Luskentyre Beach in the Sunshine!

September 23, 2018 in Holiday

Today saw our first full day on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Herbrides. We had decided to have a relaxing morning before heading out. When we arrived the owner had left us a welcome hamper which included some local hot smoked salmon. Lyns and I demolished this as Granny and Grandad did not want any. Accompanied by toast and scrambled egg, it made the perfect start to the day.

As it happened, the morning turned out to be a wash out but the afternoon saw a big yellow blob appear in the sky, something we had not been expecting. We headed out to Luskentyre Beach which is one of the most amazing beaches you will ever see. Golden sand stretching for miles and turquoise sea. Shame about the chilly gale blowing but you cannot have everything.

Unfortunately for James, but fortunately for us, there were very few shells on this beach. This meant that James and I headed down to the sea while everyone else stayed at the top of the beach. We had a lovely twenty mins or so with James splashing in the sea and running away from the waves. His little face beamed as he screamed and ran away from them, all the while, fully protected in his wellies and puddle suit.

After splashing around in the sea, it was time for lunch. Lyns, Granny and Grandad had disappeared into the dunes to take shelter from the wind. By the time James and I had got there everyone had disappeared which meant we got to play hunt mummy!

Longingly looking to see if they can see somewhere warm that sells cups of tea

After we had finished lunch we headed back to the car. James was asleep within a few minutes, this meant Lyns very kindly pulled over on the way back to let me take some pictures of the waves crashing onto the rocks. I had a very fun twenty five minutes or so before heading back to the car and back to the cottage so we could have a brew and do dinner.

After dinner had been finished, it looked like the sunset was going to be spectacular. Lyns again very kindly let me go out, missing James’ bath time, and I headed up to a spot I had found earlier in the day. The sunset was not to be, however, it was lovely to sit and watch the sun go down, until, that is, a rain shower came in and drenched me to the skin. One of those things.

The view was nice until I noticed the rain heading my way

With that, the day was more or less over. A nice whiskey and a film saw it time to head to bed, all set for another adventure tomorrow.

Nairn Beach in a Gale

September 23, 2018 in Holiday

Today saw a huge gale blow in and what a gale it was. However, we would not let this stop us and we headed out to Nairn Beach with Lyns’ not so little sister Lauren and her boyfriend Thomas. James was once again on the hunt for shells and he found some really big ones this time. One thing both Lyns and I found hilarious was that the wind was strong enough that if James jumped in the air it would actually blow him forwards, much to his delight.

Lauren and Thomas have two huge dogs, Lurcher and German Shepard cross, which dwarfed Jess and are big enough that James could have ridden them. Jess gave up trying to play with them within a couple of minutes as she could not keep up!

We spent an hour or so on the beach before Lyns had to head back for her hair appointment! It was a wild and windswept trip out but a good way to blow the cobwebs away let some steam off.

Two Days, One Beach

September 23, 2018 in Holiday

So the first couple of days of our holiday saw us visit Rosemarkie Beach on the Black Isle. We went by ourselves on the first day to explore and let both James and Jess run off all the energy they had built up after spending cooped up in the car the previous day.

We headed to the beach mid morning, looking to have lots of fun. Both James and Jess were full of excitement. Lyns had spent a large part of her childhood living on the Black Isle so it was really interesting having her point out where she had lived and hearing some of the stories about the mischief she had got up to and seeing where it had happened.

Although it had been raining earlier in the morning, when we arrived it had cleared up nicely so we were able to enjoy the beach without our waterproofs which was nice, even if James did manage to fill his wellies with water.

James was in his element, finding shells everywhere. We came back with two whole bags full which took forever to wash, but that is no problem because his face was a picture every time he found a new type of shell. Also, it let me explain to him, albeit with my limited knowledge, about all the different types of shell and what lives in them and yes James, Grandad does eat the ones in mussel shells!!

We even found a dead crab which James thought was amazing. Especially as we could see how its claws worked. The last time I was this close to a crab we were crabbing in Northumberland and I picked it up ‘the right way so it could not get me with its claws’ and next thing I knew, I was yelping as it had grabbed me, much to James’ and Lyns’ amusement.

Whilst James was busy running around and collecting shells, Jess was running wild on the beach. Off the lead, she was into every rockpool, into the sea and digging huge holes. I think she enjoyed it more than James!

After we had had a good run on the beach, it was time for lunch. We headed to the Rosemarkie Beach Cafe for lunch. James and I had a very nice sausage sandwich, each made with sausages from the local butchers. They were pork, sweet chilli and Ironbru! Amazingly tasty, much to Lyns’ envy as she was tucking into a cheese and tomato sandwich. They were so nice in fact, that we hunted out the butcher’s they came from and bought some to have later in the week. After lunch and couple of quick selfies we headed back into Inverness where we were meeting Lyns’ family for some bowling.

It was James’ first experience of ten pin bowling and he loved it, although he did get bored about half way in, but nonetheless, it was lots of fun. I was too busy playing to take many pictures of the actual bowling.

The next day saw us head back to Rosemarkie beach to meet James’ cousins Lachlan and Madison. This was another opportunity for James to collect bags upon bags of shells! We will have to do a cull at some point.

Lachlan turned out to be a little daredevil. He was climbing over all the rocks and nothing daunted him. Every time he fell over, he was back up again and scrambling over the next set of rocks.

James showed Madison what to look for in the rock pools as she had never been rock pooling before. Unfortunately, we did not find any crabs but we did manage to see lots of shells and a couple of fishes to, much to her and James’ excitement.

It had been a lovely two days at the beach and, in the main, the rain had held off allowing us to have lots and lots of fun, although, it would not be a British beach holiday without a little rain. It is shaping up to be a lovely holiday.

First Day Away

September 15, 2018 in Holiday

Today saw us head away for our summer holiday. The last one we will be able to take in September for the foreseeable future as James starts school next year. We are heading up to Scotland to spend some time with Lyns’ family.

Due to the A66 being closed, we went via Edinburgh. I have not seen Lynsey so animated as the moment that she realised that we were going over the new Forth Road Bridge, that is until we drove onto the bridge!! After a good run, we made it to The House of Bruar where they do the best sausage sandwiches, or at least they used to. They were nice but no where near as good as they used to be and were very expensive. No rush to get there in the future.

Another hour and a half saw us in Inverness. After a quick trip to see grandad it was off to our holiday cottage. When we arrived we were slightly shocked as it was not what we were expecting. It will do a turn but I think we are both very much looking forward to the next cottage which is a five star luxury one.

After unloading the car, we headed out for a walk. One lovely thing about this cottage is that it right on the Moray Firth a little outside North Kessock. We walked a few hundred meters down the coast and back. James loved it, seeing what he could find on the shore line.

After our walk we were all ready for a little chill out time before dinner. This was a chance for James to catch up on his shows.

After a little chill out time it was dinner bath and bed as the little man was exhausted. It had been a long day, up at 4 am and almost twelve hours of travelling, albeit with a few breaks thrown in. However, we are all settled and looking forward to what our holiday will bring.

It's a Knock Out

September 02, 2018 in Days out with James

So today saw a little more excitement than usual for a Sunday. Lynsey had entered It's a Knock Out in aid of St. Leonards Hospice in York. If you do not know what they are about please check out their page HERE, a very worthy cause. If you have not already and you would like to sponsor Lynsey or any of the team doing it, please go to their just giving page HERE.

All in all it was a great day - James loved seeing Mummy get up to all sorts of crazy things. I will not spoil it other than to say, have a look at the pictures and see what you think!

