Busy Weekend

Crunching tackle

We had a very busy weekend this week.

First stop was a football match in Grassington - we had to be there at 9am so it was a very early start (earlier than a school day!).  The weather was OK - no wind or rain but we still froze and didn't warm up for the rest of the day.  The team did OK for the match.  The first team won the first match.  Tom played in the second team, they lost 1-0, but didn't disgrace themselves.  I just wish Tom showed some fighting spirit!

We headed to Keelham after the match for tea and a bun, did some quick shopping (replaced the pork joint!) and then went to the bowling place for Harrison's birthday party.  It wasn't an official party (Tom was the only boy invited from school) just an 'afternoon out' we were all sworn to secrecy (it is difficult - Harrison is the eldest of 4, they don't have a huge amount of money to splash around on birthday parties, and its hard to invite some of the boys from school but not all.  Harrison and Tom are, I think quite close - even though most of their out of school interests are completely different, they have the same temperament)

Bowling party

It wasn't warm in the bowling alley!  The kids had a good time though - I think Tom won, but can't really remember.

Well-dressed elf

We headed home, had baths and showers.  Matt and Tom then went out.  Tom had a sleepover at the Bickerstaffs, whilst Matt and Janine headed to watch The Wedding Present (an indie band from his formative years) in Kendal and I headed to Lynne's for a chilli tea with the girls.  A good time was had by all, in fact I got home after Matt!!!!!

Dave Gedge - looking delighted to see me

Sunday morning, we picked up Tom and then headed to Wigan where we met up with Jude and Craig at Miller and Carter for a steak lunch (and so I could hand over some Lily Pad Bakery goodies).  We pushed the boat out and had a very very lovely dinner.  Scallops for starter and half a Chateaubriand steak for mains.  The others (including Tom) all had dessert too!!!!!!  We headed back via Barton Grange.  Was a good day out.

Watsons Come to Visit

Gooning about

On Friday we went to the Snooty Fox in Kirkby for tea.  Tom and I both chose Moules and enjoyed them.  However, Tom was sick on Friday night in bed.  Oops!!!

He was fine on Saturday morning though and luckily football was cancelled as the weather was awful.  He was due to go to a swimming party in the afternoon and he was completely normal - eating loads, and bless him, he said that even if he couldn't go in the pool, he would like to go to watch!  We figured he was over it and let him swim, and he was fine, joined in a loved the pool party.  

Whilst he was at the pool, I delivered an owl cake to a holiday park in Carnforth.  Would have helped if the customer had given me the right name of the park - as I delivered it to the wrong one - oops!  Anyway, it was all sorted out.  I really enjoyed making the cake - was one of my better ones - it even had an earwig and fungi on it!

On the limestone pavement

We met back up at home and around 5.30 the Watsons arrived - them having been delayed by parties too.  I had made stew and rice, so we sat down almost straight away and gobbled it up.  Lisa and I then left the men with the children, whilst we went out for a drink at the Post Office (Cameron and Matt having had a night out recently in Edinburgh).  Very pleasant it was too.

In the morning after much debate we took the Watsons up to Ribblehead to do the circuit.  We were lucky in that the weather cleared pretty much as we got there and closed in as we left.  It was a pleasant walk, and good for the kids to have a run around.  It certainly is a gem of walk, you can see all 3 peaks, the viaduct and plenty of sheep and stone barns - what more could you want of the Dales?

We went back to Ingleton for coffee and cake at Inglesport and then the kids played as we made Sunday roast (we had one of those lumps of Pork from Keelham to work our way through).  Everyone ate up well.  All the kids were good.  Maggie (who is 12) has grown up sooooo much - definitely on the cusp between child and adult!  She loves lying in bed now, eats, eats, eats, can join in adult conversation but also likes playing with the younger kids.  A really lovely girl.

Sunday roast

They left soon after lunch, I don't think we did much: cleared up, watched a film, had a bath and went to bed.  

Manchester Markets

In the man cave

Sorry folks, I have got very very behind with the blog as I've been crocheting Rudolphs with every spare moment.  They are all done now though and I'm winning with my baking, so now I can catch up - although of course I will have forgotten everything we have done!

First to report is our Manchester weekend.  Tom had football practise in the morning as usual - it took place at Burton in Lonsdale Astroturf as the pitch was frozen!  It was freezing cold, so Matt and I headed into Bentham for coffee and a cake before retrieving him - he was fine - been running around and nice and warm whilst the parents who stayed were frozen!

Tom and Rosa

We headed straight to Manchester.  First stop (of course) was Wing Yip as we were all hungry.  We ate very well (as usual) filling up with huge amounts of Dim Sum - I think we knew what most of them were as well this time!  Next stop was the supermarket where we replenished our Asian food stocks - we had our rather fab electric eskimo with us this time so we were able to buy chilled goods as well.  Next stop was Go Outdoors, where we ended up buying quite a few bits and pieces we didn't realise we needed (as usual) and then we rocked up at the Komorowskis.  Adam wasn't there as he was returning from getting some colleagues out of prison in Turkey (long story) but he got back early evening.  Leia was also absent as she was at drama school, so it was me, Matt, Karen, Tom and Rosa. Unfortunately Tom and Rosa didn't really play together so it was a bit of a wait until Leia returned, once she did Tom was off and happy.

Amazing fudge stall

Once Adam returned, he showed Matt and Tom his new man cave (shed) in the garden.  Wow!  It is a shrine to Chelsea Football Club, Star Wars and Dr Who.  All very well done and certainly a place for him to escape the girls in the house!  Funnily the house emptied and just me and Karen were in the house!  We had a very lovely lamb tagine for tea.  For various reasons we were all quite shattered so went to bed relatively early for a night staying with friends.  The kids were very good - went to bed and straight to sleep without any high jinks which was lovely.

Sunday we headed out to browse the Christmas markets.  There were loads, and because we weren't expecting to go shopping we did quite well - bought ourselves another moose/reindeer for the lounge (he's been named Barnsley), we all had bratwurst for lunch with mulled wine (for me and Matt) and purchased fudge from the most amazing fudge stall I've ever seen (for R&D purposes of course!)

We headed back home in the afternoon with a car full of purchases - we always buy more when we don't expect to!  Tom slept the whole way home!!!!!

Child of the World

Tom got a certificate this week at school for:

"His wonderful listening and memory skills during our Geography topic of Polar regions"

Almost 1 year since his last certificate which he got for good Geography skills with their topic of China.

Seems as if he is excelling at Geography - that's my boy!!!!!!