Happy Holidays (at last)!

This term seemed to last forever but at last, on Tuesday, the kids finished school for the six-week summer break and on Wednesday I finished work for the summer too. :)

We headed straight from school to have some water-based fun with friends - despite the stance, I can assure you that Toby was having fun too!

I suspect that the paddling pool may be out again over the weekend as it's still pretty warm.  We will be heading off to France camping fairly soon but at the moment I think the climate is probably nicer here!!!

Tour de France

With the race starting so close to us this year, we thought it would be rude not to pop along and cheer the riders on.  We caught the train to York (it's only 30 minutes away) and walked the route of the ride to get to the racecourse where we had tickets for the official start of stage 2.

We timed it all pretty well as the caravan with all the publicity stuff and advertisers was just coming along as we reached the route.  We watched them all come by and attempted to get some freebies - not particularly successfully and only managed a slapband and some tea!

Once that had passed it was easier to walk but still loads to look at as there were loads of parties going on in the gardens and side streets and the occasional police pushbike got lots of cheers!

When we got into the racecourse we met up with Steve's brother and his family.  The kids were pleased to see their cousins, especially since they had saved them premier seating on the front row with perfect views for seeing the riders go by!

The wait wasn't too long and it was helped by a Lancaster bomber fly-by and lots of people-watching.

Despite them doing a procession for the first 20 minutes out of the racecourse and through York, they still seemed to zip by at a fair old speed.  I would quite like to see them go and full speed but have to say it was nice to see them all saunter by with smiles.

We're now back at home watching them with just under 10 miles to go before they reach Sheffield - the kids are a little confused and can't quite believe they are the same riders that we saw this morning. Don't blame them - it seems an awfully long time to spend on a bike!

Happy (Belated) Birthday Beth (& other bits)

Well, it's over a month since Beth's birthday but she had a good one and I thought I'd better do a quick post before I totally forgot!  It was over the Easter holiday so we got to do what we wanted with no school to get in the way. :)

She had a few choices for a party but decided that she wanted to go and have a mini manicure and pedicure with her friend then a sleepover - obviously her California roots are intact!

I'm not sure I would have chosen those colours but I guess on my birthday I'll get to choose!  

For presents Beth asked for a satchel and some chocolates - easy enough. :)  She did manage to get three cakes, I haven't included the one I baked as the icing, despite me aiming for a delicate lemon, ended up a lurid neon yellow!  At least it still tasted good (even better if you closed your eyes while eating!!).

On her actual birthday we took their bikes, we walked, and went for a mooch around the Thoresby Estate.  It was a lovely day and would have been perfect for a picnic if we'd have thought ahead a little.

Since they were off school for two weeks for Easter, we managed to cram quite a lot in.  Beth had her first Brownie camp.  They went to the PGL about half an hour from our house.  I haven't quite managed to get a full account of all the activities they did I know they went on the massive climbing walls and did some sort of assault course.  They were really lucky with the weather and came back knackered and pink.  I suspect poor old Brown Owl was in need of a large glass of wine after that!

Although we no longer have season tickets we did have a day at Sundown Adventureland.  Again we were really lucky with the weather and had a brilliant day.  I'm still quite surprised that we didn't loose anyone - we had quite a rag-tag bunch!



The only other trip I can think of was one to Fountains Abbey to meet up with family.

We had a lovely walk down to the Abbey and despite it not being the most beautiful weather, managed to incorporate an ice cream into proceedings!

Bits and Bobs - 2014

I've been really bad at updating the blog so thought I'd do an odds 'n' ends type of post with photos from the last few months . . .

In January Beth was a dancer in the village pantomime.  I was dubious as to whether she would hold her nerve when it came to the opening night but she (and the other seven dancers) did brilliantly.  The panto was Antony and Cleopatra (I doubt a common panto theme!) and it was on for five nights.

