Noticing the swallows and flocks of finches in the recently harvested fields. The swallows zip low over the cut stubble, snatching insects, while the finches flitter about at the field edges looking for spilt seed.
Sheltering from the rain showers this week. So much for summer – it’s feeling distinctly autumnal today.
Planning for my return to full-time work in mid-September. Eeek! It’s a career change and I am chuffed, excited and nervous all at the same time. It’s been many years since I last had a ‘proper’ job and I have got used to the freelance life and working from home, so it’s going to take some time to adjust. I will definitely need to buy a few smarter clothes; tatty jeans and t-shirts won’t cut it.
Celebrating Ollie (my middle child) passing his driving test. Hurrah. Having another driver in the household will certainly help, especially with me going Out To Work (it feels funny, writing that), although the car insurance for new drivers is extortionate, isn’t it?!
Smelling the delicious scent of cloves that waft from the pinks planted in a pot on the wall next to the path and the vaguely digestive-biscuit scent of my dog’s head. The rest of the family can’t smell it.
Neglecting the housework and the garden. I’ve been so focused on applying for jobs and preparing for interviews, and all the associated fretting that goes with it, that I haven’t been able to think about doing much else. Silly really, when I know that an hour in the garden is great therapy. I’m going to have to be much more focused with my time (and maybe find someone to help indoors).
Hoping we will be able to get away for a few days over the bank holiday.
Watching my daughter dance in the corps de ballet in a wonderful production of The Nutcracker. Her dance school puts on a festival ballet every summer and invites professional ballet dancers to take the lead roles. It’s an intensive two weeks of rehearsals followed by five shows and she loves every minute. We all went to watch and were amazed at the incredible dancing and professionalism of the production. I found tears leaking from my eyes throughout most of the show.
Ignoring the political news. I am fed up. With it/them all.
Cursing badgers. It may be one badger or it may be more but many of our raspberry canes have been flattened by the greedy creature. It has also eaten all the gorgeous, big, fat, on-the-verge of perfect ripeness tomatoes. It doesn’t go for the cucumbers or courgettes, so at least that’s something to be grateful for. Red yes; green no. Grrrrrrrrr.
Picking any of the raspberries that haven’t been eaten/trampled by the aforementioned badger.
Guarding our apple trees (see above).
Reading novels to help me relax before sleep. I’ve just finished Stoner by John Edward Williams (beautifully written) and Big Sky by Kate Atkinson (I am a little in love with Jackson Brodie).
Eating too many sugary palmiers from Lidl. They are delicious and they remind me of holidays. It’s a good job I won’t be needing to wear my bikini this year.
Sending my fondest love to my sister-in-law in Cheshire (if she is reading this).
Borrowing the ‘-ing’ idea from Christina at A Colourful Life – if you haven’t read her lovely blog, do take a look. I am full of admiration for her quilting/sewing expertise and her general approach to life.
Wishing you a good week. Bye for now x
acoastalplot 
Thank you, Sam, for setting up full-screen, wonderful photos again.
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Good luck with your new job.
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Thanks Brian. It’s good to have new challenges.
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Wonderful news about the job and the driving test! Hopefully you’ll have a couple of ‘chill’ weeks before the September busy-ness kicks in. Beautiful photos X
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Thanks, Lou. Interesting times ahead but, yes, in the meantime I intend to make the most of the free days! x
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Testing testing testing. Fingers crossed this comment comes through. If it does, I’ll leave another one with proper content 🙂
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I don’t know how all of a sudden I can comment again! I set up a WordPress account, which maybe helped. I know I have emailed you a comment but it bugged me that I was unable to comment and here I am, again. Anyway, lots happening in your life. Congratulations on your new job, how exciting. It is daunting to go back to work full time, I remember how I felt when I did. I hope the job is all and more than you hope for. Maybe your son can drive you to work now and then, how handy is that? It is a strange thing, that biscuit scent emanating from your dog’s head. Our dog also has a biscuit scented head that only I can smell! Have a lovely weekend xx
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And finally, thank you for the mention 🙂
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Thank you, Christina – you too. I wish I could comment on your blog – will keep trying 🙂 xx
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It worked!
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Wonderful flowers! The pic below the Echinops – is that rusty foxglove? How proud you must be of your daughter. Best of luck with the new job!
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What a whirl of transitions for all of you. Change, change, always change. A new job is always such a bundle of hope and fear. I’m looking forward to hearing more about it.
Badgers. What do you do about them? We don’t have badger-in-the-garden problems here but we finally resorted to a tiny electric fence to keep the raccoons from decimating our sweet corn. So far, so good.
Your apples look wonderful, by the way.
As for Jackson Brodie, aren’t we all supposed to be a little in love with him? I have “Big Sky” in my bookcase, lined up for my next read. I didn’t like “Transcription” very much, so I’m looking forward to a dose of Jackson!
I hope you suck every bit of pleasure that you can out of the rest of your summer!
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Hi Brenda, yes, lots of change coming up… It’s a community development role with a focus on facilitating migrant integration so will be challenging but hopefully rewarding. Badgers would just bulldoze through an electric fence – they’re determined critters! If nothing else, gardening teaches you to be philosophical. ‘Big Sky’ is a much more satisfying read than ‘Transcription’ 🙂 x
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What an interesting post, Sam, with all your ‘ings’- and what a momentous time in your life, going back to work, and full-time at that! Well done on having the confidence to apply and succeed, particularly if it’s a career change 😊 No more proof- reading then?
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Hi Cathy, the full-time bit is what’s making me nervous! I’m so used to working freelance (i.e. not regular hours); I hope it’s not going to feel too like going back to school, if you know what I mean. It is a big change (not publishing) and I still can’t quite get my head around the fact that I actually got the job 🙂
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It’s a real achievement Sam and you clearly deserve it – doesn’t stop it being scary though! Hope you make a great start
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Congratulations on the job, how exciting, I hope you enjoy it. And well done Ollie on the driving test. It will be novel being driven around by one’s child I think! The ballet sounds wonderful, what a lovely idea to have professional dancers in the lead roles. Garden also being ignored here. We have been away and now I have mountains of work plus the children have things that require me to be out and about, so it will have to run wild for a bit. I haven’t heard any news at all for a week, unless you count the cricket score, and it has been rather blissful. CJ xx
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Loving your beautiful photos. Sympathising with you on the badger front (I share your pain). Wishing you good luck for your new job – an exciting moment for you. Congratulating you on another parenting milestone. All good wishes, Deborah
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Thank you, Deborah. Hope all’s well with you x
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