Ok so it’s day one of Term 3 and apparently the holidays are over? Not sure what happened there, I blinked and suddenly had to get up this morning and pack lunches and shine shoes and deliver children to school in gale force Arctic winds. It almost felt like we’d never left!
I guess it didn’t help that I was struck down with a virus of some description the entire time the kids were away in Queensland, leaving me buried under mountains of blankets watching endless episodes of Britain’s Best Home Cook and, for some reason, Coronation Street. By the end of my convalesence I was upset Eileen was moving to Bristol and wondering how Johnny was going to come clean to his wife that he’d been pashing the manager of the pub after Aidan’s funeral. I was in deeeeeeeep.
The final week of the holidays were very quiet, lots of inside time with books and games – so quiet they all merge into one long day in my head and I’m not sure which was which. We did have a brief National Incident when a Beanie Boo was left at the shops one day, and I know another I was struck by a cleaning demon, wrestling this dusty old shoebox into submission, but on the whole it was pretty relaxed.
Saturday we packed up the car nice and early and headed out Gippsland way for a night at the RACV Inverloch, which was super-fun. The kids loved the playgrounds and the jumping pillow (who doesn’t really? I even got on one a week before I gave birth to Smalls, I must have looked QUITE A SIGHT). We had a much-needed Devonshire Tea before heading out to see the penguins come home to bed at the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. They were quite tardy and it was very late before they showed up, and by then our feet were numb. They’re pretty bloody cute though, and we watched them waddle about the place without a care in the world. Back to the resort for a extraordinarily pleasant dinner (the kids can ACTUALLY DO THE ACTIVITY PACKS NOW AND THE WHOLE THING IS TERRIBLY CIVILISED dear toddler mum stacey one day you’ll finish your food in peace I am from the future and it is bright) and settled down in our cabin (I say cabin but it was the size of the Titanic and had glorious views) for the night.
Yesterday we woke to the ocean AND cows, pleasing everybody, and a bit of a lie-in. The way home was dotted with stops for ocean-viewing and coastal exploring before a pub lunch and a visit to Udder and Hoe in Kilcunda. We got back later than we intended, but there was just so much to see! I don’t get out that way nearly often enough.
The holidays were finalised with a Complete and Thorough viewing of recipe books and a list of tea cakes to be made for Term 3 lunchboxes and afternoon teas was drawn up, the nit-shampooing was conducted, and a mandatory viewing of Masterchef rounded off the evening. A very pleasant situation all round over the last two weeks (virus omitted) and despite the house looking out of shape and today’s weather being very grim, it is almost just as pleasant as holidays to be getting back to routine. And I woke up to official Louis christening photos with a Cath at Wimbledon chaser. What a treat.
Did you survive holidays? Still on them? Have no children and are horrified at the nit situation? Welcome.
Caz Room For My Soul says
Sorry to hear you haven’t been well. Bad timing. Mine headed back today too. But seeing as I am working I don’t get that post holiday lull anymore. Miss that. But back into routine again.
Becky - BeckyandJames says
Being sick in the holidays is so horrible! We’ve just started week two and I can’t decide if we’re surviving or not yet. I find that they either drag at an unbearable slow pace or fly by so fast you barely caught your breath – why is that?
Stacey says
Oh god if you ever find out, let me know!
Tina Lacy says
Its still holidays here which for us just means no toddler groups for us to attend but we did have a nice play date with a friend yesterday (nice meaning they both wanted exactly what the other one had at that exact moment and it was the end of the world). The small human had a rough week last week with a tummy bug and a ear infection and then a nasty reaction to the antibiotics, I made the husband take the friday afternoon off so I could go to work as was decidedly grumpy after a week spent on the couch in constant contact with said child. Glad you are feeling better and had a nice break away x
Stacey says
How is she this week? Better, I hope x
Cathy says
We are still on holidays here. The first week was spent doing jobs around home. Finally finishing the painting of the outside of our house (after 6yrs!!!) This week has been spent catching up with friends, visiting my parents, tomorrow we are walking pigeon house with husbo, kids, my parents, and 2 of my nephews and then Thurs we might see Mamma Mia 2, Friday night I have a girls night planned with a dear friend visiting from the US this week.
Sounds like you had a nice break.
Stacey says
Oh how was Mamma Mia 2? As good as the first?
Denyse Whelan says
Good to know you could cosy up and binge on comfort tv when you weren’t well. That sounded like a great overnight family holiday. I know hols go so fast…and in fact, even though we “think” second term is bad to get through..tiredness, illness etc..Third term comes by with a serve towards the end. Hope you are mucb better now and cooking up a treat.
Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek 29/52. Next week’s optional prompt is Share Your Snaps. Denyse
Stacey says
That third term is a kicker!!
Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond says
Last day of my holidays today too!! Hate the thought of going back to work on Monday. That went way too fast
Stacey says
I feel like this again today!
MissyD says
As a person with no children, I gotta say I love the school/uni holidays because public transport is super quiet, as are the roads and city. It’s lovely to have so few people travelling around when I have to go to stinky old work. 🙂