Everyone back to work and school - except me!

Looking back at last year's diary, the vast majority of entries were work-related.  By comparison, this year's diary is full and with a broad range of activities too.  Have I become a hedonist?

Went to Harlow Carr with Ellie. 

 Lovely tulips

 The new hen house

Couple of restful days at the caravan ..... aah!

Ate at the Saffron Indian Restaurant Vegetarian Masala and Balti Saag Paneer with Spinach and Indian cheese; Aloo Gobi  and steamed potatoes and cauliflower, stir fried in aromatic spices.

Poured down over night and still raining in the morning but good well needed rain for the garden.  Took the opportunity to visit the Bridlington Spa open day where we saw local artists at work  and the two theatre areas.

 Pembroke Gardens - new

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 ... and old

Sun came out and it really warmed up; the countryside looked beautiful after the rain.  We saw North Frodingham (which Ronnie thinks sounds like something from a Harry Potter novel), North Dalton and Warter in all their glory.  Truly wonderful views which I find difficult to capture with my camera.  David Hockney catches the feel of the region in his paintings, especially those of the trees in Warter.

On the way home, stopped at the Ice Cream Parlour at Pocklington, next to the Arts Centre, for refreshments.

Bank Holidays at the coast and the best laid plans or as the Yiddish proverb goes "Man plans, God laughs" (Mann traoch, Gott Lauch)

We set off in high spirits for a long weekend with all the bikes strapped to the back of Naomi's car.  That was our main worry.   The new carrier was fine but Ellie wasn't.  Two visits to the doctor and two to the pharmacist and she was beginning to recover, but couldn't do justice to the royal wedding party.

The next day, armed with the surplus party food we dropped of two of the bikes for repair and drove to Flamborough South Landing for a picnic, but Ellie still wasn't up to walking the sculpture trail.


We went back to the South Beach at Bridlington and tried to shield ourselves in the dunes from the cold wind in a cloudless blue sky.

Skirlington Car Boot produced a giant remote controlled crane and the usual soft toys.

I treated myself to a cut glass bottle to add to my collection.

Visited Filey on Monday.  Not too busy to say it was Bank Holiday.  The weather looked glorious but it was deceptive and the chilly wind kept us off the beach.

 Unspoilt Filey

... and the fine weather continues and lasts until the end of Pesach

Attended  the pre-seder service for Reception class.  All the children including Louis joined in all the songs.  I was a proud grandma!

Ben, Emma and Freya arrive by train.  Freya is walking and she finds the stairs fascinating.  Her singing is far superior to most of that heard on Britain's got Talent.

Ben is busy filming for Simon's production; he must have been sweltering in that hat in the hot weather.  Emma has to literally fly off to Stockholm to find somewhere to live....... and finds a stunning home where I am sure they will be happy.

Had a lovely family Seder.  We changed our traditional menu from salmon to fried fish, but it went down well (excuse the pun).  The children joined in with the songs learnt from school.

 Ellie's artwork

 our seder plate plus the ones made by the children 

Went to Shul with kids, who attended children's service, but I had to stay with them.

We packed a picnic sufficient for an army and went off to the caravan for the day to water plants, although it was cooler by the sea.  Both kids rode their bikes all the way to the pond where we saw some cute baby ducklings.  Returned too late for pilates and really feeling it.  Missed 3 weeks now.

Went to Harrogate with Val and took our respective picnics, mine being pesadich.  Went round the shops but bought very little.

Had a picnic at Langthorpe Loop and went for a walk between two waterways, the river and canal.

Sunday tidied up the back garden and lawn.  It is so dry; we have had no rain for weeks.   Had lunch outside;eating salmon cutlets and drinking wine.  Sitting on the patio, reading a good book The Beach Hut by Veronica Henry, which consists of 14 inter-related vignettes, each one named for a beach hut on the Everdene Sands.  Under a blue sky in a warm breeze perfumed by lilac with blackbirds scurrying to and fro in the undergrowth and the only noise is the distant hum of lawn mowers, cars and music. air perfumed with lilac. Afternoon tea at Auntie Edith's with all the family; doesn't get much better than this.
Went to Shul and Pesach is soon over for another year.  Next year in .....