Thursday photo #280

Is there some unwritten rule of the space-time continuum stating that time always speeds up at the start of a school term? It seems like ages ago that the children went back. Now, their after school clubs are fully underway. I’ve finally got some time to myself again and my thoughts have already turned to half term.

September sunshine

I’m sure that September surprises me for the same reason every year. As autumn approaches, I always expect it to be cold. And it never is. Leaves are turning red, the nights are drawing in. I see shiny brown conkers on the ground every time I walk the dog. The sun is still warm and yet the river is becoming pleasantly cold. It might just be my favourite time of year.

Yesterday, we had what is likely to be our last swim of the season in the place we first started swimming 18 months ago. This time last year, we were wondering how long we’d carry on. Would the cold get the better of us in September or October? Surely by November, we’d be tucked up somewhere warm on a Monday morning. We knew people swam in the winter, but not us. The hardy winter swimmers must be superhuman. But it turned out they weren’t. In fact, they were just like us.

We did move swim spots to a calmer river last autumn, but we didn’t stop. This winter will be different. The feeling of exhilaration from swimming during winter is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. And this year, I can’t wait for the cold to kick in.

A little shadow

When I was pregnant with Lia, I remember wondering how on earth I’d cope with a baby and at toddler. I thought the baby would take up all my time. What would I find for the toddler to do when I had my hands full with the baby?

Of course as it turned out, I was completely wrong. What actually happened was that Lia had to fit in with the things I was already doing with Libby. Much as I hate to admit it, that’s a trend that has continued ever since.

Lia does seem to enjoy the same things as Libby. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that she’s constantly in her sister’s shadow. This term, she has started the last two things Libby was doing without her. Piano and singing lessons. Yesterday, she went to school art club and cried because Libby wasn’t with her as she was doing a different club instead. I love the fact the two of them are so close. But I’m beginning to wonder when Lia will want to do something that is just for her. She can’t live in her sister’s shadow forever.

Thursday photo #280

At the weekend, we went for lunch in Clevedon, just outside Bristol. It never crossed my mind that there might be an opportunity to swim. So unusually for me, I didn’t take a swimming costume. I was gutted when I realised there was a beautiful tide pool. I wasn’t the only one though. The girls have really caught the wild swimming bug this summer. I can’t wait to swim with them again next yer.