After a busy October, we headed into November back in the school routine, with a whole host of events on the horizon. As a single parent, I only get two weekends a month with my girls, so I made the most of one of my child-free weekends by having my brother over. We took a trip to the cinema to watch Tron: Ares, which we both really enjoyed.
We swapped the usual fireworks event for another visit to the Land of Lights – I really like this as alternative, it’s so much calmer. We’ve done this a couple of times now and unless something drastic changes, we probably won’t return but we do highly recommend it. It’s also very reasonably priced. Somewhere along the way, we had to replace our kettle — which doesn’t sound like much of a drama, except when it’s a Smeg kettle. They’re painfully expensive, but honestly, I can’t bring myself to have anything else.
Sadly, early in November we said goodbye to my step-grandpa. My granny passed away earlier in the year, and he followed nine months later. All of the services have been incredibly lovely and a real comfort during a difficult time.
The girls were invited to a climbing birthday party, which they absolutely loved, and towards the end of the month we unapologetically put the Christmas tree up. Decorating the tree is something we really treasure, and because the girls are only home every other weekend, we like to make the most of the festive atmosphere we create together.
We were meant to take our London trip in November, but I ended up becoming really unwell, which explains the gap in my usual blog posting. I was quite poorly for the first three to four weeks and, in total, spent around eight weeks not feeling myself, with persistent blocked ears. While November had its lovely moments, it was also draining at times. With a busy December ahead, I appreciated the slower pace and the chance to rest.
Overall, November was a quieter month – slower, gentler, and very much about getting through. As a single parent, life doesn’t stop: school runs still happen, lunch boxes still need making, and no matter how you’re feeling, you still show up for your children.
