Beautiful day

Friday was a wonderful day.  I've been so busy it's taken until now to have time to write about it.

I got up and made myself an Olympic breakfast of nectarines, raspberries, plain yoghurt, honey and chopped nuts and seeds.  This is my favourite breakfast at the moment and I have it often, but it was particularly gorgeous on Friday because I'd bought huge, juicy fresh nectarines from Borough Market the previous day.

Then I took Dogbreath for a walk. It was one of those beautiful mornings when the sky is already perfectly blue, the wind is whistling in the trees and the wildflowers are blowing in the gentle breeze.  There was no-one else in my lovely little local park and as I watched Dogbreath skipping across the field, I felt that sense of happiness and contentment that you get when all is right with the world.

When we got back it was time to take Amber to a cycling fun day.  We climbed onto our bikes and rode to the school where it was being held.  On the way, Amber informed me that she only uses one brake now because the other one squeaks (hmm safety alert!) and also that she likes riding over drains (double safety alert)!  She rushed off to join the other children and I stood chatting to the organisers for a few minutes.  As we talked, a woman arrived in a people carrier and started unloading her three children and their bikes.  The organiser said wistfully, "It's always good when kids cycle here... it hopefully means they know what they're doing".  I laughed after Amber's earlier comments - there's always got to be an exception to the rule .... right?

After that I went home and got ready to go out for lunch.  My dog-walking friend and I decided a few weeks ago that we should treat ourselves a special end-of-summer lunch, without dogs, children or husbands.  We went to a gorgeous independent restaurant in town and the food was divine.  In particular my raspberry souffle with croissant ice-cream was to die for.  And then we went for cocktails!

It was a beautiful afternoon in the cocktail garden and I just felt so lucky.  Lucky to live here, lucky to have made good friends, lucky to have so much loveliness right on my doorstep.  Life is good!