Summer

After a hot, dry July it was a relief to have some rain early in August. Despite the showers, the heat persisted; not having to work in an airless classroom made the hot weather far more enjoyable, and we had a few trips down to the Caldew with Sam's new tractor tube, and cooled off, Cumbrian style, in enviably clear and cool waters. The children squealed with laughter and howled with shock as if they were still toddlers.

We decided we really needed a family holiday. Steve moved into his shop three or four years ago and has only had a handful of days off since then. We booked a ferry from Poole to Cherbourg and loaded the car with enough clothes to last a couple of weeks and headed south. Driving in France was so relaxing after the mayhem of the M6 on the first Friday of August. Quiet, straight roads and a good map reading team were just the thing and we made good progress down through Normandy and the Loire Valley before reaching the sunflower strewn hills of the Charente. It was good to catch up with Mum, Jo, Daz, Dan and Isobel and we enjoyed great hospitality in Mum's new house. Polly, Sam and Izzy discovered much in common and enjoyed some marathon sketching sessions, and we all got involved in some fiercely competitive games of Bananagrams.

Now we are back home and the last week of the holidays is slipping away as we see to stocks of wood for the winter and finish flattening the heaps of dug out soil in the garden and shaping new flower and vegetable beds. As well as trips out into the lovely lakes and a few early morning runs each week. September is only a whisper away and we will soon be back in the busy routine of term time.