Away from the here and now

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This seems as good a time as any to start catching up on 2019, as I stopped blogging on the old blog when I realised how awful pictures looked on it (ooh boohoo, blurry pictures on my blog - talk about pre-coronavirus problems!), and therefore creating a backlog. Back in July we went with friends to my mother-in-law’s house in France for a couple of weeks.

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My friend A and her family came from Stockholm, and from the off we imposed a screen ban, which was was a breeze for the kids as they’re bonafide bookworms. Ha! You can’t actually see their books here, but they are reading :)

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The parents did pretty well too.

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Of course the pool helped. There were epic water fights and general keeping cool in the heat. We also learned that you can make your own very effective wave machines with a couple of lilos.

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There I go again with my love of windows.

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No screens meant other ways to have fun.

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And sometimes you’d try something new, like cutting hair.

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One day A went for a walk in the garden and came back with enough flowers to make a huge bouquet. I begged her to reconsider her career choice in life, and to become a flower arranger. There’s still time.

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Taco night! A & D are excellent cooks, and we enjoyed A’s salmon tacos with fresh mango. Such a tasty combination. Must remember to make some myself.

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D and little C after dinner in the garden one evening. Extension leads rule.

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Looked out the window one day to find the boys taking shelter in the shade, chatting away. Sweeeeeet. More France pics to come.

How are you guys holding up out there? It’s so surreal isn’t it? I read this interview on Dezeen with Li Edelkoort over the weekend, and if you like me and many others feel that this crisis might be Mother Nature’s way of correcting our irresponsible behaviours, Li’s words brings us hope for a better future. <3

Escape from the city

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Back in October, me and the Oomster (sadly Mr Famapa couldn’t make it) drove up to Suffolk for a weekend away at our friends SA and Y’s new place. They’ve been dreaming about getting a little spot away from the city for ages, and finally last year it all fell into place. In no time whatsoever, SA fitted out the whole house (she’s an interior designer by trade, so no wonder), and I was all heart eyes, both inside the house and in the garden. We spent a couple of nights there, eating like kings, playing games and walking in the surrounding fields, saying hello to the occasional horse. I can’t wait to go back once the weather warms up, for as much as I love our pocket of London, getting away from it every now and again is a real treat.