Sitting here, utterly knackered, hurting a tad, and realising that actually I’ve done considerably more than usual of late. Not just one or perhaps two jaunts beyond Maidstone, but FIVE!
Firstly an overnight stay with a lovely friend in London so I would be fresh for a small networking huddle the next day, which was lovely – both to natter with my friend but also to just go to something business-related beyond the laptop.
Then to the opera – I insisted on sitting through Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at the ENO – over 5 hours but so worth it. That aria at the end – my favourite piece of music in the whole world. This treat made even better by my lovely mum-in-law and my daughter coming too! We lunched at the ENO restaurant – all very nice and the double macchiato was perfect.
Then I’d long promised a visit to the Forbidden Planet comic book store with my son – he’s now 16 so we were years overdue. We popped up via the ultra-accessible station at Rochester, parking right outside and lifts and everything necessary – into St Pancras and grabbed a cab there and back again with a twice round the store itself, which of course was underwhelming as I knew it would be. But now ’tis done and we had that wee adventure together.
After this was WordCamp Brighton – a weekend of all things WordPress (the website creation tool I use for business) and I had the nerve to do a 10 minute talk on how to keep clients happy! It was lovely and I want to do it again (giving a talk and going to WC Brighton). My daughter decided to join me for this weekend – we stayed in a flat on the seafront for 2 nights and generally chilled together, though I doubt she’ll want to come to another WordCamp. This was also the furthest I’ve driven for years and it was useful to know how george (my back/hip/leg pain) handled that. Of course a drive through East Sussex is always a pleasure anyway, though perhaps not enhanced by my singing along to my Spotify playlist, but the girlchild has her permanently affixed headphones for such scenarios 😉
Then to the big one – my sister’s 50th birthday for which our dad and step-mum were also coming down from Blackpool. We booked a wee cottage for me and the offspring and that was quite lovely – so peaceful, well until said offspring decided it was time to kick off again. There were quite a few tantrums and I promised myself to never take them away again without their dad… Why they behave so differently with him about defies logic but there you go… All very normal and I just need to get used to it all. This is likely something we do just as they calm down and decide to be friends all the time after all… Like when we find the toddler years hard… Teens are worse – there, I’ve said it out loud and will not take it back. Anyway – it was lovely to get together with some of my family, to see my nephew before he’s off into the world (starts uni next month), and to visit my favourite auntie.
Anyway – while the drive to the Cotswolds was horrendous – over 6 hours, mostly on the M25 – the drive home was a more normal 3 hours or so – and it seems I drive more sensibly now, happy to tootle along at 60, even! And I managed it just fine – the car is especially comfy and I can sit for hours, though we did have a couple of expensive service station breaks too – it’s afterwards that george gives me grief, when I then try to move again 😉
So, a few weeks of easing up and knuckling down to work and hoping we don’t have to move and generally ignoring any teen tantrums through the summer holidays. And then himself has a week off, at the end of the month – I’m wondering about popping to France for a quick holiday – not something we do, but now we know I can actually manage it…
And then next year there is WordCamp London and WordCamp Europe in Paris! Something to aim for with my physical ability – off to a physiotherapist to learn the best exercises so the normal parts of my body can be more effective…
Allons y!