The Landlady chases the sunshine

It is already the third week of the dreaded summer holidays and The Small Daughter and I have barely done anything exciting. At least, now she is about to start secondary school, The Small Daughter is more independent and able to entertain herself for some of the time. During the one sunny week, we managed to go to the beach and go swimming in the sea, but I have to say that I find Brighton beach horrible when it’s full of people and their barbecues. There is barely anywhere to sit and it’s so noisy that you might as well go and sit in McDonald’s.

“Kids and trains are never a harmonious duo”

To escape the madding crowds, we spent a day visiting my elderly aunt and uncle in The New Forest. The Small Daughter is on the cusp of becoming a teenager and all things to do with clothes, make-up, beauty, spots, hair treatments and other teenage afflictions are now all she’s interested in. She spent the entire outward journey applying copious amounts of make-up she’d received free with a kids’ magazine, and the entire return journey complaining about how bored she was and trying to discuss beauty treatments with me. Kids and trains are never a harmonious duo. At least she doesn’t have a sibling to brawl in the aisles with, as my older two children did.

I am very pleased that I reneged on my vow not to go on holiday any more this year and had the foresight to book flights to Portugal for me and The Small Daughter way back in March. At least we are almost guaranteed some sunshine, which seems to be a rare commodity in the UK this year. We are leaving on Thursday and will spend two days in Lisbon – which is one of my favourite cities – then travel to a villa 10 miles away by the sea to spend the rest of the week with some very good friends from Brighton. I am not sure how my liver will cope with this union, as my friends – who used to be my next door neighbours – are not renowned for their reticence when it comes to alcohol and late nights, and can always give me a run for my money, which is saying something.

I have to say that, having spent the entire summer with at least three students in the house, I can’t wait to get away from them and the responsibility of cooking for them. I’m even letting my lovely Spanish male lodger use my bedroom while I’m away, as his ‘partner’ (who could be male or female, I’ve yet to work it out – although my money’s on male) is coming over for a few days and I couldn’t bear to think of them sharing the creaky single bed in his room. I just hope he/she’s had the foresight to bring an umbrella.

Illustration: Jake McDonald www.shakeyillustrations.blogspot.com