Graceless

No Amy on Friday as she was off at a "sleep"-over during which she hardly slept at all, inevitably. Jim and Min bouncy and happy. Amy turned up at about midday on Saturday and closeted herself in her room for most of the day. Rug picnic bacon sarnies for lunch, lasagne for dinner and ten toasting marshmallows in/on the chiminea. Sunday morning was the Sport Relief mile, which Minnie and Amy ran with their dad. Caroline, Jim and I cheered them on. Minnie actually ran the whole thing and did really well. Milton country park is actually quite nice, and the weather was lovely, so the kids had a good time in the play park and the woods. Ian came round for Sunday lunch but unfortunately Amy and Jim disgraced themselves during grace, with Jim making silly noises and Amy pointedly announcing herself to be an atheist. I'm not that pious but I do reqire some respect. There was backchat as well so they both missed lunch entirely. They we're full of fig rolls so survived, but I very much hope it was salutary. The rest of the day, with simultaneous bouncing and singing (jingle-pig rock) on the bouncerine, and general sunny chilledness. Normal school Monday, but at home time the teachers said Jim had not been feeling well. I think he had just overheated because he was fine in the evening. Took him to Exning tues morning for his trip to Tenerife. Shall miss him.

 

Milton park:

 

Shed painting:

 

 Evening activities:

 

BOAC poster

 

Chimping Campden

Visit to CC with the childer this weekend - first major trip in the Exmax. Turned out to be more major than planned, as we had not realised that they had closed he A14 westbound at Huntingdon. We took a random and marathon route via Biggleswade and the M1, arriving in time for lunch after 3 1/4 hours. Took a walk in the afternoon at Snowshill amid much grumbling from Min. Jim and her were intermittently scratchy all afternoon until tea, but fine afterwards.

 

 Beautiful day on Sunday. I fixed up Dad's new PC and the Internet radio I bought him for his birthday while the kids played like real, lovely children all morning. 7 am wake up so even that was fine. Maybe it's the change of scene or a good night's sleep but they really have been great.

 

 

Boyz!

 

The new "ex-max"

Jim: "we're not selling this baby any time soon!"

 

 

Jim and James and Hannah

Jim was with me this weekend due to G being on police training. Picked him up Saturday morning v. early and had a lovely chilled day with him. After cleaning out pigs, the three of us went into town (partially) to look for a Harry Potter costume that he insisted one of his classmates had said was available at TKMax. It proved not to be so, much to his disappointment. However, daddy did get some new socks and pants, and C got to look at jewellery so the trip was not completely wasted. We stopped in at the beehive centre on the way back, to no further success Potter-wise, but he was satisfied with buying another gun to add to the arsenal. In the afternoon, he and C washed the cars and touched up the scratches on the Megane. He did an excellent job, and the new Exmax [sic] looks incredibly shiny.

Sunday, Caroline went off to London to see JoJo as it was her birthday, leaving me with the Jimster. We had a very slobbish morning and spent a lot of time playing Lego Harry Potter in between me putting a lamb shoulder in the oven for James and Hannah, who came for lunch. Was good to see them, and Jim warmed up after his apparently traditional affectation of shyness initially. Much Star Wars related jollity after lunch (C, Jim and I went to Sains Saturday afternoon and while I was waiting for my diclofenac C could not help herself buying a pirate dressing gown and Star Wars sock and wellies for Jim. He threatened to wear them to bed but sensibly decided against it eventually) including lightsabre fights etc. J and H left about 5 and then it wasn't long before C and the girls arrived. It is good to have the boy on his own but one has to work a little harder at entertainment, especially on a filthy sleety and rainy afternoon such as today.

 Darth Bear