So, it’s all been a bit quiet over here lately, hasn’t it? Where have I been, you might have wondered. Well, nowhere really. Work, home, work, home, and so on and so on. Work has been crazy busy with me covering for others off on holidays. There are a dozen posts I wanted to write but I just haven’t had the time/energy/right frame of mind depending on the day.

It hasn’t been all work and no play though. Despite the stress and the heat and the rushing about, I’ve managed to squeeze in some good times too.  Here’s a look at the good, the mediocre and the bits I’d rather forget.

Loving

Time with the children – the days are longer, school is more relaxed and there seems to be so  much more time in the afternoons and evenings. Walks to the ice cream parlour and trips to the local pool complex have featured regularly the past few weeks, as have afternoons  watching the children spash about with the lawn sprinker or water balloons in the garden while I faff about  in the garden or take it easy with coffee and a book.

Books – trying to take life a little more slowly as well as not being in the frame of mind for blogging after a long, hot day has meant I’m flying through books. There’s another reading challenge post coming soon, I promise. My quickest read lately was The Other Side of the Wall by Andrea Mara (aka Office Mum) , followed by Anything is Possible by Elisabeth Strout. They are two very different books, but I’d recommend both. More to follow in my next book review post.

The garden – I honestly don’t know where I’d be without my garden. It’s a source of work, of course, but it is also a happy place, a retreat, a source of home-grown food, a place to entertain and a versatile, extra-large playroom for the boys. When all else gets too much I can pop out and run my hands through the lavender or lemon balm and breathe in the scent. I can check on the hens, gather the eggs, snack on a few raspberries or plums or even just hang out a wash. I wouldn’t be without it, especially in summer.

The Bavarian – somehow in the summer we seem to have more time for a drink and a chat. On nights when it is just too hot for anything else, sitting in the garden with a beer as darkness falls and the air begins to cool is as good as a date night. Plus when we barbecue he’s in charge of the cooking, leaving me with more time for the children and my book.

Not So Crazy About

“Hitzefrei” – when the temperatures go above 30°C the schools over here have the option of closing for the afternoon. In June we had three weeks where the children got a note home several days a week to say that school was closed from 1pm the following day. Yay for the kids. Who doesn’t love a half day of school? Eh, working parents perhaps? Oh the fun we had rearranging plans, working from home and holding telephone conferences while trying not to let anyone notice I am fielding questions from a chatty six year old simultaneously.

Humidity – the part of Germany we live in is brutally humid. It is the kind of heat that makes you grumpy, snappy and uncomfortable. On paper it is grand. 33°C? Nice! NO, not when it feels like 37°C, there’s not even the hint of a breeze and the sky is overcast so you can’t even enjoy the look of a clear blue sky.  If anyone reading this wants to splash out on air con for our house, give me a shout. We’d be happy to test that out for you, air con brands. (Worth a try, right?)

So Not Loving

Holiday cover – five weeks in a row of double jobbing is taking its toll on me. I don’t begrudge anyone their holiday and someone has to cover my tasks when I go on holiday. But I haven’t had a spare minute in weeks. Lunch? Coffee breaks? Nope, not a hope. On the plus side I’ve lost a few pounds and have a healthy-looking flexi-time account.

So that’s what life round here’s been like. Tomorrow is the first official days of the school holidays. Here’s to six weeks of not having to deal with lunch boxes!

How’ve you been? What are your summer loves?