House move

1st/2nd December, and we finally, after much waiting, messing about with solicitors and prevarication, moved house. Caroline had wanted to do everything ourselves, and I could see the attraction of being autonomous, despite misgivings based on experience. In the event, my back started playing up a day or two before the move and this convinced both of us it would be a good idea to get M & D over. V glad we did - the inevitable stress of the move (over two days with packing first) did not play particularly well with her, and it was a blessing indeed to have help. Really appreciated it, especially at short notice.

 

So, from 51a St Philips Road...

Transported by the ham-fisted Hadley & Ottaway...

To 46 Hurst Park Avenue...

 

 

Half term to house move

10th/11th November: this was a kids' weekend and we were in the last throes of indecision about houses. One came up on Almoner's Ave near Amy's school and we went to have a look. As with many of the houses in that area, it was an uninspiring 50's building recently "vacated" by an elderly resident. As such it needed much doing to it, but we were briefly tempted by the enormous garden. It would have been a wonderful play area for the children, but a lot of work. In the interests of balance, we took the kids to see Hurst Park Ave as well, and they were positive about that as well, although for different reasons. We stuck with HPA on the grounds that now is absolutely not the time to be taking on restoration projects.

Next day we visited Honor Oak to see new baby Abigail. Went to the park and did some tree climbing...

Free weekend the 17th/18th November, so we went to London to see a photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery and the Churchill Museum, plus a fantastic curry at Veeraswamy on Regent St.

On the 20th Jim had a Roman day at school? Still not sure why...

Next kids weekend was the 24th/25th, and we visited Boxford.

This was the calm before the storm, really, as we were about to move house...

 

Half term

With Gabrielle in Antigua, we had Jim from the Tuesday before half term. As I wasn't driving yet, James very kindly agreed to ferry him (and me) to school and back each day. A pain for James to be sure, but less so for Jim, and nice to catch up with both of them.

On the Saturday we headed off to CC for a night with the folks before Bristol. As usual the kids really enjoyed themselves there. I don't know whether it's the garden or the change of scene or what but they just seem to take to it. They amused themselves for hours losing Dad's golf balls in the shrubs, despite the cold and slight drizzle. C and I were tired due to general stress and interrupted nights but the stay was good for us.

After lunch on Sunday we went off to Thornbury castle via the Roman villa at Chedworth. This was worth a look and Minnie did some kind of Halloween themed discovery trail thingummy. Jim and I liked the spring in the corner of the plot where one would make one's offerings to the local water spirit. We offered 5p each and made a wish. Jim confessed later that his was for some Toys-R-Us consumer item or other.

We then went for a walk for a loop up the hill and we're generally impressed with the children's stoicism. They are good and uncomplaining walkers these days. Also reflected on the lovely scenery and presence of hills, sadly lacking in Cambridgeshire.

Then on to the castle, which proved to be brilliant. One of the only places I've been where the room is better in reality than in the brochure. We had booked a suite (called "Portlethen") - us in the bedroom and the kids in the living room, and it was genuinely Tudor and really huge. All oak panels and tapestries, with an open fire in a huge fireplace and a complementary decanter of sherry. The bedroom had an enormous and really comfy four poster in it. He nicest hotel room I've stayed in, I think. We went for dinner early, and caused a certain amount of consternation, as I think they had to go and rustle up a chef, but it was ok as the lounge was like a posher version of the Trinity senior common room and the children amused themselves playing chess and bagatelle. Food was mediocre when it finally arrived though...

Next day was our Bristol day, and so we drove in under the Clifton bridge and went to see the ss Great Britain. The children seemed very interested - Jim especially in the underside including the "udder" - and I was greatly impressed by the quality of the restoration and the context.

Here's Jim being Brunel:

After the Great Britain and the inevitable brush with the souvenir shop, we had lunch at the caff by the water and it was nice enough to sit outside. Bizarrely, C's boss, with whom she has had so much trouble recently, wandered past - she didn't notice us but it seemed an unwelcome intrusion. She has family in Bristol apparently.

