Tuesday was the day when the decorations came down. TW had suggested that we take them down last week, before New Year's, but I disagreed. It was a sign of the end of festivities though; the house looked bare, TW was back to work on the Wednesday, and the kids were back to school on Thursday. There were no more planned parties or social gatherings, and reality was beginning to reassert itself.
It's funny how we can become used to the festive trappings so quickly; the presence of a tree in one room and a Nativity in another, and the walls and doors festooned with cards seems perfectly normal. Then, when these things are all put away, it seems like a deprivation. But really, we are storing away our Christmas spirit so that we can revive it at the start of December less than 11 months away now.
Wednesday brought swimming for the girls and coat shopping for me; I popped into Debenhams to see if I could try on a couple of coats, but the Worthing branch is relatively small, so I ordered two coats online instead.
On our way to Splashpoint TMO did say "at least I don't have shoes in my holes", which both I and TE picked her up on. Like the scene in Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka - scratch that: rewind and reverse it.
Thursday, which was supposed to be my day of return to work, saw me struck down with a cold. I think I've gone through about three loo rolls blowing my nose over the last two days. Hopefully tomorrow will see an improvement.
My coats arrived and I picked them up. When I got them home and tried them on it was clear that the Craghoppers one was preferable, which was satisfying because it was the cheaper one. I'll need to return the other tomorrow.
So far I've managed to read comics and pages of my book, which is my de facto New Year's resolution. We'll need to see though whether that holds when I get back to work properly.
I also managed to sell my Microsoft Surface, after a bit of soul-searching... To be honest, I wasn't using it often enough to warrant keeping it, and in the spirit of the New Year and streamlining my life, I listed it on eBay.
I have been lusting after a new chromebook instead, but it wasn't really suitable. I need to be happy with what I've got, I think. My Tab and a bluetooth keyboard should be enough, usually.
Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts
Friday, January 05, 2018
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Saturday 16-12-31 I Skate Park & Star Wars
Thursday saw the girls wanting to go to the Skate Park to try out their new scooters. Unfortunately it was very wet and so the scooters kept slipping out from underneath them - TMO fell over several times and has a nice bruise on her thigh; she was certainly feeling that on the way home. It was a bit of a dreary day to be honest, weather-wise, and without their friends to play with, I don't think the skate park held the same appeal. They went over to the play park after a while, but what with the fog and the damp, the slides and swings were all wet and unusable really. We did bump into G & E who had their kids there, and it was good to see them; I think the last time I saw them was when we were camping.
We'll need to go back when it's a bit drier...
In the afternoon TW & the girls went to Chichester to see Peter Pan. I don't think it was quite a panto, but it was good, according to TW's post-match report. So I took the opportunity to go and see Rogue One, the new Star Wars film. It was brilliant, had all the elements I expected to see. And it was long... No spoilers, since it is quite new, but overall very enjoyable.
We'll need to go back when it's a bit drier...
In the afternoon TW & the girls went to Chichester to see Peter Pan. I don't think it was quite a panto, but it was good, according to TW's post-match report. So I took the opportunity to go and see Rogue One, the new Star Wars film. It was brilliant, had all the elements I expected to see. And it was long... No spoilers, since it is quite new, but overall very enjoyable.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Thursday 16-12-29 Crepe n Cones
Yesterday we finally made it to the destination that all the kids in Worthing have been talking about recently; Crepe n Cones. This place is sugar heaven, and all the kids have either been there or want to go there.
We'd gone into town so that the girls could spend a bit of their Christmas money after a late lunch, and I was u to flag. TW suggested we try Crepe n Cones, and it was full, even at half past three - there was only one table available, and that hadn't been cleared since the previous occupants had left. We sat down and had a look at the menu.
There were two savory items; a cheesy croissant and a cheese-filled crêpe, but the rest was a hymn to sweetness. There were crepes, of course, ice creams, milk shakes, smoothies and jumbo waffles. Of course the girls chose jumbo waffles, covered with a variety of teeth-shattering sucrose; TY went for a chocolate concoction, TMO went for a peanut butter mix, and TE went for strawberries and cream. TY didn't finish hers, but apart from that they did well.
The desserts themselves were nice, but when you added in the drinks it was a touch on the expensive side, and we had to wait for half an hour or so. The girls are good at waiting, so that wasn't an issue, but the hit to the pocket means that it won't be a weekly treat.