And that was about that! A lot of organised chaos, very enjoyable for all.

A Cheeky Little Shoot

August 27, 2018 in Days out with James

So, just a quick blog today. Some friends of ours asked for some pictures doing, here are a few of the ones that I took. All taken at Moorlands Nature Reserve just outside York. Well worth a visit if you have never been. Hope you like them.

The Clash of Steel

August 07, 2018 in Days out with James

This weekend had started the week before as we had been getting James excited about the thought of going to see knights at Helmsley Castle and we had been counting down the sleeps. What's more, we had decided to go camping for the weekend as well to make a mini break out of it. The Friday started well as I got off a little early from work and headed home to pick up some vital supplies. I visited a little farm shop come deli on my way home and picked up some sausages and burgers and then popped into Tesco for some oven cooked pizzas and dough balls. Yep you read that right, we can cook pizza and dough balls whilst camping!!! Good stuff.

After throwing the tent into the car we headed out. Disaster struck as James fell asleep as soon as he got into the car. No biggie we thought, however we were wrong, as time would tell. We dropped Jess off at mum and dads, and exchanged her for some pillows as we had forgotten ours, and headed to the camp site. We were staying at Brenk House Caravan Park just outside Coxwold. Unbeknownst to me when I booked it, we had stayed here a few years before when trying out what was our new tent at the time. Now, caravan park may be a grand title for the campsite, as it is a site with around ten pitches. The location is beautiful, surrounded by green fields and with Byland Abbey just in sight. Facilities are basic, however very clean and we never had to wait to use them. Because there were only five groups there, people tended to ask to use them which was nice.

We arrived about 7:30 and we decided to leave James sleeping. This turned out to be an error as he did not go to sleep until gone 11:00 that night and was up at 5:30 the next morning, cue tired grumpy little boy all day, but that was a problem for the next day. The tent was up and we were settled drinking tea by 8:00, including getting the little man up. A good result.

I had bought an inflatable sofa for our camping trip last year. Lyns mocked me mercilessly about this for several weeks before we went away. However, once she realised how comfortable it was the mocking ceased and we now fight over it. As you can see, she made herself very comfortable tea in hand!!

James still has not managed to find the knack of sitting in the sofa. He finds it even harder to get out!

After we had put the tent up and I had Lyns and James suitably comfortable, it was time to fire up the oven and cook our pizzas. Forty mins later we were filling ourselves with pizza and dough balls. By this point we realised that James was not tired anymore so we tried to put him to bed several times but, no, he had other ideas. We had him in bed by 11 and then Lyns and I flopped into bed to, exhausted.

"You should be asleep you little rascal!!!"

The next morning saw us up at 5:30 and probably the whole of the campsite as well as. James was in a mega grump. He was shouting and screaming and making demands at the top of his voice. Lyns and I could do nothing right. No one said anything, however, once we had had our breakfast, sausage butties, and we headed out to Helmsley Castle, you could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from all the people remaining behind as they were going to get some peace and quite.

We headed to Helmsley Castle. Clash of Knights was on, promising archery and knights fighting. We had to buy a £1.35 ticket each for this, being English Heritage members, but I did not think this was too unreasonable. We arrived in Helmsley around 11:00 and got one of the last few parking spaces. Had we have arrived twenty minutes later there was not a parking space to be found in the whole town. James had fallen asleep en route so we sat in the car for half an hour or so to let him get a little sleep but more importantly, reduce our suffering later in the day.

Once we had roused James, we equipped our young knight with his sword and headed off to the castle. After collecting our programme as we went it, which also served as our ticket, we saw that the archery was on first. What I did not realise was that over the course of the day each knightly team would collect points and the winning team at the end of the day got the hand of the fair maiden... well no they did not, they got a bottle of mead to share, but the idea of fighting for the hand of a fair maiden somehow seems more fitting.

After we had seen the archery, there was a small gap before the next event. This was a children's session, where they got to learn to sword fight. James did not want to do this. I must say, the knight leading the session was amazing, so patient with the children and was a pleasure to watch the way he handled them all. It was not until later that I realised it was the same gent as I had seen at Richmond Castle earlier in the year and he was just as good there.

After that, we saw our first taste of knightly combat. There was a brief display where a knight was dressed in his amour, this was interesting but not really suitable for James as he did not understand, however, this did not last long. Into the arena stepped The Anvil. A giant among men, he towered over his opponent and with that battle commenced.

The clash of metal upon metal rang out as it would have done almost a hundreds of years ago

Now, they said that the result was not predetermined but this battle happened twice over the day and each time the Blue Knight, Lord Fancypants, won. I mean come on, the Anvil would have flattened him! It was a wonderful spectacle to see and they both went at it for all they were worth. You could see the effort going into it.

After this it was time for the main event before lunch. Team on team combat. there were four best of three bouts. Each team of six fought two of the other teams on a semi final / final basis. The idea was to knock the helm off the opposition knight with the clubs they carried. Initially it did not see that actioned packed, but as the day wore on, the passion got greater and the hits got bigger. The momentum these knights carried when on full charge was amazing. How they kept going all day was amazing, especially as some of them were in full mail and wearing full helms.

The gold team start strong flattening the opposition helm bearer

A touching moment when the two captains embraced before a bout. It turned out they were plotting how to make the best spectacle of the next round much to the cheers of all the people around the arena.

It would appear the helm bearers did not value their honour that much as they spent the whole bout running from any opposing knights. That being said, with The Anvil bearing down on me, I would be running to.

At the end of these bouts, the red team were holding the most points. More importantly for us, it was time to go and get an ice cream. Luckily for us, there is an amazing Ice-cream company based in Helmsley, namely Ryeburn of Helmsley. We took the short walk from the castle to their cafe and wow it was amazing. The choice of flavours was astounding. I went for white chocolate, raspberry and pistachio. Lyns went for cookies and cream and cinder toffee, two different ice creams, and James, as expected, went for chocolate. It was a lovely break and thoroughly enjoyed.

I think Lyns here is enjoying it a little too much

The far away look of a boy who's ice-cream has taken him to distant shores

The idea is to eat it, not wear it. The sign of a happy boy

After we had all demolished our ice creams it was back to the castle. We had to get back in time for the main event, the grand melee. This was similar to the earlier battle, however, all four teams started in the arena and each round a team went out until you were left with two who fought a best of three. Then back to the start and repeat again. How these guys kept going in the heat with all the amour on I will never know but they put on a fantastic show.

Our little knight getting excited (ish) about the main event

The Anvil leading the charge against the gold team

I pitied the gold team helm bearer as he was about to get flattened

The Anvil smashing through the red team ranks like a hot knife through butter

After the battles the red team were declared the winners on points and collected their bottle of mead. The green team however were the fans firm favourite and collected the fans prize, also in the form of a bottle of mead. A very enjoyable day, even if the little man spent a lot of it in a grump.

After the battle was over, we headed back to the camp site. Tonight was a typical 'camping dinner' of sausages and burgers. We fired up the BBQ and settled down to a very enjoyable evening relaxing in the sun. Even James went to bed at a reasonable time and slept through to 8:00 the next morning. He must have been tired.

All ready for bed after his wash from a saucepan, unusual but effective.

Next morning, we began the job of packing up. it is always horrible to be putting the tent away as it signals the end of a lovely time. A family had arrived the night before with two young daughters who had taken James under their wing and he had loved playing with them. The first thing he had said in the morning was 'can I play with the girls?'. It was lovely to watch them all playing, especially as they taught James some games like What's the Time Mr Wolf. He loved it.

