tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64291815811643723922024-03-04T23:43:20.353-08:00Splashes & Dashes of YellowHello,this blog is somewhere for me to record snippets of family life as these boys of mine grow up. Time flies,so the saying goes and I want to save some of my precious memories and this seems a good way to do it. I want this blog to be a happy place so much of what I post on here will be the nice stuff of life, that's not to say it is all blue skies and sunshine here but just that I choose to make the happy times recordableJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.comBlogger667125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-54977313683741970152017-07-15T09:14:00.001-07:002017-07-15T09:14:10.762-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Ball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It strikes me how still it is as I walk outside so early in the morning,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> guess most things are still as the world has not quite woken up yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There it is on the patio and for a moment it almost takes me aback,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the stillness of it compared to last night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last night this ball whizzed through the air at a hundred miles an hour,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or so it seemed at the time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Accompanied by lots of movement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two boys darting around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lots of laughter, lots of shrieking,lots of noise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sound of that ball being bounced up and down on the concrete drive</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and the ear jarring noise it made as it hit the garage door instead</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of going in the basket ball net.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It went everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the garage roof, over the neighbours fence, <i>on me,</i>a innocent bystander,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who was just watching the mad, frenzied game of late night basketball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a 99p ball from Morrisons but it was worth every penny and more</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as I watched my eldest and youngest play together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sound of laughter, the boisterous nature of two boys playing together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Much different to when mum plays a genteel game of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Lets see who gets up to five.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was fast and furious, noisy and rough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You had to have your wits about you or you would be hit </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">on the head by a flying ball at great speed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Boys,its a long time since I saw you play like that,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you sure made me smile.</span></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-22431492562899865282016-11-06T06:26:00.000-08:002016-11-06T06:34:08.688-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Weekend.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKcyO92umXWhPIyttIWc000pfmUZ11M_DNtpcUKjMWHJHAVDmbdYZDAnoxnDXcsHVEJrR13jR67h3Tlh2cN9l-hMkqZrGwMP12NQDiXC9nbS259cYH0CfLDpL7Wi5XGNhcr9jMJVeYW07/s1600/DSC07973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKcyO92umXWhPIyttIWc000pfmUZ11M_DNtpcUKjMWHJHAVDmbdYZDAnoxnDXcsHVEJrR13jR67h3Tlh2cN9l-hMkqZrGwMP12NQDiXC9nbS259cYH0CfLDpL7Wi5XGNhcr9jMJVeYW07/s640/DSC07973.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weekends are busy around here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We fit in shopping, swimming,walking </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and getting everything sorted for the week ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sharky comes back from uni and works long hours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and then he goes back to uni, usually very tired.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grandparents pop in on flying visits and we usually see quite</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a bit of the older boys and their girlfriends. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is a nice family time,</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but very hectic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Definitely a busy household.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We sit glued to the television watching Strictly </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and any sport that might be on and there is always sport on our television.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every. Single. Day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This weekend was even more hectic than usual </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">because it was Bonfire Night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I did a little bonfire tea and I was proud because I </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">made real mushy peas, just like the ones my grandma </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">used to make and after a few moments of thinking that they had </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">gone very wrong it all turned out ok and they actually tasted like <i>real</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">proper mushy peas. I was proper proud.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lycd6Ykh-uGCbJx2GBVNRiPNmRbpUMKF78M_GiRSz3sUkFTPDJswFQximYPJOD2r88jB8ncV39Sw-f6J3iytNj66HUHX2Kmb3C7pvehe-tlGgPq7MJGCSrJRuOrKpWQJR9kqi5_Cn3VE/s1600/DSC07972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lycd6Ykh-uGCbJx2GBVNRiPNmRbpUMKF78M_GiRSz3sUkFTPDJswFQximYPJOD2r88jB8ncV39Sw-f6J3iytNj66HUHX2Kmb3C7pvehe-tlGgPq7MJGCSrJRuOrKpWQJR9kqi5_Cn3VE/s640/DSC07972.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We went to a bonfire party which had so many people there it was unbelievable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was said on Facebook that over 4000 people attended it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not totally sure about that number, yes it was busy,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but I think 4000 people may be a slight overestimation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was good to see a big bonfire, it was so bright and very smokey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We still have some sparklers to do, when we get a moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And now its Sunday afternoon and I still have plenty of jobs to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'd better get on and do them!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNMBfVzKbEtLB81v0EACwSXal99hU_OOjnJZoNPJCwybHiC3iQbOL0S1cWjkLNscz_q2KW7w_uvOTvTqW6wDlyi778xF3FD-j-33twmPTyBh6zlltwY6i-73DZxoSdtH2xWaM9W7WxBBx/s1600/DSC07981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNMBfVzKbEtLB81v0EACwSXal99hU_OOjnJZoNPJCwybHiC3iQbOL0S1cWjkLNscz_q2KW7w_uvOTvTqW6wDlyi778xF3FD-j-33twmPTyBh6zlltwY6i-73DZxoSdtH2xWaM9W7WxBBx/s640/DSC07981.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-48709137236904823922016-11-04T09:35:00.002-07:002016-11-06T06:35:26.363-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This Time Of Year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have still got the Halloween decorations up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have just taken a few down and Chips has yelped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We didn't have many up this year,just a few bits of pretty tinsel draped around </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and a row of skeletons around the arch and this little cat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He used to live on my desk when I was at home,a long time ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I left him up to show my mum and she smiled, he has lasted a <i>long</i> time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u40gefUGFCuEMzygVlG63c8GgpTW-KvhRmzmxIosTko6MXYKSFjpGEaNnzyQdtJOXoaYxpdHOft8a-lvzm6X3XUV822H0YUnTOpgIIuub8w4KM9NmWMUfKMtHHRb0UZOUUy127xhQkJT/s1600/DSC07966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u40gefUGFCuEMzygVlG63c8GgpTW-KvhRmzmxIosTko6MXYKSFjpGEaNnzyQdtJOXoaYxpdHOft8a-lvzm6X3XUV822H0YUnTOpgIIuub8w4KM9NmWMUfKMtHHRb0UZOUUy127xhQkJT/s640/DSC07966.