Apart from that I think the girls were happy with their purchases. TE bought a pair of high-heeled boots and a pair of rugby boots, which TW & I both thought was a nice contrast. TMO bought a nice wraparound cardigan and TE bought a necklace which she could share with her friend, and some exercise clothing.
In the evening we took it easy and watched a bit more of Tyrant, which leaves us just the season finale to get through. I think though that TW is going out tonight, so we might need to leave that until tomorrow. We should finish it before the end of 2016 though, or at least, I hope so!
We'd gone into town so that the girls could spend a bit of their Christmas money after a late lunch, and I was u to flag. TW suggested we try Crepe n Cones, and it was full, even at half past three - there was only one table available, and that hadn't been cleared since the previous occupants had left. We sat down and had a look at the menu.
There were two savory items; a cheesy croissant and a cheese-filled crêpe, but the rest was a hymn to sweetness. There were crepes, of course, ice creams, milk shakes, smoothies and jumbo waffles. Of course the girls chose jumbo waffles, covered with a variety of teeth-shattering sucrose; TY went for a chocolate concoction, TMO went for a peanut butter mix, and TE went for strawberries and cream. TY didn't finish hers, but apart from that they did well.
The desserts themselves were nice, but when you added in the drinks it was a touch on the expensive side, and we had to wait for half an hour or so. The girls are good at waiting, so that wasn't an issue, but the hit to the pocket means that it won't be a weekly treat.
Apart from that I think the girls were happy with their purchases. TE bought a pair of high-heeled boots and a pair of rugby boots, which TW & I both thought was a nice contrast. TMO bought a nice wraparound cardigan and TE bought a necklace which she could share with her friend, and some exercise clothing.
In the evening we took it easy and watched a bit more of Tyrant, which leaves us just the season finale to get through. I think though that TW is going out tonight, so we might need to leave that until tomorrow. We should finish it before the end of 2016 though, or at least, I hope so!
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Saturday 16-05-14 Knockhatch and Eurovision
Earlier in the week (Tuesday, to be precise) The Youngest celebrated her seventh birthday. Yesterday as part of the continued celebrations we took her and two friends (and our other two) to Knockhatch Adventure Park. I've written about Knockhatch before, but again it's an enjoyable day out. It is a nice mix of animal exhibition / zoo and activities.
The weather wasn't that great to start with, it certainly wasn't as warm as it had been Thursday and Friday, and actually I was a bit worried that we were under-prepared, clothes-wise at least. We didn't have coats or jumpers, but we decided to risk it for a biscuit. We certainly weren't under-prepared on the food front; the bag of food I lugged around must have weighed a stone at least, but then I suppose you can't feed seven hungry mouths on thin air...
We fed the animals, and then hit the Quadapillar barrel ride. Then into the park for free activities, and first up was the Demon Drop Slide. Both Eldest and Youngest conquered their fears, and went down it, the Middle One didn't pluck up courage until later in the day. Our guests didn't try it out. I'm not sure I would manage it, frankly. Then we went further into the park, there was the Wave Runner for the more adventurous and the inflatable bouncy pillow for the less so. All the kids had a good time, we managed to make headway into the stone of food, and it was quite relaxing. The kids were off and enjoying themselves and TW and I sat and chatted.
They did spend quite a lot of time inside in the soft play area, which was confusing to me, with all the things to do outside, but that was probably for the best - I ended up with sunburn, which I think I got later in the day. We also went boating, which was included in the price, I managed to find it difficult to get into and out of the boat, which certainly amused TW, and the Eldest was grumpy because she wanted to row, and I didn't let her. After that I felt a bit washed out, like it had been an adrenaline rush, except I didn't feel a rush at the time. I did find it uncomfortable and difficult to row in the lifejackets they gave us, but I think I relaxed into it eventually...? We didn't leave until after 4pm and then stopped off briefly at a tent exhibition at Middle Farm, which showed us that we can't really afford a new one, I will just have to keep an eye on eBay I guess...
