Lately...

READING the new issue of Oh Comely, which appeared on my doormat last week.  One of my favourite indulgences is to settle down with a magazine and a cup of tea, and Oh Comely is always a good read.

ADMIRING my beautiful new bicycle.  I was given money to buy one for my birthday last year, so it's pretty bad that only last Wednesday (exactly a week before this year's birthday) did I finally get round to having it built (it had been sitting in its box since November).  With its classic cruiser shape, leather saddle and handlebars, and wicker basket, it is a total hipster-blogger cliche of a bike; and I love it!

WRITING letters and postcards to friends, but very little for the blog.  The Boy was visiting earlier this week, then a couple of days after he left, my brother, Richard, arrived for a visit.  Once I'm back from Year 8 camp, I promise I'll start writing more again.

BUYING tickets to see Wolf Hall at the RSC next year.  I am SO excited about seeing one of my favourite novels adapted for the stage (although I'm incredibly pissed off with the RSC's terrible accessibility for deaf customers... more on that later).

LISTENING to lots of 6Music as I potter in my kitchen.  In fact, I'm listening to Huey Morgan's show as I type and he really is rocking it this afternoon.  On what other radio station can you go from listening to Pearl Jam to classic Motown girl groups in the space of two minutes?

WALKING up to Old John, a strange folly in Bradgate Park at the top of one of the only hills in Leicestershire.  Richard, a Yorkshire man, even approved it as "a real hill".

DRINKING cider with my brother in an early birthday celebration.

EATING a  picnic in the park with The Boy; a yummy birthday meal with the girls; jammy doughnuts with Richard.

All in all, a good couple of weeks and a lovely weekend!