Fourth Week of the Holidays

Being looked after

Hannah, Becca & Tom

Saturday morning Matt left early to go for his train driving experience at Miller Beck - his birthday present from last year!  Neil and Co. then left and Tom and I headed to Carnforth to deliver the cake I had been working on.  In the afternoon Paul, Rose, Hannah and Becca, our old neighbours from Telford came to stay.  They had been camping in the Lake District and were staying with us on their way back home.

Playing in the river

It was great to see them - my they have grown up a lot recently, not so much girls, more like women. Tom was in his element, with two girls to look after him, so the tempo and noise levels in the house reduced somewhat.  We did the Storr's Common walk and then as it was hot got ice creams, a play in the park and then a play in the river.  Hannah and Becca had been playing in a river at their campsite all week so were straight in.  After initial refusal, Tom submitted and joined them.  I was suprised as once again I wasn't prepared, meaning he had to go bare footed into the river full of stones.  He didn't seem to notice or care!

Made it safely to the middle

We managed another bbq, which once again we got to eat outside.  Tom went to bed early, and then the girls spent the night teaching me how to make loom bands.  Think I got there.

Sunday was a horrible, horrible day.  We were going to show the Gouges more of the area, but it was too horrible, so they went home early and we headed to Feizor for lunch and then into Settle for a quick look around Watershed Mills (Tom got a replacement signal for his model railway).

Monday we met up with Kate and Finn again.  Kate's arm is much better, but she's still unable to drive.  There was a weather warning out for the Dales for wind and rain so we decided rather than go for a walk to go to the cinema.  We went to Lancaster and saw Planes 2.  It was really good, I really enjoyed it as did Tom and Finn.

Tom at the top of the crow's nest

and Finn

Lovely butterfly

When we got out we discovered that the weather was pretty good, so we headed up to Williamson Park and had lunch and a look around the mini beast area and butterfly house, before a play in the park.  Before we knew it, it was 5pm so we headed back.  I had put on a stew before leaving the house and Kate was out of food so they came back to ours for tea.

Tuesday, Tom and I got up early and drove down to Telford as we were having a mini break to meet up with our old friends and give Matt a nice quiet house to do some serious work.  First stop was Suzanna with Nate and Brandon.  Tom, after swearing to me that he couldn't remember Nate, remembered him in a second and they were best buddies in seconds.  We didn't see them for the whole time we were there!  I caught up with Suzanna - she's getting married in November (I'm making her cake) and I'm going to her hen do in Birmingham in September.

Lucy 'helping' with baking

We said goodbye (she had to go to work) so Tom and I went to the Town Centre for a look around and lunch.  Wow!  It has changed so much.  I could hardly recognise it.  The Town Park has changed significantly, with lakes being moved, and there are loads of new buildings: a new cinema, a new library, a Premier Inn and loads of new restaurants about to open.  Telford certainly needed it, it should be much better once it has been finished.  However, the people walking around made me remember just how chavvy Telford is.  I felt super slim and super old to have a 5 year old with me!  However, mostly I noticed how grumpy and miserable everyone looked.  I'm glad to have got out!

Tom and Mae balancing

After lunch Tom and I headed to Rachel's new house in Moreton (well in the middle of no-where).  a very lovely barn conversion set around a communal courtyard with other children - Rachel's idea of heaven, I can see why.  It is very lovely.  Rachel's house was in a state of chaos, they only moved in 2 weeks ago, plus it is school holidays and her children were out of routine.  Not a great formula, but one she copes with admirably (it would drive me mad!).  Tom and Mae were very pleased to be together (Tom had been moaning that it was taking too long to get to see Mae all day) and were playing together immediately.  Rachel and I were able to catch up around Lucy and a 1000 mini disasters which kept occurring.  The children had tea together - Tom ate up fast and then demanded more food after pudding as he was still hungry (a little embarrassing).  Tom was very tired after a full, exciting day but Mae wasn't and Mae can be a little monkey if she wants.  She had no desire to go to sleep at all and wanted to play up.  Rachel, sensing how tired Tom was took Mae out of the room and Tom was asleep in minutes.

Children on the swings - all swinging under their own steam!

All the NCT girls (Michelle, Lou and Rachel) came round for dinner in the evening.  It was really good to see them.  We don't see each other very often, but are able to pick up where we left off each time.  The evening raced by.  Mae was up to greet them, but then went to bed in the room with Tom very quietly (the perfect way to get them to bed in the same room together!).  We kept going until 11pm but then tiredness crept up on everyone and we said our goodbyes.

Wednesday morning I took Tom and Mae into Telford Town Park to meet up with Helen, Jake & Thomas and Sammie, Jen and Sophie.  Tom said he couldn't remember Jake, but as soon as they saw each other they gave each other big big hugs.  So lovely to see.  The children all played together superbly well.  It was as if we had never been away.  It was so good to catch up with everyone.  Such great, easy company.  Oh and Tom for the first time ever got swinging by himself (mainly because I was too busy chatting to attend to his needs)  Never again will I push him!

On the assault course

We split up for lunch.  I returned with Tom and Mae to Rachel's to find a house full of action.  Rachel's in-laws were helping with the move and Phil's mum was round to put up a shelf and paint the garage.  Mae and Tom played in the courtyard with the neighbour's children quite happily whilst Lucy came in and out and demanded this and that (you forget how demanding a 2 year old can be!)

Goodbye hug

Phil's sister came round as well so there was a full house.  Phil's parents are lovely people, but they seem unable to say goodbye, we had the longest parting ever recorded and then settled down for dinner.  Once again Tom was tired and Mae not, so Tom went to bed first and Mae afterwards.  During this time I also got news that Uncle Claude had passed away, so I left them to the longest ever goodbye and had a long phone conversation with mum and dad.

Thursday, we said our goodbyes to Mae, Lucy and Rachel and then headed to softplay at the ice rink to meet with Sammie & co.  Sarah and Basia were going to be there too, but family crises stopped them attending.  Not to worry, we had a good time and more so Tom and Sophie had a great time.  One sausage roll and a hot dog each down we said goodbye and we headed back home.  We got home in good time.  Matt took us out for tea.

Friday, as Matt had done loads of work whilst we were away, he decided to take the day off.  We went down for Tom's swimming lesson and then decided to go to Ulverston to climb up to the lighthouse there.  Bad idea - there was a crash on the main roundabout for that area, meaning traffic built up big time.  We were stuck in the jam for a good 40 mins until we were able to peel off up past Windermere.  We decided to go to a pub we found the other day near Gummers How and had a large lunch.  Wow!  It was good.  A steak sandwich with caramelised onions, horseradish and blue cheese = pure, pure heaven.  We were then told that the windermere road was blocked so we had no choice other than to go home the scenic way, which we did.  A bit of a non event day but a great lunch.