My first week of freedom

If you read my last blog you'll know I was VERY excited that I had finally got to the point where both kids got some form of free education, and so I had my first full day off in a very long time. I've wanted to explore the loop line, which is a cycle path by ours, since we moved here over 3 years ago. I go on it all the time but I've never been all the way up it as far as you can go. So I decided this would be a good thing to do with my first day off.

I was feeling giddy with excitement as I set off without any kids in tow.

This bit in West Derby is as far as I usually go.

Norris Green.

The loop line, or "the rala" as scousers call it, claims on signs that it goes to Southport but in reality you can only cycle as far as Aintree. I knew that in theory before I set off, but I came to know it in practice too. I thought seeing as I was going to Aintree I'd go to the retail park there. They have a Hobbycraft and I needed a tube of white paint. There are some lovely bits of the loop line but also some horrible bits, like two really long unlit tunnels that it would be super easy to be attacked in, and some bits with a lot of tiny flies and a bit of a swamp. I also passed about 70 school children on a walk.

I could see on my phone that I was getting near Aintree, but there should be a sign saying "end of the line, if you continue you'll just be stuck in a wood." I carried on thinking it would get better again, when all the time it was getting worse, to the point where I had to get off and walk my bike and I couldn't have turned it around because the path was too narrow. I went past Aintree racecourse

and the track got like this.

I could see the blue blob that was me on my map was nearly at a main road so I just kept trekking on through the mud. Until eventually I came out by a canal.

Then I cycled along the tow path to the retail park and treated myself to a drink in the M&S cafe because I'm pretty much retired now.

Luckily I took some trousers to wear over these muddy legs.

On the way back I managed to get on at a different point so that I didn't have to go through the mud again. Half way home a man cycling towards me said "watch out there's a knobhead" but then he quickly cycled off without telling me what kind of knobhead to expect. I was just coming up to the big creepy tunnel too, so I really needed to know if it was the kind of knobhead that would just shout a comment to you, or like the kind of knobhead that might stab you. I was more than happy to take an alternative route to avoid a stabby knobhead in a creepy tunnel, but since I didn't know I thought I'd give the knobhead the benefit of the doubt and carry on. He was sitting by the entrance to the tunnel and I properly stared at him to try and discern what kind of knobhead he was, but he didn't do anything.  

I had a bit of time to relax before I went to collect the boys. Percy was very excited and ran out of school saying "It was great! I didn't learn anything!" I was a little apprehensive because I've heard Year 1 is a lot harder work than Reception and they don't let them play much anymore, so I was half glad he didn't learn anything. On his time table he has 1 hour 45 of English and Phonics a day, but only one hour a week dedicated to art, music, PSHE and RE. I know I'm biased but that sucks. Over lock down he's learnt embroidery, and music production and break dancing as well as phonics and maths. So I was really excited when he came out of school on Friday saying he did "land art" and then it turned out that's just something he did at lunch time. He arranged a load of yellow leaves to look like a sunflower.

Eric has mainly enjoyed his nursery too, he was very excited to go. I spent my other 2 days off doing accounts and admin and then working on a mural in someone garden that I started in the summer. Next week I have a meeting about doing some artwork in Percy's school. I really hope it happens before things all get shut down again. 

The Monday rule change seems a bit random. We can now see other couples because we're only a family of four, but once my sister has her baby I won't technically be able to she her if her husband is there. And I can't go on a play date with another parent with two kids if either of us have partners working from home. Luckily everyone's bringing their family parties forward to this weekend because Covid can't strike till Monday.

Lockdown One was a fun novelty, a change in routine, a chance to bake bread from scratch and get on with some DIY, but really we don't need another lockdown for at least a decade now. Ughh. At least I had my one and probably only day off.