Week 25 One Daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

I'm bloody shattered, still haven't caught up with my sleep. Bloody boiling hot all week and too many medical appointments. Migraine meds and this heat reacting and side effects unpleasant. I'm just trying to get through to the weekend as I don't won't to miss out on the fun stuff, but something will have to give.

The positives

I had an amazing weekend and I'm grateful that I can not only afford to do things like fly to Paris, but I'm physically capable of doing it as well. Same time, same pace (maybe a different train platform) next year.

Saturday 20th June It was hard sleeping due to the heat. After breakfast we were out by 9am on the train to Luxembourg Gardens and then back on the train to Notre Dame and a walk to Pont Neuf to see the art installation on the the bridge, a walk back to The Palais de Justice where Marie Antoniette was held prisoner and back near our accommodation for lunch and the afternoon was spent sleeping as the temps hit 36c and it was just too hot to do anything. In the evening we were on the train to Rue to Rivoli to some up under the pyramid of the Louvre. We strolled up to Place de la Concorde and caught the train to George V on the Champs Elysees and at sunset climbed the 284 steps to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. We then watched a lightening storm and fireworks from our balcony that both lasted around half an hour.

Sunday 21st June A better sleep, breakfast and off to Chatelet les Halles and I strongly recommend that unless you have to go to this station, just don't. It's a massive station with connections to every street and station in Paris. We finally found our exit and relaxed in Starbucks for an hour whilst waiting for the local game store to open to collect some Pokemon cards. Next up a wander over to Notre Dame where we'd forgotten to take photos the previous day, some souvenir shopping and lunch in our favourite place. Back to the apartment where I packed, had a shower and set off for the airport. I arrived with 6 hours to spare as trains were being cancelled in the morning due to heat and lack of air conditioning, there were strikes on some services and rather stay in the apartment or lug my bag around in the heat, it made more sense just to be relaxed in the airport where I had dinner, read my book, drank coffee, video called the grandkids and had a half hour nap on a sofa. Flights across Europe were cancelled due to thunder storms also. Thankfully mine was only delayed by 5 mins but I was glad I'd chilled out at the airport and avoided all the stress. Peter collected me and we got home around midnight.

Monday 22nd June It was a long and hot day in work which included javelin throwing for PE. I met Peter for a coffee in town, then home for a nap on the sofa before going to gym in the evening. Bath, dinner and long chat with my niece and an early night.

Tuesday 23rd June A good sleep and a long day in work with power cuts and none stop complaining from the kids as if I could do something about the sun. Home via the retail park to do some shopping and Peter met me. I then went back out to the gym, had a bath and a carefully choreographed call with my friend who was also in the bath. I watered the garden, then went to bed to watch the second half of the football and do some blogging.

Wednesday 24th June I had the coolest classroom today covering English as it has tone of the few air con units, still didn't stop everyone moaning about the heat, also didn't stop everyone running around around at break and playing football at lunch. Peter spent the day visiting his mum in Keynsham and after work I had an appointment at the breast screening clinic. When did they stop calling them mammograms? Off to the gym, dinner, a family drama that was unnecessary. Video chat with niece, call with cousin on her honeymoon and plans for weekend with friends firmed up.

Thursday 25th June I was wilting by 1pm and the students were struggling to keep up. I had 3 classes combined into one with 9 students in total. For English I had 3 students and by period 5, the TA and I gave up and we took our 4 students for a wander in the cooler corridors, ignored a small water fight and found some shade and a bit of  breezy area outside. I came home, we had a hours nap, lost my rag with lack of air in the house and drove to the common to sit in the shade for an hour. Had a call from the GP surgery about my meds and medical review and next steps for further treatment. Called in at Morrisons, continued watching Clarkson's farm, cold bath and bed. 

Friday 26th June Opted to lie in a little and got stuck behind every tractor going and arrived in work with a minute to spare. Another hot day which actually felt muggier. More kids in today, but ice lollies delivered to classrooms was a big help. My classroom reached 32c today. Home behind every tractor Herefordshire had available and into town to get my nails done. Peter met me for coffee then evening spent on video calls and unwrapping my presents, dinner and Clarkson's farm, garden watered and bed by 10pm.

