Week 3

This week has all been about friends and playtime. No exciting day trips, just catching up with friends and playing.

Monday, we went around Steph's at 10am and didn't get back until 5pm!  We didn't do much other than chat and the children didn't do much other than play.  It was lovely, harmonious and we were all truly shocked when we looked at the time and found it was 4.30.  Janine Nicholls came round with Flo and Charlie as well.  There was A LOT of gossip, especially around the school.  No-one is too happy with the class sizes and lack of appearance by the management to do anything about it.

Tuesday, we arranged to spend the day with Katie and Rebecca. In true fashion, we had a train day and met up at Ribblehead Station to see a steam train go through.  We did that and then Katie told us that there was a heritage walk happening that day and would we want to go along.  We did.  First we went back to Katie's house for a brew and a drink (kids were straight upstairs to play trains) and then we headed back.  The walk was very very good and very very detailed and full of old men.  Unfortunately it was too slow and too detailed for Tom and Rebecca and we peeled off after an hour, but considering I'm not that interested in railways and viaducts, I found it very interesting.  We had two tour guides who were trying to out do each other with historical facts etc and they read the landscape for us - each lump and bump was known to them and they were were able to tell us exactly how it was.  I would quite like to go back and do the whole tour one day - one for the grand parents to note...

War wounds

After we peeled off we were going to go home, but Tom and Rebecca pleaded with me to be allowed more play time and as Katie assured me that she didn't have anything on, we went back for a good hour or so.  Then we headed to Meadow Falls to pick up the paints so we could do some pebble art.  They have just bought a ramshackle bungalow at the end of the waterfalls walk in Ingleton and took us to see it.  It was a typical old persons house - no mod cons, awful upkeep, but in a good location, no overlooked and a fab project.  If there is something the Holmans are good at it is projects.  They I think will keep the original four walls and nothing else to build a 4 bed lovely house.  Good luck to them.  Tom was playing there with Owen and Annabel and managed to have a fight with a bramble bush, the bramble bush won and for the first time ever we he had dripping blood.  We told him to be proud, he refused and felt sorry for himself and started limping!  Oh hum.  We came home and had tea.

Our Pebbleart pebbles

Wednesday was a cloudy day.  We started off the day doing pebble art - figured we should do at least one set of pebbles during the holidays.  Then we headed to Booths to get some finely ground coffee for Matt to take to Japan - a pet hate of his with Japan: lack of decent coffee, must be pretty bad!  We then went to Ireby to meet up with Grannie and Grandpa for lunch - they wanted to give Tom some holiday money.  Then back home for a quick clear up and haircut for the boys.  Then Lynne and Matthew turned up for a play / chat and tea.  Phew - busy but good day.

Thursday, we spent the morning hiding our pebbles in the village, then back home for holiday packing (always put it off for as long as we can).  Then a quick lunch in Inglesport (no food in the house) before finishing off the packing, more tidying and then we headed over to Meadow Falls for a play / chat.  It was a gorgeously hot and sunny afternoon so I just sat on the sofa on the decking enjoying the sunshine whilst everyone went about their business.  Luckily everyone arrived before 6.30 which meant we could take the whole family out for tea to say a huge thanks as Dave offered to drive us to and fro the airport.  A huge bonus - means we don't have to do the jet lagged drive home which is always a struggle.  We had a lovely social tea.

Friday - pretty uneventful, woke up with our alarms at 6am and Dave arrived at 7, got to the airport in record time, so early that check in wasn't open, so had a quick drink and then straight through check in, security etc to the lounge.  Matt found a bargain bottle of whisky which he bought, then we headed to the business lounge, which to Tom's disgust has clouded windows, meaning you can't see the aeroplanes!!!!!!!