Cubs and I have just spent the weekend at Mum's, and it was better than I anticipated. To clarify, I was so cranky on Saturday - because of the gods-awful weather - I was thinking that being forced into close proximity with the cubs and my mother for 3 days would be a nightmare. <g> It wasn't - in fact it was kind of relaxing. Helps that the weather cooled right down, of course.
Didn't do much on Saturday, just a little shopping, but on Sunday we traipsed along to a Medieval Festival at the local archery park. Lots to see, lots to photograph (heh, 134 pics later...) The jousting was fun to watch, and, oooh! Pavilions! Now that's what I call camping in style! Yes, they're bulky and a pain in the arse to transport, but I want one!
Cubs had a ball. They loved looking at the weaponry and armour, were dead impressed with the jousters, and got to fire a crossbow! That was the highlight for them, I think. <g>
We stayed for a few hours then, as promised, I took the cubs swimming afterwards. I only stayed in for an hour - all the earlier walking combined with not-quite-warm water made my feet feel twitchy and pre-crampy - but the cubs kept splashing around for another hour at least. I really like the pool near mum's; it's not stupidly crowded like the ones around here, even on hot weekends, and the staff are not stingy about letting the patrons play with the centre's equipment.

Today, Monday, the cubs went swimming again while Nana was at her exercise class. I stayed out and kept an eye on them while I did some sewing, listened to music. After that we drove to a friend of Mum's to check out her furniture. She's moving from a smallish house to a miniscule unit and has to downsize: I've been given first pick of the loot. <g> I've earmarked a desk, table and benches, kitchen unit and bookshelves - all in varnished pine, my favourite. Mine, all mine, for free! Now I just have to organise transport. (Niki? In case you read this before I ring you... Do you still have the trailer? Oh, and thank you for the bread. :)

Normally, well recently, coming 'home' was always a bit of a downer. Perhaps it's the prospect of being able to clear some of the clutter soon, but for a change I was quite cheerful walking into the house this afternoon. Let's see if I can keep the positivity going long enough to get my teeth into cleaning and clearing the crap...

Had an interesting dream while I was at Mum's. Joules came to visit! Which was fabulous as it was the first time we'd actually met but I'd forgot she was coming. So not only did she have to find my place by public transport instead of me picking her up from the airport, the house was completely unready (read: filthy) for visitors, plus I had to find somewhere comfortable for her to sleep! I was embarrassed, knowing I was letting myself down as a good host, and under the circumstances her bad temper was entirely reasonable. :)
(And the house itself was odd: a pastiche of the past 3 places I've lived with added bits from a couple of other houses I've visited in dreams. An awkward, uncomfortable place, but - I knew - with so much potential to be warmly quirky and welcoming, if I just put in a little effort.)
Strangely enough, this dream has the same feel about it as the other 'travelling' dreams I'd had recently, only this time it was someone travelling to me. But, there was the same debilitating sense of unpreparedness. I'm sure my subconscious is trying to tell me something...

[Edit: The Blogger spellcheck threw up coasters for jousters; Ares for arse (thinking of Xena, that's spot-on); travesty for traipsed; and pica for pics. Hee.)