Finally – the Start of the Summer!

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Facebook memories are something that I look at most days – it reminds me of the things I was doing many years ago, or throws up cute pictures of the children that often make me smile and shake my head in wonderment at just how quickly time is passing.

It’s also interesting to note that the weather really was very different last year – it had been hot and sunny for a while and I remember that the Home Ed Sports Day last year we were concerned it might be too hot! Not such worries this year eh?

However, this week has seen the long-awaited sun make an appearance and it really does make a difference to how we all feel. Whilst I’d never class myself as a sun seeker even I was getting a bit fed up of the constant grey clouds and rain.

The sun has brought with it a renewed energy and Damian and I have been busy finishing up bits of jobs around the house. About 3/4 weeks ago we had our windows replaced. The previous windows were some 20 years old and really did need replacing. We had had a look at replacing them with double glazed sash windows, as they would have been sash windows originally, but instead opted to keep the style the same.

They were replaced over a week and it is a messy job! Having an old house means that things never quite go to plan and of course there’s lots of dust and the such to contend with. We gave the house a good clean each night which helped but of course other jobs soon need doing! The internal frame and sills now need painting to freshen them up, and we have replaced the curtain at one window with a blind, as well as replacing the kitchen blind. We were gifted two blinds from Make My Blinds and went for the amor pastel blue blind for our landing window and the Orchard amalfi one for our kitchen. I’m glad Damian spent the time sorting out the internal paintwork as it’s made a real difference to the space and freshened everything else up.

Next up is probably our bedroom which is in desperate need of a makeover. It need painting and with it a new blind/curtains for the window as well as new bedding for us. We have the paint already as we plan to re-use some that we used in our dining room and the porch but it’s just finding the time to actually do it. We need to agree whether we opt for a blind or curtains in our room – I want a blind as I think they look neater than curtains and the process for ordering with MakeMyBlinds was super easy and they were easy to put up too.

We have also been busy sorting through clothes and books that we no longer need and it’s very cathartic to clear out the things we don’t need or make use of anymore. We tend to pass most stuff on via a fantastic local Facebook group that operates a bit like freecycle. What doesn’t go via there we drop in at charity shops.

The warmer weather also sees us tackle the outdoors too – getting to the grass and cutting back the bushes as they grow. We have a large bush on our driveway that takes a fair bit of cutting back, and our green waste bin quickly gets full but the children enjoy jumping in to squash it all down!

The long-awaited arrival of summer also sees us take a more relaxed approach to home ed; of course the children are still learning and we are still working on all manner of things, but the work is much more relaxed as I want to be able to make the most of the warmer days because I know in two short months it will be the start of a new school year and with it all manner of new commitments.

I’m so glad that the summer sun has finally made an appearance! I’m looking forward to the coming months and the relaxation and time to enjoy the better weather with the children…. before we crack on with the other jobs in the house in the early autumn.