What's On Your Summer Bucket List?

Hampstead Heath, lavender cream pavlova and - shit, I think my prefrontal cortex just developed.

Song of the week: Summer Song by Remy Bond

The city smells like burnt concrete and dog piss. All of our conversations are sweaty complaints huffed to the stranger next to us, - oh yes, British summer is here. I’ll pretend I can’t feel your damp shirt against my pink shoulder on a packed tube. I have longed for days like this most of the year; yearning to be sprawled out with a book in a park and to have my bedroom window open all the way. The stream of golden light and the song of green parakeets waking me each morning. Though, now it’s here, I remember the lack of AC in our old brick buildings and wishing I had bought a better fan in the sale.

I’ve spent the majority of the heatwave in front of said fan willing it to be just slightly cooler. Determined to stop wasting my summer, I decided to get up early to walk through the park near my house as London wakes up. Dog walkers and runners have the same idea but it’s better than trying any later. As I walk along the path, noticing the sun scorched grass and forgotten cigarette ends, I remember the depths of winter again - I need to enjoy this whilst I’ve got it. So, as I got home and sat at my desk to write as I try to do most mornings; I decided to do something I used to do every summer growing up. Back when it used to be a long stretched out six weeks to do with whatever I please, I’d organise it into everything I wanted to achieve. Now twenty-five, my summer spills out the sides of a 9-5 and in the tired evening when all I want to do is sleep.

In order to make the most of this Summer, here’s the ten things on my summer bucket list:

1. Solo travel

I’ve booked to go to Rome for my birthday for a few days. Just a shitty hostel and cheap Ryanair flights, but I’m excited for it. I flew to Barcelona on my own a few weeks ago, and I’m always surprised how much I liked it. After getting diagnosed with epilepsy, my relationship with myself fractured as I no longer trusted myself to

2. Swim in Hampstead Heath

My friend and I have decided to swim in Hampstead Heath’s ladies pond. Open water swimming never appealed to me that much before, but now as I’m regularly crammed into small spaces in this city with my heart equally crushed, the idea of a large body water to exhale in sounds really nice.

3. Shop at the farmers market

There’s a farmers market each Saturday near me, and each time I have been, I look around the busy stalls at people who do their weekly shopping from it. I wish I could do that. I watch them rub their thumbs over peaches and choose which tomatoes to take. They buy fresh bread and sip hot coffees. One of the greatest parts of being alive, is the ability to change who you are. I can be that person too. I can plan my meals ahead and buy organic food.

4. Make a pavlova

I have actually ticked this one off of my list last night, I used this beautiful recipe by Debbie! I’ve never made a pavlova before but I actually loved this one. I used lavender cream with lilac food colouring, then added raspberries & blueberries.

6. Make coffee at home

   Self-explanatory and financially crucial.

   But I am taking my time with it. I have a cafetiere now, and I plan to make it slowly in the mornings and sit at my table with the window open. I’ll sit alone with my thoughts or deep in a new book, disturbed by nothing but those parakeets and the sounds of London waking up. It’ll be a summer ritual.