I think Beth really enjoyed wearing a costume and make-up and being up on stage with a load of her friends.  Toby had originally volunteered to be a dancer too but I think the boy to girl ratio (1:8) was a little much for him and he stepped aside after one rehearsal!

For Steve's birthday in March we met up with his brother and family at Fountains Abbey.  We picked a beautiful day and had a lovely walk and meal and the kids got to catch-up with their cousins.  It was lovely especially as we haven't been for a couple of years so the kids got to explore things all over again.

We have spent quite a bit of time around the village recently, mostly around the park and playground; we're very lucky to live in a place where we can easily walk straight from the house with the kids and not be worried about lots of traffic and crowds!



Yesterday we met up with friends that we made while camping in France last summer.  We took a chance with the weather and decided to meet halfway between houses at Bradgate Park in Leicestershire.  It's been a couple of years since I last was there and it's easy to forget how lovely it is. We did a fab five mile meander, stopping for ice creams and to explore interesting trees on the way.

Lastly, for this post at least, Beth received a trophy from her athletics club for outstanding achievement in the under 9's section.  I think the head coach was a little disappointed to find out she is only seven and won't be able to compete for another year or so (races are all for nine's and over) as she can be pretty speedy!

P.S. Here's a little message from Toby - testament to his patience - I'd be pushing it to draw a house . . .

Six Already?!?

Well, it's birthday season again - seems to come round quicker each year.

Toby requested a camera for his birthday and since we didn't really want anymore plastic monstrosities around the house, we decided to comply. He's also pretty careful with electronic gadgets so we figured he'd look after it. 

Good old Argos had the best deal on the camera we were after - a Canon Powershot A2500 - smallish but with a big screen, easy to use and not overly expensive. Toby was pretty happy and has been snapping away catching family life for posterity!

He did get a few other bits including a box of chocolates (of which he is very protective), the ghost hunt game and some clothes (borrrring!).  Oh, and apart from his camera, his favourite present was an outdoor remote control car from Gran and Grandad (which daddy is rather partial to also!).  It must be fairly robust as now, three weeks after his birthday, it is still in one piece and working!


Thankfully Toby did not want a party at home and opted for a trip to the cinema to see the Lego movie with three of his friends. In hindsight, a party at home might have been less stressful - who knew four boys could move so quickly and make so much noise and mess???

He's certainly growing up fast and turning into a great conversationist with a lovely sense of humour; fingers crossed he stays that way!

Now we have the Easter break to enjoy and Beth's birthday over the Easter weekend, pj days here we come!

Pre Christmas Jolly

To start the Christmas holidays off with a bang we decided to have a three-day trip to London.  It’s a while since we were last there and since Beth loved it so much last time, we thought we’d try and explore a bit more.

We caught a very early train on the morning of Saturday 21^st then headed to the hotel to drop our bags off.  This trip we decided to try a smaller hotel called The Academy, it was on a pretty quiet street but only a few minutes walk from Oxford Street.

From there we took the tube and slowly made our way to Portobello Road.  I’ve always wanted to have a nosey around there and the kids were curious as they like watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  Sadly there was no dancing in the street but there were a lot of shops and stalls to look at.

To stem their hunger, the kids managed with Nutella pancakes bigger than their heads and we had a lovely wander along the entire street.  Unfortunately, when the kids realised we weren’t going to buy something from every shop, they became a bit less enthusiastic about browsing. 

So, after a bit of brunch, we headed back towards the hotel and called in to the British Museum.  Beth wanted to see the Aztec masks and Toby the mummies.  I’m sure I’ve been there before but I can’t remember.  It’s a pretty impressive building with some pretty impressive items.  

We located the mummies first.  Beth was particularly interested in Cleopatra – the village panto this year is about Cleopatra and she is one of the dancers in the intro sequence (she looks a bit miserable in this pic, can’t remember why or if she was just being serious to mark the occasion!).  Toby wasn’t bothered about individuals; he just wanted to see bodies and was especially interested in the cat mummies.