Chilling out after all my running around

After the long job of packing the car, albeit not helped by the number of breaks we took to drink tea, we were ready to go. We were meeting nana and grandad for Sunday lunch but we had an hour or so to kill so we headed to the nearby Byland Abbey. Run by English Heritage but free to get in, James loved it. When I say loved it, to him it is a big play ground. He loves climbing up and jumping off the ruins or playing hide and seek. With the abbey more or less deserted, he had the run of the place.

One thing Lyns did do whilst we were there was to plant her rocks. If you follow this new trend it is about spreading some cheer. Effectively you place brightly coloured rocks in out of the way places then tag the location on Facebook with a clue to where they are. Then when people find them, they post a picture on the Facebook page and either keep it or re hide it and the cycle continues. Lyns uses the Facebook page York Rocks, so if you find one of her rocks, please post a picture with the tag #YorkRocks. Below are some clues for James' and Lyns' rocks.

After our brief visit to the abbey, it was time to head to Coxwold and The Fauconberg Arms for lunch. Now, we were due to meet mum and dad for lunch at 1:15 so we thought we would get there for 1:00 so we could beat them. We arrived at 1:03 feeling pretty smug that for once we would arrive before them, alas no, they were there waiting for us!

As it turned out we all ended up having the roast beef Sunday lunch, not to mention the starter and desert as well, and wow, it was amazing. Big portions, friendly staff. Nothing more could have been asked for. If you are ever that way, I would thoroughly recommend it.

Look how much dinner I have ... no problem

After dinner we had five very full people. That was the end of our mini break. Only thing left to do was to pick up Jess. We popped into mum and dads for a cup of tea and to let James have a play with some water bombs in the garden. Unfortunately Jess was on the receiving end of a few, not that she minded a little cold water with it being so hot.

If I sneak up on them, I can get them good.

Before we knew it, we were home, car unpacked and or mini break was over. Back to work for us both the following morning. Where does the time go to. Grumps aside, it was a lovely weekend with lots of fun had by all.

Two Museums and a Restaurant

July 29, 2018 in Days out with James

So today saw the second real wet day of the summer. We have been blessed with weeks of sunshine but all good things must come to an end. With Lyns not working, had the weather have been good we would have headed out somewhere, but with things as they were we decided to head into York. Nana and Grandad had offered to take us out for lunch so bonus. We were not due to meet them until around 12:30 so we got up early and headed in to go to the Castle Museum.

We were all up and going early and were at the park and ride for the second bus of the day, that must be record for us. We were halfway into York when Lyns remembered that in our rush, we had forgotten to let James go to the toilet! Disaster!! Luckily our little man has the world's biggest bladder, it did not stop me dreading him coming out with the infamous words, "Mummy, Daddy, need the toilet". As we were getting off the bus near the Yorkshire Museum and being York Museum Trust members, therefore free entry, we headed there first, under the pretext of seeing the dinosaurs.

We got there a couple of minutes before opening time, not that it mattered as it meant we were some of the first into the museum. After getting our tickets we headed straight to the toilets. Twenty minutes, yes you did read that correctly, later we headed out of there. Bless him, the little man had struggled a little. The comedy bit being that as it was so hot in the disabled toilet, we had left the door open. This meant that anyone walking up and down the corridor outside would have heard floating over the air,"I'm pushing daddy" or, "I'm squeezing really hard". I dread to think what people thought! Anyway after he was all done we headed back up tot he museum itself.

As we were on a tight schedule as the main aim of the day was to go to the Castle Museum, we just had a look round the dinosaur part of our unscheduled stop.

After we had explored the dinosaurs, which I am still a little disappointed with the display, we headed into the lashing rain and off to the Castle Museum. Again though, this was to be a flying visit. We just wanted to go to the Victorian street then it was off to lunch. Where had the morning gone? However, there was time for a coffee / hot chocolate and a piece of cake before we got into the serious business of exploring.

Walking through the exhibitions to get to the street, we took the opportunity to get James to stand behind the chimney sweep cut out. I would love to say he believed us when we told him he would be going up chimneys to clean them if he was not a good boy, however, in one ear and out the other, there is no sweeping needed there. Worth a try though.

Lyns after telling James there were rats!

Do the prison cells offer a day care facility?

After we had had a quick wander round it was time to meet Nana and Grandad for lunch. They had booked a table at a favourite of theirs, La Vecchia Scuola. If you have not been, the restaurant is in the building on Petergate that was once a girl's school, such a lovely building. To make it even better, they have a lovely conservatory that you can sit in to eat. Absolutely stunning, even on a wet, miserable day like today. For once we arrived bang on time but as always, this face greeted us as we walked in...

The face of a man who knows that we will never arrive before him.

The food here is really tasty, we all ate off the set menu, £15.95 for a three course dinner. I had the steak and chips and it was cooked to perfection. All the food was stunning, definitely worth a visit. Lyns and I are now trying to work out how we can go back for an evening meal, just the two of us. James was seriously tired today and it showed as he was a stroppy little monster over lunch. He had no less than three time outs during the hour and a half or so we were there! However, by the time ice cream came around, he had cheered himself up.

Trying not to laugh at the ice cream moustache

After we had finished lunch, it was time for a walk round York. Lyns was looking for a present for here little sister's 21st birthday. We went in a few shops and Lyns has come away with a host of ideas. James by this point was more or less asleep on his feet. Luckily Grandad was on hand...

Suddenly not so tired once Grandad had picked him up

We headed back to the bus stop and home. The little man fell asleep in the car on the way back from the bus, yes we drove to the bus stop but in our defence the weather was horrendous, and had a good hours nap when we got home. The rest of us made the most of this and had a cup of coffee and a chat. All in all, a lovely day out!

One very tired little boy, ready to go home but enjoying being fussed over

They Go Up So Quickly

July 20, 2018 in Days out with James

Just a quick post to share with you an experience I enjoyed with another member of my family, an older member in this case. For Christmas I bought mum and dad a hot air balloon experience. Unfortunately dad did not want to do it so it fell upon me to take mum up. James, Dad and Lyns all came down to see us off. It was an early start with us having to be at the race course for 5:30am!! A shock to all of our systems.

The experience was through Balloon Rides Ltd and I would thoroughly recommend them. Our pilot for the day, Ollie, was really good, very clear with his instructions and still found time to share a joke or two along the way. Very much made the experience what it was and for someone as relatively young as he was, it was amazing!

I'm not going to write too much as I do not want to ruin the experience, for that is what it is, an experience not a ride, for anyone who reads this and will one day do it. Just take it from me, Mum and myself as well as the other three couple in the balloon really enjoyed it and I cannot wait to take Lyns and James, when he is eight, up.

Photos at this time in the morning? Really???

The train station stretching away from us

Amazing how beautiful the city is from 2,600ft with beautiful morning light shining across it

Last but not least, my favourite picture of the morning

Sun, Sea and Steam

July 03, 2018 in Days out with James

So another brilliantly sunny Sunday, I cannot remember the last time we had such a good spell of hot weather, saw us heading to the North York Moors to go on the North York Moors Railway. We had been wanting to do this for a while, but when we last tried to go it was fully sold out. This time saw at least 70 free tickets when we booked online, saving a whole £2 per person. We had persuaded our friend Lydia to be tortured by Lyns' love of all things steam train related and, as her husband was away on a stag do, she leapt at the chance. The only problem was we had booked on the 9:30 train which meant we had to leave at 8, meaning Lyns had to be out of bed by 7!! to make matters worse, she had been to see Paloma Faith at the race course the night before. To help things move a long, I was up early, got James dressed and ready to and Lyns' alarm clock was a chirpy James giving her kisses and cuddles. I can think of worse ways to be woken.

