Celebrating Hot Style

When it's hot hot hot the best places to be are being busy doing nothing in the garden or dipping our feet in the cold North Sea. We'd usually avoid the city and all the crowding people, but when there's fun to be had from the once yearly Lord Mayor's Celebrations we head straight in.

I decided it was the day for another new dress. I had to take down the hem on my sale dress as shop bought ones are never long enough when you're over 6ft. Usually I avoid Joules, other than for the girlie clothes (which they're now too big for). It just isn't my kind of style, but when I saw this dress in the window I was instantly attracted to the print. It needs a bit of altering around the bust and perhaps removing the ever so shiny gold zip at the back (if I can really be bothered, which is probably not).

Lily had the right idea and had flopped out completely. This is her first experience of real sunshine and she was soaking it up in bucketfulls.

We managed to get a great spot for the parade on the shady side just beneath the castle. Alongside dancers, bands and cute kids there were some great artistic floats, this being one of my favourites.

The strange tall figures at the bottom were all whizzing about attached to walkers for elderly people. It was a great atmosphere and really brings the city together.

After the parade we headed off to the river, away from the crowds where dinner in a Mexican restaurant awaited us. However much we miss our girls being wee because it was such a magical time it has been replaced with lots of new magic too. Now we can do more grown-up stuff aswell like staying out for meals until late and fill them up with spicy food.

On Sunday we headed back in again for the Lanes Festival which we call Brighton days. This is how we remember Brighton as a vibrant and ecclectic place where impromtu street performers popped up and there was a real buzz in the air. Only very occassionally do we get that in Norwich, which is not to say we want Norwich to be any different either because we love it for being such a fascinating and stunning city.

We pitched up awhile on a cafe doorstep to listen to the ukele group while further down the sounds of Big Band Swing played out. Vintage stalls were laden alongside great makers so there was plenty to see and do. Later we headed up to the Castle Gardens to see a spot of Midsummer Nights Dream. The English teacher in me was thrilled when I heard Miss Rosey explaining who was who and what was happening to Little Bun. Amazingly we've had more requests for more Shakespeare which is ok by me as they're just great stories about the complexities of being human.

Sadly we missed the duck race, but when there's so much on you just can't be everywhere can you. 

Much much later lazing in the garden with Paul O'Grady on the radio (we adore him and would ask to adopt him into the family, but he would probably be freaked out by that request), sipping wine and timing Little Bun's races to and fro (sports day prep as she's fed up being last) we said this most definately is the Life.