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have got our lovely pumpkins but even they might be on their last legs now</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and unless we want to wake up to pumpkin goo all over the kitchen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(this has happened before) they will need to be put outside very soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Halloween was fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We went on a couple of Halloween Trails.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One at a local <a href="http://splashesdashesofyellow.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/spooky-going-ons.html">country park</a> and the other at the forest.<span id="goog_1024355456"></span><span id="goog_1024355457"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The clues were really hard for the forest trail but it was a good trail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The clues were letters hidden like this</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and this</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and then you had to spell a word out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Would it be bad to admit that we couldn't work the word out?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But we did find lots of the other clues,thankfully!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The walk around the forest was lovely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was very peaceful although the weather was proper autumnal weather,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as drizzly as anything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We saw pumpkins dotted all over the place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And we saw some friendly wooden creatures too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There was food for the birds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And plenty of very old trees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then on Halloween day we had spooky spiders on toast for tea </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and then we went trick or treating with Chips cousins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was really enjoyable and quite wow to see how fantastically some people </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">had decorated their homes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had some yummy Halloween food and lots of sweets, which will take us to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Christmas to eat!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We even dared to visit the witch that lives round the corner from us,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">she is absolutely brilliant and this year she had a real moving broom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of the fabulous pumpkins we saw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our very own pumpkin!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the end of the night we were all shattered but it was a very good Halloween.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now for Bonfire Night!</span><br />
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-40245928391138982722016-10-29T07:00:00.000-07:002016-11-06T06:36:14.226-08:00<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Spooky Going Ons.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you go down to the woods today be sure of a big surprise!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
For hidden in this beautiful place<br />
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There are these...<br />
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spooks hidden in the trees!<br />
<br />
On Tuesday we went on a Halloween trail at a local country park.<br />
And you know what,it was not as easy as peasy!<br />
In fact clue number three had us foxed completely<br />
and we had to go back to find it!<br />
<br />
It was good fun though and the park was full of children holding trails,<br />
collecting clues so that they could get a nice bit of spooky chocolate<br />
as their prize!<br />
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There were nine clues in all and they led us all around the park,<br />
which was quite a walk.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite spooks was this one;<br />
<br />
<i>A long pointed nose and tall pointed hat,</i><br />
<i>I fly on my broomstick with my little black cat.</i><br />
<i>I cast my spells over boil and bubble,</i><br />
<i>Ready to cause a whole lot of trouble!</i><br />
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I was a bit upset as my camera battery ran out as soon as we entered the park<br />
but luckily I had a tiny bit of space left on my trusty phone. I need never ending<br />
photo space and a never ending battery too and I bet I'm not the only person<br />
who thinks that!<br />
<br />
After we had finished the trail and some lucky person had eaten all<br />
their hard won chocolate we went to feed the ducks.<br />
I would like to say this was peaceful but the poor old ducks were so<br />
under attack from the gulls it was horrible to watch.<br />
The gulls around the park are really vicious, poor little ducks.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBKHUY2x2-SUF5NTayAMIHJh3NPJxloBTcnZNHyv_hisGxVCZdvtnzhIQ7_iRJQw5ZS_S6dhXW1PiGxYzS4pWWK-ssfUXb1E6HAYo8VFfZHpGX_BXpHaesC1GJXI70U3ycLuYwFxSEFCU/s1600/IMG_3576+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBKHUY2x2-SUF5NTayAMIHJh3NPJxloBTcnZNHyv_hisGxVCZdvtnzhIQ7_iRJQw5ZS_S6dhXW1PiGxYzS4pWWK-ssfUXb1E6HAYo8VFfZHpGX_BXpHaesC1GJXI70U3ycLuYwFxSEFCU/s640/IMG_3576+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The poor ducks hiding from the gulls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a nice afternoons walk.<br />
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-28506368628982652132016-10-24T10:11:00.001-07:002016-11-06T06:37:19.106-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Half Term Up To Yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I love half term.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Time to breathe.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Time to be with family.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A chance to slow down,slightly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And,time to explore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are only on Monday so the exploring hasn't been too in depth </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but we have managed some walks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">one by the river and the other in the woods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the woods the leaves were changing colour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have not been to these woods for ages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But the memories were still there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In abundance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With everyone having their own little snippet </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">of what these </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">woods meant to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We walked quite a long way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Up through tons and tons of sand,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">until we came to the top of the woods,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">which was a prefect place to play with sticks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as all small boys like to do.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaaIW9STseNYOhPb-5X68wzNdHqacEh9rNZaE8AjWQ3uO8J60xEI9KjvYcSEYS1cy2jEctcIEfUnhi9WKx9OozK-OwfTiDMTnEWPdE26dAQ3W6MHuz2LPTTcfUlpJdafFMNKZytPzlYR9/s1600/DSC07820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaaIW9STseNYOhPb-5X68wzNdHqacEh9rNZaE8AjWQ3uO8J60xEI9KjvYcSEYS1cy2jEctcIEfUnhi9WKx9OozK-OwfTiDMTnEWPdE26dAQ3W6MHuz2LPTTcfUlpJdafFMNKZytPzlYR9/s640/DSC07820.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a refreshing walk,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">through a wood full of memories, nice.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbKvtga3zLz9V48HvlxuuYlcxwI-wupzK22naafhjN0C5B6Og6OPxIuk6VbK5blbbnBYMCEvrL8spUDnOlweqqN0gUogSYaXbzIGDnEnOCB0ahQxyJ5NlIF8OaZ0b2Ws30CoB1s8p3MQu/s1600/DSC07805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbKvtga3zLz9V48HvlxuuYlcxwI-wupzK22naafhjN0C5B6Og6OPxIuk6VbK5blbbnBYMCEvrL8spUDnOlweqqN0gUogSYaXbzIGDnEnOCB0ahQxyJ5NlIF8OaZ0b2Ws30CoB1s8p3MQu/s640/DSC07805.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today we went to the water.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEBqe7wVkh9oP0yT4njyzOzJ6PpIK52M0RCySswYEhSFDxUsPqRNU2QBruVQmylwbkQzUvJIPzw162nWNwqhw-Ni_8LVwknlPzyoOA2_vnILPFQliz6nOCcwwuTl5wpclipnWvCQFi4p4/s1600/DSC07852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEBqe7wVkh9oP0yT4njyzOzJ6PpIK52M0RCySswYEhSFDxUsPqRNU2QBruVQmylwbkQzUvJIPzw162nWNwqhw-Ni_8LVwknlPzyoOA2_vnILPFQliz6nOCcwwuTl5wpclipnWvCQFi4p4/s640/DSC07852.