A DAY OUT IN CHELTENHAM

Even though I've lived in Bristol six years I have only visited Cheltenham once, even though it's less than an hours drive away it has somehow slipped off my radar as a place to go visit. So the other weekend we decided to drive over and explore the city.

Being a regency spa town, it is steeped in history and prides itself on being the cultural centre of the Cotswolds, surrounded by beautiful architecture, promenades and squares. Mix this with Cheltenham's Christmas activities and you're onto a great day out.

We arrived around lunchtime and as a treat we decided to try the rather grande Queens Hotel which overlooks the Imperial Gardens, being such a short walk to the promenade made it a great place to relax before we attempted any Christmas shopping.

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A ME DAY AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

A few weeks ago in the midst of all the chaos of work, childcare, chores, meetings and life in general, I had a rare moment, one that doesn't come along that often, a me day. F was at my parents house for a sleep over, Paul was abroad on business and I decided to clear the diary and jump on a train to London to just hang out.

Well it just so happened that the lovely people over at Chestertons who are in partnership with the RA, thought I might like to visit the Anselm Kiefer exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts and they were not wrong.

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WEEKEND DAY TRIPPIN'

After a fun-filled saturday with friends at Bristol Zoo's open-air film night and some well deserved mama time checking out Something Else with the lovely Oyster & Pearl and Little Green Shed, we decided to end the weekend on a high note with a bit of day trippin'.

Ever since our dear friends have mentioned their adventures in Woolacombe, I've been eager to discover it for myself. Only two hours down the motorway this beach promises stretches of white sands, cute colourful beach huts and hearty fish 'n' chips – how could I resist – we bundled in the car and headed south. 

As we negotiated our way through the bikini clad masses we found a small space at the bottom of a sand bank, in the hopes we might find shelter from the blazing sun. F was delighted and I felt myself unwind in the sea air. We spent the whole day digging holes, fetching sea water, jumping waves, spotting jellyfish, eating ice creams, squashing sand castles, catching up with a friend and watching the older kids body board.

We set off late back to Bristol, with an exhausted boy snoring from the back seat covered in a mixture of suntan lotion and sand. I lifted him out of the car and he wrapped his small arms around my neck and I nuzzled his salty hair, glad to have given him this day.