Blackberry Summer

The blackberries are perfectly ripened for picking. Yesterday, I managed to harvest a bowl full from merely 4 blackberry stems in our garden. Maxine asks: 'Why it is when Kelvin is around, the blackberries ‘starts’ and then ‘finishes’'. The answer is simply that it has been exactly 1 year since I’d moved to Twickenham. Kelvin’s timely summer holiday return marks a full cycle.

Much has happened and much stayed the same. We have moved to a new home in the same area, but with a real difference. The new house is big with ample grounds which include a swimming pool and 2 ponds. There’s a fire place and the distribution of the lounge and dinning is exactly like that of the flat in Barcelona. Excellent!

It has been a pleasure potting round the garden. Though cleaning the 7 years old abandoned pond was utterly disgusting. I had the wellies, but didn't imagine a face mask would have been handy. We  now have  three gold fishes along with water lilies. The swimming pool is now in full working order. I’ve calculated that it costs around £25 to fill the pool each time. We’ve filled it 3 times already!!!! However, with the filter fully restored, we can turn on the pump and add chlorine tomorrow.
The year started off with a real bang. There was the High Court hearing, Legal Aid battle, Nuria’s hip operation, clinical visits, getting pleural effusion (water in the lungs). By late spring things kind of died down until the house move which took place on 14 June. Then I was summoned to Barcelona. Hearing suspended through total incompetence. Pues paso! I had become a law specialist of the Hague Convention and it looks as if I will become an expert of the Brussels II Revised Convention too! Arhhhhhhhh…………

And so here we are. The future is unmarked and vague. However we have a lovely home and I shall endeveaour with all my might to continue with life in total freedom and enjoyment. So am still looking at last minute get-a-ways. The options so far are:-

- 1 week horse riding in Cornwall, all inclusive with board and meals. Hmm!!!! Certified by the British Horse Riding Society…. Hmmmmmmm!!!!

- Four nights boating on the Norfolk Boards. Seems idyllic, but perhaps I need something with less responsibilities. Navigating the bridges and locks with two kids is not exactly stress free, especially as Maxine has a tendency to sit on the sides with her legs daggling over.

- 1 Week half board on a Greek Island. Though, seasonal high prices will mean a 3 star only hotel for us. I’m having difficulties envisaging a picture of cool swimming pool decked with the well designed loungers, bougainvilleas sweeping over the edges and in the background a mirad of calm sea which nestles in the background of the picture, just below the swimming pool’s rim. Min 4 star, surely!!!???

- Pontins (UK Holiday Park) at Bognor Regis.  Maxine’s been seeing adverts on TV. I have no comments with this option, other than it isn’t a viable option for me at least, though I’m looking at the lodges instead of holiday parks.

Surprisingly the total cost of going abroad is equivalent to that of any UK holiday.

The uncertainty with the holiday dates means that I cannot confirm yet. We have a slot between our Summer BBQ and Franz’s visit to London, around beginning of August.

Alternatively we can stay in Twickenham by the pool!

I need to read some non fictions, make future plans for Habac and basically chill out. Fabiola calls me a champion. It would seem to others that I challenge hurdles with great ease. In reality  it requires great amount of energy in preparing and executing. I can truly say that I'm, physically and mentally, exhausted and would like nothing better but to keep things simple. Once the parasol arrives, I will have everything I need right here.