project366
Thanks
Glad to hear that you were able to check out the Silverstone experience. Hope you could do something as a short break in August. We plan to go, though our trip was booked a year in advance, and I still don’t know for sure if it’s going to happen, as every day there’s new information and new rules. I’ve been to Waddesdon many years ago, with my friend, and remember their splendid art collection.
Love how Paddington’s occupying the box like his own.
I don’t think I can afford to book anything but we will see.
shame Lego racing is as near to the live as you got. Nice some of these things are back even without an audience. You looking for another job to replace the one you finished?
Granddad has to fight the grandchildren for daughters boxes.
Yes I’ll have to get another job as OH lost his job in June too
Aww Paddington looks like he rules the roost – I love the way he stole the box ! And his tail is so bushy ! It’s great that you’re managing to get out and about visiting places. It’s so hard knowing what to do for the best, especially when the rules keep changing. It certainly is a strange year ! Hope you manage to find some fun things to do on holiday, wherever you end up. Such a shame you couldn’t go to the grand prix – I hope the Silverstone Experience made up for it in some small way ! xx
His tail looks so much smaller now he’s fully grown but it’s definitely his calling card. He’s a celebrity around here.
Wow, so cool to be invited to a race track. Paddington is adorable. It’s so cool that you’re able to visit the railway centre. My cats loved boxes, especially the ones that are so tiny. The Manor looks amazing! True, the virus has reminded us of all that we take for granted.
Cats and boxes the world over 🙂
Your cat really has had the right idea recently!!! Glad to hear you finally got to visit the Silverstone Experience – such an awesome race track, hope you get to visit to watch the actual Grand Prix att some point though!
Prices have gone crazy for hotels, B&B’s etc around the country now, I’m not surprised but it does make life a lot harder when you just want a few days escape away from it all! Hope you manage to arrange something fun and hope you are all having a lovely week! Sim x
Yes I understand they wanting to recoup some of their losses but it’s priced me out of it all
So nice of the railway centre to extend your passes!
My cat loves boxes too!
We had wales booked at the end of July but cancelled…and debating whether to book for the end of August now. But prices seem to have gone up!
Prices are crazy, but I guess they have a captive market now
We have never been to Silverstone, could be a good adventure when we get out and about again! I have some time off this month too. Everywhere does seem to be booked up unless your ready to remortgage your house to go somewhere! Its a shame but we could be doing day tripping as well! I think we would be well underway with plans to go somewhere aboard but you just don’t know when things will change!
Silverstone is a great day out whether it’s for track action or the Silverstone Experience tbh.
Little envious of how relaxed Paddington looks there! Definitely the right idea if the day was a washout. Waddesdon Manor looks very impressive. You have some lovely days out. I hope you manage to find a breakaway when your off, its tough though as everything seems booked or the prices are getting inflated because of the surge in demand for UK breaks.
I’m struggling to get the enthusiasm to get anything organised tbh, don’t want to book things and then the spike to arrive
Paddington has got things right with napping in this heat. Glad you got to go to Silverstone at least, it’s been a strange year for events, hasn’t it? We are just doing days out and not going away this year.
P365 sorry this is a late catch-up comment
The cats certainly sleep through everything
How lovely that your railway pass was extended. It is strange having some touches of normality and then being reminded of the virus again but great to be out and about at last #project366
Yes it’s all a balancing act
The Silverstone Experience looks fun, shame you missed the British grand prix. Our holiday to France back in June was cancelled, so we haven’t been away xx
Such a shame isn’t it
So glad you got to the Silverstone experience I hope you had an amazing time. I have found the same with a number of the NT places we have managed to get tickets for. I think many places are fully booked which means the things that are left are so expensive. I hope you have some lovely days out instead x
Thanks, we are all sorted now, just the weather that’s going to let us down looking at the forecast