Another month goes by..

      I can't believe I have let another month pass without writing anything. And tomorrow I am off again to Barcelona, this time taking my Big Grandson for a family visit. I'm so looking forward to it
and so is he. Not only because it is still lovely and warm in Barcelona, but also because we will be staying with Son, his Partner and little Grandson (who is tremendously excited by the way). This will be Big Grandson's first trip to Barcelona, and we are going to do the street art walking tours and probably also going to the Picasso Museum, as well as going to the beach and swimming in the sea. All these arty activities are because Big Grandson is going to be starting his GCSE years when he goes back to school, and one of his chosen subjects is Art with a capital A. He  has even been painting and generally experimenting with paint in the holidays. Some of his canvasses are really good in my opinion: he has used feathers and paint in a very interesting way.
     Yesterday we even trekked up to London to see the Frida Kahlo Exhibition at the V & A Museum. It was a bit of a mission because our train to London was cancelled, so we had to go from Shoreham to Brighton and then change on to a Victoria train so the journey took us 2 hours. I had joined the V & A as a Member in preparation for our visit, as the exhibition was completely sold out and pre-booked. It was worth it because as a Member I can take up to 4 children under 16 for free, and use the Members' Room - and there's no charge for entry to special exhibitions. Brilliant as far as I'm concerned and it really made the visit easier. Grandson really loved the Frida Kahlo and was so interested in her life, He made notes in his little book and was impressed with her clothes and jewelry: her artificial leg was the object of much fascination for both of us. It was incredibly decorated and somehow symbolized her bravery. She must have been in pain every day of her life, and she died at only 47. It was an amazing experience seeing all this come together, and Grandson bought paints and brushes as well  as postcards. He intends to put together a project on her, so watch this space.
      When we come back from Barcelona on 31st August, Daughter and family are moving again, to a larger house in Hove, and Grandson will have his own room again. They are literally moving the day after we come back, on 1st September. And then School starts again on 4th. Here we go again...

Bye bye July.

      I just can't believe we're at the end of July already. And the school holidays are upon us. Though this year my services have  not been required so far! Big Grandson, being now all of fourteen, has his own ideas of how he wants to spend his days and it's not exactly with his Nana doing nana-ish sort of things. He is going off with his (adopted) Dad for a week next week - they are going to be camping in France, just him and his Father's Father, which I'm sure will be fun. He will be doing French for one of his GCSE subjects, so hopefully they will be speaking a bit of French while they are there. When he comes back I'm planning a day in London at the V&A, including a look at the Frida Kahlo exhibition. He surprised me when I suggested it, thinking that he wouldn't know who she was, but he did and was delighted at the prospect of going. Art is another of his GCSE choices, and he has a pretty enlightened young Art Teacher whom we call Mr. Cool (mainly because he wears a cool leather jacket and rides a cool motorbike to school). I'm pretty sure that Frida Kahlo will be his cup of tea, and he will be interested in her life story. Anyway, that's a plan which meets with his approval so I need to book tickets. Otherwise he seems to be into "chillin" and meeting up with his friends, little Alfie, who comes up to his elbow, and big Kai who is the same huge size as Grandson and with whom he goes to Boxing  on Thursdays - so far so normal.
      Yesterday evening I went to look at a bicycle which was for sale, and  made the mistake of trying to ride it when I could see it was too big and too heavy for me. Haha, I promptly fell over, with the bike on top of me. I screamed and the sweet lady who was selling the bike looked very alarmed and
tried to help me up. I slowly felt around and discovered that I wasn't badly hurt. My chest was painful and I had a job getting up, but no bones broken and only a few bruises. That'll teach me - I really need to acknowledge that I am not as sprightly as I once was.
      Oops I seem to have slipped into August and that's typical of me - I start something and then wander off and forget about it. Ah well, happy August...