Then to finish the day off, I watched the Eurovision Song contest. Graham Norton's commentary was enjoyable, most of the songs were utter rubbish, but the costumes and the faux emotions were a sight to behold. Russia were the favourites to win, but as we were listening to the scores coming in, as we were falling asleep, Australia and Ukraine seemed to be doing quite well. It would have been a bit weird, watching the Eurovision next year in Melbourne or Sydney, but in the end Ukraine prevailed. Considering the history between Ukraine and Russia, and the subject matter of the Ukrainian song, I wouldn't be surprised if that leads to some kind of diplomatic incident.
It was a full day, just writing about it has tired me out, I might need to go back to bed. At least we're not planning on an active morning today, that might give me a chance to regroup and recover...
TTFN.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Sunday 16-04-17
Yesterday was a bit of a funny day; TW was away at a Younique "share best practice to increase sales" day from early doors, so I was left in charge of the kids.
We only had two here, as the street had gone sleepover crazy, but those two each had a guest. We got up, I hung out some washing, offered to make the girls breakfast. I was considering pancakes but we were out of syrup (as a condiment) so offered bacon and egg sandwiches. Of course my two said yes, but the odd thing was that *both* our houseguests said they weren't hungry. A weird coincidence. So they ended up not eating.
Then the girls played happily for the rest of the morning while I followed the IPL on the laptop.
I had put a small bet on KXIP (King's XI Punjab) to win, and they weren't favourites, so I was a bit nervous, but as it turned out it was a good choice, as they won. I'd also picked Royal Challengers Bangalore to win the next match, and was fairly confident because they were favourites and scored 191 in their innings. However, Delhi Daredevils matched their rate and thwarted my plans - that put paid to my accumulator.
In the middle of the day we had to pop and see the GiL as her phone wasn't working. The MiL had called to say she thought that Joan had left it off the hook, but that wasn't the case - she had a dead line. So I called Carol who logged out with BT and we left.
I did ask the girls what they wanted for dinner but didn't get a proper response, so in the end I gave them three lasagne ready meals, which they liked. It was a bit of a cheat from me; well it was a complete acknowledgement of my lack of cooking prowess and inability to get the girls to agree on a single meal.
Then TW got back just in time for the bath and bed routine, and things returned to a semblance of normality.
I had some gnocchi and pesto later on, and watched an episode of Limitless. And then it was bedtime...
We only had two here, as the street had gone sleepover crazy, but those two each had a guest. We got up, I hung out some washing, offered to make the girls breakfast. I was considering pancakes but we were out of syrup (as a condiment) so offered bacon and egg sandwiches. Of course my two said yes, but the odd thing was that *both* our houseguests said they weren't hungry. A weird coincidence. So they ended up not eating.
Then the girls played happily for the rest of the morning while I followed the IPL on the laptop.
I had put a small bet on KXIP (King's XI Punjab) to win, and they weren't favourites, so I was a bit nervous, but as it turned out it was a good choice, as they won. I'd also picked Royal Challengers Bangalore to win the next match, and was fairly confident because they were favourites and scored 191 in their innings. However, Delhi Daredevils matched their rate and thwarted my plans - that put paid to my accumulator.
In the middle of the day we had to pop and see the GiL as her phone wasn't working. The MiL had called to say she thought that Joan had left it off the hook, but that wasn't the case - she had a dead line. So I called Carol who logged out with BT and we left.
I did ask the girls what they wanted for dinner but didn't get a proper response, so in the end I gave them three lasagne ready meals, which they liked. It was a bit of a cheat from me; well it was a complete acknowledgement of my lack of cooking prowess and inability to get the girls to agree on a single meal.
Then TW got back just in time for the bath and bed routine, and things returned to a semblance of normality.
I had some gnocchi and pesto later on, and watched an episode of Limitless. And then it was bedtime...
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sunday 15-09-27 Just an Average Saturday
The kids were awake at 05:50 yesterday morning, probably because they had some friends staying for a sleepover. They were making a bit of noise so we told them to pack it in and go down to the living room; after all, we've got neighbours and they don't want to be woken up at some godforsaken hour. TW managed to go straight back to sleep, as she always does, I read a few bits of news online myself and also managed to get a bit more sleep, and all of a sudden it was 08:45 and a much more human hour of the day.
I nudged TW and suggested it would be a good idea to get up, since the kids had already been up for three hours already. She grumbled a bit, and I threatened to breathe on her if she didn't move. She'd already complained about my morning breath so I used the thought of my oral stench to get her moving. Quite a successful ploy, even if I do say so myself.