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A big river.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">which sparkled in the bits of autumn sun that</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> occasionally </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">peeped through the grey cloudy sky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Down at the river side were lots of stones </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">so we played a game of throwing stones in the water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and seeing who could throw the furthest </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and what stone made the biggest or strangest splash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Time old games that never seem to go out of fashion.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_qU1xOTnKPRB81siBsGtUw8dnJEVV6g4syPehRpRIDRJuGlWnYne854abzON21X3hqhW5JEc6CpsM-F10gm5ksiiwD0wi_6DCkiCkdVENQ344C9-ZTw93PzDNsSIYyQ2TmTnGBSK4E35/s1600/DSC07842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_qU1xOTnKPRB81siBsGtUw8dnJEVV6g4syPehRpRIDRJuGlWnYne854abzON21X3hqhW5JEc6CpsM-F10gm5ksiiwD0wi_6DCkiCkdVENQ344C9-ZTw93PzDNsSIYyQ2TmTnGBSK4E35/s640/DSC07842.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Up on top of the riverbank were lots of cows.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lovely gentle placid cows.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We spent ages watching them chew grass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They were very sweet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even when they pooed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Which they did, a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Much to my sons delight! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSNgbzWnbjgWkfpIdbdjP8lgEAJmy7CEqs8S-mniWhwpJhXSH3Uqp5R2bd1M2ByeWdYFRAAF9lAn_ouNpUW7vybjcJPEWD5lCvf7qoS3m6Iw1oHhKNUYc4iC0oetFHoOfMpYXMAmINY72/s1600/DSC07845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSNgbzWnbjgWkfpIdbdjP8lgEAJmy7CEqs8S-mniWhwpJhXSH3Uqp5R2bd1M2ByeWdYFRAAF9lAn_ouNpUW7vybjcJPEWD5lCvf7qoS3m6Iw1oHhKNUYc4iC0oetFHoOfMpYXMAmINY72/s640/DSC07845.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two nice trips out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm thankful that the weather is dry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and that we are all well enough to enjoy our week off.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19sBxyPbf7v97nTalVs6ojcudg-stV3aaFlI58PfEmgRa2e8DMYrR_JAFmbwM9SDF83P1LCCjgDm1MOyDdUnAbiLCmLrGxeqoSy46MVCm5nyFkCYtRtiR5JFXn6mqZQOwYNM3iLtJEKwK/s1600/DSC07853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19sBxyPbf7v97nTalVs6ojcudg-stV3aaFlI58PfEmgRa2e8DMYrR_JAFmbwM9SDF83P1LCCjgDm1MOyDdUnAbiLCmLrGxeqoSy46MVCm5nyFkCYtRtiR5JFXn6mqZQOwYNM3iLtJEKwK/s640/DSC07853.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-81125030116175198922016-07-09T10:19:00.000-07:002016-07-09T10:19:17.826-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Splashy Thoughts</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">1. Wow my laptop is working!Wonders will never cease.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. Only two more weeks until school breaks up for summer ~ yay.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. I need to take the England flags down,the footy is nearly over.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">4. Saturday night tv is no good at this time of year,bring back Strictly.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">***************</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">6. The school shoes have lasted all year!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">7. The tomato plants are thriving but where will I keep them all...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">8. I'm almost certain that weekends are going at the speed of light.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">9. What will the boys watch now the footy has virtually finished...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">*****************</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">10. The swimming pool is becoming our second home.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">11. Why do gaming u tube people scream so much?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">12. Whispers 'I'm hoping there is no homework until September.' </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-73306450265928256012015-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:002015-11-11T08:42:00.523-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Elvis and Us</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Did you know that Mamma liked Elvis?" I asked Chips,as I dived to put my coat on in the mad rush that is the eight o'clock getting ready for school and work scene. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Elvis had been on my mind all morning and the tune that was playing through my mind was American Trilogy mixed with If I Can Dream. I'd watched an Elvis documentary the night before and it had really got to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chips turned to me,looked me straight in the eye with an almost exasperated look and answered "Yes,I know Mamma likes Elvis."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was quite shocked and said "How do you know?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I had not discussed my mums love of Elvis to Chips and I was really intrigued to find out how he knew. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"She has a Elvis calendar," he replied in a very matter of fact way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And at this point I smiled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He had noticed the Elvis calendar that my mum has up in her house. The calendar that my dad buys her every Christmas and has done so since I was a child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You see my mum <i>was</i> or should I say <i>is</i> a massive Elvis fan and my childhood involved a lot of Elvis. I know all his songs,probably off by heart,I've seen all his movies and one of my earliest memories is sitting in my grandmas bedroom looking through my mums copies of a little magazine called Elvis Monthly,well I think it was called that,it was a long time ago! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When he died it really hit my mum hard,it was such a shock and our household really felt the impact of it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As the years went by it was not so noticeable how much my mum had liked Elvis. If you looked carefully you would see a Elvis picture in a frame and of course the Elvis calendar was always there but my mum did not talk about Elvis really,you are more likely to hear her talk about sport these days and that's what made me stop and smile when Chips had known about my mum and Elvis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Later that afternoon I told my mum and she really smiled to learn that her grandchild had picked up on her love of Elvis. We chatted about the documentary and marveled at just how Chips had picked up on this fact. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It just goes to show that children are observant and they often know much more than we think! </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-75470936489336760792015-11-04T06:21:00.000-08:002015-11-04T06:21:17.916-08:00<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">A Gentle Kind Of Day</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Everything about our visit to the farm was gentle,laid back and just plain old nice. Sometimes the word nice is made out to be boring but I think it describes something that is good and our day at the farm was definitely good. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The weather was great,a real autumnal day. We did not even need our coats on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddGR_30o2z2kS-E5vtzcr2Og6lQoOpxa1T2op5Ss4pIcmTzth0OPch-7uJr-VhOr3-Ls-IvUgkQKXAgilAc8SMjzxTCJeoitR9WXrN7eWbLELC9QwpZADhbEXnBqi2F1s_ez1p0JDPjxB/s640/blogger-image-808297510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddGR_30o2z2kS-E5vtzcr2Og6lQoOpxa1T2op5Ss4pIcmTzth0OPch-7uJr-VhOr3-Ls-IvUgkQKXAgilAc8SMjzxTCJeoitR9WXrN7eWbLELC9QwpZADhbEXnBqi2F1s_ez1p0JDPjxB/s640/blogger-image-808297510.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As I sat and watched Chips playing on the go karts,leaves were gently falling onto the ground. It was as if it was snowing leaves. The leaves slowly twirled to the ground,it was so peaceful to sit watching the leaves dance their way onto the soft grass. And I just felt so at ease,out in the fresh air on a warm autumn day,away from our usual weekday stresses,as I said before <i>nice.