After the GB we crossed the Avon to the annoyingly-named @bristol [sic] which is a hands-science museumy thing with lots of buttons to press and experiments to do. Slightly purgatorial for adults, especially those who want to be pressing the buttons rather than supervising children pressing buttons, but good for the kids. Spent quite a long time there but missed out on the planetarium show as it was fully booked. Made mental note to go to the London one. Thence to an early dinner at a nearby Pizza Express, at which children were very well behaved, and back to the castle.

Got all the kids to bed with no trouble but Min was woken in the middle of the night by a scratching sound next to her head. She was in the bed that pulled down out of the panelling in the vast sitting room, and the other two were on rollaway beds. At first I thought she was fussing, but I listened for a while and it started again - it was really loud and sounded like an animal scratching directly at the other side of the panelling. After knocking on next door to no avail, much fussing about and a call to reception, the girls moved to the floor in our room and slept fine there. Not even the phone call and moving mattresses woke Jim up. Amazing. Next morning I told the kids it was the famous ghost dog of Old Thornbury, which they loved all the more after reception told me that there really was a ghost dog seen on the lawn occasionally, reputed to be one of Mary I's greyhounds... I prefer the theory that a bird had got trapped in the flue that ran behind the panelling.

Next morning we decided we were too tired to attempt anything more strenuous than driving home. I can't honestly remember if I have ever been to Bristol itself and, if so, when it was, but it seemed like a nice city and area. The hotel was, despite our nighttime misfortune, a lovely place to stay.

Next day, there was much ferrying around as both the girls had playdates, and C and I bought Halloween supplies. Much fun carving pumpkins, having witch hair pasta and then a successful trick or treat round.

On the Thursday we went to that London (at great expense, it being a weekday) to see Matilda at the Cambridge theatre. It was brilliant, but the kids' behaviour at Carluccio's beforehand was not quite so great. They were excited and lively, shall we say. Home from KX.

The girlz went on Friday morning and it was just us and Jim. It was actually really lovely to have some time with him. Took him to the park on Friday and to Anglesey Abbey (on my own, because C was very tired and stressed) and the latter was particularly nice. We walked together and chatted like friends and then had coffee and milkshakes in the cafe. On Sunday we went to see the excellent Hotel Transylvania at Cineworld, then I delivered him back to Exning with a heavy heart. Apparently he has been full of his adventures ever since...

 

Tough few weeks

It's a long time since my last post, and things have been a little stressful in the meantime. On September 14th I was cycling home from work minding my own business when I was blindsided by a Ford Galaxy on a roundabout. Woke up on the Tarmac with a couple of broken teeth wondering who I was. A long evening at Addenbrooke's ensued, and it transpired I had a "minor" head injury, a broken collarbone, various grazes and so forth. It would have been far worse if I had not been wearing my helmet. I had four weeks off work and am on my second tentative week back now. The first week, in particular, was not fun - I was seeing double, I felt nauseous, I was sleeping on the sofa 16 hours a day and the shoulder hurt. Things are better now, but not completely. The eyesight is still not back to normal - apparently I have damage to one of the nerves that controls eye movement, hence the problem. Still some dizziness, and the shoulder is not healing as it should. But I am getting there. C has been great, and the family have rallied round. Just to add to this mix, work are making a few engineers redundant, and I'm officially under threat, though I am hopeful I won't be on the list. We'll see.

 

Nice things have been my birthday:

Getting out for a walk on the Gogs:

The photos make it look like I've seen more of the boy than I have. G has had him most of the time, as I have not been able to drive. However, I have him from today for the next ten days while she's off in Antigua and of course it's his birthday today. He was very encited at that, and at the news from our recent 20 week scan that he is to have a little brother...

Pregnancy, getting married, the accident, threat of redundancy, moving house. It's been a big year. Let's hope that the most exciting thing that happens next year is the birth of a health new member of the family, and nothing other than that.

 

Posted with Blogsy