Then downstairs to the kitchen, to tidy up the bomb site and clear the work surfaces. Well, we call them work surfaces, but normally they are so covered in junk and stuff that it is impossible to work on them... Anyway, I washed and tidied, and TW made pancakes for the seven of us, and then I spread syrup and chocolate spread on pancakes and got drinks and cutlery for the kids, and then I had a few pancakes myself. We were aiming to get out into the fresh air in the morning, but it didn't happen unfortunately. We dropped the Middle One and her friend off at a party at 1pm (TW took them) and then we returned the remaining guest back to her parent, and then we hit the seafront.
We parked up at the Bluebird Café and took a walk west along the seafront. TW and the girls went down to the sea's edge as the tide was out, but I wasn't wearing appropriate footwear (when am I ever?) so I stayed at the top. I sat on the pebbles at the top of the beach, and did notice a woman reading a book a distance away. We were between the same two groynes, and I thought no more of it. I laid down and closed my eyes and enjoyed the sun and the calm, and relaxed. I realised at some point that there was movement, the woman was getting up and moving. I thought no more of it. Then TW phoned me and suggested I walk along the top of the beach and we meet up a bit further along. Of course, it was a good idea, so I stood up, picked up my jacket and started walking. Then I noticed that the woman who had been sitting not so far away had simply moved to the next groyne. I wouldn't say I'm a threatening or imposing figure, and I didn't think I had chosen to sit particularly close to her. Nor was I making any noise or causing a disturbance, so I can only think it was her issue. Still, I felt a pang of worry - what had I done to upset / disturb her? Well, we will never know.
Then as we were walking along the green, TW managed to step into one of the rabbit holes or dips there, and she fell over. It wasn't funny, she has a weak ankle anyway, and she was in some pain. But she was grateful that we didn't laugh, so that was all okay. And then we had an ice cream, and went to Waitrose.
Waitrose is not our normal shopping destination, it has to be said, but TW had some vouchers so we thought we'd use them. £8 off a £40 spend, or 20% - not too bad. Anyway, we spent £45 on not very much and came home. The day had been building towards the England vs Wales rugby match, and we watched a bit of the South Africa Samoa game to get us in the mood. We had decided to have a takeaway - from the Thai Spice Kitchen - and more or less as soon as the evening game started, the meal arrived.
It was delicious, and with a beer as well, the perfect accompaniment to what was shaping up to be a good game of rugby. England were playing well, and it was looking good. Then, there was an unfortunate passage of play where about three Welsh players all got seriously injured. One walked off, holding his (dislocated?) arm, one was carried off on a stretcher, and was another replaced as well? I want to say it was at about the sixty minute mark, but I maybe wrong. Anyway, after that, Wales played out of their skins and it was a thrilling finish. Unfortunately for us, Wales won 28-25, but I had placed a sneaky bet - only 50p at 3-1 - on the Welsh, so despite feeling a bit gutted that England lost, I benefited financially. And then it was ten pm and bedtime.
So, an average Saturday? Maybe not. We had more kids than normal, we got to go to Waitrose, we had a takeaway and we watched a thrilling international rugby match. Maybe I should have just written that, I could have saved us all a lot of time.
I nudged TW and suggested it would be a good idea to get up, since the kids had already been up for three hours already. She grumbled a bit, and I threatened to breathe on her if she didn't move. She'd already complained about my morning breath so I used the thought of my oral stench to get her moving. Quite a successful ploy, even if I do say so myself.
Then downstairs to the kitchen, to tidy up the bomb site and clear the work surfaces. Well, we call them work surfaces, but normally they are so covered in junk and stuff that it is impossible to work on them... Anyway, I washed and tidied, and TW made pancakes for the seven of us, and then I spread syrup and chocolate spread on pancakes and got drinks and cutlery for the kids, and then I had a few pancakes myself. We were aiming to get out into the fresh air in the morning, but it didn't happen unfortunately. We dropped the Middle One and her friend off at a party at 1pm (TW took them) and then we returned the remaining guest back to her parent, and then we hit the seafront.