</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Halloween decorations were hanging from the trees and bright pumpkins were grouped everywhere,giving a bright orange glow to the farm. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBluXnmOeTqKVbrzCKswShhNslRyetC1obVu7vMKiXEeAdAkve-5J5WPI5YB-0S1OBxsOItDAa93fCh_8FUZV6cW7yRnOgdp7U8ubTWc3bWtFKnKMXyiM_EDWH_RqSxssBLWs24h3s9ej/s640/blogger-image-1636943942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBluXnmOeTqKVbrzCKswShhNslRyetC1obVu7vMKiXEeAdAkve-5J5WPI5YB-0S1OBxsOItDAa93fCh_8FUZV6cW7yRnOgdp7U8ubTWc3bWtFKnKMXyiM_EDWH_RqSxssBLWs24h3s9ej/s640/blogger-image-1636943942.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spooky Spider</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjf7zv76HhKqwK4dn5NE-yTC6jL1hLycNdGkSUQugtbYGeDJ0FFtl7_ma4Jw6QLINxnkgjwnUjVgmRG6Qxe6Cg5WvN_rGXHd94fezEsyfunGwrsr8qTNOwlFG49fzmr-VlQmRey3DtBHG/s640/blogger-image-2078190413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjf7zv76HhKqwK4dn5NE-yTC6jL1hLycNdGkSUQugtbYGeDJ0FFtl7_ma4Jw6QLINxnkgjwnUjVgmRG6Qxe6Cg5WvN_rGXHd94fezEsyfunGwrsr8qTNOwlFG49fzmr-VlQmRey3DtBHG/s640/blogger-image-2078190413.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dead,stripey thingy</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We played quite a few rounds of crazy golf,looked at the farm animals,held a silver mouse and a fidgety guinea pig and stroked the cutest baby llama called Bob ~ he was 15 weeks old and had such soft fur. We loved Bob. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FzyshrYnLq6tr7PCv-stXR-JxwT3J8-JAk0pmuh4ucXnABBzdpCzZCs5Cdr1bXA4-cqFIZTIQwaq00fXtfofGAzIkGBUKrGgzeE4Js3OGc1Xzecmi40rX_8UOC8FPivTX7IeePVncHmg/s640/blogger-image-1468725219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FzyshrYnLq6tr7PCv-stXR-JxwT3J8-JAk0pmuh4ucXnABBzdpCzZCs5Cdr1bXA4-cqFIZTIQwaq00fXtfofGAzIkGBUKrGgzeE4Js3OGc1Xzecmi40rX_8UOC8FPivTX7IeePVncHmg/s640/blogger-image-1468725219.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The meerkats amused us. This one looked as if it was on duty as it stood glaring sternly at everybody.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Im back at work now and Chips is back at school.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The weather is damp.misty and foggy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Im glad that we made the most of half term and had lots of little adventures.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Memories of them make me smile as we get back into the routine of life. </span></span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-35632471264808029842015-10-29T07:24:00.001-07:002015-10-29T07:24:38.383-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Seaside Day - Blackpool</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"One thing that you have to know," I said to Chips,as we were thinking about our trip to the seaside, "its really cold at Blackpool."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And it was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When we got to the beach the wind was more than blustery and bitterly cold. It blew the hood of my coat up without me even asking it too,that was a blessing though because soon after that the rain came lashing down and for a moment the coldness nearly took our breath away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I <i>almost</i> grinned. It seemed Blackpool had not changed a bit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We quickly headed to the nearest dry place,which was the amusement arcade on the pier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luckily the rain did not last long and we were able to venture out onto the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">incredibly slippery pier to look at the sea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the pier things were much calmer. It was still busy and so very slippery but the sea was making that lovely sea noise that I love so much and the sun was treating everybody to a beautiful array of colours as it set for the night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We walked right to the very end of the pier and watched the sun until it disappeared behind a cloud,even then the view was beautiful </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chips liked the pier. He had a look through one of those telescopes that are always at seaside places but never seem to work as well as you would like them too,he dangled his leg through the railings as if to say hey look at me...scared...nah,and then we found the fair rides. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We decided against the big wheel and the ride that went up and bobbed you around really fast and jerkily,instead we chose the Waltzer. And that my friends was the beginning of the survival of the fittest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">First go ~ we stood and waited and then when the ride stopped we dashed up the rickety,slippery steps and didn't get a chair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Second go ~ we were right near the front this time so we felt more confident about getting a chair. The barriers went up,we went as fast as we could go and we got a chair! Woohoo! And then the fairground man said we had to have a ticket and we could not pay in the car (even though all the signs said we could pay in the car) so we sadly got out of our hard fought for chair and trudged off to buy tickets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Third go ~ with our tickets clutched tightly in our hands we rejoined the group of people surrounding the waltzer. We were disheartened by now but as the barrier opened we clambered up the steps,again,and Chips got his hand on a chair but so did a girl and she jumped infront of Chips and claimed the chair. And then her 87 year old grandma got in the chair with the girl! We were beat to the chairs by an 87 year old grandma!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This was bad. We stomped down the silver,slippery steps again,feeling very miffed. We nearly gave up. But I had those expensive tickets in my hand and we were not going to waste them. I had to grin,slightly,at being beaten by an incredibly old grandma. My thoughts,eventually,was that she was doing really well if she could even get up the steep,slippery steps at her age,never mind attempt to go on a Waltzer ride. May I be doing that at her age please! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fourth go ~ we got a chair! Thank the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And the ride was good! Fast and twirly. It made us squeal. Chips said I squealed louder than him but I don't believe that,at all. Would I squeal louder than my son...no,definitely not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We headed off the pier and went to look at the illuminations,shops and amusement arcades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was quickly dropping dark and very busy on the Main Street. We popped into an arcade and Chips had a go in the 2p machines,we then wandered up the street and looked at the illuminations,which were as good as ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> We then popped into a little bingo hall and played 10p bingo. This was really cool! The bingo caller was a friendly chap who made everyone welcome. We did not win but it was a break from the crowded streets and it was good fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The night ended with a bag of salty seaside chips. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We really liked Blackpool. It was a great start to the half term holidays. I'll leave you with one of my favourite photos....the sea,a sunset and my boy. </span></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-91458411633957039252015-10-23T08:23:00.000-07:002015-10-23T08:23:58.474-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So Autumn is well and truly here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Infact it almost feels like winter sometimes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This week my hands have been icy cold and I have turned the heating on,it was time I guess. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I thought I'd do a little update,a few rambles. It may get me back into the swing of this blogging lark. This year has been a total wash out where the poor old blog has been concerned but hey given the circumstances it's understandable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So I'll dive in and say that Chips starting comprehensive school has been quite a jolt. For him and also for me. Where can I start...the level of information is nowhere near what it was at junior school,no weekly newsletters,you can speak to a teacher if you <i>really</i> need to but there's no popping in to class to have an informal chat. The rules are all different and there are a lot of them! The language is all different too. We don't have classes we have pods,we don't have a headteacher we have a principal,we don't have English,maths or PE instead we have enigma,strive or flourish and we have our learning nandos to help with the homework. Like I said,a completely different language. