MAY MEMORIES

I've written here about how I wanted this blog to reflect who I am at the moment and I've decided to try to do a monthly post on what we've been up to as an online journal of sorts. I wasn't sure what to expect from May as I was starting new chemotherapy treatment and the first 6 sessions would be every week.  Thankfully it's all very manageable, I'm working 2 mornings a week, having a very restful Thursday and packing a lot in with my lovely boys the rest of the time!  I've been truly spoiled by my lovely friends who take it in turns to come with me to hang out on Wednesdays at the Day Spa as we've nicknamed it, supply me with meals for the tired days and magazines and lovely cakes for the better days.

LOVELY LYME

My in laws have all moved to Dorset in the past few years - my sister in law and family to just outside Dorchester and my mother in law to just outside Weymouth.  Whilst it gives us a lovely base it does mean we tend to stick to those areas without exploring the rest of Dorset.  So the last time we went I insisted we venture further afield to Lyme Regis for the day as I hadn't been for years.  We started our morning at the Town Mill Bakery which is the most delightful cafe.  Picture long rows of wooden tables, delicious coffee, self service bread and toasting stations, piles of fluffy pastries and gorgeous looking cakes.

Then we walked along the pier before lunch (it's a pastel Instagram dream!), visited the dinosaur museum and watched the street performances.  The children were all happy digging for fossils (or eating stones if you were Thomas) and there were the obligatory ice-creams before rounding up the day with pizza on the beach for tea.

THE COURTS NATIONAL TRUST

We've been National Trust Members since we've had children but use it more some years than others.  Embarrassingly the Courts is less than 10 miles from Bath and we've never been.  The house is lived in by private tenants but the gardens are open to the public and are just beautiful.  I'm currently obsessed by alliums and they had the most amazing displays.

There is a children's forest school play area and we dodged the showers with a picnic and finished up with delicious cakes in the tea rooms.

BRISTOL ZOO

Last weekend we packed another picnic and headed to Bristol Zoo for the first time.  It was a fabulous day out and we were so busy looking at all the animals that I didn't take many photos.  The flamingos were my favourite while James loved the penguins best!  The zoo also has a great playground, small water splash area and a dinosaur exhibit at the moment.  The flowers all around the zoo were beautiful too.

MY BOYS

I've been trying to spend an hour or so with James each Friday just on his own.  Mostly we go to a local cafe and eat too much toast or cake, browse the charity shops with change from his money box for new books and pick up any errands for the weekend. James is particularly used to standing around in flower shops while I spend forever deliberating over what to get! I can't quite believe he starts school in September so want to make the most of these precious days.  

Thomas took his first steps last month though still seems happier crawling everywhere at top speed instead.  His favourite toys are balls or anything that belongs to James rather than him and his favourite thing to do is to climb on anything he can!

And those are my May Memories!