We parked up at the Bluebird Café and took a walk west along the seafront. TW and the girls went down to the sea's edge as the tide was out, but I wasn't wearing appropriate footwear (when am I ever?) so I stayed at the top. I sat on the pebbles at the top of the beach, and did notice a woman reading a book a distance away. We were between the same two groynes, and I thought no more of it. I laid down and closed my eyes and enjoyed the sun and the calm, and relaxed. I realised at some point that there was movement, the woman was getting up and moving. I thought no more of it. Then TW phoned me and suggested I walk along the top of the beach and we meet up a bit further along. Of course, it was a good idea, so I stood up, picked up my jacket and started walking. Then I noticed that the woman who had been sitting not so far away had simply moved to the next groyne. I wouldn't say I'm a threatening or imposing figure, and I didn't think I had chosen to sit particularly close to her. Nor was I making any noise or causing a disturbance, so I can only think it was her issue. Still, I felt a pang of worry - what had I done to upset / disturb her? Well, we will never know.
Then as we were walking along the green, TW managed to step into one of the rabbit holes or dips there, and she fell over. It wasn't funny, she has a weak ankle anyway, and she was in some pain. But she was grateful that we didn't laugh, so that was all okay. And then we had an ice cream, and went to Waitrose.
Waitrose is not our normal shopping destination, it has to be said, but TW had some vouchers so we thought we'd use them. £8 off a £40 spend, or 20% - not too bad. Anyway, we spent £45 on not very much and came home. The day had been building towards the England vs Wales rugby match, and we watched a bit of the South Africa Samoa game to get us in the mood. We had decided to have a takeaway - from the Thai Spice Kitchen - and more or less as soon as the evening game started, the meal arrived.
It was delicious, and with a beer as well, the perfect accompaniment to what was shaping up to be a good game of rugby. England were playing well, and it was looking good. Then, there was an unfortunate passage of play where about three Welsh players all got seriously injured. One walked off, holding his (dislocated?) arm, one was carried off on a stretcher, and was another replaced as well? I want to say it was at about the sixty minute mark, but I maybe wrong. Anyway, after that, Wales played out of their skins and it was a thrilling finish. Unfortunately for us, Wales won 28-25, but I had placed a sneaky bet - only 50p at 3-1 - on the Welsh, so despite feeling a bit gutted that England lost, I benefited financially. And then it was ten pm and bedtime.
So, an average Saturday? Maybe not. We had more kids than normal, we got to go to Waitrose, we had a takeaway and we watched a thrilling international rugby match. Maybe I should have just written that, I could have saved us all a lot of time.
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Tantrums
Our middle child is particularly susceptible to tantrums, but only when she's tired. So on nights like to last ht, when she stayed up late to watch fireworks, tantrums are pretty much guaranteed. And thus it was; lots of loose accusations about it "not being fair", and we're "horrible parents " and we "never let me have sleepovers".
To be honest, I was pleased that I managed to remain calm throughout this particular episode.
I guess it's a mix of the emotional high of being with friends and watching fireworks, and the low of going home alone to bed. When you combine that with being tired, it's quite a potent mix, and the whole thing becomes a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
I'm not sure how to smooth out those steep dips and awesome climbs once the ride starts. I think it's just a case of staying calm in the face of the heartfelt outpourings and not react. After all, it wasn't like she was refusing to go to bed, or clean her teeth, she was just crying and accusing us of being hideous while she was doing the normal things she would do while getting ready for bed. So I think I need to expect it and plan for it in future.
Indeed, I think I've entered a period of calm all round with the children. I do shout at them when they annoy me, and the causes of annoyance are many and varied. It can be not putting something away, or arguing with me when I tell them it's tidying up time. I need to implement a trigger where I take a breath and don't react at their level of ferocity / emotion. And I think I've got one that will work for a bit, at least. The answer is to say "I don't want to shout at you, ...", and in that time I have averted my normal unthinking switch into shouty mode, and it ends up being a bit of a calmer discussion, at least from my side of the dialogue. We'll see how it works out - it's early days yet.
To be honest, I was pleased that I managed to remain calm throughout this particular episode.
I guess it's a mix of the emotional high of being with friends and watching fireworks, and the low of going home alone to bed. When you combine that with being tired, it's quite a potent mix, and the whole thing becomes a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
I'm not sure how to smooth out those steep dips and awesome climbs once the ride starts. I think it's just a case of staying calm in the face of the heartfelt outpourings and not react. After all, it wasn't like she was refusing to go to bed, or clean her teeth, she was just crying and accusing us of being hideous while she was doing the normal things she would do while getting ready for bed. So I think I need to expect it and plan for it in future.