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And,I miss the school run. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I used to love the school run,even in the rain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> It was such a mummy thing to do,go and pick my little boy up from school. Once a week my mum would walk down with me and we would look at all the gardens on the way and she would marvel at all the outside play equipment the school had. Now the nursery has had a whole new garden planted with some gorgeous plants and I know my mum would have loved to look at them but we don't walk that way any more.....no more school runs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I miss the people I used to see and the chatter we used to have but most of all I just miss walking to school and waiting at my spot and then seeing Chips come out of school. On a couple of occasions I have walked past the school at picking up time and it's like a different world,so busy,so congested and pretty frantic looking,a stage of my life well and truly over. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO4ym5v9UNaV6UN6Vr_fJmehj17C89f8vlLwJNHWCbQJxhr9yioouVlEod5-nUlEbOoRPkr7F53fkBIs26ojsX9bn5lRxH6M_YDUXjyMpUvx9POB5wndH0GabGgOXwuR91y9HEVEUKxdk/s640/blogger-image--2000352927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO4ym5v9UNaV6UN6Vr_fJmehj17C89f8vlLwJNHWCbQJxhr9yioouVlEod5-nUlEbOoRPkr7F53fkBIs26ojsX9bn5lRxH6M_YDUXjyMpUvx9POB5wndH0GabGgOXwuR91y9HEVEUKxdk/s640/blogger-image--2000352927.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is the wooden fence that I used to lean against - how I miss you wooden fence.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqdnQA7i15KWMuKAE9m2qTiXzCvyAY5RfMJWuU1EaHNp3B_xDNZCCHs-mwJnEG-ynXyrh4OvqMRx_sT8Y2CGe0m07lq_uABnfDtGL1BoD0O2k4-XgcP-DOBtCMnD1pgW9zNul_hRr-xIM/s640/blogger-image-1691167417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqdnQA7i15KWMuKAE9m2qTiXzCvyAY5RfMJWuU1EaHNp3B_xDNZCCHs-mwJnEG-ynXyrh4OvqMRx_sT8Y2CGe0m07lq_uABnfDtGL1BoD0O2k4-XgcP-DOBtCMnD1pgW9zNul_hRr-xIM/s640/blogger-image-1691167417.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This window was Chips year six window,ahh the memories...</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sharky has returned to uni and although we see him at weekends he works and we don't get a lot of time with him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Life is changing for sure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have managed to read a couple of books lately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Firstly The Lie by C.L Taylor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This was such a good book I started reading it on Tuesday and by Thursday evening I had finished it. I would totally recommend it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Then I read Lullaby Girl,this was a trickier book to read and might not be everyone's cup of tea,I enjoyed it though,even if it did unnerve me at bedtime! I'm now starting Gone Girl and I have a couple of books on order at the library ready for half term. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I can't wait for half term! A break from school for Chips and me and we have got a trip to seaside planned,this is exciting me! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last week we celebrated my mums 70th birthday. We all went out for a meal and Sharkys girlfriend made this lovely cake</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> It was as chocolately and delicious as it looks. We all had a great time and it was lovely to watch our family celebrate my mums special day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now lets hope that half term is just as enjoyable as the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">summer holidays were.</span></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-40642564062809922432015-09-29T13:13:00.000-07:002015-09-29T13:13:02.918-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Funnybones</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This week,at school,we did all about the book Funnybones,the skeletons that lived in a house on a dark dark street,on a dark dark hill,in a dark dark town and as I read the story to the group of enthralled four year olds it really reminded me of my eldest boy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Back in the day,my eldest son loved this story. I used to read it to him time after time. Infact when I was reading the book this week I could so remember the story....where we used to laugh when the dog was put back together all wrong,where we used to sing the bones song and where we used to be scared of the crocodile skeleton. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ah the memories....of a golden haired little boy,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">who was my only child then,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">how loved he was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These were the days when we lived in our first house. Tiger used to have a gorgeous lemon bedroom decorated with a pink and blue bunny rabbit theme. It was quite a big room and I made him a proper snuggly book corner,with a comfy yellow Forever Friends beanbag and loads and loads of books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> We would also read downstairs,cuddled up on our little two seater settee in the winter and read book after book after book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just before Tiger turned two years old we took him to Blackpool</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> to see the illuminations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> It was the October half term holiday,so Blackpool would have been busy and I bet it was extremely chilly,the wind really has a nip at Blackpool. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> As we walked through the bustling,crowded Pleasure Beach towards the ghost train,Tiger proclaimed "It's a Loo-Loo."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> After some puzzling moments we realised he meant the skeleton on the front of the ghost train ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This caused lots of smiles and the name stuck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Weeks later I was on my dinner hour when i spotted a book with <i>Loo-Loo's </i>in it and of course I had to buy it for him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It quickly became a firm favourite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And the memory is still in my head. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I pick up a Funnybones book and I think of those days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The days of skeleton stories and a little boy who meant the world to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And he still does. </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-63000033792270211632015-09-22T13:35:00.001-07:002015-09-22T13:35:40.530-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saturday</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It took Chips under 4 minutes to fall asleep tonight,it's been a busy day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Up at eight,after a week of settling into his new school,and then a trip to the library,breakfast out,the weekly shopping trip and that was just the morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> In the afternoon we had swimming lessons and then a family party at five,busy,busy busy but good too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've spent most of the time people watching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Catching smiles. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Taking in the interaction between members of the family,the chatter,the laughter,the casual way they sit together squeezed two to a chair made for one,perched on the arm of a settee,sat on the stairs,sitting on the floor colouring and rolling cars to each other,taking crisps so carefully off a party plate that consisted entirely of crisps,stood in a line holding plates of party food waiting for a chair to become available and then diving to get it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some people got chocolate cake all over,some people ate two dishes of chocolate cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was noisy and voices drifted all around the room,voices of family,the people I love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sometimes,when you are quiet you end up seeing and hearing a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> And the memories stick in your head.