Sunday 25 July – Sunday in isolation

11.11am, Reading my book. Although in 'isolation', today is much like a normal Sunday. Well, normally I'd be working (coaching in Hayle) but instead I had a late brunch, read my book on the balcony (soooo glad I have balcony at the moment), did some washing, caught up on some blogging (phew, up to date... wonder how long that will last!), chatted to some good friends overseas (which was long overdue and so lovely), and then Andy came home! So I hung with him for a bit, and he's now gone for a swim in the sunshine, so I am finishing off blogging, making dinner, doing some Pilates, and probably watching some Olympics. The week starts again tomorrow, and I'm only in isolation for the first half (I'll be working anyway so it probably won't seem too different)... Can't wait for all this to be over - not so much me being in isolation, but it happening everywhere to people all over the place, all the time... just can't wait for it all to be a thing of the past!

Saturday 24 July – All by myself

11.11am, Sorting out clothes in the attic. I have decided to make the most of this weekend on my own where I’m not allowed outside the flat and get some jobs done. So I sorted out some clothes, had some lovely phone calls, did a LOT of blogging (I had months to catch up on), as well as read my book, did some Pilates, and watched lots of Olympics. People have been so kind, checking in on me and dropping round treats. My sis-in-law Bree sent me a massive parcel of sweets too so I steadily worked my way through them and then watched ‘Booksmart’ - such a sweet film! 

Friday 23 July – Company in a time of isolation!

11.11am, Working. I was supposed to have today off as I was going to visit my sister and her family in Stroud. However, due to self-isolating I wasn’t able to go, so asked my boss if I could work instead (as I can’t do much else). My lovely neighbour/friend Florence, who I share a balcony with, realised we could both sit on our balconies, be about 3m apart, and have a tea break together. It was honestly the loveliest - I was already going a bit mad talking to myself (Andy is away!). I had quiche for tea and watched TV and read my book and went to bed.

Thursday 22 July – Self-isolation begins

11.11am, Waiting for a text. Two girls from the hen do at the weekend have just tested positive for Covid, so I thought I would have to self-isolate. The message from NHS Test & Trace came through, and that was that. Andy goes away today and thus begins a long weekend of talking to myself and no more sea swims. Luckily the Olympics starts tomorrow! 

Wednesday 21 July – Three swims in one day

 

11.11am, Already plotting my next swim. Today I was meant to be at an all-day in-person meeting in Somerset, but due to our boss self-isolating, we were doing it virtually instead. Which meant I could swim before work, a quick one (and a pasty!) in our lunch break, and one after work with Andy too! It’s so perfect down there at the moment. 

Tuesday 20 July – More of the same

11.11am, Same as yesterday… working, planning my lunchtime swim. This is a spot I used to come to in the first lockdown, it’s about a 15-min walk so perfect lunchtime spot to stretch the legs, cool off, and reset. 

Monday 19 July – Squeezing in the swims

11.11am, At work, sooo hot. At lunchtime I met Mum and Dad with a swim - this week is going to be full of them I think!

Saturday 17 July – Ruth’s hen do

 

11.11am, In the beautiful bunting-clad garden at Nicky’s house. People were arriving, and we were ready to celebrate our gorgeous hen. It’d been a frantic morning (but starting well, with stories with Lorna and Ralph) to get it all ready but the sun was out and everything was done. We started with brunch outside (it was so hot!) and then a life drawing class (the less said about the better, but it was very funny!), and then wine-tasting, followed by a delish lunch. By then it was about 4pm and we were super hot and all needing a cool down so we went for a gorgeous walk to a river where we swam and drank and chatted for a while. It’s so pretty around here. When we got back to the house, it was time to make a lot of margaritas and get into our fancy dress costumes (things beginning with R), for an evening of games, drinks, dancing, limbo, quizzes, dumplings, piñatas and bed. It really was the most awesome day, it all went so well and the sun shoe and Ruth was an amazing hen! Her friends are all really funny, and everyone was on good form so we all really blinking enjoyed it!

Friday 16 July – The best start to the weekend

 11.11am, At work, after a gorgeous morning. Things are a but busy and hectic at the moment, so it's been tricky for Mum and I to make a plan to see each other, so we decided on a before-work swim. Pre-work hangs was something I used to do a LOT in Oz (by the time I got to my desk at 9am, I'd been to my F45 gym for a workout, then for a coffee with friends, before going home to get ready for work... pretty much every day), but I don't tend to do it here. Mainly as most friends have children so you can't really squeeze in early-morning stuff. But it was a beautiful morning so Mum and I had a swim, then back to hers for brekky. I even managed another lunchtime swim today too (it's so hot so I am fully taking advantage of living near the sea!).

In the evening, Eve and I drove up to Nicky's near Wadebridge, to start getting things ready for Ruth's hen do tomorrow!

Monday 12 July – What a wonderful world

 11.11am, At work, planning a quiet lunchtime walk. As I spend a lot of work time in meetings, I quite like a solitary silent lunchtime walk. Especially when it takes me to places this lovely. 

Sunday 11 July – Football fever

11.11pm, Feeling sad and proud. Tonight was the final of the Euros, and for the first time in many many decades, England had made it to the final! We’ve watched a lot of the Euros this year and were heavily invested! Andy, James, Ruth and I went to our friends’ bar where they had it up on the big screen, and the atmosphere was tense but fun… After scoring in the 2nd minute, Italy equalised and it ended extra time as 1-1… which meant penalties. So nail-biting to watch, and Italy got over the line, but wow what a tournament, and what a team England have! 

