Thursday 26 May 2016

A Life In A Day










I've hurt my knee, and ripped a hole through my favourite linen trousers. My knee hurts. So does my pride. I went arse over elbow, by tripping up over a tree root while watching a speckled wood. It's dangerous stuff this nature nerd lark. Honey was unimpressed; she didn't even raise her head from sniffing a clump of couch grass.

Olly is currently lying on the sofa coughing. Actually it's more of a hacking. He gets it from time to time. The GP says it's a recurrent virus, go home, let it run its' course. So we are. But his chest and throat hurt and he's really bad tempered. So I've put YouTube on, and Stampy is currently rampaging around Minecraft (don't ask).

I really want a gin and tonic, after seeing a picture of one on Instagram. Curse you @annafield1

I went to great lengths this lunchtime to explain to a group of Year one children about why bees aren't scary, how marvellous they are and all the good that they do for us. They stood and listened, eyes wide with wonder. Then a bee buzzed past, Arthur screamed "Killer Bee!" and they all ran away. I guess you can't convert everyone.

I woke at about 5.20 this morning, and watched the most spectacular sunrise over the bay of St Ives. The colours were extraordinary; peachy pink hues infused with heat from the receding red of the sun's first rays. Louie Armstrong was spot on.

I cut some lilac from my tree in the front garden. It is filling the house with its' perfume. Why do the blooms that smell so good go over so quickly? Is there an actual reason for it?

The light has been so bright today that I've had to wear my hat and sunglasses. I'm increasingly finding that I get a headache if my crown is exposed to sunshine for any length of time. I'd forgotten how much I like wearing a hat. Hats suit me. I think it's because I have so little hair.

I have eaten three slices of the Victoria sponge that I baked for the boys yesterday. I say slices, but really they were more like hunks. Three massive hunks. I don't feel at all guilty. The lack of guilt worries me.

I spent this morning gardening for two of my friends, when I should have been in my own garden. Now I can't be arsed to plant out the remaining marigolds. I'm all gardened out, and I've split a nail. Gardening is not for the glamorous.

The house needs vacuuming.

The boys are having pasta for the third time this week. I'm in a real food rut at the moment. I'm so bored of cooking tea. It's just the same old, same old don't you think? It is here at any rate.

I am really behind in my blog reading. I've been going to bed really early, and reading all the books I scored at the charity shops in Falmouth a couple of weeks ago. I bought ten books for about five pounds. Not bad eh? I'm currently reading this, which was only published last year. I have the Pat Barker Regeneration trilogy, a biography of Charlotte Bronte, some Jo Nesbo and others. Forgive me, lovely ones. I will catch up over the weekend.

I have a spot. Why?

Alfie and I had the 'revision' conversation this afternoon. He has end of year exams after half term. He won't revise. I am frustrated with that, even though I never did at his age either. He has too much of me in him, and I spend a lot of my time wishing he didn't. Do you ever notice those quirks your children display that remind you of you? It's not always easy to admit that you've passed on some of your less brilliant traits.

My sweet peas are struggling. Come on sweet peas!

My resident Speckled Wood chased away an Orange Tip today. I fear my garden will be a butterfly free zone, tanks to my feisty tenant. He's had a go at me too. I was only walking around with my cup of tea, and he came out and  fluttered at me. He's very dogged.

The above photos are from a lovely day spent at Boscastle yesterday. The woodland that covers the valley was full of life. I spotted a silver washed fritillary that the info boards told me would be flying. It was lovely. Lots of damselflies too. And it was so green and lush. A cheese, tomato and basil sandwich on multi seed bread, eaten overlooking the entrance to the harbour just about topped it off.

Back soon.

Leanne xx





19 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos Leanne! The thing I love about this post is how familiar it all sounds. It could have been a week in our home back when my kids were young. A sick child, a mom sick of cooking, a mom sick from eating too much sugar, a mom tired from helping others, another child sick of studying...No wonder the gin and tonic sounded appealing. :-)

    As for your favourite linen pants, have you heard of a Japanese mending technique called Sashiko? It's very beautiful, and I think would look great done to your linen trousers (I almost said pants, but then remembered that means something else entirely in the UK). Mending is now quite trendy. Here's a link to one site that explains it, but if you do a Google search you should come up with lots of ideas. https://onagono.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/the-art-of-sashiko/

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  2. Noooo! Don't curse me, get thee to the Spar and buy a bottle! (And don't forget the grapefruit 😉) Sorry to hear about the falling over, I'm sure it hurts worse as an adult than it ever did as a small person. I tripped over on a run last year and fractured my cheek bone...it bloody hurt but I was so determined not to cry that I didn't realise the damage I'd done until I was safely indoors and could blub! Xxx

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  3. That is one heck of a drystone wall!