Indeed, I think I've entered a period of calm all round with the children. I do shout at them when they annoy me, and the causes of annoyance are many and varied. It can be not putting something away, or arguing with me when I tell them it's tidying up time. I need to implement a trigger where I take a breath and don't react at their level of ferocity / emotion. And I think I've got one that will work for a bit, at least. The answer is to say "I don't want to shout at you, ...", and in that time I have averted my normal unthinking switch into shouty mode, and it ends up being a bit of a calmer discussion, at least from my side of the dialogue. We'll see how it works out - it's early days yet.
Monday, October 20, 2014
A Trip Up Chanctonbury Ring
This morning I had to wake two of the girls up at 07:20, which is unheard of, mostly. TW was sleeping in, because she had been in A&E until 2am (but that's another story), and to be honest I was starting to panic - how was I going to feed the girls and make sure that they had lunch with them before they left for school?
The reason was that we took a long walk up Chanctonbury Ring yesterday. We had discussed it on Friday night, when we were round at a friend's house; as it turned out, there were four families trekking up the hill yesterday afternoon. I was feeling a bit jaded, and thought a walk and some fresh air might do me some good. I was expecting a 45-minute stroll, and home for a nice cup of tea, but I was wrong. Two and a half hours later, we headed home.
It took about half an hour to get parked, because the car park was full, so we had to wait for a space before we set off. A family had come back to their car, but then decided to dry off the dog, and change their boots, and clean their footwear and take off their coats before vacating their space. That took about twenty minutes, and the hordes were getting impatient. But eventually we gathered and started up the hill. Apparently on Facebook it's classified as a mountain, but I don't think so. It was a bit steep at the start, but we found the rope swings and the children (ten of them) played for a while. The rope swing was a bit of a death trap, but everyone managed to survive, so we headed on with a full complement. The youngest then got a bit grumpy (he is only two) and he went back to the car with his mum. The rest of us headed on. It is quite a nice walk; it's noticeably steep, but it is through woodland, and at this time of year it's lovely. Lots of brown leaves blowing around our feet, falling off the trees. It was quiet and still, and we passed several families all walking their dogs on a warm autumn day.
Once we got through the woodland, we hit the South Downs Way. It was open fields then, and the wind was blowing something fierce. I had a coat with me, because I'm cautious like that, and I kept putting it on to keep the wind off and then taking it off because I was too hot. Ah well, some people, eh? We strode to the top and sat for a while, while the kids frolicked around and ate sweets.
We were quite proud of the fact that our three kids made it to the top without whinging. I guess because there were so many children with us, they were distracted and didn't realise how far they walked...
On the way back, someone suggested we go the steep way, as it was shorter and quicker. What I didn't realise was that it was a hell of a lot steeper, to the extent that when I kicked a couple of stones, they built up their own momentum, and didn't stop (I think) until they got to the bottom... I couldn't walk straight down the slope myself, I had to track horizontally across the incline and hold on to the trees as I went, to stop me falling over. Several of the group resorted to going down on their bums, which would have been the easier option, but I enjoyed the challenge, I suppose I have to admit. I am aching in several places I never knew existed though; I really need to exercise more often. And once we were back at the bottom, we headed back home for a tea of gammon, roast potatoes and cauliflower cheese (with yorkshire puddings, beans and carrots). A brilliant way to finish the day. And that explains why the kids were sleeping in this morning, I think...
The reason was that we took a long walk up Chanctonbury Ring yesterday. We had discussed it on Friday night, when we were round at a friend's house; as it turned out, there were four families trekking up the hill yesterday afternoon. I was feeling a bit jaded, and thought a walk and some fresh air might do me some good. I was expecting a 45-minute stroll, and home for a nice cup of tea, but I was wrong. Two and a half hours later, we headed home.