Saturday 10 July – Sophie and Georgie’s wedding!

11.11am, On our way to north Cornwall. Andy had a wedding to shoot at Camel Studio, and I was going to our friends Sophie and Georgie’s wedding. It was sadly tipping it down so I hung out at a kids party (before it started) in a cafe helping them set up while waiting for the wedding to start (as Andy had had to drop me off v early), then went down to the pavilion and immediately bumped into my gorgeous friend Audrey, who I haven’t seen for years - last time we met up she was pregnant with her first son, and now she has two! 

The wedding was quite simply incredible. Sophie and Georgie were just beamingly happy, and the venue (Cornish Tipi Weddings) is beautiful. Getting good catch-ups with them and Auds was brill, and you know when your friends are so awesome, that it means all their friends are awesome? I clicked with a couple called Charlie and Leanne and hung with them a lot, and it was just so fun being at a normal wedding again!!

Andy came to join at about 5pm, and the evening was a blur of amazing food, lots of dancing (including the couple’s money dance, a Greek tradition!), loads of chats, games and just a bloody brilliant time!

PS I took hardly any pictures, but I promise it was beautiful. 

Friday 9 July – Running into trouble

11.11am, Arranging to meet Carly, my friend I run and swim with on a Friday. Today we went down a path that obviously hasn’t been used for a while as it was sooooo overgrown… we were too far in to turn back so kept going, and about 15 minutes later (it was about 150m) we emerged scratched, soaking wet and laughing a lot. Not much running happened. 

Thursday 8 July – Back on the court, for real

 11.11am, Excited!! Tonight I'm playing a netball match, a real league match - for the first time since 29 October 2018 (my birthday). Not long after that game (which we drew, against Bodmin), I did my ACL, and since then it's been a long road of recovery then a pandemic. So this game meant a lot to me. Putting on my dress, travelling there with my team, getting nails checked, all of it! I played a bit fo C, WA and WD, and thoroughly enjoyed it! The team we played against, Saints, were really good and really feisty; they brought it to us in the 1st quarter, 10-2, but we fought back, winning or drawing all other quarters, to end the game 30-25 to them. Nothing beats a game of netball.

Wednesday 7 July - Wellbeing Wednesday

 

11.11am, At work (netball job). They've started a 'Welbeing Wednesday' at work where you take an hour for yourself to do something good for your wellbeing, so I went for a cuppa in my mum's garden :)

Living near my parents isn't something I ever really thought about but being able to spend so much more time with them in past four years has been so ace, especially in the past year when we've been able to keep going for walks etc while everything was in lockdown. I hope I never take it for granted how awesome it is I can just pop over for a cuppa. 

Thursday 1 July – Seaside soirees

11.11am, Texting Kate. She told me she and her sister were going for a lunchtime swim near where I live so I popped out and joined them... it was gorgeous! I've known her and her sister Amy since I was 4, and have so many lovely memories of growing up with them over the years, and I love that I still get to hang with them now!

In the evening, Ruth, Eve and I went for a walk and fish and chips on the beach (about 50m from where we'd swum), and talked about all the exciting things to come. Life is opening up again, and it's good. 

Tuesday 29 June – Proud of my Walking Netballers

11.11am, Cleaning at home. I had the day off as I had an appt this afternoon, so we did a bit of housework then headed out for some lunch (a burrito in a park), getting home just in time for me to talk Walking Netball with my lovely ladies. As it's Pride Month, I got them all to wear their brightest colours! 

Sunday 27 June – VNSL finals!

11.11am, At Netball Now in Hayle. My Sunday mornings are always spent coaching then this afternoon I went to Kate’s house (also near Hayle) for the VNSL final (Vitality Netball Superleague - UK’s professional league). Every game has been televised this year, which has meant so many more people have got into it, which is ace. Bath were the favourites, but Loughborough Lightning won for the first time ever, and it was an absolute smashing! 

Saturday 26 June – Letty St ladies

 11.11am, On our way to Cardinham Woods in Bodmin. Cat, Tom and I were on our way to meet Emma, Brodie, Jesse and bump, for a lovely walk. Cat, Emma and I used to live together (in Letty Street in Cardiff, as well as in halls in the first years, and Salisbury Road in the second year) and have stayed firm besties ever since. It's so lovely to still be as close as 'grown-ups' and see how things have changed and emerged and grown over the years. Love these girls.  

Friday 25 June – Best day off with TomCat

 11.11am, Meeting Cat and Tom. They are in the south-west on a little holiday from London, and today we met at Lovett's for coffee and banana cake. Afterwards we went back to ours and hung out at the flat – it was so nice to show off our flat to friends, as we haven't really had many people over since we bought it in October 2019! Then we decided to make the most of the gorgeous weather and walk to Lamorna with pasties. The walk was so beautiful and warm, and then when we got there, we had beers and cakes before our walk back, which was full of good chats. It was such a gorgeous day, topped off with a swim when we got back to Mousehole, and a drink at the Old Coastguard. Thanks Cat and Tom I loved today! 

Thursday 23 June - Lunchtime leisuretime

Heckling Andy that he should go for a swim with me. It didn’t take much persuading to be fair, and he upped the ante with a pasty for lunch. I am loving living here in summer.