Things I’m Looking Forward to in Summer*

Next month will begin the first summer holidays I will be spending with LM. For the past two years she attended nursery over the summer so for 5 hours a week she was still out of my hands. However since January she has been attending pre-school 5 days a week so I will really feel it when it comes to having her at home very day for 6 weeks. Not only that but it’s also going to be the run up to our holiday so it will seriously feel like a lifetime. However, I have been making plans to entertain LM (and myself).

Next week is Summer Solstice, I have to admit due to it’s spiritual meaning it’s one of my favourite days of the year. It’s the longest day and the shortest night and a day celebrated across many cultures for many different reasons. For me it also holds special meaning, it was my Grandfather’s favourite day, he saw it as the beginning of summer, a time of new beginnings and celebration. I have always said should I ever get married this would be the day I choose to do it on. You can learn more about the Summer Solstice at TheCircle, if this is something that interests you at all.

Anyway, despite having little money I do intend on enjoying my time with Little Miss as much as possible, and making time to enjoy myself and take a break. My mother is also off over summer so I’m hoping for a bit of breathing room and time for myself too. So these are my plans so far;

Trips to the Beach
I always feel like this is something that is a little bit lost on us because we live right next to the beach and LM has been plenty of times to walk my sister’s dog already. But I would love to take her to a different beach where we could do all the proper seaside things. Like get an ice cream, have a picnic, paddle in the sea, ride a donkey, go rock pooling. Our beach has long been devoid of all things that make it feel like a proper seaside town and I’d love for LM to experience that, sadly I have no idea if it’s feasible to get to any for a day but if I can get LM to Orlando, I can get her to a real beach. However I am looking forward to our annual seaside festival!

Day Away to See Inside Out
I say “day away” as our local cinema is rubbish and doesn’t show movies until at least 2/3 months after they’re released so like with Big Hero 6 and Cinderella we’ll catch the train to the city to watch it. The trailers and tsum tsum’s are already a big hit with LM and she really likes Disgust (or “agust” as she calls her) so I’m sure she’ll enjoy that. We also go out to a nice restaurant for dinner this is all thanks to the fact I save my Tesco Clubcard vouchers to pay for cinema tickets and meals.

Sheffield Film and Comicon
A convention FINALLY! I haven’t cosplayed properly since last summer and I have been itching to get at it again! Bee has recently started a new venture Closest Geek so she’ll be making my dress. We just decided today who we’re going as and I’m already so incredibly excited. I seriously want to try and make it to a winter con as well but at the moment i’m focusing on the one we’re attending this summer. I’m so glad my best friend is into it as much as I am, otherwise I’d be screwed as my friends who are into it live across the blooming pond! Anyway, I just need to focus on styling my wig and getting train tickets booked.

Take LM to a Disney Store Opening
Did you know if you go to a Disney Store for opening you could be chosen to open it with the large key and then get a special small one to take home? So yeah, my plan is to totally do that one day with her. LM is definitely missing the magic of Disney and this seems like a wonderful way to remind her that it’s still out there. I might try and tie it in with the first Tuesday of August or September when the new Tsum Tsum’s are released as she still likes to collect them and it saves me trying to order online.

Picnics in the Country
My sister has a car and is off for two weeks in July so hopefully we’ll manage this one. We actually live in a rather secluded place in the north, you only need to hop into a car to end up somewhere beautiful. I’d like to get a real cute picnic basket, pack it up with food and head out into the middle of no where or explore somewhere new. It’s relaxing and I can practice with my camera. We did it a few years back and it was glorious!

Over all, I just want to relax, take time to reflect and try hard to continue to rebuild my shattered self. I’m going to use the Summer Solstice to reflect on the difficulties of this year but all the goodness that has come out of the fact I have continued to fight.