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> You feel the vibe of the room.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> And that's what happened today. </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-66604003761162397032015-08-08T11:28:00.000-07:002016-01-15T12:47:50.543-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Swimming Update</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Today was Chips first real time to swim at a level five stage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the blue hats group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Chips has been venturing into this group for the past two months,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">but today he was officially a member of the group</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and was able to wear his new blue swimming hat with pride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The blue hats swim in the deepest part of the swimming baths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The deep,deep water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Where you cant touch the bottom of the pool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Even if you try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So you have to be a pretty competent swimmer,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And thats what you are,Chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />We have come a long way from the teaching pool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We are now swimming at the deep end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There is no stopping to take a rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">You stop swimming now Chips and you will go under!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So please dont stop,will you,your mum would jump too much if you did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So the group comprises,at the moment, of three boys and two girls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Five is a brilliant number.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Enough to make a proper group but still get a lot of individual attention.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We have not met the new teacher yet as she was on holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Today Chips did front crawl,which is probably his favourite stroke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">He swam for half an hour and did some pencil jumps to finish with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The new swimming trunks looked good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The new goggles were a complete pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">They just kept letting water in no matter how we tried to adjust them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not so cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But apart from that it <i>was</i> cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Well done Chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mummy is so very proud of you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(as always)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span> </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-58088858137378339252015-05-06T12:47:00.000-07:002015-05-06T12:47:02.366-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Weekend Post #1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yipes I know the weekend seems far,far away,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but here are some snips and snaps from our weekend</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSUJmh-XZG7ZYLWIO4RM6aVEDNvNKBihlG1a92J8w9KtWuqHVyJkzjH0E8jFLYI4EcJE2_2TPYapOAl7LobS0ywUIr0vMLG5q85lIxPcWWFY9JSl7tAAubODld2c5Wmyd1-tfPcHOi0Qf/s1600/RAINY+PANSY+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSUJmh-XZG7ZYLWIO4RM6aVEDNvNKBihlG1a92J8w9KtWuqHVyJkzjH0E8jFLYI4EcJE2_2TPYapOAl7LobS0ywUIr0vMLG5q85lIxPcWWFY9JSl7tAAubODld2c5Wmyd1-tfPcHOi0Qf/s1600/RAINY+PANSY+4.jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was very damp,showery weekend.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that did not matter too much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What did matter was that we had four days off!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yep,four days!</span></span></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQ_7UMyt82sMXyf6TVP8cUmhiEWhHAvUEiR86UVQK26q9sa8QYK_0A3fPslzlSCxacj2NGjbroqNSCjClqvvFH7a96eF9hrqVRIxjlMrldYjS9JY5Y0w6UMcwMBTOJioAobPbNfposwkG/s1600/BLOSSOM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQ_7UMyt82sMXyf6TVP8cUmhiEWhHAvUEiR86UVQK26q9sa8QYK_0A3fPslzlSCxacj2NGjbroqNSCjClqvvFH7a96eF9hrqVRIxjlMrldYjS9JY5Y0w6UMcwMBTOJioAobPbNfposwkG/s1600/BLOSSOM.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Four days to relax and be with our family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We got the homework out of the way on the <i>first</i> night off.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This was a first!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then we spent the whole weekend relaxing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I wish there were more four day weekends!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Linking up to <a href="http://www.arushoflove.co.uk/2015/05/the-weekend-1.html">A Rush Of Love </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And <a href="http://www.writelikenooneswatching.com/2015/05/the-weekend-post-17.html">Write Like No One's Watching</a> new linky ~ The Weekend Post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-86936428025597873662015-04-14T08:03:00.002-07:002015-04-14T08:03:37.414-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What We Are Reading #1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have been wanting to join in with this linky for ages.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is hosted by Carie from <a href="http://spaceforthebutterflies.com/">Space For The Butterflies</a> </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every Tuesday she invites people to link up and tell each other what books they are reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last night was quite special here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was the night the bedtime stories began again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> After a break of four months!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Due to my eye operation bedtime stories had been put on hold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well <i>any</i> reading has been put on hold. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And for bookworms like me and my son,this has been hard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have wanted to read and he has wanted to listen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had not abandoned books entirely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Chips carried on reading Harry Potter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doing a sterling job of reading book five <i>The Order Of The Phoenix </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then starting book six <i>The Half Blood Prince.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And we spoke about books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I kept up with supplying Chips with good reading material.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because as you might already know,bookworms devour books at a rapid speed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But nothing is quite the same as a bedtime story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the story I chose was </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Children-It-Jacqueline-Wilson/dp/0141341424">Four Children and It by Jacqueline Wilson</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jacqueline Wilson is an author that I really like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have not read many of her stories to the boys mainly because </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">usually her main characters are girls (don't hate me for saying this)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but at a certain age my boys preferred books where there were more boy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">characters or at least a good mix of boy/girl roles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We did read Cat Mummy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It made me weep buckets!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I remember about Jacqueline Wilson </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is that she writes about the nitty gritty stuff of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which may be a bit uncomfortable to read sometimes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but also throws up brilliant topics for discussion and this is </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">happening already as this book touches on the subject of blended families.