Mega Family Zoom

 We were invited to join a family reunion post Thanksgiving Zoom call, and it was so great! Organized by my Dad's cousin in law Cherie, there were something like 80 people invited to it. I guess its not so mega as far as Zoom calls go, but I was impressed reading the joining instructions where each branch of the family had specific time slots allocated. Fortunately we were towards the beginning at 9pm our time. Loved seeing my 2nd cousin Justin and his 7 kids, although I didn't get a glimpse of Rebekah and was sad about that. It would have been fun to see them since we all lived together for a little bit in San Diego back in 2001. 

More swimming

I have been able to do a bit more swimming down at Tide Mills. It is just so wonderful and fun and empowering. 

Toffee madness

Rhiannon has been back on the fundraising mission by making and selling English Toffee using the family recipe. Bless her, she has been working really hard and staying on top of the orders that are coming in to her mailbox.

If you are reading this and interested in ordering some, you can private message me.

 

My birthday this year

Yesterday was a nice day of surprises. I woke up and was treated to presents and coffee with toast in bed. I got an awesome Garmin watch, a Firepot stove and a new yoga mat - all really thoughtful and perfect gifts! Then, as it was a normal school and work day, everyone started their day and set off just before 8:00 am, including me. I did manage to take a long lunch break and cycle over to Wych Cross Garden Centre which is still open despite these boring Covid times. I met Lou there and we walked around really slowly (since she has a broken ankle just now and her foot is in a boot) talking and catching up. We sat in the outbuilding which has BBQ and outdoor furniture on display, and actually we sat in the 2 lawn chairs that were on offer for sale, "just testing them out"... 

Then I cycled back home in time for my 2pm conference call. In the late afternoon, I went for a walk with Emma round the forest with her dog, which was lovely. We had Thai Time takeaway dinner and a delicious birthday cake baked by our friend Sarah-the-Cake-Lady

 This card made me laugh so much

Then today I took the day off and slept in a bit, then went swimming with Cat and EB down at Tide Mills. Cat gave me a long cozy hoodie which is soooo nice to put on after getting out of the water

A new era of participation

Tonight Tryfan made pizza all by himself for the whole family.

He learned how to make pizza at school this week, so he offered to do it for the whole family this weekend and he did it. Turned out really, really tasty and professional looking. Sorry for not taking a photo but we ate it all too fast! 

Champagne sea bath

 I have been pining to go back in the sea this week. I was so looking forward to the weekend when i would finally have time to drive down to Newhaven and dip in the ocean... 

But then Saturday arrived and it was high tide and quite stormy with no swimmers in the water. A bit too dangerous this morning... So Cat and I were inspired some by of the other Mermadams who suggested a champagne sea bath. This is where you lay down in the surf zone and let the wave wash over you. It was very windy and dramatic.

One of the other Mermadams took this photo of Cat and I and sent it to me later. It doesn't show us laying down in the surf, but you can imagine...

Musical education

Tonight I was in a bit of a funny mood. I had a Smiths song in my head and decided it was time to educate the troops with some decent classic music from the late 80s. Somehow that turned into a kind of fun and loud and relatively wild Wednesday evening! We turned the lights down, the music up, and then took turns running in to try and touch the ceiling with our hands (or head, in Rhodri's case)

Its fun having teenage kids....

A beautiful and industrious Sunday

 I started today with a run and got home to discover everyone hard at work! It was a truly stunning morning, with mist on the water of some lakes we ran past and glowing leaves on the trees.

Gorgeous start to the weekend

I went to the beach again this morning with my friends Cat, Mary and Emma B. We are only allowed to exercise outside in pairs, so we had to keep our distance but there is plenty of room for everyone at the beach!

Afterwards we went to buy coffee and flatbread treats at this lovely Sardinian deli which is at the back of an industrial complex. So happy to have discovered this place! Wonderful people, food and coffee ... 

Look at these monkeys

These cheeky kids! 

They slink upstairs claiming to be needing to do homework or whatever, and then i come upstairs to find them in our bed!

I suppose there are worse things to find in one's bedroom. They are pretty sweet after all....

Magical day with a little bit of skiving

 Tomorrow is the start of an England-wide lockdown, so today has a special energy about it. I was able to take a few hours off this morning and play a bit of hookey with my friend Mary. We went swimming at the beach and then detoured through Lewes to buy some books and vegetables from the outdoor market. 

We took the time to sit at an outdoor cafe and order a bit of food. The sun was shining, the colors everywhere were so vibrant, and it was a glorious micro adventure.

Educational cinematic chain

As part of the Chalfing holiday (based on our house name), we did watch the Godfather trilogy over the course of the 3 main nights. And then because of the reference in one of them to the possible involvement of the mafia in the JFK assassination, we then watched JFK. And then because of Kevin Costner, we watched the Untouchables. And then because of the Al Capone conviction which led to his imprisonment on Alcatraz, we watched Escape From Alcatraz. What is next?

Here we are in watching movie positions on a rainy afternoon.