Bournemouth blog

Arrived Thursday afternoon at grandma-by-the-sea's, and then to the Hilton, which is kinda posh. Quick stroll to the "beats" and then the Weatherspoon for dinner. Samuel grumpy. Jim a bit grumpy, but mostly excited. Us and Sampops in interconnecting rooms and the three others in their own pit. Everyone slept pretty well. Sam is a good boy in these circumstances, having been trained well (by me). John seems weaker, more tired, and that's about it. He's a real stoic. 

Friday morning had a big hairtel (tm) brekky, before another visit to Craigmoor Ave to see gma and gpa. Back to Bournemouth then to Tesco for sandwiches (taken in-room) and then to the aquarium. The turtles were good - green ones like the ones we swam with in Barbados 4 years ago. Sigh. Having difficulty with children today. V frustrated and short with Sammy. I reckon it takes me 36 hours to get used to the stress of having them around. Then back to the hairtel for a swim in the posh subterranean pool,   running the gauntlet of naked fat blokes in the changing rooms. Children had fun, apart from Sampops, who refused to go in, presumably because of worries about doinasink, after his Christmas experience in Southampton. Pizza express in the evening, which was more successful. Kids all happy and excited. 

Saturday started bright, but annoying because Sam had set his alarm to go off at 7:10. It woke me and Caroline but fortunately not him. Well trained, definitely. Off to Lulworth, after getting sandwiches at Subway, with the clouds descending. Cold walks around the cove. Jim and I skimmed stones while the others went to the visitor centre. He's pretty good now. Last time I was here I proposed to Caroline. 4 years ago, or a lifetime. Sun came out so we went with the momentum and walked to Durdle Door (or Dumble Door as the children called it). Sammy did so well. He needed a little incentivisation with fudge, a sugar mouse and choc, but basically he walked the whole way, with the odd carry here and there. He's only 3. Bodes well for the Lakes next year. Then to gma's, where we had tea and all were happy. Jim seems to feel a real sense of belonging, and he gave C an unsolicited hug in the kitchen, which is a rare and special thing. Min and him have been scratchy together, but only because Min is allowed to stay up until stupid hours. It's such a problem, knowing whether to intervene, because although we're supposed to let the parent deal with such things, it does affect my boy. 

Flickr

Easter weekend

Had the kids from Friday evening, having had a productive day sorting out the garden and going to Simpsons etc. Finished off on Saturday morning, while the smaller ones messily made egg nests, and then to town for something. Phone cases, that's it. Now that Min and Jim have phones. Ate German sausages on the wall at King's and then home. Sunday was egg hunts and me hating myself for not going to church. Caroline complaining at my grumpiness. But a nice scoot around Jesus Green and then sojourn in the Fort St George. Monday we all went to see Kung Fu Panda 3 - Sammy's first trip to the cinema - and then to the buffet place next door and the arcade. Classy. Slightly fraught but still fun. Sam was good in the cinema and KFP3 was great. Tues I was back at work while C looked after them. Sam pooed on the floor. But Wednesday morning was a triumph as he finally decided to do it in the potty after about three weeks or so of crapping in his pants. Can't tell you how pathetically pleased the rest of us were, even the other children.

Feb half term '16

I took Monday, Tuesday and Thursday off from the new job at Worldpay. They give me 30 days hurrah. Had the kidz Mon and Tues.

Saturday had a trip to Pizza Express Paddington Basin to catch up with Richie, Shina and Hugh. First time I have seen the cousin in a while, and Dad turned up too. Sam excited to meet "Baby Few".

Sunday was a doss day, Monday was bowling and lunch in Ely, and a nice visit to the Cathedral. Jim saw the prayer request board at the back and wanted to write a card. He just put "my family". Another easy day on Tues and then took Jim back on Weds while the girls and Sam went to London to see the Edwardses. Thursday I took off to look after the Samster while C went to London to be on R4's book club. Was lovely.

Some pics here.

Bla

Sat home day

Swimming @ Parkside

Sun Norfolk Brancaster 

Career break

Left work

Leaving do

Felt grotty

Mon tues not a lot. Hair tues. 

weds daddy and Sam day bounce around 

Thurs Ian and Ruth. 