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the main reason </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that I chose to read this book to Chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its contemporary and miles away from magic and wands</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (I'm starting to grin now as I could be very wrong about the magic)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I adore magic and wands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But we have been reading that in abundance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I thought something different might be just the thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right...the characters...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rosalind</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rosalind is the eldest child and she tells the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She does not really like being the eldest child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She really misses her mum and dad being together</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and she likes to read - a lot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Robbie</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robbie is Rosalind's brother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He seems quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He is scared of his step sister </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and likes to carry a collection of toy animals around with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Smash</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smash is Rosalind and Robbie's stepsister.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She is trouble!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Loud and brash and totally aggravating</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She seems to be desperate for her mums approval</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and has a real soft spot for her baby stepsister.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Maudie</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everybodys step-sister.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The baby of the family</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and much loved by everybody!<b> </b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>Alice</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smashs' mum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She seems a dubious character!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She does not seem to like children or walks or mess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will she change?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dad</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rosalind and Robbies dad -married to Alice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He tries hard to bring <i>all</i> the family together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will he succeed?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Story So Far</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the children are staying at Rosalind's dads house.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its overcrowded and much to Rosalind's dismay there is no privacy at all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smash is already causing trouble...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">biting Robbies precious animals and provoking Rosalind into pushing her over.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their dad decides that they should go out together on a walk.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so they all trek to a local wood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And that is where we got to!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isn't it amazing how much you can pick up from just one chapter!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to seeing how the book develops.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Linking up to <a href="http://spaceforthebutterflies.com/2015/04/how-tom-beat-captain-najork-and-his-hired-sportsmen-what-were-reading/">What We Are Reading</a> </span></span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-48445422514092247402015-04-13T08:13:00.001-07:002015-04-13T08:13:46.355-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Easter Hols - Part One</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Well we are half way through the Easter holidays,eek.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It feels like it has been the Easter hols for a long time though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What with Sharky breaking up a week earlier,it will mean a month of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">one or another of the boys being on holiday,which of course I adore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I always want these boys of mine at home whenever possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We are still surrounded by Easter eggs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I don't think that we have had as many Easter egg as this for years - if ever!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Even now I'm astounded by the amount of eggs that we have got left</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and believe me there has been some serious chomping of chocolate going on here. I think we had more eggs than Asda did! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Easter day itself was lovely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We had a early egg hunt,followed by a chocolately breakfast</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and a laze around in our jammies and then it was off to my mums for dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">the dinner was huge and scrummy and i could eat it again right now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It is so nice to have a dinner put infront of you,I don't think the novelty </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">of that will ever fade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The children played nicely together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Chips played a epic game of Ludo,this game either makes or breaks you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I think its the time it takes that leaves everyone mentally scarred,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">but hey,Chips loves it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My little toddling second nephew entertained us with his cuteness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">He is just adorable and never fails to make me smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We stayed for tea and that was yummy too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The dessert I chose was called 'Eat and Mess' and mmmmm is all I'm going to say about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A big thanks to my mum for putting on such a fantastic day for </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">all the family,we really do appreciate it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thinking back I have just found a old post from 2013 about</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://splashesdashesofyellow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/going-to-my-mums-for-dinner-i-wrote.html">going to my mums for Easter dinner</a> it seems its a real tradition for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">On Monday we went for a walk around a local country park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It was a sunny day and the park was absolutely packed out with people and dogs. I think everyone had taken their dogs for a walk that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGGUNVmkXy35qBY5xvPd2W0Eus9b45ktNx8YN3ZiLEvKG91g78hgV6Z6G6yxx_2xzhDz1bDMTsuuTCPJSx_L0y_8R2m4G0LkjN6XU6qBXwR4g6NlTYlDzfUOcBIvNhr5bpiMeXgo9y7bn/s1600/DSC06349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGGUNVmkXy35qBY5xvPd2W0Eus9b45ktNx8YN3ZiLEvKG91g78hgV6Z6G6yxx_2xzhDz1bDMTsuuTCPJSx_L0y_8R2m4G0LkjN6XU6qBXwR4g6NlTYlDzfUOcBIvNhr5bpiMeXgo9y7bn/s1600/DSC06349.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a beautiful</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">day and a beautiful setting.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncdq9WMmby2T5Zg_7G-ilbjBIuH_fe2jfB1zJdeZmsfdFfDcGPvlujksCemUukt4axw1uwYLZCX17MmVpSsaI05BKogUayvWmkCIhqcND0yTHlibpDKF8MhPBEr0hmIPamBaRuwuFUbOa/s1600/DSC06347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncdq9WMmby2T5Zg_7G-ilbjBIuH_fe2jfB1zJdeZmsfdFfDcGPvlujksCemUukt4axw1uwYLZCX17MmVpSsaI05BKogUayvWmkCIhqcND0yTHlibpDKF8MhPBEr0hmIPamBaRuwuFUbOa/s1600/DSC06347.