We got on the road early, fearing that the masses would be heading to the beach for the day. We risked the A64 and there was very little traffic. It meant that we were at the station by 8:45 raring to go. I left Lyns with James and popped over to get some drinks from Costa. No better way of cheering up a tired and jaded Lyns than by giving her a hot chocolate. Unfortunately, I had ordered her a cup of tea, thinking the caffeine would be a help. Here was problem number two, the lady in Costa had got out order wrong and given me a decaf tea and as full fat coffee!! DOH!!! Then, to make things even worse, they put so much milk in it, it was undrinkable. My only saving grace was that I had made Lyns a sausage sandwich before we left. At least I had collected a couple of brownie points.

My hot drink is fine mummy - thanks pal!

The boys were loving the train, as it was all a big adventure for them, even Lydia was getting into the spirit of stream train things. We had decided on the first train of the day so we could get to Whitby, have some dinner and have a bit of time for a wander around. It did not quite work out like that, but the intention was there.

Who is more excited do you think??? Closet train spotter??

After the two(ish) hour trip to Whitby which, if you have never been, goes through some stunning scenery on the moors, we jumped off the train and heading into the town. As expected, the town was absolutely heaving. Even though it was only 11:30, we decided to head to get some lunch before it got busier.

When it Whitby, where else is there to go for fish and chips other than the Magpie Cafe. We headed straight there and were shown to a table. No queue at all. Good job we went when we did, by the time we left, they were queueing onto the street. We had a lovely dinner. Lydia and I were strange and had our fish grilled, albeit with sauce and chips, and Lyns had scampi. It was delicious. Then came the question of the obligatory ice-cream at the sea side. Because it was so hot and we were in a lovely air conditioned restaurant, we stayed inside. All the big children had sundaes and the boys had ice-cream and chocolate fish. By the time we had finished stuffing ourselves, it was time to head back to the train. So much for seeing the sea and the beach. One of those things.

Fully fuelled and back on the train.   Lyns bought this stick of rock for a friend.   James dropped it on the floor and it smashed, cue angry words from Lyns, before she promptly left it on the train when we got off at the next stop! — Fully fuelled and back on the train. Lyns bought this stick of rock for a friend. James dropped it on the floor and it smashed, cue angry words from Lyns, before she promptly left it on the train when we got off at the next stop!

Someone was excited to be back on the train

For our trip back we had decided to split it into two parts. This was primarily because the boys were starting to get tired and with it came a few grumps from both of them! I know, I know, you cannot believe it from these two as butter definitely will not melt.

Lydia giving Ted a countdown from three.   For some reason, she managed to get stuck on one when there was some defiance. — Lydia giving Ted a countdown from three. For some reason, she managed to get stuck on one when there was some defiance.

Luckily, Lyns and I had come prepared for this eventuality and we pulled out the super hero capes. These are quickly becoming our standard solution to tired and grumpy little ones. Immediately the boys cheered up and promised to be good.

As we were splitting the return journey into two, we got off in Goathland, famed for being the setting of Heartbeat and more recently Hogsmeade station in Harry Potter. It is a stunning little village, maybe five minutes walk from the station. Lyns was even able to replace the stick of rock that she had left on the train. However, the main reason we chose to stop here, apart from, it being half way, was that there is a play park and we know how the little super heroes love a play park.

Apparently, it is not only the kids that love a play park

Mummy definitely not competing in the coolness stakes

Then, out came the capes again and onto the swing the two super heroes went. With the wind whistling through their hair and capes flying out behind them, they soared backwards and forwards, until mummy super pushing energy ran out.

Over the course of the day, Lydia had shown Lyns how to do boomerangs on Instagram, no idea what they are but apparently they are all the rage. In practical terms, this meant that the boys were made to jump off the toadstools in the playground time and time again, much to their amusement and with much merriment. They boys loved it and Lyns boomeranged to her heart's content.

After the boys had had their fill of the park, we all headed back to the train station. After grabbing a coffee it was back onto the train for the hour or so trip back to Pickering.

Our train arriving in.   For some reason, all the engines we saw throughout the day were travelling backwards — Our train arriving in. For some reason, all the engines we saw throughout the day were travelling backwards

We arrived back just before 6 and, with the sunsetting on a lovely day out, we said goodbye to Lydia and Ted and headed home. James zonked out when his head hit the car seat and we were able to transfer him straight to bed when we got home. A lovely day in the sun, with some wonderful company.

Castle in the Sun

June 28, 2018 in Days out with James

Another beautiful Sunday saw us all at a loose end, yes, all of us. Lyns had a rare Sunday off so we were able to go out as a family. Lyns had suggested Beningbrough Hall, however, I managed to persuade her to venture a bit further. I thought it might be nice to head to Helmsley. A lovely little market town with a castle as well. We headed out in brilliant sunshine and it was not long before we were pulling up outside Helmsley Castle. It is an English Heritage property so, being members it was free to get into. Incidentally, this is where I was hoping to take James later in the year to see the Clash of Knights which, personally, I am really excited about.

We arrived and James was given a lanyard to collect badges on from different properties. We might have accidentally taken two badges but no one seemed to mind. We did not realise when we arrived that there is a quick route into the castle. However, we turned left rather than right and walked the long way round. Not that it mattered as it was a lovely walk through, what was, the moat and we entered the castle through the original gate house.

When we got into the castle we found a boules set. James did not quite get the hang of it, but Lyns and I spent a good hour or so playing whilst James ran around helping collect the balls and chasing after them. As much as it pains me to say it, Lyns won most of the games. Not that she gloated much!

Next it was onto a game of quoits. Lyns did not want to play this, so James and I played. Only problem was, I threw them over the wooden poles, James threw them directly at me! Not sure he is getting these games. He had loads of fun though. One day I will get him playing properly.

After spending a good few minutes dodging out the way of James' wild throws I put the quoits down. More to save my head than anything else. Then of course, with three balls to hand, there is only one thing I could do!

Once I had shown off my juggling prowess, and admitted I could not do four balls, it was on to wandering around the inside of the castle. Here we found some amazing dressing up clothes for James. There was a knight and a princess outfit. James was over the moon, Lyns not so much as she ended up on the receiving end of some charges that King Arthur himself would have been proud of.

I'm gonna get you Mummy, not sure Jazz hands are going to save you though!

There were also a few books knocking around, so once James had finished slaying the enemies, a new word for him, it was time for a quiet story.

After we had finished inside, we had a lovely walk in the sunshine around the other half of the castle. It was only when we got back all the way round that we found the short cut. Nevermind, we will know for next time.

We headed into Helmsley for a spot of lunch. We found a lovely little cafe call the Cocoa House, which did all sorts of sandwiches and snack lunches, all of which looked very good. The owner was very welcoming and was very chatting. The lunch for the three of us, with drinks, came to less that £20 so cannot complain. Only word of warning is that they do not take cards. Other than that, very hard to fault them at all.

Love the cup!   Where can you get them from?? — Love the cup! Where can you get them from??

After we had finished lunch we had a walk round Helmsley itself. There were loads of quaint little shops and we did not have time to look in them all. With the weather being as nice as it was we have to end our day out with an ice cream in the town square. We found someone selling locally(ish) made Brymor Ice-cream. Very tasty indeed.

