Sunshine

So, we've had an interesting week this week.  Tom, getting older is getting more aware of the big wide world we live in and that it might not be as nice has he previously thought.  He had four crying wake ups this week:

1) He was worried he was going to get shot - we had watched Dukes of Hazzard and there had been a shoot out!  I think one baddie got shot in the knee.  So we had to explain gun laws in the UK and the fact the Dukes of Hazard is fiction to him.  He went to sleep OK.

2) After watching an episode of Paddington 24/7 this week, where a person with a rucksack climbed up on the roof, he got worried that there was someone on our roof.  We had to explain the story to him - the person with the rucksack was a homeless guy trying to find somewhere warm and dry to sleep by himself, he wasn't wanting to do anything bad.  He went to sleep OK.

3) Thursday - a beautiful sunny day, brought out lots of jets in the sky overhead.  He was worried that world war 3 was going to start.  We explained that as it was a lovely sunny day, pilots would want to fly jets in the lovely conditions as they don't get many chances to fly their planes in such sunny conditions.  He went to sleep OK

4) He woke up in the middle of the night worried we were going to get burgled.  We explained all the doors and windows were locked and that we live in an area of low crime.  He went back to sleep OK.

Crummackdale from Norber Erratics

Oh my, the world is a horrible place isn't it.  Much nicer when you aren't aware of all the dangers in it!

Batting - eye on the ball nicely

So this week summer arrived, we had sunshine all day on Thursday, Friday from lunchtime and all day Saturday.

For one reason or another we didn't quite manage to get out on Thursday, although we did manage a BBQ in the evening (just in case it was the only day of summer!).

Friday we did manage to get out - it didn't look good to start with as we had rain, cloud, mist and dampness in the morning, it was cold as well.  However, we were determined to go out, so we did.  We had an early lunch and then headed to Clapham to do a walk we've been meaning to do for a while: the Norber Erratics.  It was spitting as we left Clapham so we took our cagools knowing it would probably clear up and we would end up carrying them around.  We were right, we walked from Clapham to Austwick in the grey, decided to go for a cheeky half at The Game Cock, came out of the Game Cock 15 mins later to bright sunshine and deep blue sky?!

Bowling - excellent action

The rest of the walk was gorgeous, a lovely route half way up the hills amongst the debris of the ice age - huge boulders scattered around.  Just about the length that my poor leg can cope with (I strained a muscle in my groin 3 weeks ago so have been having trouble walking and certainly can't run at the moment).  Anyway, it was lovely and one we will return to.

The evening saw us across the road at the Community field with Tom playing cricket.  It was a gorgeous evening so the parents were all happy to be out and taking part, a nice atmosphere. A good day.

Saturday was a lovely lovely sunny day.  It was an early start for us as Tom had a football tournament in Skipton - we had to be there for 9.00 so we were up earlier than for school!  It didn't matter so much with it being so sunny.  I was in shorts, we had to run around the house looking for sun cream, managed to find 1 bottle.  For once all the football mums and dads were happily watching on in the sunshine, makes it so much more pleasurable in sunshine.  They played 6 matches in all, each 10 minutes long.  They lost the first 3 matches - all by one goal, they were pretty unlucky to do so.  The last 3 matches they won 1-0, 4-0, 4-0 meaning they came third over all.

Up the Wanderers!

The tournament finished at 12, but we had to hang around till 4 as Tom had a party at the pool in Skipton - it is Fred's birthday and since he has moved school, I'm guessing a number of his new classmates live over Skipton way.  It didn't make sense to go home to come back again so we decided to hang around in Skipton.  We had Finn with us, so we went for lunch at the Cake'ole an interesting and eclectic cafe in Skipton, did a tiny bit of shopping but the  town was rammed, so we headed back to the park next to the swimming pool and played cricket, football and Frisbee in the sunshine.  The boys certainly had a good amount of exercise and I think were pleased to get into the water for a cool down and swim.

Some well-earned calories

It was very much an 'us' and 'them' birthday party: parents of the two schools didn't mix and children of the two schools didn't mix - there was no reason why we or they should though, why talk to complete strangers when you have friends there.  Didn't think it was ever going to happen.  I wonder if that will be the last time our children get invited.  Caroline didn't spend any time with 'us'.

On the way home we popped to the Craven Arms for tea with Pat and Bob - not up to its usual standards, and then we stopped by the Manning/Hughes to wish John happy birthday and ended up there until after 10pm.  A long but happy day, think we will take it easy on Sunday.