As ever, we do not have a 'back to school' set of photos of the kids standing at the front door, smiling sweetly in their school uniform... instead I got a "don't even think about Mum" from both of them as they headed out of the door looking very smart. I suppose I should be happy they aren't so compliant they will do anything - I am definitely raising independent girls.
The school is obviously coming back with a bang post-covid and has started to lay down the rules from Day 1. This means that they are expected to join the various enrichment activities on offer rather than heading home at the end of formal lessons. We went through them and I have some sympathy with their low enthusiasm - most appear to be singing, playing in an ensemble or based on drama, not their thing at all. In reality 3 days a week they have lessons or games until 5:15, so its only a Monday and Wednesday they could leave earlier, and given the lack of interesting things to do I've come down on their side and spoken to the school so they can get out at 4. It's not as though they haven't been their since 8am after all. I made it clear Abi will be riding which is an enrichment activity anyway. We'll just have to get Izzy to do something more enriching than Tik-Tok!
The reality now of the riding is that is just about fits in after school while we still have the light, but it's going to get harder and harder as we move towards winter. We always knew that and Abi is torn between knowing it would be easier to have Nula at home (eventually), and loving being in a yard full of other people. Today she arranged to ride out with someone and they did a 10 mile ride which is double the length she's done before and in a completely different area. She won't get that if she's on her own here. Despite all of the challenges ahead, she is absolutely loving having Nula and can't spend enough time with her. They are the best of friends and it's been everything she had hoped for and more.
While Abi's passions are outdoors and all have 4 legs, Izzy is the more typical teenager with a room full of crystals and incense burners and a face full of dark eyeliner and lip gloss. Se is the one however that throws herself into school activities and has been selected for the school hockey team. She hasn't made the cut yet for the A-Team but that's understandable given the school is pretty hot on it's sport and places are very competitive. This means that she plays in a Saturday afternoon match and so isn't home until 5pm 6 days a week. Pretty full on for a 13 yo. It meant this Sunday she was determined to spend a good portion of the day welded to her bed and was very pleased when I took pity on her and brought her breakfast in bed so she didn't even have to stir for sustenance!
For me, the challenge is one of spare time. How is it that no matter how much I plan, I seem to have so little spare time. This weekend Amanda and I were determined to carve out half an hour to sit in the hot tub and put the world to rights. As Sunday night drew to a close I pointed out to her that we would have to make a formal appointment otherwise it's never going to happen - we are both way too busy to have the limited gaps in our diary coincide it seems. Regardless of having no time I had the most joyful weekend, meeting Zsara for a long walk at Stourhead on Saturday morning, followed by a trip to the stables and a lovey walk / ride with Abi and Nula, followed by a catch up with George and Deb over a cup of tea. This book ended by dogs walks meant I had done nearly 40,000 steps by the end of the day. On Sunday morning the sun was shining and after pottering around Glenn suggested we go for a motorbike ride - probably the first and last of the year - instead of our normal (push)bike ride. We ended up going over the back roads (my old school run) to Raleighs Cross and onto Exmoor, stopping at Blue Anchor for coffee and cake before heading back home - it was lovely. In the afternoon Abi took me on a new walk, discovered when she was riding the day before - and we had a brilliant amble through the most glorious countryside only a 5 min drive from home. Another 25,000 steps or so in the bag.
Despite all my moaning about no time, it's my own fault as I do pack in the activities. There's so much I want to do, and so many places now I'm back home that I want to rediscover. I love the fact that we have family on our doorstop (we popped to Dad's on his birthday for a cup of tea!). I just wish there was an extra day or so in the week just for me!
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| The out-takes! |
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