Photo diary: weeks 39 & 40, project 366

I tend to write a Photo diary post on a Sunday, but last Sunday I spent in bed, with a fever and a headache. I didn't have a cough, so don't think it was the dreaded virus, but it took me several days to recover properly, hence the mix of photos - some taken by me, old ones and snapped by my family.

These two weeks were not exactly eventful, or memorable. 

We finished reading Wizards of Once Book 4 (I'm still reeling from the revelation of who the narrator is, it so doesn't make sense). 

I began reading The Cuckoo's Calling. I know I'm late to the party, as the book no.5 in the series was just published, but I watched the TV series Strike and decided to read the novels. I don't mind that I know the plot, I'm just enjoying the dynamics of the relationship and intelligent writing.

I often pass by this old stone building next to the bridge, and it always makes me wonder just how damp it must be indoors. Saying that, I'd love to see what it looks like inside. Its roof is also a resting platform for white doves.

A quick cup of coffee in the Blue Boar before errands in town. This simple floral arrangement by the window looked elegant and pretty.

I was running to collect Eddie from school, and have spotted this rather sinister-looking cloud, with the sun in the place of the eye. It made me think of a gigantic Minotaur. 

My friend Jen took me to the Burford garden centre by car. I haven't visited it since early March, and was surprised at the crowds. We could hardly find a place to park, it was packed full indoors. 

I needed some hay for the storage of apples, but couldn't find any. 

In the end I got a bag of tulip bulbs and a couple of flower pots. Seeing the rows of tables with tulip bulbs made me think of my Mum, who loves gardening. She always buys tulips for my garden, and every spring they bloom like greetings from her. This year I'll just have to pretend that we bought the bulbs together.

There was an outdoor sculpture exhibition, and I loved this mermaid. This artwork by Martin Cash is called Just Another Refugee.

My brother sent me this snap taken on the walk in the park by WhatsApp. 

The queues to the supermarkets are almost back to the size of the beginning of the lockdown. And the toilet paper aisle is suspiciously low on choice. It was a miserable wet day, and I think waiting in the cold has contributed to me feeling unwell the next days.

I felt utterly rubbish last Sunday, and wasn't in the mood to take any photos. 

My brother has scanned several old photos for me. This black and white photo was taken, when we were visiting my grandparents. They lived in the middle of nowhere, literally, in the last but one house at the end of the village, surrounded by the wild steppes. As my grandfather was a forest ranger, they kept a horse.

That's my Mum holding the reins, my younger brother is sitting right behind me, I'm not looking in the camera, and two others kids are the next door neighbour and the daughter of the man who took the photos. He was working on the film set in the vicinity, and visiting my Grandma to buy fresh milk (she kept cows). 

And just wanted to say, we didn't all ride in such a big company, it was simply a photo shoot. 

My Mum looks so beautiful. I think I must be 13-14 years old in this picture? That makes my Mum about 37-38 years old.

I spent Monday in bed as well, weak and running temperature. My husband had to take Eddie to the dentist after school, and then they popped to McDonalds for a takeaway meal, which they happily ate in my husband's office.

On Tuesday I accompanied Eddie to school, and did a quick shopping at Waitrose. These eerie mannequin's hands behind the sale sign in the window caught my eye.

Another cloud shape, on the way to school, which made me think of dinosaurs or lizards.

This photo of yellow gloves was actually taken a year ago, when my Mum was still staying with us and working in the garden (try to stop her!).  She travelled home a couple of days later, and it's a year, since we last saw each other. I really miss her. 

Who knows when we'll be able to hug each other. I do talk to her every day on the phone, but it's not the same, is it?!

I'm beginning to look around the shops for Christmas gifts ideas. Eddie's a big fan of Star Wars, and he also has quite a collection of Funko Pop toys. I might get this Luke Skywalker with Yoda for him.

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