It took about half an hour to get parked, because the car park was full, so we had to wait for a space before we set off. A family had come back to their car, but then decided to dry off the dog, and change their boots, and clean their footwear and take off their coats before vacating their space. That took about twenty minutes, and the hordes were getting impatient. But eventually we gathered and started up the hill. Apparently on Facebook it's classified as a mountain, but I don't think so. It was a bit steep at the start, but we found the rope swings and the children (ten of them) played for a while. The rope swing was a bit of a death trap, but everyone managed to survive, so we headed on with a full complement. The youngest then got a bit grumpy (he is only two) and he went back to the car with his mum. The rest of us headed on. It is quite a nice walk; it's noticeably steep, but it is through woodland, and at this time of year it's lovely. Lots of brown leaves blowing around our feet, falling off the trees. It was quiet and still, and we passed several families all walking their dogs on a warm autumn day.
Once we got through the woodland, we hit the South Downs Way. It was open fields then, and the wind was blowing something fierce. I had a coat with me, because I'm cautious like that, and I kept putting it on to keep the wind off and then taking it off because I was too hot. Ah well, some people, eh? We strode to the top and sat for a while, while the kids frolicked around and ate sweets.
We were quite proud of the fact that our three kids made it to the top without whinging. I guess because there were so many children with us, they were distracted and didn't realise how far they walked...
On the way back, someone suggested we go the steep way, as it was shorter and quicker. What I didn't realise was that it was a hell of a lot steeper, to the extent that when I kicked a couple of stones, they built up their own momentum, and didn't stop (I think) until they got to the bottom... I couldn't walk straight down the slope myself, I had to track horizontally across the incline and hold on to the trees as I went, to stop me falling over. Several of the group resorted to going down on their bums, which would have been the easier option, but I enjoyed the challenge, I suppose I have to admit. I am aching in several places I never knew existed though; I really need to exercise more often. And once we were back at the bottom, we headed back home for a tea of gammon, roast potatoes and cauliflower cheese (with yorkshire puddings, beans and carrots). A brilliant way to finish the day. And that explains why the kids were sleeping in this morning, I think...
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Everyone Sin a While
Today I took the girls to Splashpoint while TW went Christmas shopping. She's already done most of it, there were just the last bits to do. And of course she couldn't take the girls with her.
Which was lucky, as TW was out until the wee early hours and when she got back she woke me up and even our eldest. So she probably needed some time to get her head straight, as she was certainly out of it last night.
So, anyway, Splashpoint. I was rather reluctant, as I had already ferried T and L to gymnastics, but they really enjoyed it; flitting between the slide, the diving board, and the inflatable, they played nicely together and enjoyed the variety. When we got to the hour, I told them they had ten minutes; T went off to swim lengths and the other two went back on the inflatable for a final two times. L was upset when I told her that time was up, but they were well-behaved and got dry and dressed in good humour.
I was really surprised by how empty Splashpoint was. Apparently it's been like that for a week or so. I reckon everyone is off shopping for Christmas. They'll probably be swamped again after Christmas, but it was nice, just once, to stroll in, walk straight up to the counter (rather than queue for 20 mins) and collect our bands. It may never happen again... :)
Which was lucky, as TW was out until the wee early hours and when she got back she woke me up and even our eldest. So she probably needed some time to get her head straight, as she was certainly out of it last night.
So, anyway, Splashpoint. I was rather reluctant, as I had already ferried T and L to gymnastics, but they really enjoyed it; flitting between the slide, the diving board, and the inflatable, they played nicely together and enjoyed the variety. When we got to the hour, I told them they had ten minutes; T went off to swim lengths and the other two went back on the inflatable for a final two times. L was upset when I told her that time was up, but they were well-behaved and got dry and dressed in good humour.
I was really surprised by how empty Splashpoint was. Apparently it's been like that for a week or so. I reckon everyone is off shopping for Christmas. They'll probably be swamped again after Christmas, but it was nice, just once, to stroll in, walk straight up to the counter (rather than queue for 20 mins) and collect our bands. It may never happen again... :)
Monday, November 18, 2013
Thinking About My Eldest Daughter
So, here's a thing: I get frustrated *a lot* by my eldest daughter. Much more so than by my other daughters, even if they do the same things. So I got to thinking why that might be.
My eldest is quite mature for an eight-year old; that might sound strange, but all her friends are older than her, so even though she is the eldest of her sisters she has role models to emulate. And she is quite tall as well - taller than some twelve year olds in the street.
So I think it boils down to this:- I think my eldest daughter is older than she actually is. I need to remember that next time (and the time after that) she does something childish... She is actually a child. So it's to be expected, and these things happen and should be used as an opportunity to teach her how grown-ups handle situations.
