We Can Adjust The Sails

I spent yesterday backing up our photographs from the year thus far.  Five months of memory making.  I’m a happy snapper.  I take shots of pretty much every visit or meet up or weekend excursion.  And so my photo archive is wonderful evidence of how much I do or don’t get about.  January took no time at all to back up, March much longer and May took a whole afternoon.  I’ve realised that I’m a bit like a car driving along… I spend the year moving up and down the gears! 😀

Since becoming ill, I’m no longer a fan of Winter.  My breathing worsens, my body slows down, viruses and bugs pounce… and it’s far too cold to venture outside.  So I hibernate.  I spend the coldest season hunkered down in my home with the heating on full; only leaving the front door on special occasions.  During Winter I’m like a tired old car, slowly plodding along in first gear.  A little cold and shaky, making some grumbling noises, and with my warning lights on the dashboard flashing.  I don’t go above 5 mph.  But fast forward to six months later and many many degrees warmer, and I’m now speeding along in fifth gear (well my version of fifth gear! 😉 ).  I’ve got my music on full, my back seat crammed with friends, and I’m ignoring the faint rattling sounds in the hope I’ll get to my destination without breaking down! 😛  All of the seasons in-between are my times for adjustment.  My 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears.  I slowly move my gear stick up the notches in Spring, as I begin to warm up, and get about more.  Before descending down the gears in Autumn, as I apply my breaks and prepare for the hibernation to come.  Looking through my photos, I’ve been following the same up and down graph for a few years now.  So yes it looks like I’m a car.  Probably a ten year old Vauxhall Astra. 🙂Once again I started 2019 rumbling along in first gear.  Fewer trips, shorter visits, always wrapped up warm.  In January I tried (and failed) to spot my favourite birds on a red kite safari at Aston Rowant nature reserve.  I had a wonderful romantic weekend away at a luxurious hotel, and enjoyed a now-rare meal out at a local pub (I could only visit as their fire was out of wood! 😛 ).

In February my little car moved up into second gear.  More trips, slightly longer days, still wrapped up warm.  We had fun with the besties as we scootered along the Phoenix Trail; Nate impressed us with his new whizzy cycling skills (first pedal bike!) and Lottie scared us with her whizzy hiding skills (she got spooked by a farmer’s gun).  Plus I ate far too many cakes at Eynsham Hall when my mother-in-law came to stay.  And later ate far too many chocolates when we celebrated Christmas (belatedly… annual tradition 😛 ) with my Doodi and the nephews.

As Spring dawned, and the sun arrived, my Astra jumped up into third gear.  Lots more visits, much longer days, but no longer needing to wrap up warm!  In March we had a fun-filled family weekend ‘back home’; we cycled the length of Bradgate Park, and taught little Luca to play Exploding Kittens!  Phil and I also enjoyed a fabulous week away to Dufton; I scootered to the summit of the highest road in Britain (it was soooo cold!), and searched out famous haunts from The Spine Race.  Plus I had fun spotting hedgehogs as Harry led us around Irchester Country Park, and enjoyed newborn baby cuddles with the irresistible little Louis.  And there was also weeding and planting and sunny dog walks!

As we moved into April, my potassium levels dropped and so my gears grinded and rattled.  Instead of moving into fourth, I freewheeled for a few weeks, until the supplements kicked in.  Thankfully there was no stalling! 😉  I hosted Mother’s Day in my new kitchen, enjoyed a lovely dog walk around Blenheim Palace, and eventually had the first BBQ of the year.  I ate large slices of homemade Simnel cake with the girlies (and baby Louis) whilst enjoying a night away in Reading, and planted pots and pots of tiny vegetable seeds.  Plus Phil and I bopped in our seats and sang along with Rufus Wainwright, as we enjoyed our first concert in three years!

As for May, well it’s been the busiest month of the year so far!  Even more activity, even longer days, and even more sun… fourth gear has arrived!  Blog post to come! 🙂    

Dog walk around our village

Harry and Lottie

Tightrope and craft at a village event

Forest walk with Alison

Brougham Castle

Holiday to Dufton

Teaching Luca to play Exploding Kittens

Wedding my patch

Christmas Round 2

Scootering up the highest road in Britain

First BBQ of the year with Sal

Pheonix Trail

Eynsham Hall for afternoon tea

Girlie Weekend

My seedlings are growing…

Bradgate Park with the family

Rufus Wainwright

Aston Rowant Nature Reserve

Adam on the tightrobe as we craft in the background

Mothers Day meal

Meeting Baby Louis

Blenheim Palace

Pub garden on holiday

Baby Louis on Girlie Weekend

Birmingham Symphony Hall

Bro and Lottie on Mothers Day

So it turns out I’m a car.  An old blue Vauxhall Astra.  I’m rattly and rusty, I stall and break down, my dashboard warning lights flash on and off… but thankfully I’m still moving up the gears!  Fingers crossed I keep passing my MOT! 😉