When, oh when?

‘When are we going to do something a little bit crazy?’ I ask of C. ‘I don’t think we can count a month in Ireland, or three weeks skiing, or a month in Lincolnshire in January under the banner of Bohemian? Sure we took a tent to Shetland last October which was a little bit mad, but that’s getting on for over a year ago now. Well? When are we going to go mad?’

I forgot to mention that last weekend we took a Megabus to London for a 21st birthday

It’s a simmering, perennial question for me. What’s the point of setting yourself up as semi retired with a clear ambition of getting the most out of life, when you don’t push the boundary? Sure it’s been fab recently. We had a great weekend away just a week ago … and we’re off to Italy on Sunday for 12 days with Mary for a nephew’s wedding. But that’s all v middle class and, frankly, not enough to dampen my enthusiasm for something a little bit crazy.

mmm, I like this

The last couple of days have been a blur of preparation (also hardly outside of any box). C sorted our stuff for Italy at the same time as we prepared the house and Doris for the return of Bex, Steven and Henry at the end of the month. We’ve walked, run (going well for me … I smashed my standard run benchmark 4.6km on Wednesday, from 20 mins to 19.30 – when I started this 8 yeasr ago 19 minutes was my stretch target, so I’m pleased to be closer to it. Recovery has taken a couple of days, though), sorted and generally enjoyed the upturn in the weather, with Mrs Sun in sparkling form. C’s ankle is improving and looks like it is going to be OK for Italy. And we’ve made it to Mary’s where we’ve helped out where we can and are looking set for the big off on Sunday. Stand by Tuscany … line up the coffees and the prosseco.

C preparing for Italy … in a contemplative mood

But when will we get all mad? When are we pootling off into the sunset followed by a cloud of unburnt diesel?

Well, there’s Saudi for maybe 6 weeks as babt sitters at the end of the summer. I suppose that counts as a little bit odd. And then, well here’s an opportunity. We have another wedding to attend. This time in Ibiza in October. Flying would be the cheapest and easiest … but what about we drive down and stay for a month? We could take the car and a tent. That would be cost effective. Or we could do something I’ve always wanted to do and take the van down, cross over to Ibiza for the wedding, pop back and then ensconce ourselves in a seaview campsite for a month and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Sunburnt Brits abroad. Union Jack shorts and lobster shoulders? OK, so it’s not driving the west coast of South America, which is what we both really want to do next. But perhaps we’ll manage that next year?

More prep for Italy

I know. How blooming lucky are we? This is the life of Riley, for sure. And, assuming we stay fit enough, we might squeeze another decade out of this. Can’t believe it, really.

Stay safe. Please. And keep smiling.

Oh, and I drove to Fordingbridge to have a boys’ night in with Kenn