On the blog this week:

A weekend in Paris

Word of the week - Birthday

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Word of the week - Birthday

June is a busy month for Birthdays.

Both our daughter in laws have birthdays in June, so does my mother, a couple of friends, our son's dog and more importantly so do I.

I'm 55 today. What a number.

Child free or empty nester, not yet retired, but defiantly adapting to a slower pace of life or am I?

I ran a marathon in the spring. I'm running an ultra this autumn.

I've just got back from a weekend in Paris with a friend and boy am I feeling it, trying to catch up on missed sleep is not an option these days, it's a challenge.

My son had a pop at me when I complained about the heat 'you used to live in Dubai, get on with it' I spent the bloody summers in the UK, not Dubai for this very reason and we had air con, like everywhere, even in the beer gardens.

So what am I doing for my birthday in this heat? Well I'll be in work on Friday, I'm taking biscuits into school. I'm not being tight, well I am, I can't eat the cakes everyone else brings in for their birthdays so I'm not spending out a lot of money, in fact I'm not sure why I've even bothered buying anything at all now as I'm typing this out. 

I've had cards and presents come through the post already. I've opened cards, but not gifts.

We're going out for the day on Saturday which will involve a lunch and friends and a walk and I'm hoping to spend most of Sunday in bed followed by a trip to the coffee shop and at some point I'm really hoping that I've dropped enough hints and there will be cake.

As the week has gone on, new plans have developed and I'm actually camping on my friends drive Saturday night and visiting another on Sunday morning, so no lie in, no sign of any cake on Thursday night either.

Post Comment Love 26th -29th June 2026

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

I had an amazing weekend in Paris with my friend Dorette, although the weather was way too hot and we had to retreat indoors around 2pm and not venture back out till 8pm. But that meant we saw some amazing sunsets from the balcony and the Arc de Triomphe and we treated ourselves to ice creams under the Eiffel Tower one evening.

Another exciting weekend as I turn 55 today, I'm in work today but spending the evening with Pent and  time with friends over the weekend and chilling out with a lunch and a walk and fingers crossed a cake.

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A weekend in Paris 2026

I've just returned from my annual trip to trip to Paris to visit my friend Dorette who flew in from South Africa a few days early ahead of a work trip to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Our first meet up was in June 2024 then in June 2025 so now it's an annual trip. We used to meet up annually in South Africa after becoming friends in 2011 when we lived there for 4 years with me making several trips back each year after we left, but covid put a stop to that and between 2020 and 2023 we didn't see each other. The visits to South Africa resume this year also. 

On previous trips we've packed in as much as possible and booked loads of attractions, having booked things weeks in advance as everything books up so quickly and without booking you either queue for hours or just can't get in.

On this trip we decided to chance as there had been changes to when we were flying and with the predicted heat spell we weren't sure what we would have time for.

As it turned out it was way to hot to be out between 12pm and 6pm so that time was spent eating lunch and drinking cocktails near our apartment then sleeping the afternoon away before going back out in the evenings. The temps were in the high 30s, the sun didn't set till almost 10pm and the balcony afforded us wonderful views of the city including free firework displays lasting almost half an hour and an amazing thunderstorm on the Saturday.

You can see the Eiffel Tower from everywhere in Paris. 

We watched the light show from our balcony, however the only place in Paris where we couldn't see the tower itself as it was blocked by Montparnasse. 

We videoed called in two of our friends in South Africa and one asked if we'd made the booking on Temu after seeing the lift that we'd crammed into. It was literally just big enough for the two of us and we joked that we could pick our own way to die and method of body disposal as the entire building was covered in plastic and we didn't hear or see anyone for our entire stay.

We checked out LA CAVERNE DU PONT NEUF. Walk through art on Pont Neuf Bridge. It looks like a giant ice berg floating on the Seine.

Climbed to the top of the Arc De Triomphe at sunset.