We did manage to see the Aztec masks and artefacts – they were beautiful, however we didn’t stop too long.  By the time we found them, everyone was a little disinterested and ready for a sit down and some refreshments.

The next morning we headed towards Covent Garden for breakfast then on to the Tate Modern.  Beth is very creative and loves drawing and painting but has no confidence in her work, I hoped that visiting the Tate Modern might convince her that her work has merit.  I was very happy to see that my theory was confirmed and it took little to convince her that pretty much any of her creations would shine among the ones on show!  I think our favourite was this 'square tube' installation. ;)

From there we wandered across the wobbly bridge, past St Paul's and on to Hamleys (of course).  Amazingly it wasn't as busy as feared - think most people had bought their Christmas gifts by then - so we had a good wander, poke and prod and managed to escape without spending any money.  Christmas being only three days away was a fantastic excuse!

After a rest at the hotel, Auntie Jane arrived to join our adventure.  We meandered through London and got some dinner.  Toby found a worthy adversary in Yoda in Trafalgar Square.  Not sure who won that duel, suspect he did as we parted a couple of quid worse off for the pleasure!  

Steve kindly offered to take the kids back to the hotel so Jane and I did a little shoe browsing, wandered through Carnaby Street and managed to find the time for a sneaky pint too.

The next day, after a rather lovely breakfast (in a shared-booth cafe that strangely, no one wanted to share with us), we went to Fortum and Mason to have a look at their window displays and scare the shop assistants by hurtling around very expensive and rather fragile merchandise.  

After a relaxing lunch we caught the train back up home, rather slowly as the rain and wind had caused a few problems, and got back a couple of hours late.  Despite that it was a very enjoyable trip and the perfect start to the holiday season.

Autumn 2013

Thought I'd better get my backside in gear and produce a post before the festive season kicks in!

The months are flying by and thankfully everyone has been well and happy since the summer if not a little busy.  At the beginning of October there was the annual Apple Day celebration in the village.  

For once the weather was beautiful and we had a very pleasant few hours in the orchard, scrumping, and of course testing the local cider.  Beth was thrilled as she won first place in her age group for the art competition (topic they were given was 'Apples Around the World'), Toby did pretty well can came third.  Beth also tried her hand/feet at Morris Dancing!  Don't think she'll be taking it up as a hobby even though she looked to have fun.

The main event of the Autumn was the kids and I going away with our friends (Elizabeth, Nelly and my friend Phil) to their holiday retreat in Holme, Norfolk.   The weather wasn't fantastic but I don't think the kids really noticed; they were far too happy mooching on the beach and crabbing (our first time ever!). 

We didn't spend all our time on the beach, as with any English seaside holiday it was mandatory to go to the penny arcade and eat fish, chips and ice cream by the sea.  We also managed to squeeze in a game of tenpin bowling, an afternoon at the swimming pool and a walk for dinner (and perhaps a pint or two) at the local pub. 

I was a little apprehensive at the thought of spending 24 hours a day with another family but we had a great time. The kids LOVED waking up with friends in the next room and they all occupied themselves brilliantly when in the house.  I think any future holiday without friends on tap will be deemed very dull by the kids!

In the last week or so we've celebrated Halloween, bonfire night and Remembrance Sunday.  On Remembrance Sunday we went to the church service then walked down to the cenotaph.  Beth was very happy as she got to carry the flag for her Brownie troop.  Toby, not to be outdone with all Beth's doings, lost his first tooth last week.

In other news, after seven and a half years out of regular work, I have recently started a new job! Rather a shock to the system but so far I'm enjoying it.  Just to carry on with the trend I've set in the past, I have entered a totally new career as an administrator at a secondary school.  So I've gone from pottering doing stuff for the village newsletter and working out what to have for tea to writing legionella and asbestos policies.  Suppose it's as good a way as any to find out if my brain still works!!