The Great Escape

I think this is a craft blog, although you wouldn't know it to look at it of late. The summer holidays have caused havoc to both my crafting and business. There just hasn't been any time to get in to any kind of routine. It went to pot as soon as the children broke up and I haven't managed to claw it all back into order yet.

I can't blame it all on them really. By the time they were all back at school and by the time Samuel was sorted at his new High School, I was packing my bags and off again.

When we moved back to Leeds from London 4 years ago (that is impossible for it to be so long) I would never have dreamt that I would hook up with 3 of my oldest friends from High School and we'd be heading off in to the sun for a girlie break. Rachel and I never lost touch - as she freely admits, because I always popped in to see her when we were back in town. But I hadn't seen Sarah or Ruth since we ripped open those A-Level results way back when.

We were inseperable in school from Day 1. We formed a third of the hockey team, a quarter of the netball team and pretty much all of the tennis team. But I think, because we all had healthy independent social lives out of school (we all lived in far flung corners of Leeds) once we took away that common ground of school, we lost our point of contact and very soon drifted.

More years than I care to remember and our children are now starting to go to that same High School and here we are all together again. It's been fantastic rekindling this particular friendship group. We make sure we meet up regularly - just the 4 of us - no children - no husbands - just us - and usually copious amounts of the ol' red!

On one of our debauche evenings, Ruth invited us all to her bolt hole in Perpignan. Tickets were booked and we were off.

I love my family. I love my kids. But boy did I enjoy not thinking or caring about any of them.(after the complicated time table of where they all needed to be, go, have, for things to run like clockwork in my absence was sorted out) Matthew and I have had a couple of short breaks over the years. I've had a couple of overnighters for trade fairs in London. But, just me, to do what I wanted without feeling guilty. It's defnitely the best tonic and hopefully will set me up for the onslaught of the Christmas silly season ahead.

And for any of you that haven't managed to have the same experience... You must...and if you need any volunteers to accompany you...

And I promise. Now summer is well and truely over, I promise to bring this blog back to what it is supposed to be...until the next vacation of course!