We had gone to a barbecue the night before and were served some tasty smoked sausages. With the weather being what it was we picked up some sausages from the butchers in Helmsley and headed home to fire up the smoker and, for a first attempt, it was not too bad at all! In the immortal words of Cpl Jones, "Very Tasty, Very Sweet!"

Soaring to the Clouds

June 25, 2018 in Days out with James

So its been almost two weeks since I last posted anything on my blog. It has been a really busy few weeks as work has gone crazy, but that's life. It has meant that I have missed seeing James some evenings and only getting a little bit of time with Lyns, but thats life and a choice we made as a family. What it has meant though is that I have been more adamant about making the most of the time we have had together.

James and I had a day out at the Yorkshire Air Museu m. Lynsey was working so we had a boys day out. Another exciting part of the day was that James was looking after Jimbob Bear, but more about that later. The air museum is located in Elvington, just outside of York, on an old World War Two air field. During the week before James had been to Eden Camp and introduced to the concept of bombs. Now, how do you explain to a three year old what a bomb is and what it is designed for? Of course, there were lots of bombs at the air museum and quickly I had turned them into rockets that send things upwards with an explosion. Not a lie as such but not the whole truth, however, I think there will be plenty of time for him to learn about bombs later in life.

I had been telling James that we were going to the Museum for a couple of days, so by the time we were in the car he was really excited. One good thing about the museum itself is that there are a lot of open areas and once out of the carpark there is no traffic. This meant James was free to run around to his heart's content. As soon as we had arrived he was away and soaring like the planes.

It was great, he burnt off so much energy in the first hour or so, running around like a mad child. I was quite happy just letting him go off and explore and watching him from a distance. Before too long he had found one of the most iconic British planes ever built. I am, of course, talking about a Spitfire. Now James might not understand the significance of the plane, however he listened as I tried to explain that it had helped keep the country safe. Again, another challenge, trying to explain to him what a war was and what the brave people who flew the planes were doing.

If this block was not too high to jump off, there is no chance you would get this photo!

After this it was off to the Harrier simulator. I had promised James a flight in a plane. Disaster though, the simulator was not operational. This was not the end of the world as there were cockpits to sit in with controls that James (and daddy) could play with.

After we had had our fill of the planes inside, it was outside to see some of the bigger planes. There is a fuel tanker / strategic bomber, a radar plane and a Nimrod, apologies, planes were never my forte so no idea what the proper names are. Trying to get a picture of James in front of any was a game of chasing him around and hoping for the best!

After that, it was time to head home to see mummy. Such a lovely place to spend a few hours. I would, however, suggest taking a pack lunch and even your own hot drinks. The dinners being served were very expensive for what they were and my decaf coffee was a small cup, half full of hot water with a teaspoon of Nescafe coffee in it and it cost me £2! When I asked if the cup could be topped up, the answer I got was they were only allowed to put on shot of hot in it. I'll know for the future. Other than that, I had no complaints about the visit. and, if you keep your ticket, which was only £10 per person, you can go back as many times as you want in the year. James and I will certainly be going back.

Oh yes, Jimbob Bear, how could I forget him. James goes to Gymbobs, the older version of Tumbletots, and each week someone gets to take Jimbob Bear hime for an adventure. This week it was James' turn.

Jimbob had a lot more adventures with James over the week, that, however, is a different story.

Nunnington Hall

June 16, 2018 in Days out with James

So it has taken me the best part of a week to get round to writing about our adventure to Nunnington Hall. I am currently mid budget process at work and it has been busy, along with trying to fit in dinner out, spending time with Lyns and James as well as life in general. However, up for a run this morning and now I am sat watching magic school bus with James whilst he eats his breakfast, letting Lyns have a lie in for an hour or so.

Last Sunday, Lyns was on nights so I went and stayed with mum and dad on the Saturday night to give me a little time to go out for a run in the morning. I was up at 4:30 and on the road by 5:00. Nineteen miles and three and half hours later I was back. James had not caused too much chaos but he made the mistake of running to give me a hug when I walked in the house. All I got was 'urrrrrrgh you're all sweaty daddy'. After a quick shower and a spot of breakfast, or three as I was starving, we headed out to Nunnington Hall.

Nunnington Hall is situated out towards Malton as was a very pleasant drive. Parking is in a lovely woodland carpark, might not be so lovely on a wet day, and you walk on a bridge over a stream to get into the grounds. By this time the sun had come out and it was turning into a lovely day. First things first though, lunch. We found a bench in the sunshine and pulled out our picnic. Grabbing a coffee from the coffee shop we had a very pleasant lunch.

Around the picnic benches there was a giant Jenga set as well as a quoits. Dad and I introduced James to this and he had a very fun time throwing the rings around. I do not think he fully got it as grandad and I were hit by the rings more than stake was but thats life.

After James had exhausted himself trowing rings at everything in sight he had a bit of an explore. He was amazed by all the insects living in a tree and loved all the cobwebs everywhere. At the moment he was to know the why, where and how of everything.

After we had finished playing, it was time to explore the gardens a little more. Walking round the next corner, there was croquet on the lawn with deck chairs spotted all over. James was fascinated by the hammers and balls. Grandad and him had lots of fun. Grandad was hitting the balls and James was collecting the balls up and bringing them back. Looking back on it, it was like a game of fetch for James but he had a wail of a time.

Nana directing from her favourite position

After James and Grandad had terrorised all the people sitting having picnics on the lawn, some of those shots went flying, it was time to explore the gardens. There was lots to see, a wild meadow to run through, a bird watching area and a small vegetable garden.

Exploring the potting shed, I found something that caused huge merriment. A couple of skipping ropes. I had a go first, luckily there is no picture evidence, and then Grandad and James had a go.

By now it was getting towards time to head home but first we had to have a look round the house. They had a wildlife photography exhibition on which I found really interesting as the pictures were amazing, but James also found it fascinating. He was amazed by all the macro shots of the insects and the pictures of all the animals. It gave him an opportunity to see animals he would not usually see and to see creatures in a way he would not usually see them.

However, this could not last so we found a lovely little play area in the house that was full of books and toys.

After this, it was time to head back to the car. After driving back to Nana and Grandad's and then a quick car swap, it was back home to see mummy who had been looking forward to seeing James all day.

It was a lovely day out in the sunshine with lots to do. James had oodles of fun, as did we all. James and I will have to take Lyns back at some point, if only to beat her at croquet!

Romans in Eboracum

June 05, 2018 in Days out with James

Two thousand years after they first arrived, the Romans arrived back in York. Luckily for us they came in peace, albeit still waving swords.

After getting up early and heading out for a run, it was a glorious morning early on, I arrived home and showered ready to go out. Much to Lyns' disgust, I made us fifteen minutes late leaving the house. On a plus side we were still in town ten minutes early as the bus and road gods smiled upon us, not sure the Romans had those gods however maybe Mercury, the god of travellers, is the most likely candidate to have blessed our quick passage through the traffic.

Today we were heading into York with some friends to go to the Eboracum Roman Festival, organised by the York Museum Trust. It was held in the Museum Gardens in the centre of York and there was lots to see and do. First things first though, we grabbed a coffee to start the day off. Coffee in hand, we strolled to see what was on offer. The first thing we came across was the mighty Roman Legions drilling.

All authentic until, after using latin words of command, 'Happy Days' drifted over the air

Now, whilst all dressed in shiny armour and carrying glades and scutum, sword and shield, they did not cast fear into my heart. I think Mars would have been chuckling to himself and thank goodness the barbarians were not at the gates. Even still, it was interesting to watch the drills.

