Busy Week

So we had a busy week.

Saturday Tom had already bounced back and requested a train ride, after much research and deliberation on where to go, we settled on driving to Carnforth to get the train to Grange Over Sands. It was only 3 stops on the train, but it included crossing a viaduct across the Kent Estuary (at the top of Morecambe Bay) so it was interesting enough for him.   We settled for lunch at S Cafe, we were very pleased with our choice, really good food and very good service.  They even interrupted us so that Tom got a chance to watch the fish being fed.  Everyone ate up, although Tom was slowing down.  We were worried that maybe we had pushed him too much for the day, but he did eat most of his lunch (sausage sandwich as tends to be his 'usual' when we are out and about).  The rain clouds were gathering so we decided to have a look around some interesting looking shops to keep dry.  Quite a few 'sell everything' shops that seem to go on and on and on - great for exploring and Matt finally found me a screw on icing sugar shaker which will be well used and will stop lots of swearing in the kitchen.  As Tom was flagging we got an early train back.  Tom fell asleep straight away in the car home, not a surprise - I guess the anaesthetic was still in his system.  Today was my delayed birthday, so we spent the evening watching Eurovision, drinking red wine and eating copious amounts of cheese.  Very naughty but oh so nice!

Birthday Cake

Sunday, Tom was not himself, so we had a very easy day.  I got him to help me make a birthday cake for me, which he did well - including some mad decorating with some of my pre-made decorations.   We did a couple of chores, then headed out to Inglesport for lunch.  On our return Tom went to bed - he realised himself that he needed it and happily went to bed.  He stayed there deeply asleep for 2 hours and woke up much better.   He went back to bed again at the usual time and was asleep in no time.  I guess he needed it.

Tom and Fred swinging in the park

Monday, Tom was back to normal - hurray! Fred and Frank came over for a play in the morning, whilst Caroline sorted out some visitors to her cottage.  Tom and Fred played really nicely together and Frank was good too.  Matt came with us to the park (he was worried about me with 3 of them!).  Once again the 3 of them played really nicely together and before we knew it, it was 3.30 and time to say goodbye.

Tom and Fred with a money mushroom

In the bluebells

Tuesday, Tom and I met up with Caroline and Fred to do the waterfalls walk together.  Fred hasn't done it before and Caroline wanted to show him how lovely it is.  Once again the boys got on really nicely with each other.  There was no whinging, whining etc, the two kept each other going and were happy to learn some bits and pieces about the environment.

Throwing stones

We stopped for a picnic at Thornton Force and detoured to the stepping stones at Beezley (Tom fell in and cried.  Twice!)  It took a good four hours to do it, but the boys had fun and that's all that mattered.  When we had finished, Tom and Fred wanted to play in the park, so Caroline went to collect Frank and then met up with us in the park.  A really lovely day.

At the top

Wednesday, I was feeling rubbish - blocked ears and cold, tiredness etc etc, plus I had a cake to do.  Matt was sympathetic and said he would take Tom up Pen-y-Ghent, so the two of them left me to it.  I got Iggle Piggle finished and then vacuumed and cleaned the house (phew it really needed it!).  The two boys got back just as I had finished.  So a useful day for me and an exciting one for them.  Apparently he breezed up Pen-y-Ghent, didn't get out of breath and talked at Matt the whole way up and down!

The intrepid hiker

Matt here. Yes, as was the case when all climbed Ingleborough, he marched straight to the top with no apparent effort and then ate his lunch in no time flat. As you can see from the photos, it was a beautiful day, with hardly a breath of wind, even at the summit. The only slight hiccup was His Nibs suddenly needing the loo on the most exposed part of the walk. I was ill-prepared and ended up wiping his bottom with clumps of grass/moss that I pulled out of the moor. He didn't seem to mind. We also saw 7 trains on the walk - 3 "purple trains", 2 coal trains, 1 unidentified freight train and 1 locomotive by itself.
I must say, he was exceptionally good company on the walk, and the constant chatter was entertaining rather than annoying (as it can be sometimes). Some of his funnier utterances were "I can see my nose when I'm walking", "Daddy, was Pen-y-Ghent made in the olden days?" and, upon seeing a fell runner hurtling down the path at great speed "I think he's going to miss his bus".
A grand day out.