My eldest is quite mature for an eight-year old; that might sound strange, but all her friends are older than her, so even though she is the eldest of her sisters she has role models to emulate. And she is quite tall as well - taller than some twelve year olds in the street.
So I think it boils down to this:- I think my eldest daughter is older than she actually is. I need to remember that next time (and the time after that) she does something childish... She is actually a child. So it's to be expected, and these things happen and should be used as an opportunity to teach her how grown-ups handle situations.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Illness and Frailty
Child No. 2 was sick this week. And by 'sick' I mean we awoke to the sound of vomiting on Monday morning. Her little six-year old body was wracked with vomiting 10 times in three and a half hours. And then, as quickly as it came, it went. We'll never know what caused it. And I got to work from home on Tuesday because the school insists on a 48 hour quarantine.
In other news, I banjaxed my neck on Friday morning and have been suffering since. It's on the mend now, but I'm taking it as a sign that need to get running again.
In other news, I banjaxed my neck on Friday morning and have been suffering since. It's on the mend now, but I'm taking it as a sign that need to get running again.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Shopping With Hattie
This morning I have taken a day off to help out TW - she's got a Christmas Fair to organise later, and doesn't need to worry about the kids.
So I've got Hattie for the day. I asked her what she wanted to do and she said she wanted to go shopping. And she especially wanted to go to Tesco - that's apparently her favourite shop.
So we went into Worthing, moved from bank to bank, and then went to Caffè Nero, where Hattie could have a melted cheese sandwich - she'd been banging on about it all morning. She also got to run up some steps and down a slope twice. And I collected a birthday parcel from the Post Office. And that took eighty minutes. It's slow going with a youngster... :-)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Children and Teeth
My eldest lost her first milk tooth today.
I say 'lost' - she swallowed it. At school. Doofus.
Still, I have an inkling that the Tooth Fairy will still visit, and leave a pound under the pillow, in the expected tradition.
I don't know, it's just a hunch.
Lying Children
The other day I heard my daughter lie to TW.
I was in one room, TW and The Youngest were in another.
The Youngest said "Can I go and play outside naked, Mummy?
TW replied "I don't think so, Youngest."
Youngest tried her best: "Daddy said it was okay".
She's two years old.
I was in one room, TW and The Youngest were in another.
The Youngest said "Can I go and play outside naked, Mummy?
TW replied "I don't think so, Youngest."
Youngest tried her best: "Daddy said it was okay".
She's two years old.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Early Morning Thoughts
So, here I am again, early morning again, all girls asleep again.
It probably won't be too long until the eldest wanders down and wants to watch Tiny Pop.
I do enjoy these moments of silence, where I can indulge myself. Shame the keys on the laptop click, and the fan makes an audible whirr. Still, this is about four years old now, will probably have to replace it soon.
I'm girding my loins for the day. TW goes off to Spain tomorrow, so I will be large and in charge of three daughters from Thursday to Monday night. Luckily, M & P have offered to host us on Sunday afternoon, for a bbq, and with a bit of Amazon on Saturday afternoon maybe, we might just make it through.
My main worry is cooking for the girls. I hope they like what I serve up. I also hope I don't drink lots of wine in order to get to sleep and then wake up grumpy and hungover for them the next day.
Still, they'll have gymnastics and swimming and grandparents and school, so it's not like I'm the sole entertainer. It'll be fine.
It probably won't be too long until the eldest wanders down and wants to watch Tiny Pop.
I do enjoy these moments of silence, where I can indulge myself. Shame the keys on the laptop click, and the fan makes an audible whirr. Still, this is about four years old now, will probably have to replace it soon.
I'm girding my loins for the day. TW goes off to Spain tomorrow, so I will be large and in charge of three daughters from Thursday to Monday night. Luckily, M & P have offered to host us on Sunday afternoon, for a bbq, and with a bit of Amazon on Saturday afternoon maybe, we might just make it through.
My main worry is cooking for the girls. I hope they like what I serve up. I also hope I don't drink lots of wine in order to get to sleep and then wake up grumpy and hungover for them the next day.
Still, they'll have gymnastics and swimming and grandparents and school, so it's not like I'm the sole entertainer. It'll be fine.
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