A grand day out

Yesterday, The Hubby and I had a day out.

I appreciate that may not sound like the most exciting statement in the world, and ‘having a day out’ is something that people do all the time, but we haven’t done it for ages due to various pressures and obligations and it was a timely reminder of how important it is to make time to spend just with each other and enjoy each other’s company. For starters, we went to the British Museum and saw the special exhibition about Pompeii and Herculaneum. Unless you’re into ancient history that may sound a little dull, but the exhibition was superb and the plaster casts made from the voids in the volcanic ash where organic matter had decayed, but the ash around it had set into solid rock, were strangely touching and evocative. I cannot imagine the terror that the occupants of those cities must have felt when the volcano erupted, and the casts are so precise that on some of the statues the facial expression was visible. One group of people, thought to be a family huddled together in a room when the pyroclastic surge caught them, were particularly touching with the mother clutching one child and the other child contorted in fear.

After that, we went over to the South Bank originally with the intention of just having a wander and looking at the arts and crafts stalls. However it was such a beautiful day that we took advantage of practically no queue at the London eye and paid the extortionate fare for the 30 minute revolution. The view was staggeringly clear and I’m really glad we did it; last time we went up it was also a lovely day but we faffed, worried we hadn’t intended to spend that money and putting it off ‘until next time’. We almost did the same yesterday but in the end took the plunge and it was amazing, well worth the money. If you haven’t been, I suggest you do.

In the evening, we rounded off the day by going to Pizza Express for a pizza and nice bottle of rose. Lovely!

As I say, we haven’t done a day out like that for ages. Demands of teenagers, a newly bereaved mother in law and financial constraints have meant weekends spent ferrying others or doing chores. Time together has been at a premium and we have been endlessly tired. What little down time has been available has been spent slumped in front of the telly with little energy for anything else. As a result, the pleasure we have always taken in each other’s company has been hard to come by as to be honest, at the weekends we haven’t seen much of each other.

We have resolved, after yesterday which was a salutary reminder of how good it can be, not to let such a situation happen again. Once a month at least, provided we are not going on holiday that month, we will keep one weekend ‘for us’ and plan something nice, even if it is just a trip to the cinema and a curry afterwards. We will be disciplined about putting money aside for this, so that even in our straitened circumstances lack of cash is not an excuse.

So the challenge is to find something to do in October (we’re going away in September) which fits the bill. Maybe a trip to the seaside – haven’t been to seedy old Brighton in ages, or sedate and genteel Eastbourne! Or maybe the zoo, to see some tigers and gorillas.

Any more imaginative suggestions (which don’t involve either extreme physical exertion [ie no sport] or a second mortgage) welcome!