A week in Devon

Sorry, getting behind - but I had to do 5 cakes in 3 days last week which is why.

So, we went down to Devon for a long weekend so Tom could visit / tire out his grandparents.  He was an absolute star in the car, we stopped once to change drivers, he didn't complain once - the first time ever.

Having a giggle in Crapstone

He was very excited to see Granma and Pop Pop and it didn't take too long for him to start saying 'Nam-ma' for Mum which was great.  On Thursday Tom decided to take Pop Pop and Nam-ma on the South Devon Railway (Buckfastleigh to Totnes).  He was excited as usual - especially as the steam train pulling the coaches was a 'Duck'.  We took a ride down the line and back again, had lunch and then did it again.  Unfortunately we were too far out of season to experience the double decker bus and miniature railway - so we will have to go again in season to try them out.  Anyway, we all had a good time (especially Tom, who discovered various different train toys dotted around the site to amuse him - in the restaurant and the museum (we discovered that you can't interrupt his play for savoury lunch, but you can for CAKE!))

We all got tired out, so Tom and Nam-ma fell asleep on the way back.  Tom went mad on his return to Crapstone, Nam-ma, didn't!

On Friday, Nam-ma and Pop Pop took Tom out for the morning to an adventure park in Plymouth whilst Matt and I had a morning together - trying to sort out the car bump (no luck) and then a quick trip in to Tavistock to try out the pasty shop again (service only slightly better than last time, so still mediocre!)

We then spent the afternoon out in the garden enjoying the sun.

Saturday Matt and I decided to give Mum and Dad a break from Grandparent duties and took Tom into Plymouth.  We popped into a travel agent to pick up some brochures for our holiday in October, and then walked to The Barbican to get the boat round to the old naval base and the rather lovely coffee shop there.  We had the boat to ourselves (a bright red landing craft type vessel)  Tom wasn't 100% sure, but enjoyed himself enough.  We had a good lunch (breakfast bun for Matt and tapas for me with Tom eating a fair share as tends to be the norm these days) before getting the boat back and then the double decker bus back to the park and ride.  A non train day, but still quite exciting for a little boy.

Nik & Tom at Totnes Station

Sunday it was gloomy and overcast so we decided to stay close to home and went to Buckland Abbey for the morning.  Tom seemed to enjoy himself, in the garden and then upstairs in the abbey where there were dressing up clothes, including some Tom's size.  He hated us putting the clothes on him, but once they were on he went loopy and ran round and round giggling.  We then decided to go back to The Dartmoor Diner for lunch (as it has a toy train going round the wall) but it was fully booked so we ended up at The Rock instead, had a good lunch, but the lack of a train could not be made up.

All too quickly it was Monday morning again and time to go home.  We went back home via Sheppy's (got our last ever cases of Tremlett's Bitter as they are discontinuing it :0( ) and Bristol for lunch where he was an absolute angel.  He said he didn't want to sit in a high chair, but on a big boy chair.  We made it very clear that if he got off the big boy chair then he would go in the high chair, he still fidgeted, but he didn't try to get off it.  He also pointed to some pasta on the menu, so I got some for my lunch and he ate at least 50% - so a very well behaved boy.  He then played in the fountain in the middle of the shopping mall before we made our way home.

A nice break.