Friday Caroline bday cau

Kidz photo sat. Fsg plus rugby

Sun ice skating pratfalls and fair

Mon no school run - to CC

Tue CC - Stratford f&c

Wed home

Thurs nursery 

Fri nursery & saw Bridge of Spies

Sat disastrous date eve

Sun 51a maintenance

Mon new job start 

Autumn, finally

Definitely Autumn this weekend. Jim arrived on Friday, his 9th birthday, and opened pressies. He seemed ok but for the first time expressed how he felt a bit unsettled when he first comes here. This is, of course, something I have noticed for ages. He got a chemistry set from his grandparents and various other things. The main hit seems to have been Skylanders Trap Team, which he has played all weekend.

Saturday was a relaxed day, with nothing much but a trip out to the Grafton to buy new Skylanders, inevitably. Everyone more or less chilled, within the usual bounds.

Sunday morning Jim and I went to the Good Shepherd up the road, our parish church. Only the second time I've been there since we moved in almost 3 years ago. It was an all-age Communion, and better than I expected. Quite well attended - the usual sort of demographic but certainly not a dead church. Judith, the curate who led the service seemed very nice, and she asked Jim his name and sadi a prayer for him when we went to the rail. Some aspect were quite traditional - wafers, silverware, vestments etc. Proper liturgy. But some modern, such as choruses and a very small amount of clappiness. I liked it and Jim says he did too. Not sure why - it's difficult to tell with him sometimes, but I was very pleased to have gone, and doubly so to have gone with him. It's a cliché when it comes to old people like me, but the older I get the more I like the rituals of faith, especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist, as us Protestants with leanings towards Mother Church call it. The church itself is interesting - brick built 50's or 60's thing, but it a very traditional style with nave, clerestory and even a side chapel. Maybe it has a high church past as well, as there are stations of the cross and a crucifix complete with Our Lord and INRI. Brighter and airier than one expects. I like it.

Rest of the day was a little tense. Well, Sammy was tired because of the time change and is going through a serious tantrum stage. C is tired of it and is tending towards gloom. We went to town, had lunch at Clowns (successful) and then it was decreasing returns from then on. Jim is great, that's all I will say. Sam had the most spectacular tantrum in the evening. Complete. incoherent rage because I got him out of the bath. Hope it is a short-lived phase...

Cnorwall two years later

I have been a little slack with this over the last.. er.. two years. I'm not really sure what has happened, except that Sam is 2 1/2 now instead of 6 months, and I have worked, and been to Cornwall, and tried to look after everyone. Jim was 6 last time I blogged and now he is 8. Amy is a teenager, very much a teenager. Min is at Netherhall. C and I have had our ups and downs but are ok. It has been tiring and sometimes a slog, but with much joy. I am just coming up 47, instead of just coming up 45 - does that make any difference? I'm not sure. My back is better, my gammy foot is worse. I am probably stronger but fatter. Hm. The parents have been though a lot: in early 2013 Mum had a stroke and is only just really back to more or less herself.

I will try to go back to keeping a journal of the weekends we have all the children here, just so there is something left of me apart from thousands of photos and a half-hearted Ancestry account.

Oh yes, Cnorwall. We went for a week this year, which wasn't long enough, but then we went to the Lake District, which was good. I dragged everyone up Sergeant Man, which meant a lot to me but which might put them off ever going back...

Cornwall

Sat arrive after trip from CC

Sun Lifeboat day, but no arcotter

Mon Walk to Loe Bar

Tues Porthleven beach, rockpooling with Jim

Weds Perranuthnoe, harbour jumping after all these years

Thurs Rainy cinema day

Fri Rockpooling with Sam then with VV and Rick 

Lakes

Fri Arrive after sitting on M6 and going briefly to Dunham Massie

Sat Climb up to Easedale Tarn, aborted climb to Codale Tarn due to Weather

Sun Silver How - windy mountain walk

Mon Lake trip on Derwent Water then walk round to Nichol End from Lodore

Tues Sergeant Man slog via Blindtarn Moss

Weds Walk round Grasmere

Thurs No walks! Keswick illusion place, rowing and motor boating