One for the now

How wonderful is this eh? A mere forty minutes diesel breathing slog through urban hell to get there, and phew, we can strech out and enjoy this.


Sadly some of it is up hill but they recovered well.

I am your neighbour

Today we went to see otters, loads of the blighters, out in the rural wastes of Derbyshire. There are some fairly muscular North American river otters and the ones hanging off the fence are Asiatic short clawed ones....I think, sadly as everything is under trees the lighting was rather tricky.



Despite the greyness of the day we didn't get wet and once we got over the shock of having to *walk in the countryside* it was a grand day out, especially enjoyed watching some eat their tea, and speculating whether they would eat the eyeballs........off to check the salmon myself now, and yes! they did.

And all the lights that light the way are blinding

Southport has a few less recreational opportunities these days, the fair has gone. But there is still the roundabout and fish, chips and mushy peas. The team went off to try and do genteel by the sea, well not by the sea really as the tide does generally seem to be out, and hence a very long way away.
Grandad came for an airing in celebration of his happy solar return this week. It was agreed that a good time was had by all, but it did get a bit tiring with all that walking. Ah well.

Outside the gates of Eden.

It's 12 August, we are deep in summer holidays country now. Here is the weather this evening in the rural idyll which is Gunchester.

There was thunder and monsoon rain. Good thing we're not made of sugar eh?

She laughs like the flowers

There has been a development, first born had a trip to the hairdresser, and had a major re structure. She now has this rather elfin affair which makes her eyes look huge.
The pound shop furnished her with the jewels, she has aged about ten years we fear.
The amusing pigs should take note at the benefits of a good cut......

Don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Great news! It stopped raining briefly, so we made hay...erm well, went to stately home farm and playground, whilst the sun shone. This one is very well beloved, they often want to go to the one with the tunnel where you can milk the cow.
There is sand and water to the max, younger sibling loved that bit, especially getting her shoes off and digging... first born likes the water bits, with the big archemedes screw to bring water up from the stream
ah, nirvana, sunshine in the woods, playing in the sand, ice cream, and lots of guniea pigs down in the farm

of course there was more Normandie cider with the picnic, bliss, it all kind of redeemed the rather damp, grey school holiday so far.

And all the roads that lead you there are winding

The family 'at home' s in honour of birthdays are spreading. Thet started off for off spring and now, blimey everyone wants one. So here is grandad with his grandaughter at his 'at home' , he is now 77 years young. He enjoyed his Doctor Who cake and rather impressively blew out all his candles in one breath....there weren't quite 77, we have to draw the line somewhere. The usual suspects gathered, the good thing about these shin digs is that the few bits of family we do have actually get together more than just Christmas, the fun activity that marked this one was walking the dog. The term dog is purely scientific as Aunty Soup has taken in yet another waif who apparently is a dachshund, but seriously only just manages a presence one up from our guinea pigs.

We drank lots of tea, which is the rule at these things, first born had made a fabulous DVD as a present which was a highlight as it got a public screening and was much admired, mostly as many people realised they'd be hard pushed to come up with something similar using google and Windows movie maker given several weeks of effort and so were impressed that an eight year old has come up with all those transitions and a sound track, cool.

Here is the hound, now called Chip, latest addition to the family, and put up with being much loved my the offspring rather well. Everyone is working on being 'calm, assertive packleaders' to ensure that they don't end up below Chip in the pack.

We're knights of the round table we dance when'ere we're able

Off the intrepid team go to seek thrills, spills and jousting, as the summer hols are upon us, and pater familias had a day of hedonism booked they hit the theme park. Woo hoo. They loved it, and were completely exhausted by the whole venture, which is consoling as value for money has been achieved. Now they want to go again. The offspring love rides, and we are pretty sure they have met this caterpillar at Southport before, in fact first born started riding it age about three, they enjoyed the tree trunk boats that go up hill and you get wet, ( erm log flume to the rest of us). The pirate ship also got honourable mention. However in the bath tonight they were reliving the wonder of the jousting tournament. They thought it was fabulous, especially the jester and the knights.

Ah happy day.

Mother was at work, they are 'migrating' to a new email system and the IT systems entered a kind of Bermuda Triangle effect, all day, it was bobbins.