First week of the holidays - part 2

Thursday was yet another wonderfully sunny and hot day.  Grandpa wanted a 'day in the countryside' so we decided to take him for a walk in Austwick - what is becoming one of our favourite short walks, across some fields, up a hill through a wild flower haven to the top of a hill, down the otherside to a river and back to Austwick, where of course there is a lovely pub to relax and recuperate in.

Nice cool feet

It was a good walk although it was quite hot so a little harder than usual.  The wild flowers were still out including bluebells and orchids and the view from the top was as lovely as always.  We headed down to the river.  As it was so hot we very much looked forward to having a paddle in the river at the bottom.  Matt and I were straight in (it was delicious) but Tom was hesitant.  Surprisingly it only took a little persuasion to get him in and in the end he was splashing around as if it was exactly why he went there.  We also found a swing over the river, I said there was no way we would get Tom on there.  Of course Grandpa was with us so he had to prove us wrong - he sat on it and was quite content to swing over the water (wonders will never cease!).

After quite a bit of playing we walked on to the Game Cock and had a lovely lunch - I went for the Breton Gallette which really did take me back to France (their kitchen is run by a French chef).  We left with happy bellies and returned home to laze around inside - we had all had enough of the sun (it got up to about 28 degrees today)

Another good day.

Just hanging around...

Friday Tom had his first summer swimming lesson at Ingleton Pool.  It went surprisingly well.  I had asked for Tom to be in the class where they don't wear swimming aids (he will be lazy if he can).  He was put in a class mainly with people from year 1 (Strangely most of his class mates were in the class above that?!).  He did pretty much everything he was asked and even tried to swim at the end of it (he managed about 1/3 of a width).  I'm hoping Vicky (the teacher) might finally get him on his way - surely it has got to click soon????

Saturday morning we headed to Clapham for their street fair.  We had a good play in their lovely park and then had a browse around the stalls set up in the village after enjoying the Batala drum band again (the same one as was in Ingleton last week).  Problem was that most of the stalls belonged to churches and I feel quite uncomfortable giving my money to organised religion (I've never been a fan and since living in Israel have become even less of a fan).  There were the odd charities, but one tried to give me a guilt trip about Tom and the fact that he could have a brain tumour at any time which would be incurable (why oh why do they then think I would turn round and give them some money after saying that to me???!!!!!) However, the Cave and Mountain Rescue were there with some rather lovely looking cakes, so we sat down, ate cake and happily gave them some money.

A walk in the wheat

Matt then enjoyed a rather lovely looking bacon butty before we headed back.  Matt to play cricket, Tom and I to have lunch and then decide what to do for the rest of the day.  Tom wanted to go to the swimming pool to show me how he can now swim.  We went along but it was a lovely sunny day so it was rammed full.  Tom didn't seem to mind, but it meant there really wasn't enough room for him to try to swim.  Nevermind we had fun, until suddenly he went quiet on me.  We got out and went home.  He was tired.  We had a 5pm tea.  Tom was in bed by 6.30 and sound asleep by 6.45!  I guess it has been a busy week.

Sunday we headed over to Crooklands as we had heard you could get a free narrow boat trip down the canal there.  We turned up and yes, we could, although we couldn't get on the first boat, so went for a little walk and played catch with a pine cone before boarding.  It was a lovely, peaceful ride, we didn't go very far or for very long, but it was a lovely, relaxing ride.  There were 4 dogs on board with us - Tom didn't mind at all and they were all well behaved.  Once back, we headed to Plumgarths for lunch (very nice too - homemade quiche for me, meat sandwiches for the boys), then to Lakeland in Windermere for a browse (good for ideas - but too expensive to buy).  We then headed up the Kirkstone Pass to the Kirkstone Pass Inn for a quick drink before heading back home.  Tom fell asleep within minutes and remained so all the way home - is he really 5 going on 6?!  I don't think his classmates run out of steam so quickly?!