Monday, I decided to tackle school shoes. We went into Newton Abbot to Clarkes. We used to have a bigger independent shoe shop until covid caused it's closure last summer. This was a real blow as they stocked a bigger selection of school shoes so between the two you could usually find something suitable in the right size. L has had a real growth spurt over the last year so her feet had grown considerably but they are very narrow as she is built like a beanpole. She must of tried on every shoe in the shop before we found a pair that finely fitted properly. K didn't like any of the offerings, which didn't surprise me, so she still needs to be sorted. I also still need to go back to the uniform shop in Torquay to change the school skirts for K again. I can see getting them both fully kitted out is going to take up a lot of the holidays.
Tuesday I worked so Hubby was in charge of holiday entertainment.
Today, it was decided, even though it was a bit cloudy, that it was a beach day so we had an early lunch and went over to Teignmouth for the afternoon. I took my book and we had a pleasant few hours sat on the beach, in my case, and swimming in the sea for them. We finished off with ice creams for them and a coffee for me from our favourite little cafe. Now we are home and I have the treat of S cooking dinner for us all.
I'm procrastinating the uniform shopping for another couple of weeks. If I buy any now, Lily is sure to grow out of it. X
ReplyDeleteIt all seems to be such a hassle, probably always was to be honest, but it's two years since I last did any uniform shopping due to covid. It would be easier with K if they let you try it on. It's a 10 mile round trip every time I need to go to the shop.
DeleteMum always took us uniform shopping on the very last day of the holidays just in case we had a huge growth spurt before school started! x
ReplyDeleteI am just not the kind of person who can risk leaving it till the last minute! We now have skirts that fit and shoes for K so nearly there.
DeleteOh, thank goodness those days of sorting out school uniforms and school shoes are long gone! But that independent shoe shop in Newton (did you know that the original name for Newton Abbot, Newton Crabbit to locals, was New Bushell? I learned that when researching the town years ago for a feature for Devon Life magazine) is a real blow to the community.
ReplyDeleteI meant that the loss of the shoe shop is a blow to the community, Emma.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
Yes losing Ridgeways was a blow as between the two shops you could usually easily find something suitable. Also, it is another large empty shop to become an eyesore. Thankfully, there was no queue for the uniform shop in Torquay so K now has skirts that fit and we managed to get shoes online so nearly done.
DeleteNo, I didn't know that about the original name of Newton Abbot!
Argh, school shoes, the bane of my existence! I have been known in the past to buy any colour shoe, fill them in with a black sharpie pen and shoe wax over them (works a treat!). I am also one of the few parents that refuses to purchase logo-ed school uniform from the earmarked shop (by law, they can't just have one option! anyway, don't get me started on that...:0) Sounds like you are super organised. Please send me a beach coffee or icecream :) Lulu x
ReplyDeleteI must say I am glad it is now more or less done for another year.
DeleteL's primary school you can wear the logo polo shirt/sweatshirt or just plain supermarket ones, which she does but K is at a Grammar School and there is absolutely no leeway in their uniform rules whatsoever!