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05.07.21

As soon as we said hello to the sun, and basked in its glorious rays, it was snatched away and replaced with rain. The grass may have needed it but I’m totally over it now!  If like me, you have had to dig out your long sleeve t-shirts and even possibly a cardie, you will want something nice to look forward to. We are heading towards hopefully our last Freedom Day and there is talk of yet ANOTHER heatwave (how long it lasts is anyone’s guess).

 If you are a football fan, this month has been a rollercoaster of emotion. Euro 2020 has given us a lift, me and the kids have especially enjoyed all the flags around the development and the sense of community, we are coming together to support our country (especially on match days, the roars can be heard all over Castle Hill). The Elephants have had a flag makeover and it’s now the highlight of our walk to Nursery. Are we coming home?! – after the last year we have had I hope so. Let’s see how we get on this Wednesday; it’s going to be a tense one. COME ON ENGLAND.

Somebody who has been brightening up the rainy weeks is Julia Laughton whose famous fabulous rock painting has out done itself, if you had a chance to see her work in Mercer Avenue it really did put a smile on my face. The hungry caterpillar, one of my daughter’s favourite books is living in the front garden along with all the food he has eaten, it was very exciting for the kids. The caterpillar is in memory of Eric Carle who passed away in May We can’t wait to see what Julia does next.

On Friday, me and the kids went along to Coffee Morning in the park held by Ebbsfleet Baptist Church, it’s a favourite of ours and we look forward to it every Friday. Nothing stops a good old cup of tea not even a chilly afternoon, and today we were lucky because the sun came out for us! If you are a stranger to Coffee Morning – don’t be!

The coffee morning prides itself on being the friendliest gig in town and it is! I remember nervously going along 2 years ago with my first child and panicking I wasn’t going to know anyone. I was completely new to the area, let alone the development. I was so glad I went, by the end of the session, I was chatting away, I felt so at ease seeing so many friendly faces giving me a reassuring smile. The best bit is I made some lovely friends and its great knowing people on the development; they may know things you don’t (like when the new pub is opening… I’m joking no-one does!?).

Coffee morning is cross generational, and their main message is just making people feel welcome. Living on a new development can sometimes be isolating and you may not have got to know your neighbours yet especially with the pandemic, this would be a great way to pop along and say hello. Whether you are working from home, retired or just feel like having a chat, it is for anybody who is free during the day. There are activities and a song time for babies and pre-schooler and even nibbles!

Friday’s coffee Morning were supporting the NHS Big Tea, a fabulous cause championing our heroes at the NHS. The official Big Tea party events are happening on the NHS’s birthday today! Monday 5^Th July. You can get involved by donating or brewing a cuppa and talking over a slice of cake. Over the pandemic lots of neighbours living on Castle Hill were frontline staff and the Thursday night’s banging pots and pans were our out pour of love and support for them were special.

I will be back next time with a guide to small businesses here on Castle Hill.

Take Care

Katie x

11.6.21

The sun has finally made an appearance! We can all step outside and enjoy some well earnt vitamin D. With Freedom Day on the horizon and for some of us, working from home is the new norm, looking after your wellbeing this summer is important.

In this blog post I am sharing my tips for wellbeing living in Castle Hill.

The Book Exchange –

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are” – Mason Cooley.

The Book Exchange has made its way to Castle Hill, located outside the Community Centre. You may be a book worm or so busy you could not possibly think of picking up and book and reading it. Challenge yourself, try something new. If like me, you have some great books lying around and fancy a new read pop down and swap, or simply take a book and give it a go. I am guilty of really enjoying a book and only reading it once for it then to collect dust. Trying something new is my first top tip, it is so easy to be stuck in the same routine and moving out of your comfort zone may seem scary, but it is pretty exhilarating. Reading can often be seen as boring, but it is just the right amount of escapism you may need.

Walking – These boots are made for walking (flipflops if you are going this week), nothing can boost your mood quite like going for a good old-fashioned walk. If like me, you have children, it is more like a full-scale mission trying to leave the house with everything you need and in one piece – but it is worth it. My second tip is walking, we are so lucky to have open spaces on the development for walking. A walk really can boost your mood and set you up for the day. For those of you working from home try a ‘fake commute’, chose a route around the development and have a lengthy walk before starting work. The newly opened pathway that runs down Castle Hill Drive behind Norman Lane is a great shaded spot for walking in sweaty weather, it is a lovely downhill walk finishing by the Co-op. If you are lucky enough, you may have a brief encounter with our new local celebrities, the ducks. If you would prefer a walk where it is a little flatter, cross the road at the top of Castle Hill Drive and enjoy the gravel path surrounded by grass, with newly installed children’s play (my kids love this), the path leads to a Grow Your Own Project just off Mercer Avenue. There are lots of things to catch your eye around here.

Picnics – Deciding what to have for lunch everyday can sometimes be repetitive, my third tip is go for a picnic. A favourite spot for us is at the Elephant Park (the park located at the front of the development), the big open green is perfect for chucking a mat down and enjoying some lunch. Getting some fresh air and a change of scenery at lunchtime can break up the day. Picnics do not have to be soggy sandwiches, they can be little works of art (stay with me), swap crisps for breadsticks and dips, spruce up sandwiches with sourdough bread and for those of you with little one’s fruit muffins are a good alternative to melting chocolate. Having a picnic can be a social too, a chance to catch up with a friend under the current restrictions.

Exercise – my last tip is exercise, now this might be the last thing you are thinking about, it is already sweaty enough as it is without throwing in exercise, but it is those feel-good endorphins you are after. If you do fancy a bit of light working out, try going early morning or evening so you are not out under the full beams of sunshine. I joined a Couch to 5K group (run by Ebbsfleet Sunday Active) 9 weeks ago today, if anybody had told me I would be running I would have laughed them down, the thought of squeezing myself into gym wear and running alongside a group, out in the open!? – no chance. BUT I absolutely love it. Penny Marsh one of the lovely run leaders describes the group as a “friendly running group where no-one gets left behind – we aim to make our sessions fun and suitable for all abilities” – Penny is absolutely right, running is fun!

Sunday Active will be back very soon with sessions on Sunday mornings if you fancy trying a group exercise, which also includes walking, check out their Facebook page Sunday Active – Ebbsfleet for more information.

If running is not your cup of tea, and it is not for everybody, there are plenty of other fitness activities to do here on the development. If you want something a bit more chilled, Yoga and Pilates with Emma is available at the Community Centre every Tuesday evening from 7.15pm. Emma’s classes “seek to bring a sense of well-being to both the body and mind and can leave you feeling more content and at ease with yourself”. Emma emphasises that everybody is welcome – this is on my list to try. For more information check out – yogaandpilateswithemma.co.uk.

My last tip is to just enjoy the summer, after the last year we have had enjoy the little things!

Stay safe and thank you for reading.