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  4. Always enjoy your posts, sorry about your fall. I was complaining today about being clumsy and realized I should have said clumsier because I've always been clumsy. Hate is when our children are sick, harder on us than them.
    You're right about the traits we pass on, can't change our children, just have to accept.
    Your photos as always are a delight.

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  5. Great list - you had me laughing and nodding along in recognition all the way down. I hope you enjoy the Pat Barker 'Regeneration' trilogy - I borrowed them from L when she was studying WWI literature and really loved them. I hope your poor knee recovers soon. Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend. xx

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  6. Ah Leanne, life is full of ups and downs and plain boredom. No doubt the boys have enjoyed eating pasta for the third time this week and with regards to exam revision, did you know that my Sam is the laziest teenager in all of Scotland? There is just no point nagging (of course I can't help myself), they have to make their own terrible exam experiences. I hope your knee is not too badly hurt. You can send me your trousers, I can have a go at mending using Kristies link. Lovely lovely photos. Enjoy your books and hopefully also a peaceful weekend. x

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  7. Oh Cornwall in May, fresh from your camera, thanks Leanne. Did you walk up the river valley to St Juliot's church? We had our picnic in the churchyard and then had an icecream sitting on the harbour wall. Sorry to hear about your knee and favourite trousers. I did the same this winter and fell down a pothole photographing a beautiful sunset at Selsey Bill. Ripped my jeans, tore open my knee, massive bruise and still hurts a bit when I kneel or crouch. I used to Mrs Mini Bug when my children were Olly's age and took groups of children out into the wild. Yesterday I saw my first common blue and I've had orange tips and peacock butterflies in the garden this week. Have a great weekend and hope the sun shines for us.

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  8. Oh your poor knee and trousers. Ah exam revision a battle of wills in this house and I'm always the loser! I had a gin and tonic last night delightful it was too. I shall have a couple this evening just to invite the weekend in on the right note you understand x

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  9. What a fab post, much shouting of "Me too" here. The trousers, hole, knee thing, the children's tea thing, the bright light headache thing and the being out gardened. Slugs ate my lettuces and a freak hailstorm destroyed the cucumbers and might have finished off the squashes and courgettes. Great book finds though, particularly Common Ground, well done you. The sandwich sounds very good. I'm off to make one myself now. The power of suggestion. The children and the bee made me smile. Keep going Leanne, you'll win them over to the side of the bees in the end, I know you will. CJ xx

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    1. Oh yes, and the scary recognition of not-so-good traits in one's children. I feel some underachieving coming on. The Bare Minimum seems to be the standard around here. Cx

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  10. God, it sounds as though you're having a right week of it! Hope the knee and Olly are better. I'd just go for the gin, accompanied by a slab of chocolate. Almost halfterm: life without the constant preparing of packed lunches is always better Xx

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  11. ouch your poor knee. gin and cake is just what you need x

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  12. Those are wonderful pictures of Boscastle. I feel for you falling over I have ruined so many pairs of trousers over the years and they are usually relatively new too! Sarah x

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  13. Sorry about your knee! have a Gin please! I love Boscastle and I hope you had a Lavender and Honey Ice Cream while you were there. It's the only place I know that sells them. xx

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  14. Ouch! Poor knee, poor you, poor Ollie, hope you all get better soon. Boscastle looks an amazing wee place and gorgeous photos too. Hope you have a good weekend x

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  15. Nails? You have nails? If I had one of a splittable length I'd be happy. Boscastle is so pretty.

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  16. Gorgeous photos And now I want a cheese, tomato and basil sandwich. The g&t was already on the list :-). Some flutters can be very territorial although as I haven't seen a speckled wood yet I am envying you yours. Saw lots of chalk flutters today so expect a post tomorrow. V familiar with the whole non-revision thing here too :-). Blessings on your poorly leg xx

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  17. Gardening is definitely not for the glamorous. My neighbour is glamorous - she has men in to do hers and watches me with a look of bemusement (and, I like to think, admiration but it's probably pity). I identify with much of your post.Boredom in the kitchen, thank goodness for pasta. We're on exam revision lock-down all week here as we're mid-GCSEs and end-of-year tests for the other two after half term. Fun, fun. I'm sure they'll all crack by about tomorrow and we'll go to the cinema or something. Luckily(?) the weather forecast is pants so at least we won't be wishing we were on the beach. Have a good half term, hope all your brood are back to full health and the sun shines. Sam x

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  18. Lovely, newsy post with so many gorgeous photos. I have never been to Boscastle but I want to go. Did it flood badly some years ago? I am not a great gardener - it must be because I am so glamorous...hahahahah.............

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