It has been very quiet around here, with not much news to share, but I can never resist the opportunity to join in with Older Mum’s One Week project, which she runs once every season.

This week it’s time for us all to write a post reflecting on Spring.

It was a long time coming but now – in the first week of June – it finally feels like Spring is here. It’s a little blustery out, but there has been sunshine for the last four or five days, and it’s meant to carry on into the weekend which is good news because we’re going to our first barbecue of the year. I’m also sporting my first sunburn of the year. Never bloody learn…

Last Sunday we went for a lovely long walk. It was probably about three miles, which is the longest DorykSon has ever managed, and he slept very well afterwards. We headed out of Harpenden along a section of the Nickey Line so that I could show DorkySon and DorkyDad the pigs and donkeys that I’d seen there a few weeks ago. They held DorkySon’s interest for a few minutes, but he was far more interested in the old signals and platforms that remain from when the line was a working railway, along with the prospect of the pub lunch that was waiting for him at the end. It was the first time we’d been in The Silver Cup, and we’ll definitely be heading back.

This week I’ve been continuing my spring clean – DorkyDad has started referring to me as the ‘whirling dervish’ because every time he sees me I’m clutching a mop or a duster or a bag destined for the charity shop. My Mum is down for a few nights next week so I need to make sure the house is looking spick and span.

We’ve been so lucky this Spring to have lots of friends coming to stay with us – most recent was an old school friend who moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago and was back visiting. It was so much fun to catch up with her, and a nice reminder of how comfortable it is to spend time with people who know you well.

Now it is our turn to go and visit people, so we’re busy planning our summer travels – Harris first, then hopefully the States, and then Edinburgh for some of the Festival. I’m going slightly cross-eyed from looking at cheap flight websites, but I think it’s starting to take shape at last.

I’ve even been taking some refresher driving lessons, so that when we are staying with friends we can have a bit more independence and not be reliant on them to chauffeur us round. I passed about twelve years ago, but haven’t driven for the last ten, and was ridiculously nervous about getting back behind the wheel. So far I’ve had two lessons, and have been so pleasantly surprised by how comfortable I’ve found it. Be kind though, if you see a driving instructor’s red Mini stalled at a roundabout in St Albans…. it could well be me.