Summertime Blues

This is where we usually are at this time of year.  This is where I'd like to be right now...

Instead I am making the most of my two weeks holiday, one at the start of the school holidays and one at the end, keeping an eye on an unruly 11 year old who despite having all the gadgets and gear that kids have these days, is constantly bored.  I remember feeling the same during the never ending six weeks holiday, except back then we really did have an excuse to be bored especially when it was raining.

Having spent most of our savings on the house and garden, using up holidays to be in for deliveries and workmen, we can't afford to fly off to The Sunshine State this year - or next probably.  So I'm enjoying the occasional 20 degree sunshine and chilly sea breeze of Northumberland in my glorious garden and  new summerhouse.  Frankly, it's just not doing it for me.

We could have gone somewhere else, but never got around to looking.  We convinced ourselves that it would be nice to just potter around at home, save the money and enjoy the time off....haha! So we listen to everyone else's holiday stories, pretend we are having a wonderful time being at home with the squabbling kids and daily chores, trying to get a pale tan while weeding the garden and feeding every other child in the neighbourhood as they traipse in and out behind ours leaving a trail of debris.

This is the first year I can remember that we have not had any kind of break away.  We often went for a week in a cottage at Easter or late summer.  Nice and relaxing, no 3G or internet. Walks and drives around the countryside for a cream tea.  We could do that before we bought a big old house and became poor.

Funny how people think that because you live in a big house you are rich and posh.  If only they knew the sacrifice we made this year.  Forced to Google images of Florida instead of being there.  It's tough.