Life is a Highway - it’s the journey, not the destination

lots to catch up on! Will not be very detailed I’m afraid otherwise I’ll never get done!

Saturday
we set off down the A1 in order to visit the Manor Borns in time for lunch. After the initial cups of tea and pizza for lunch we pondered on whether to go outside. The weather was changeable but we picked what we thought was a nice window of time to go for a walk and see the sights of the local village (in other words where dead bodies had been found - cool ) and do a geocache. Took a long route around and through some fields where some overly friendly ponies all galloped up to meet us - eek! Thankfully once they found we had no food they left us be. Kids had a great time playing together on DS’s and in the evening James found the whiskey cabinet!

Sunday
We headed out to Stockwood Discovery Centre. I was half expecting it to be really busy with it being the weekend, but actually it wasn’t too bad. Maybe I should go out more on weekends Really enjoyed the post office exhibition where the kids did loads of dressing up, and the carriages area. We did a few more geocaches here too James headed home before tea and we all had an early night in anticipation of the next days early start.

Monday
up before 6am!! Ugh! Although Michelle was very organised and made tea in insulated mugs so we were ok. The drive was pretty bad on the way to the British Wildlife Centre, but Michelle did a great job, much better than I would have done. Hate driving and really don’tlike the m25 much!

We arrived very early and needed the toilet so sweet talked the lady who was opening the centre and managed to be shown a 5week old (I think, little anyway) fox cub that had been orphaned. So cute! Eventually met up with Nic and the monster teenies who had organised our visit and also the Where the Days go peeps who I adn’t seen in ages and who A had been in e-mail contact with and was really happy to see again. Once some other of the local he’ers arrived we got started with the group session.

We were first taken round the big animals, foxes, wild cats, deer and otters and then after a not so great video (interestng but not the greatest presentation of it) we saw some of the smaller animals like owls and hedgehogs, which we were allowed to stroke, and some rats, moles, mice and other small things. We all really enjoyed the day, I initially thought it would be right up A’s street but actually both her and M got a lot out of it I think. I especially liked the fact M was feeling up to asking questions to the lady who took us round, shame he kept forgetting to put his hand up, but I can forgive him that. Sometimes he’s too shy and won’t do anything but this time he was very interested, maybe as he was with friends? I dunno.

Afterwards we joined Nic and co at her house for a sleepover there. Kids played mostly well I think and stayed relatively out of the way. Lovely adult company as always :O)

Tuesday
Not so early start to the day was good. We were due to visit Paradise Park and head back to Michelle’s from there. En route Ali and F were picked up so good to see them again. Really liked the place and not sure how much my kids got out of the exhibitions but *I* enjoyed them. M & A just seemed to run through it all, but I do remember them having a good look at some fossils which have been a topic of interest lately. It was a lovely day weather wise and just a lovely time had. Not so long drive back to Michelle’s and we were all treated to a show put on by A & C, lots of dancing, singing and nearly breaking their necks!!

Wednesday
Today was the day of Colourbox which I was looking forward to most I think. A day of rainbows!! It’s always a bit hit or miss with these things as to how organised they are but this was just perfect IMO. We arrived and the kids got into some weird white boiler suits and we first of all went into a separate room with 3 spotlights. The lights changed colour and mixed together and the kids had great fun up next to the white wall with shadows and puppets. No lectures about anything, they were just free to explore it.

Then we went back into the main room and did the dark maze thing, they got torches and could go round in that. Endless fun! Sometimes they went in complete darkness and sometimes with torches, and almost always with lots of noise! Then there was the white room with loads of prisms and light sources so that they could have fun splitting light. I loved this bit most. M made something like a kaliedoscope with some mirrors and rotating the prism to change the rainbow coming out of it. I tried to listen in on Helen’s explanations of it all, I was a bit rubbish at trying to put into words what was happening!

(pics courtesy of Helen - thanks for letting me borrow them!)

After our session we headed to Helen’s, my new home for the next few days. Had a wonderful time with Michelle and gang with lovely hospitality and chauffering We all had a good time playing in the garden in the sunshine before it was just Helen’s lot and us left. The kids did some air drying clay fossils and stuff (not sure if I ever picked them up though, best not remind the kids!!) I then cheerfully watched H clean her kitchen and grump The pantry sorting I witnessed must have left some sort of mark as I cleared out our cupboards as soon as I got home! No room for mass bulk orders of tartex and crisps though

Thursday
was a cleaning day! I was very enthusiastic today about helping get the house ready for the party and do any jobs that might have needed done. Anything that didn’t involve sorting my own junk would have been good though, in the end I hoovered lots and cleared lots of leaves from the conservatory. James arrived in the afternoon and in the evening he very bravely ate some bright pink takeout curry. Think he might go for the veggie option next time, much more pleasing colours

Friday
I was feeling slightly out of it and less enthusiastic!! Did help a little but perhaps Chris sensed me planning a strike so he offered us their pass to a local bird of prey centre so we headed there in the afternoon. Slightly scary with me not driving very well there, was really feeling a little worse for wear! Lovely centre and enjoyed watching the bird flying demonstration very much and having some fresh air. Actually it was nice to be just with my family for a bit, had forgotten how much I missed just their company. Not that the other company wasn’t good but it had been a while since I wasn’t a guest iykwim.

When we got back I grumped about making pizza’s for the party but eventually got on with it. Should maybe have made more but hey ho. The kids spent some time in the ‘making room’ making presents for my birthday. They are all so sweet! I was really pleasantly surprised at how little scuffles we had as I remember all too well how bad last year BB and M got on together. They seemed to have forgotton their differences this time though and I think it was a mostly harmonious get together. Phew!

Saturday
my birthday and the party! I was a little grumpy waking up, but I think that was anticipation of the day ahead. I love my friends and going to get togethers but it always takes me a little time to warm up to the whole situation. We all did last minute hoovering and clearing of nets away from ponds etc before the first guests arrived.

I had a lovely time and big thanks to everyone who came along. Some faces were missed though but there were good reasons for their absence. I was really surprised at the *huge* cake and the presents, much appreciated!! James got very drunk as is normally the case and I’d like to say it was the addition of painkillers that made him tell bad jokes, but most people know he’s like that quite often! He did have an early night though as I think it all did hit him quite hard. I hardly saw the kids all day, well A was having a little bit of a hard time fitting into a game with her friends but I think it was the results of a long week. I just remember laughing lots and having lots of sunshine and friends around. Perfect.

Sunday
Late morning as expected. James slept loads which I think he needed. He never manages a long nights sleep due to his back but he had about 12 hours I reckon! The kids were up and out in the garden almost immediately making the most of last moments with friends. I spent ages trying to pack up all our stuff which had just spread out in the spare room we were in!

We eventually got going back to Michelle’s as James was going to help out with some diy bits and were treated to a lovely early-Easter sunday dinner which was a complete surprise. I was expecting sandwiches and we got a roast dinner! Nic and tribe had stopped off too as it was kind of on their route home, felt like we all were neighbours we saw each other so much! Michelle also did the kids a little easter egg hunt, M was especially funny as he was the last to find the allotted 2 eggs per child and was getting increasingly angry at the thought he wouldn’t get as much chocolate as the rest of them!! Lol, my child completely!! He eventually found them and guzzled them both before I could blink!

Felt like a long journey home, I was looking forward to my own bed though Thanks to all my hosts for my tour of the south, it was a lovely week. I do feel so very lucky with all of my friends, I may need to pinch myself!