Checked out The Louvre from above and below ground.

And checked out the views of Notre Dame after lunch at our favourite restaurant.

Every yaar we meet at a random train station as we arrive at different times, a photo gets sent of what we can see, with a description of where we are and the other replies with a rough eta. It works for us and so far we've both arrived within minutes of each other.

Week 24 2026 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

I went to the theatre to see Abigail's Party. The end scene was distressing due to the sound effects used. The whole play eluded to the fact that the leading male character was going to die from a heart attack. References to smoking, drinking, stress from being a white collar worker etc. There was no need to issue any warnings etc, this is life, but the use of guttural breathing sounds and the actors drawing our attentions to these sounds was not necessary. When you've sat with someone and heard what they call the 'death rattle' those sounds and the memory never leave you and it is very disturbing and distressing. Even more so when there is no medical support to explain to you what is happening, just as what was happening in the scene on stage. 

The positives

Hoping on a plane and flying to Paris to meet a friend for the Weekend will never be taken for granted in terms of costs, ability and friendship.

Saturday 13th June Off to the Three Counties Summer Show for the day. Well we reached 1pm and my mum and aunt were tired, so we met up with them and brought them home. Peter and I had gone off and done our own thing and as we'd taken a picnic with us we'd saved time queuing for food and had pretty much covered most of the show ground and seen everything. But at £25 each for entry it's quite pricey just for a few hours. Afternoon and evening spent around the garden, weeding, watering and just chilling out. Peter watching the football.

Sunday 14th June Off to the retail park for coffee and some shopping. Home by 11am and I went back to the Three Counties to meet up with child 2, DIL, and the grandchildren. I've got annual membership so for £80 a year I can go as many times as I like to the Spring, Summer and Autumn Show and this was my 4th trip so it's paid for itself and we've still the autumn show to come. We spent time with animals and I saw children from my school showing their sheep. Granddaughter was really interested in this. Back to ours for a roast dinner and the neighbours children came round to play. Another late night for after watering the garden and a bath and sorting the washing. Peter watched more football.

Monday 15th June Into work and absolutely shattered after the weekend. I need more sleep. Home, changed, washing machine on after stripping the beds and met my friend for a coffee and a catch up. Then some shopping and off to the gym to legs, bums and tums getting home at 8pm. I had dinner, a bath and into bed and bringing the washing in and watering the garden. Peter took my mum and aunt home and popped in to visit child 2 and family.

Tuesday 16th June Awake at 5am and sat downstairs in the back room to repack handbag and catch up with blogging. Meeting after work and nipped into town quickly before coming home to change and straight back out to spin class. Dinner, bath, watered the garden, watched some TV then bed.

Wednesday 17th June Home from work, fell asleep on the sofa for an hour, made myself some dinner, sorted some clothes for my weekend trip and went out to the theatre to see Abigail's Party. My friend Jenny who had arranged the trip was taken ill during the day, so I ended up going on my own. Home, watched the second half of the England game, had a bath, did some blogging and bed.

Thursday 18th June Into work and met Peter at the retail park for a coffee then home to pack for tomorrow, had dinner, a bath and an early night.

Friday 19th June At Birmingham Airport for 5am flight to Paris at 8am. Massive queues for security starting downstairs towards arrivals and it took 1 hour 45 mins to get through. No queues at Charles de Gaulle they seems to have abandoned the finger printing. I'd arranged to meet my friend by the ticket machines for the RER (train) she had flown in from South Africa and we made our way to the accommodation. After dumping our bags we went for lunch and did some shopping, then took the train to the Eiffel Tower to sit by the river and eat ice creams. It was so hot around 36c, we got back to the accommodation around 7pm and just chilled out eating fruit, cheese and crackers and booking some attractions for the morning.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week

Word of the Week - Missing

My Garden in June - Part One

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19th - 21st June 2026 Post Comment Love. Bonjour from Paris

Bonjour and welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

In case you haven't guessed I'm in Paris this weekend for my annual visit with my friend Dorette from South Africa.

