Let the sun shine (in)

This is just a run of the mill entry, no drama etc. So May is almost over, not Theresa May, I would love her to be over, I am talking about the month, a funny month, changes galore and it is hard to believe that 4 weeks ago I was in Montreal and Quebec eating gravy and chips and not feeling guilty about it. I changed jobs in May, not because I wanted to but my contract was coming to an end and was fortunate enough to find another job with a similar title, well instead of Professional Standards Manager I became Head of Professional Standards. A big leap and as my new boss said, I've become a big fish in a small pond after being a small fish in a big pond for a long time and it is scary, I feel like I've jumped over a big wall and whilst trying to enjoy that success I am now in a big garden or rather a safari park and there are bigger beasts to deal with. I am neither a real pessimist or a Pollyanna optimist so it is too soon to measure my success or failure. All I know right now is I am surrounded by good people who expect a lot from me and have faith in me and that is good and unnerving. 

I have just spent the past weekend at my family home celebrating my niece's first holy communion.  Religion is not my thing but my niece enjoyed it as did her friends and classmates and she looked beautiful.  The post church party was fun and there were loads of people there and it felt odd, I felt a little outside of it all, everyone there seemed to know everyone but I felt like an observer. It was fun teasing the kids who thought sucking the air out of balloons would have the same effect as helium. It made me laugh and it always makes me laugh to seem one of my nephews, almost now, be a teenager and a kid at the same time, it was good to see him smiling (a rare thing in teenagers).  

In late April I took up spin class at the gym, it is great but since April my weight has gone up despite me losing 2kg of body fat (I am convinced the machine at Virgin Active is a snake oil salesman disguised as a robotic personal trainer). Last night I cycled for 30 minutes and was almost blinded by sweat. I guess that is a good thing? If it were a real bike and could move I would probably be laid up in traction by now, head to toe in a body cast. And this is my current favourite work-out song:

 

On Monday we headed to the beach. It wasn't warm enough to swim or sit on the beach (it rarely is) but we had a great meal of fish and chips! The fresh air was great and my mam enjoyed collecting the sea glass (bits of broken glass made smooth by the sand and pebbles, don't ask) It as nice to just spend time with my parents away from friends, neighbours and family. My dad even found something on the menu that wouldn't complicate his gluten allergy.

And this is the week 'Manchester' happened. Shocking. Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the UK and I love it and have had a close connection to it since 1993, two of my greatest ever loves were either from Manchester, live there now, or I met them there and one of my best friends lives nearby. The people of Manchester are strong, proud and diverse and the events of May 22nd won't keep them down and  hope the right wingers don't milk the situation for their warped racist and islamaphobic goals. I plan to visit the city at least twice this year. Don't look back in anger! 

May 25th, 2017