Dublin and Bristol - brilliant places for blowing out the cobwebs!

I always find myself feeling a bit conflicted this time of year. I love autumn, adore the rich colours creeping across the countryside, the whiff of bonfires and especially lighting the woodburner in the evenings again, I LOVE all that. I'm also quite partial to woolly tights and chunky boots and the excuse to indulge my minor obsession with scarves. But I'm not such a fan of the encroaching darkness, coldness, pressure of impending festivities (urgh to the buybuybuy panic of high street hysteria from now to January!), and I particularly loathe the fact that our normally healthy family always seems beset by lurgies this time of year - this autumn back-to-back sore throats, coughs and colds since late september. So, our half term break was a wonderful reminder that in all the busyness this time of year (we also have 5 family birthdays, new schools and uni applications!), it is really important to stand back sometimes, take a breath or five, and remember to make time for some fun, relaxation and adventure. Just spending time together and doing some new things that are fresh and interesting has been a real tonic.

Last week we hopped on a plane to Dublin, where none of us had been before, and had a little mini- adventure exploring the city and nearby coastline. We were totally smitten. We stayed at a truly lovely B and B called Number 31, in a converted town house in the Georgian Quarter. It came complete with convivial owner/manager, unbelievably delicious and decadant breakfast, blissfully comfy beds and a cosy sitting room in the mews attached to the main house which had a permanent roaring fire in the grate, candle-lit lanterns and a complimentary tray of tea and homemade cake whenever you take the fancy. We will be going back!

It was so much fun mooching around the gorgeous parks, the cool renovated dock area of Temple Bar, the grandeur of the Georgian squares and Trinity College, and stopping off for coffees and the odd Guiness along the river. It is a fantastic place to visit because it is so walkable and so diverse. As long as you give the touristy pubs a miss, the food is delicious, with an emphasis on the wonderful local Irish produce. We loved the fact that you could jump on the fast, affordable and efficient 'Dart" train service, and explore the local coast to the north and south of the city. Less than half an hour away is this,

In another life, I could so see myself living here, in the hills behind Killiney beach, commuting into Dublin when needed. Sigh. Sounds good doesn't it? Next village along, Dalkey, with its Georgian cottages, slightly hipster vibe, and beachy good looks, was also totally seducing. No wonder that Bono and pals have pads around here. We will definitely be returning for a summer one year.

The softly grey and beige pebbles of Killiney beach have ignited my desire to develop further pebble shaped pieces of jewelelry, there is something so utterly pleasing about their ordinary perfection, their tactility and simplicity, no?

We have also spent a day this last weekend visiting our eldest boy who is at uni in Bristol. Every time we visit him, he books a table for lunch at a new restaurant or cafe in different parts of town, and we are having a blast getting to know the city and spending precious time with him. This time we had fun wandering the pretty, cobbled streets and squares of the Old City area, it was looking stunning with the trees turning russet and the sun softly shining.

The close proximity of the harbour and Old City Quarters mean that there are so many gorgeous old streets near the river, all seeming full of history and atmosphere - the water and its boats and gulls overhead, the cobbles, wharfs, warehouses and lovely old pubs create an mixed area full of life and interest.

Our lunch table was at The River Station, a wonderful place right on one of the canals, with fantastic views across the water to the old merchants' houses on the far bank. Definitely can recommend it.

Happy times, happy memories, (screens off!), it is important to take the time to make them happen, isn't it? x

Alhambra, Grenada

A whole month since I last blogged! Really? This is what the summer holidays and four kids does to my atttempts to have any kind of organised schedule! In august we live in a happy schedule void in fact, with me cobbling little bits of work around lots of time running after the teens and 11 year old, and their various needs as well as spending some family time together  - and that lovely hanging out together feels so precious with one now away at uni and the others increasingly independent.

This year, the six of us headed out to a hillside village in the mountains of Andalusia - hot but high enough for no mosquitos and no wasps and a gentle mountain breeze. It was gorgeous to step out of normal life and unplug for a week (no wifi, it was a revelation and a joy!).

Visiting the Alhambra in Grenada was a brilliant experience. I had been there a couple of times before but it was great seeing the kids' eyes widening at the beauty of the ancient Arabic palaces, gardens and the hazy, sundrenched grandeur of the sweeping views from the battlement towers and garden walls. The exquisite architecture and peaceful atmosphere of the gentle gardens with their courtyards and cool pools of water were as stunning as I remembered - we went early enough to beat the worst of the heat and crowds, and we were so glad of that.

Even by ten o'clock the sky over the red fort was that sort of fierce blue that feels so Mediterranean and different to the soft blues over England on a sunny day. There was already a heat haze over the surrounding hills and valleys.

 The gardens are kept wonderfully cool by the green corridors of hedging and rills of cold water that link them all together.

The three big boys of the family!

 I think my most favourite spaces were the domestic ones, the smaller gardens and more intimate courtyards that were the living spaces, the personal domestic homes within the larger palace architecture. Places of love, family and private life. Just beautiful.

A seriously top tip for a cool break from the sightseeing and delicious light lunch, is to put a brush through the hair, straighten the creases out of the t-shirts and head confidently into the grand Parador hotel right on site and enjoy a rejuvenating lunch on the cool, breezy terrace taking in the wonderful atmosphere and gorgeous views away from all the crowds and busy-ness.

It is the most exquisite place, the courtyards with their Moorish arches and latticed windows are unforgettable.

It was interesting to suddenly find myself talking about Islamic art and war and culture and all sorts of interesting things with our older kids on holiday- the maturity of one's kids creeps up stealthily until one day, instead of talking about the next icecream stop or the need to jump on the statues and so on,  (or simply the constant need to make everything understandable to little ones), we are having proper grown up conversations and I am the one having to concentrate to keep up with very intelligent and articulate adults - so lovely. To be honest, I think it was me who was whining for an icecream break that day! There is this constant flow forwards with parenting -a shifting landscape that is ever changing, evolving, adjusting with new realities and requirements for happiness and understanding. Our annual summer week away together brings those changes into clear relief and it sometimes suprises me how much our family has moved on in just one year. Holidays are like that aren't they, make one stand back a little and see things with fresh eyes and a more open, (less busy and distracted) heart? Such important days.