After that it was onto the Roman encampment. Lots going on here, all sorts of displays with weapons, spinning and story telling. There was also a trail for the children to do with stamps.

After the stamp, the stabbing began...

After we had all had our fill in the encampment, it was time to head up to the main arena for the forming up of the parade. Before that though, James confessed he was feeling a little tired. As always, Lyns will use any excuse for a cuddle.

Once formed, the legions marched, stopping traffic and people wherever they went. First stop was Betty's Tearoom - well obviously, everyone stops at Betty's when they are in York.

Standing guard, wishing he was allowed in for tea

Following a brief stop at Betty's it was onwards, heading for York Minster. The parade twisted and turned through York, picking up more and more people at every turn. Finally it arrived at the Minster and Ceaser prepared to address his legions. This was a wonderful spectacle, seeing Ceaser on the steps of the Minster with his troops cheering him.

Before too long, it was over and the Legions marched back to the Museum Gardens. We on the other hand marched to lunch as we had two hangry toddlers. Fancying something different we headed to Las Iguanas for a South American themed lunch. What was intended as a light lunch turned into quite a feast. The ambience of the place is lovely and with the weather having turned beautiful, we sat outside.

This is the 'first time I'm the only one not drinking' face

After a lovely lunch we headed back to the Museum Gardens to see what was going on. Unfortunately we had been so leisurely at lunch, the festival had finished. No matter, we had picked up some super hero capes so the two kids ran off whatever energy they had left. Unfortunately, whilst it started sedately, Lyns bore the full brunt of the energy release.

Once the two super heroes had finished 'saving' Lyns, it was time to head home. We had all had a lovely day and was nice to be involved in something different in York, we do not get into the city as often as we should do.

Find the Giant's Heart

June 01, 2018 in Holiday

So, for the first time this holiday, we woke up to overcast skies and blowing winds, which was a little bit of a shame but it was not going to hold us back. Today we decided to go to St. Michaels Mount. We checked the tide times before setting off, the causeway was open 10am to 3pm, plenty of time to get across and back, with time to explore in the middle. The mount lies out in the bay near the town of Marazion and gets cut off when. the tide was in. There is a boat service, £2 per person, however, it was amusing to see a group try to wade back and get soaked up to their waists.

After arriving in Marazion and parking, £4 all day which was very reasonable, we headed across the causeway to the mount itself. With the wind howling it was an emotional walk but we got across, windswept and cold but in one piece. National Trust members get in free to the house which was very good. The island is managed between the family that own it and the National Trust.

We then began the long climb to the top of the mount. For us it was steep but on, the little guys on the other hand were true mountaineers getting to the top. They both did it though, without any complaints, and soon we were stood at the top.

After this, we went into the house itself. The house was interesting to walk around and the boys got a treasure hunt to do, with stickers every time they found one of the treasures. We managed to miss a few as we went round, but that did not stop them getting their medal when we got to the end. I did not manage to take any photos inside as I was too busy looking around, however, there was a brief part of the trip round the house which is outside. This was hugely windy, but the boys had lots of fun running around.

By the time we had finished round the house it was lunchtime. We headed back down to the mount's harbour and found a lovely little cafe call the Sail Loft. Here they did a selection of meals, I had whitebait, and the biggest sausage rolls you ever did see. Lyns was very jealous of Gav having one with his soup! Afterwards there was a cookie to share which the boys really enjoyed.

After dinner it was time to head back across the causeway before it closed. Here we had a problem, both the boys had tired legs and were hesitant about walking back across. At this point we pulled out Lyns' secret weapon. For Christmas she had bought James a set of super hero capes but we had not opened them up to this point. I had thrown them in my camera bag for such an occurrence as this.

Very soon we had two re-energised toddlers or should I say we had Batman and Spiderman on hand to deal with any trouble that may come our way. Talk about a new lease of life, the two of them looked as if they had had their batteries changed. I think I am going to carry a cape wherever I go from no onwards.

After we had flown over the causeway we had a little wander around Marazion, it would be rude to have a cream tea so soon after lunch! There were a few little shops, all quite unique and interesting, with lots of little bits, right up the girls' street, not so much the boys' though and they lost interest quite quickly.

Then came the most important job of the day, finding somewhere to have a wee afternoon snackette as Lyns calls it, meaning tea and cake. We tried the hotel on the bay which advertised cakes and cream teas but we walked out quite quickly as it did not appear to be the kind of place that welcomed young families. We ended up going to the Chapel Rock Cafe, a hundred or so meters down the road. Here they made us feel very welcome and the cream teas - wow - two huge scones, still warm and a good pot of tea. So much for my diet and so much for a little snackette! Nevermind though, too late to complain.

After demolishing the cakes, it was time for the promised trip to the park we had seen in the morning. It was a lovely park on the front. Lots of things to play on and because the weather was not great we had it to ourselves. At this point, I would like take a few minutes to have a Dominique spot as she made the most of all the equipment.

Even the boys / superheroes had lots of fun in the park.

After the park, it was time to head back to the cars and onto the cottage. Even though the weather had conspired against us, it did not hold us back and we had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Oh yes, the giant's heart, on the path up to the house on St. Michael's Mount there is a heart shape rock marking the point where the giant's heart is buried. The boys had lots of fun looking for it, and even though there is a sign marking where it is, we still managed to walk past it, and had a nice gentleman not have pointed it out, we might still have missed it!

Diesels in the Dales

May 28, 2018 in Days out with James

So today say another stunning bank holiday Monday. Two beautiful bank holidays in one month, what is going on with the weather? I have recently moved jobs and for the first time in about six years I get bank holidays off and what a couple of bank holidays they have been. The weekend started off as a normal Saturday, Gymbobs and swimming. Sunday was different as the little man went to see Nana and Grandad whilst I went and did the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Eight and a half hours later it was done, not a bad time. Lyns has been on nights so she slept Saturday and Sunday. This left us with Monday to go out and do something.

I asked James what he would like to do and he said go on a train. If you are familiar with York, you will know that the North York Moors Railway is the place to go for steam trains. I looked on their website and unfortunately their morning train to Whitby was sold out. Not wanting to risk it and arrive without being guaranteed a seat I had to find another railway for the little man.

A quick google later and I had found the Wendsleydale Railway. Now, this is a different kettle of fish to the NYMR and I imagine they are tired of being compared. They only run diesel engines, apart from the odd occasion, running from Leeming Bar to Redmire. That being said, the reviews on trip advisor looked good so 10 o'clock saw us standing on the platform, tickets in hand.

It was very quiet on the first train of the day, maybe twenty people or so. It was a very pleasant train ride and once you got into the dales the views were spectacular. If you were to compare it to the NYMR then you would say it was no where near as polished, the stations were not as nice and the carriages needed a little more tlc. That being said, all the staff were very pleasant and the trip was very enjoyable.

Lynsey wishing I would not take photos when she is post nightshift, when I say wishing, I mean threatening violence

Lyns finally having a go with the camera and me really needing a shave, I wish I could grow that much hair elsewhere on my head

The trip through to Redmire takes about an hour. When you get there, you have the option to stay and get a later train home, or to take the train back. The return ticket allows you to ride the train for as long as you like on any given day. There are a lot of nice walks to do from Redmire, including to Castle Bolton. Neither Lyns or I felt like a walk today and we had not brought the buggy so it was back on the train, for the fifteen minute ride into Leyburn.