Thursday, I thought the weather forecast looked good, so arranged with Caroline to meet at Morecambe for a day on the beach.

Digging

Almost there

It was a very long trench

Finished!

Woke up, it was raining.  Ignored it, drove to Morecambe, it carried on raining.  Caroline got a little delayed meeting up with us, just as well as it was raining.  As soon as she arrived, it stopped raining.  The boys didn't mind,  they got to work digging in the sand.  Lots of people around here look down their nose at Morecambe, but I really don't think it is that bad, as a destination, the promenade and beach are absolutely fine.  The beach is clean, empty and full of good digging and sandcastle making sand - that's all you need.

Bring me sunshine

We had a picnic on the beach and the boys undertook a significant engineering project, digging a trench from the sea wall down to the water. Frank got tired, so Caroline took the boys back, whilst Tom and I stayed (I was looking for a ribbon shop I knew had moved - found it and stocked up.  By then the sun had come out so Tom and I stayed until our money ran out at the car park.  We then got home and as the sun was still shining, we decided to finally try and put up our new tent.  We managed it without swearing  - so not a bad result.



Friday - Tom went back to school - mainly because Grannie and Grandpa were coming to visit and wanted to pick him up from school.  Everyone was surprised to see him, Mrs Pickard even suggested we smuggled him out again to enjoy the sunshine.  He got hugs off a couple of the children, he had certainly been missed - Finn had been off sick as well, meaning that there had only been 3 boys in the class that week.  He happily went in.  I was able to get the house in order ready for Pat and Bob who arrived in good time to pick him up.


Saturday - Pat and Bob left after breakfast and Matt had a cricket match so I asked Tom what he wanted to do.

Boy, bike and Ingleborough (in far distance)

Playing in the fountains

Collecting water

He wanted to bike in Morecambe, so I loaded up the car and set off.  It was a gorgeous day, both of us were in a good mood, I parked up at Bare, and unloaded.  It took Tom 18 minutes to ride to the Stone Jetty - super quick.  Believe it or not, the Stone Jetty cafe was closed???!!!  They lost a lot of money as there were loads of people hanging around.  As a result we headed down to The Breeze Cafe for lunch.  Tom decided on a huge chocolate muffin (think he slightly regretted it though as he ended up eating quite a bit of my goats' cheese panini - he doesn't like overly sweet things - has even rejected Cadbury's Creme eggs!).

Pouring water

Collecting stones

We then noticed that the fountains were working, so Tom took his bike down and played in them.  He was very careful and didn't get wet, but still managed to play and wash his bike.  We then cycled back to the car.  It took longer this time as there were loads of people around we had to weave around.  Once back we headed to Hest Bank for a spot of train spotting and playing on the beach.  Tom was happily in his own world relocating shells and stones from one part of the beach to another - skipping along, being industrious in his one little way.  A joy to watch.

Sunday - We had a busy day.  12.00 saw him at a 5th birthday party for Evie and Freya (his two favourite girls in his class) - all the girls are hugely into Frozen (the latest Disney princess cartoon movie) so there were a lot of princesses about and all in blue which is refreshing.  Tom has been 'made' to watch Frozen at school and was very unimpressed: "it's too girlie, too many princesses, no men and it is yuck".  Still they were all nicely turned out.  They had hired a children's entertainer (we had seen him at work in Morecambe last year) who was good.  He kept them enthralled the whole time we were there - lots of silly jokes and magic tricks (also some good ones).  Also lots of audience participation - meaning lots of mummy and daddy dancing - interesting.  Matt was even dancing to One Direction at one point!!!!!  Anyway a good time was had by all.

We left the party and headed straight to Newby Bridge to meet up with Pat and Bob at the Motor Museum.  They had actually done the whole museum by the time we got there, so we had a drink and then decided to go to Hawkshead for a look around and tea / dinner / whatever you want to call it.  We all managed some shopping and then found the one pub serving food.  We all ate a good meal before saying goodbye and heading our separate ways.  A good day.