The last few days have been a bit dramatic for my liking with H being rushed by ambulance to hospital at the beginning of the week with severe abdominal pain. He was kept in overnight and had lots of tests which showed he has a kidney stone. Happily he’s now home again and has plenty of pain killers to keep him comfortable until it passes (hopefully soon).

As a result of the extra drama my energy is flagging a bit but luckily Toby has 3 perfectly timed sessions of respite care coming up and I’m looking forward to some time to call my very own. As always I have a list of things to do, people to email, chores to tackle but the thought of carrying on like any normal week has me feeling a bit melancholy.

At this time of year so many of my friends are away on family holidays, enjoying beach time, family adventures and most of all a break of the normal mundanity of life. Family holidays are something that we no longer do because those that we did have when Toby was younger so often became more stressful for all of us than staying at home.  I’m hopeful that holidays will be a part of our future family life (perhaps on the other side of Toby’s teenage years) but for now they are out of the question. Anyway, since we are not going away I decided that instead of carrying on with normal stuff I would set my Toby-free-time aside for a little holiday-like activity of my own.

I’ve taken a leaf out of Nina’s book and complied myself a little bucket list of things I’d like to do over the next week, things that are not usually part of my everydays and that I hope will help me capture that lovely lazy freedom feeling that you get when you are on a proper holiday.

 

 

 

I’ll pop back and let you know how I get on and if I find my holiday nirvana 🙂

 

The final few days before the long school summer break are always held in sacred regard here. It's the last chance for six weeks to savour complete quiet, unadulterated by Black Veil Brides screaming out of Amy's room or the incessant clicking of Toby's lego bricks constantly being taken apart and reassembled. Keeping Toby occupied over the summer hols is always a full time job and I will not have much time to call my own over the coming weeks. So today I am being very indulgent and sitting peacefully at the end of the garden with my knitting. At the moment I'm playing around with ideas for Fair Isle sweater patterns (though there won't be a pattern for a while as I still have lots of tweaking to do) …

 

 

 

 

At the end of the garden, sitting with knitting, is my perfect place to be and right now I'm feeling very lucky indeed to be right here. Though the place that my friends and I spent yesterday afternoon in was also rather perfect, The Mudlarks Garden Cafe in Hertford.

 

 

In a world where high street cafes are often multi-national affairs and look the same no matter which town you're in, such a unique and a locally run establishment is a true gem.

 

 

There's a lovely friendly feel to the seating, with cosy sofas and armchairs, little nooks and sweet tables with mis-matched chairs. Hot drinks are served in pretty vintage china tea cups with proper leaf tea in teapots arriving on a tray with milk jugs and tea-strainers. Food is freshly made, organic, vegetarian/vegan and very tempting (I took these pictures after the lunchtime crowd had been and gone and so most of the quiches, salads and cakes had already been devoured).

 

 

 

There are books and toys for little ones, a table football game in the outbuilding and a very pretty courtyard garden full of flowers, bunting and more seating.

 

 

 

But what really makes this cafe so very special is it's involvement with and support of the local community. The Mudlarks community garden is a charity very close to my heart. Their stated aim is

to integrate people with learning difficulties and mental health issues into the community through gardening whilst also promoting conservation and allowing people of all abilities to learn and work together.

They also support young people with autism and learning difficulties beyond school and this is something which I'm hoping will be a part of Toby's future when he leaves school.

Many of the ingredients used at the new cafe come from the community garden project and it's a nice feeling to enjoy a well-made cup of tea and delicious lunch and know that it is a virtuous one too because of all those people that are helped and supported.

I know that many of you that visit here with me are not even in the UK, let alone local to Hertford but if you are ever in the area please make a detour and stop by the Mudlarks garden cafe for a cuppa and a slice of cake (and remember there's the lovely Creative Sanctuary just around the corner selling beautiful fabrics, yarn and haberdashery).

I hope you don't mind me plugging this cafe, I've not received an incentive of any kind for writing about it and I've done so purely because I wholeheartedly admire their support of autistic and special needs adults (something that has special resonance for our family).

Right, I'm off now to make the most of the last day of term. I hope to pop in from time to time over the next 6 weeks (if Toby allows me). So until then, thanks for stopping by x

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Mudlarks Garden Cafe, 12 Railway Street, Hertford, SG14 1BG

Open Tuesday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm

details on Go Hertford

 PS: a couple of people have emailed to ask about donating to the Mudlarks charity. They would deeply appreciate any financial support and if you wish to donate you can do so via  their webpage or on their charitychoice page. Thanks x