The excitement was all too much for them

Any excuse for a cuddle, when I drool on Lyns, all I get is grief

After the short trip / nap back to Leyburn, we jumped off the train, or staggered as was my case, as my legs are like jelly today. Nana and Grandad lived in Leyburn for a few years after following me up to Yorkshire once they realised I was not going to return after uni, so we know the town reasonably well.

As it was almost lunchtime and James was getting hungry we had to find somewhere for lunch. We had a look in a few places in the town square and settled on the Posthorn. The food was very nice and the service very quick, especially as we had been told in several other places the wait would be around an hour. If I had to say something negative about the food it would be that they had used cold beef with warm gravy in my hot beef sandwich, however nothing worth complaining about. Lyns had a tuna sandwich and James had sausage and chips. All in all very nice, with three meals and three drinks coming to £25 which I did not think was too bad.

After we had had lunch we took a stroll to the Inspired Chocolate Factory as well as the Teapottery. The chocolate factory is a chocolate lovers dream with every possible flavour and combination of flavours that you could ask for. There is a cafe there and they run chocolate workshops. The chocolate is more expensive that your usually chocolate, £3.50 for a 100g bar, but that is what you would expect for its artisan nature and it is very nice. James had a lolly and Lyns and I had a bar of the milk chocolate with fudge inclusions to share. After this, it was round the corner to the ceramics place. I have never seen tea pots like it, there was every possible shape, size and design. I am not going to try and describe them as I will not do them justice, but have a look on their website, truly amazing.

After this it was back to the train for the 45 minute trip back to Leeming Bar.

Our trusty steed arriving into Leyburn station

The journey home was done in brilliant sunshine, the trip out having been done in mist, and James spent most of the time looking out of the window. Lyns on the other hand slept most of the way back, catching up from night shifts.

All in all it was a lovely day out, a very different experience to other heritage railways as this felt more like a normal train service but nonetheless it was enjoyable and we would definitely do it again.

Lizard Point and Kynance Cove

May 28, 2018 in Holiday

So today we woke up to an overcasting windy day, not what we had become accustomed to over the past few days. Not that the weather would hold us back. Today we were off to explore Lizard Point and Kynance Cove. The Lizard is roughly a thirty minute drive away so not too far at all. We drove past HMS Culdrose on the way, a Navy Air Squadron base, as a training jet took off over the car, much to James' delight. The other thing we saw from the base were helicopters. These were overhead for most of the day and the boys had great fun spotting them.

When we arrived at the point, car parking is free for National Trust Members, I knew I had made a mistake in my clothing choice. We had come to the only sunny part of Cornwall, and there was I dressed in trousers and a hoody! It is a short walk down to the point itself. To be honest, there is not a lot at the point other than a couple of cafes and a road down to the old fishing station. The views, however, are spectacular. We walked down to the beach by the fishing station. This is not a beach to spend any great amount of time on, however it was good to let the boys explore the rock pools and the the small caves.

There was one interesting thing on the beach, a giant cement filled cone. If anyone could tell me what it actually is, that would be great!

After looking at all the sea urchins and walking up the steep climb back to the cafe, it was time for lunch. Conveniently placed is the Polpeor Cafe. We sat outside to take in the views. You could not get a better position for a cafe. The food was simple but tasty. The children's meal were the star of the show, they fed the boys with some left over for us.

After lunch we headed back up to the lighthouse itself. We did not go in as we wanted to head to Kynance cove, but just had a walk round the grounds. Not a lot to see outside but I explained to James what the lighthouse did and why it was there so hopefully he got some understanding out of it.

After that it was back to the cars and off to Kynance Cove. It was a drive of ten minutes at the most to get there. Again, it is a National Trust carpark so free parking if you are a member. It is a fifteen minute walk down to the cove itself, or thirty if you have two tired boys with you, and if you are inclined, there are lots of footpaths to explore around the area and across the headland.

The tide was almost in when we arrived, so there was only a few minuted for the boys to have a paddle and build a sandcastle before the sand disappeared and we were just left with rocks. Not that it mattered as they had loads of fun.

After we had scrambled back up the beach, it was time for a cup of tea and a cake. Now, Lyns and I had come here a few years ago and the weather was truly horrendous, very dramatic, but not the sort of weather to go outside in. This time I was going to make the most of the nice weather and explore a little. Sacrificing my tea and cake, I followed the footpath up onto the headland past the cove and what views there were, well worth missing out on cake for. It was a shame everyone could not have come and seen them, however it was not suitable for the little ones.

I had half an hour to explore then headed back to walk back up to the cars. With one last look it was time to head off.

Last look before heading back to the car

Both the boys did very well with the steep walk back up to the cars. After getting James settled in the car, we were off back to the house. James was asleep before we left the carpark. We managed to get back to the house for around 5:30 and transfer him straight to bed where he slept for a solid fourteen hours. We had one very tired but very happy boy.

I Saw a Man with Seven Wives

May 23, 2018 in Holiday

Day two of our holiday and we are off to the seaside properly. We are off to St. Ives. For those of you who do not know, St. Ives is a popular Cornish Harbour town with some lovely beaches. It is very touristy with lots of independent shops, fish and chips and ice cream. We were getting the park and ride into the town itself. Unlike normal park and rides, this one was a train rather than a bus. £8 group ticket for the four adults and the children rode for free. Parking was £2.80 so £13 for the two cars and the train both ways, not too bad at all.

Unfortunately the train both ways was very busy so the boys could not sit and look out of the window. This did not stop them enjoying their ride though. Stupidly, I did not take any pictures of the town itself, but it is a very pretty little town.

After walking into the town from the train station, we had a look round the shops. When I say we, the girls explored all the jewellery and hand made glass shops whilst Gav and I were left looking after the children. Not that it matter as the weather was beautiful and the boys in good form. Had it have been throwing it down, it might have been a different story.

After looking round the shops, James announced he was hungry. Big debate at this point, fish and chips or pasty for lunch. Fish and chips won out so thats what we had, all the time keeping an eye out for the gulls that were ever present when somebody had food. A short walk round the harbour after lunch and we found ourselves on the beach.

Off came the shoes and socks. I shouted across to Lyns suggesting she take James' jumper off but it was too late. Like a cheetah he shot into the sea and promptly fell over! More or less soaked from head to toe. After the initial shock had worn off, he was back into the sea, nothing holding him back.

We all settled down for an hour or so playing in the sea.

It was not long before even Elliot was getting stuck into the sea. After the initial shock, accompanied by a few funny faces, he was quite happy having his feet dipped in.

After that, the boys ran wild. There was splashing, running in and out of the sea and digging holes. They had a wail of a time, both very excited to be at the seaside and in the sea.

Before too long the tide was lapping at the sea wall. With the beach here being so shallow, the tide rushes up it.

Up onto the sea wall we all went. With the promise of an ice cream, the boys were changed into dry cloths and sun tan lotion applied. Having seen a lady have her ice cream knocked out of her hand by a gull, there were a lot of nervous glances at the sky while ice cream was being eaten. Once all were finished, we took a slow walk back to the train station and ultimately the car. James fell asleep at this point and did not wake up until he was being loaded into the car. We headed back to the house to feed the boys and later ourselves. It was a lovely day out with the most perfect weather. Seems as this week is shaping up to be a great one.

First Day Away

May 19, 2018 in Holiday

We have just arrived back from our holiday to Cornwall with some friends. Unfortunately, there was no internet access, well there was but it was slower than the good old fashioned dial up (remember that, where you could not use the phone at the same time), so I could only write the text to this blog and not upload the pictures. Therefore, over the next couple of weeks, I will let you know what we have been up to....