2024 and 2025

Yes, it's officially an annual trip every June as it's the 3rd year we've done this and for as long as we are physically capable of travelling, we're planning of making this trip every year.

The weather is glorious unlike last year's trip where it was wet and cold.

We've done all the major tourist sites and have visited Versailles and Disney on other trips. we're off to the Catacombs and going up the Arc de triomphe. We've visited the La Pere LaChaise Cemetery and been on a sewer tour.

I'll let you know where we visited in next weeks post, but if you have any suggestions, do pop them in the comments.

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Word of the week - Missing

I spent 2 days on the case of the missing pants and socks.

I was down to the last few pairs of underwear and put a wash on, then due to the lovely weather we'd been having, got enough stuff together to put another wash on 2 days later for a particular pair of knickers to wear with my white trousers. Then along with a couple of t shirts they went in the tumble dryer with some socks to dry whilst the rest went on the line over night and after that, they went missing. 

They turned up this morning, back in the laundry basket, all of it. How or why it got back there I just don't know.

Car keys - they've been missing on and off all week. I'm blaming this on the fact we've been swopping vehicles. Normally I take the car to work and it's keyless, so they just live in the bottom of my bag and that's that. But with the van I have to physically have the key, so there's been lots of bag dumping trying to find them.

Smoking - I'm not missing the actual nicotine or even the smoking, but I do miss the physical side of the routine, the break, the break from what I was doing to sit outside, read my book, drink my tea. My whole routine has changed since I've stopped and I'm not liking it. I am liking the not smoking though.

Running - Since I started going to the gym 3 evenings a week, I've stopped running. Whilst I very much enjoy the exercises and I can physically feel the difference and even see it in my arms and legs. I've actually put on 3 kg with it all sitting round my middle and I don't like it at all, but it's to be expected with the level of exercise I've been doing, I'm consuming more carbs and not running them off. I need to make some adjustments to my diet and start running again.

Family - We're estranged from our youngest, child 5. Just approaching our 5th year since he cut us out of his life. He's doing well and is in contact with one of his brothers, child 4 and that's all we can ask for. We haven't seen child 3 for almost a year now as he's in Australia and of course there's Stephanie missing from our lives every single day from which there is nothing we can do about, of which we have no control and can effect no change on the situation, not even on the way her death effects us some days. It's permanent, without end.

Cutlery - Missing most of the week. We took it out with us to the Three Counties as I was convinced it has been thrown away and I've been reluctant to take the 'grown up' cutlery out the draw in case I lost that also. It turned up on top of the microwave where I'd put it to keep it safe.

Coffee - Half a cup was missing. This is a constant battle for me. Why use such large cups if they've got no intention of filling them more than 2/3rds. This was from the theatre on Wednesday night and cost £3.80 and wasn't that nice either.

Sleep - with the football, visitors, a late night at the theatre, a new role in work and a stressful environment anyway, plus most of the above, there is never enough sleep for me. I'm asleep by 11pm most nights and I will sleep through to 5am, but it's not enough and it's often disturbed. Peter has been sleeping a couple of nights in the back room when he's stayed up to watch the football and I've gone to bed around 9pm and I've slept much better, through to the alarm at 6.15am. 

My garden in June 2026 Part One

 The pots are doing well, bulbs have all finished and been cut back, autumn bulbs planted and all now weeded. Herbs thinned and planted out into the raised beds.

There are grapes on the vine.

The raised bed is doing really well, this is only two weeks apart.

I pulled the cornflowers up before they went to seed.

Then planted the second bed up.

We've just let the front garden grow, weeds and all, it's now been thinned out a little. It's been fun watching the cow parsley grow, it was a tall as me, before we pulled it up.

The red hot poker came and went.

We've had quite a few strawberries from plants that are 6 years old. The cherries are on their first year and are so sharp.

Second year with the apple tree, first year we may get some apples.

Second year for both the tree and fruit. 

Stephanie's namesake rose on the left, highly fragranced and 'In loving memory' on the right.

Finally the pesky squirrels are back digging up. their nuts.