It's been a tiring but pleasant weekend: and it's not quite over yet!
On Friday evening we had a party - a 'soiree' - at which I sang for an hour. I was quite pleased with how I sang: one song, Amarilli (Caccini, 1550-1618), I think I sang better than I've ever previously sung it (which has made me want to change what I'm singing in the concert on 11th September). There were only about 18 people at the party but it was really lovely and Husband and I didn't finally get to sleep until about 2a.m.: incredibly late for me these days. It was also our 6th wedding anniversary, though as usual we'd forgotten.
Brother-in-law and Wife-to-Be (I shall call her that even though he hasn't got around to setting a date yet: I wish he'd buck up!) came down and stayed on for the rest of the weekend, so it was great to see them: Husband is sailing with them next weekend so I'll probably see them briefly when I go to fetch him, and then they're coming down again the weekend after for my birthday dinner and will come to the concert. Running Friend P. and her husband camped outside our house in their van, so we had loads of people the next morning for a big cooked breakfast, and friends from Berwick who stayed at the Howard Arms http://www.howardarms.co.uk/ dropped in on their way home. It made it feel as if the party had lingered on, which was great rather than the house suddenly being empty.
B-in-L, W-to-B, Husband and I then took the children to Carlisle Castle in the afternoon, though I was feeling quite tired by then and didn't go exploring the Keep. I've been in it before and think it's fantastic: from what I remember it's structurally complete (the castle was still in military use up until the 1950s) rather than being a ruin, and I love the way you can go round one way and come out in a big hall and then go in a completely different direction and find yourself in the same big hall. There are lovely views from the battlements towards the Lake District Fells to the south, Scotland to the north and across towards Brampton and then Northumberland to the east.
Two friends from Northampton arrived early evening with their two children (3 and 1) and B-in-L cooked us a lovely supper of salmon with new potatoes and vegetables. By then I'm ashamed to say I was rather tired and grumpy and snappy with the children. Fortunately I woke up in a better mood this morning.
It was the final swimming lesson of the 10-week block for the children today, and I was really impressed and proud that Son did 20m on his back without armbands and without stopping (when we took him on Thursday after work he frustrated and annoyed us both by just not trying) and Daughter did 20m on her back using armbands. She also did 20m on her front with armbands but stopped every-so-often to hold on to the wall and shout up to us! She swims really well and strongly on her back but won't let us take her armbands off and doesn't like getting her face wet. My Mum suggested that we get Son to swim on his front above water by pushing a ball with his nose, which would be worth trying: currently he swims under water for about 4 strokes then has to come up to breathe, and stops.
Both children got a certificate and a medal and it's encouraged me to continue to take them: we were close to saying we'd never take them swimming again after Thursday!
Then while I made lunch (Coq au Vin), everybody else went round Talkin Tarn, which meant Son got to speed round on his bike. Two hours peace and quiet for me, even though I was busy: it was lovely. I didn't even have any music on!
Tomorrow as it's a Bank Holiday it would be nice if the 4 of us did something together as a family, but I also have a job to apply for, must check websites for job vacancies, and must do some singing practice. And at some point while it's still dry I want to mow one of the lawns and do some gardening. Meanwhile it's time for bed for the children and I think I shall follow not long after.
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