So today finds us in a very sunny Cornwall with some good friends. Apart from a spell of heavy rain on the way down, the seven hours of driving yesterday had passed very quickly and we arrived at the stunning cottage we are staying in, about two miles from Praa Sands, in the middle of the countryside. There was a beautiful sunset which boded well for our holiday. Today has not disappointed in terms of weather. I was up for a run at 6am and whilst it was chilly, the sun was shining. By the time I was back at the house two hours later, it was starting to warm up nicely.

Today we had decided to stay fairly local as it was the first day of the holiday and all being National Trust members, we headed to Godolphin. The house here is a holiday property and only open for a few days a year but that did not matter as there are gardens and an estate to explore. As it happened, we did not get out of the gardens. As we arrived we did not think there was a lot there, however, we were proven wrong.

First we headed into the medieval walled garden which was supposed to be a sea of tranquility. To be fair it might well have been, however, with two hyper active three year olds playing together in there, it was not to be. We had loads of fun, however, anyone wanting to relax in there would have been disappointed.

Chaaaarrrrrgggggeeee - at least the medieval spirit lives here!

The walled garden was lovely and we spent a lot of time in there. It was nice to let the boys run wild without the need to worry about them disappearing into the distance. There was a modern art exhibition on which I'll be honest I did not get. I described it as a nursery when the children had gone home as it was piles of sand and lumps of clay. It reflects more on my lack of ability to see the art than the quality of the the art, but it was just not for me.

We headed back to the garden for a little bit more chaos causing.

Thou art made a daisy chain for ones' beloved

Spying on the children - only way to take pictures sometimes

Just when we thought the boys could not cause any more chaos, Gav decided to lie on the grass for a few minutes! Big mistake. Two little heads shot up, sniffing the air as they scented their prey. Faster than a striking cobra they pounced ...

After rescuing a badly mauled Gav, we headed out into the grounds. There were lots of dandelion clocks around and the children took great glee in blowing them.

Took a few goes but we got there not to be held back then

All the children had fun blowing dandelion clocks

By this time the children were getting hangry so we headed to the picnic benches. Conveniently there was a little cafe near by. Two cream teas, with the largest scones you ever did see later, we were all satisfied. The area we found ourselves in was a wild flower meadow with paths cut through it to allow you to wander through the flowers. With the sun shining it was a beautiful area.

Our trip to Godolphin finished with some races as both the boys love racing. However, I do not think it was the boys who enjoyed it the most!

It was now time to head back to the holiday cottage. As it was the first day and we had not done any proper shopping yet, we did what anyone in Cornwall would do, we ate the scones that the owner of the cottage had left out for us. Two cream teas in one day, well, when in Rome and all...

After we had eaten we decided to pop out for a little walk, to help the little guys burn some energy of, and us our scones. Lyns and I had come down here on holiday a few years ago so I suggested we head to Prussia Cove.

The road down to the parking is horrendous. Very narrow with high hedges on both sides. Luckily we only met a few cars on the way down and made it safely to the parking area. We headed down to the cove itself however, disaster, the tide was all the way in so no bubbles on the beach. Instead, we walked half a mile or so on the coast path to a headland. There were a few steep drops on the side of the path as well as on the headland. We got the bubbles out and had sitting down bubbles due to where we are. The little guys did not mind though as they had great fun letting the wind blow the bubbles.

After we had had our fill of bubbles it was back to the cottage and dinner all round. What a lovely first day it had been and if it was anything to go by, this week was going to be amazing.

They Soar Through the Air

May 08, 2018 in Days out with James

Another beautiful day that started off with a run. Still being sore from yesterday's long one, it was slow four miles this morn, but that did not matter as we were still at Nana and Grandads so it was lovely running through the countryside, rather than through the town.

Once home, there was time to grab a green smoothie, help Lyns get the little man up and off we went. Today we were heading to T he Falconry Centre near Thirsk. They have three flying displays a day and because it was a bank holiday there was lots to do in between displays. £7 for adults and threes and under were free so £14 for a full day of fun, bargain. Whilst the displays were not on, you were free to wander around and look at the birds.

One thing that I learnt during the day is that I am not a wildlife photographer, or if I was to be, I would need a lot of practise. I managed to get the sum total of no photos from the first display. Not that it mattered. There were birds jumping all over the show and mixing with the visitors. James really enjoyed it. After the display there was a chance for the 'children' to hold the birds.

All the 'children' crowded round to hold the owls.

After the excitement of holding the owl, it was time to grab lunch. James went for a play in the sand pit whilst I headed back to the car to grab the lunch. There were plenty of tables and chairs to use for lunch, no one minded at all if you brought your own which was nice, but only a few with umbrellas. Not that it mattered as by the time James had finished playing, a table was free.

"Don't like French Fries" he said before demolishing the pack.

After our picnic, it was back to see the next display. Here they had three of my favourite birds, a bald headed eagle, a golden eagle and a white tailed sea eagle. These magnificent birds were soon soaring over us. Luckily, I had a bit of a better hit rate in the flight session with my photos, probably helped that the birds were a little bigger.

One thing that shone through was the passion and knowledge that Kerry had for the birds, this was reflected in all the staff at the site. You could clearly see that they cared deeply for the birds and anything you asked them, they knew. Very impressive and fantastic to see.

By the end of this display, James was getting a bit restless, not because he was not enjoying it, rather because he wanted to play in the sand pit again. There was plenty of time between displays so off we went to build sand castles. When I say build sand castles, what I mean is that Lyns and I would build them and then see how long we could keep them standing as James did everything he could to destroy them. This caused much merriment as it then became a competition between Lyns and myself to see who could persuade James to destroy the other's castle.

By this point we were all getting a little hot. As if by magic there came a shout that there had been a fresh delivery of ice creams, what good timing! Off we headed for an ice cream and a cup of tea. Strange combination but it worked. A very relaxing half an hour spent slurping and licking and that was just Lyns and I. James managed to end up wearing a fair amount of his mini milk but thats part of being a toddler, nothing a baby wipe or two could not solve.

Before we knew it, it was time for the final display of the day. By this point, the heat had taken its toll and there were not many people left, not that it mattered as Kerry and the team gave as energetic a show as the first one, even though they had been working hard in the sun all day.

It flew in about a foot over our heads, such power

At the end of the final display they flew a huge vulture. After all the other birds behaving themselves throughout the day, Ringo decided that he preferred the cool of the shade on the other side of the valley. Actually it was because he did not like turning to fly with the wind as he gets too much speed up, but I like to think he stopped to chill out in the shade. At this point the show was over. The children play area was closed at this point as it was right in Ringo's flight path when he decided to return. Would it have been so bad for James to have played in the sand and run the risk of becoming Ringo's dinner... what's the worst that could happen. When I suggest this to Lyns, I was promptly told that this was not good parenting so we packed James up and headed off to where the children were holding another bird.

Another chance for the 'children' to hold a bird

To be fair to Lyns, where she had wanted to hold the barn owl, we almost persuaded James to hold this little chap. However, he decided at the last minute he did not want to. I am sure next time he would hold one.

We all had had a lovely day but again, too soon, it was time to head home. We headed back to Nana and Grandad's for dinner, they had spoilt us rotten this weekend, and for James to have one final play in the paddling pool. What a lovely way to finish off a very enjoyable bank holiday weekend.

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