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chips played football with his dad and had a lot of fun throwing sticks </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and stones into the lake - he got very grubby hands!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxibM_v7ju-XhdLyQ12SkzhQaVW_g1QSX0BF69n56AN0BSR5JqyH72UlkK-Y4AuhhdjHTPDy0Onnrh6WWrV8y69-_GtYEZDggGmZPkzj6VG9ti0y1Ug42YTHsPAHKw4_K4V8kF3ki5ttQ9/s1600/blog+one+clumber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxibM_v7ju-XhdLyQ12SkzhQaVW_g1QSX0BF69n56AN0BSR5JqyH72UlkK-Y4AuhhdjHTPDy0Onnrh6WWrV8y69-_GtYEZDggGmZPkzj6VG9ti0y1Ug42YTHsPAHKw4_K4V8kF3ki5ttQ9/s1600/blog+one+clumber.jpg" height="366" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> The next few days were a mix of hairdresser and dentist appointments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I also bought Chips some tee-shirts,which we were both pleased with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHwwO38LXFezh6fIiBYyrMBRwJsy7M9d_ARdLpmTH27fgHOUTKAZLySUl6vAIjw6-cGirPadbolRxhJFH5yWGcJrSEjLSVonpbIXi0NnRZc2iYIpyYuIuHjKAWQdALUO6bzxhlpPCu8FL/s1600/IMG_0095%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHwwO38LXFezh6fIiBYyrMBRwJsy7M9d_ARdLpmTH27fgHOUTKAZLySUl6vAIjw6-cGirPadbolRxhJFH5yWGcJrSEjLSVonpbIXi0NnRZc2iYIpyYuIuHjKAWQdALUO6bzxhlpPCu8FL/s1600/IMG_0095%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thursday was a big day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The boys went up to Liverpool and went on a tour around Anfield.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was Chips birthday present from his big brother,so it was very special.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">They all had a great time and came home safe and sound and very tired!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Friday was spent catching up on school work...it is taking shape,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">doing numerous amounts of washing (seriously where does all the washing come from) and just chilling out after the day at Liverpool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The boys played on the wii together and fun was had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So that was our first week of the Easter hols.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Today Sharky goes back to uni,he will be missed and that is a complete understatement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chips and I have another week off - lets see what we get up too!</span></span><br />
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-46511893475067744482015-04-08T08:52:00.001-07:002015-04-08T08:52:39.424-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dear... #1</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dear Tigs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Can you remember the day that we went to King Georges playing field</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and played with your parachute man on the big slide...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">probably not,let me tell you about it...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was the sort of day that was warm enough to go out in just a jumper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but not quite warm enough for just a tee shirt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I can remember the actual feel of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The air was still.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">No wind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And no sun either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Quite a grey old normal British day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At that time we lived near three parks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One was quite close to us,it had a bit of play equipment</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but no trees or pretty bits - not much soul.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One was quite a walk away - maybe half an hour to get there,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it was beautiful,with woods and a big duck pond</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but no play equipment....lots of soul but no toys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And the third park was the one in the middle,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it had a few trees and maybe one piece of play equipment,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a big Wickstead Slide,so it had a bit of everything...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a toy and enough soul to please your tree loving mummy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now,some of you might know what I mean when I say a <i>Wickstead Slide.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They were very tall slides,with at least twenty small steps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and at the top was a tiny platform that you stood on before </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">sitting down on the slide and pushing off on the journey to the bottom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These slides were not for the faint hearted,they were tall </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and once on the steps it was virtually impossible to turn back</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and go down to safety,as there were usually a queue of people behind you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">No,once on the steps the only way off was to climb to the top and whizz down</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">that shiny,silver slide,no matter how terrified you were.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well on the day I'am talking about there was no queue of children</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">jostling around the slide,we were the only people on the whole park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This was not unusual,we would go to the park most days,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">no matter what the weather was.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lots of the actual details of this day are vague,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it was probably nineteen to twenty years ago </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and it was not a particularly <i>special</i> day like a birthday,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so there is no reason for me to remember it so well,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but I do,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">even now,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">after all these years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I remember you,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">standing at the top of the slide,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">holding a little parachute man.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of those cheap party bag toys that promise so much and then never work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You were launching it over the top of the slide,to see if it would fly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You had the biggest smile on your face.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I stilll see that smile,even to this day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You wore a little cap and you were so happy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I sat on the grass below the slide and looked up at you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There was no one else around.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just me and you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I remember looking up at you and smiling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I wasn't worried that you were stood on the top of the tallest slide ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I didn't even twinge when you dangled your parachute man over the edge </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and grinned and threw him down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You were a capable child and I obviously trusted in your abilities,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">or I would not have been sat down at the side of the slide,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">smiling up at you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Why ever this day sticks in my head I reallly do not know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tigs,we went to that park countless times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But i <i>do</i> recall that day and it makes me smile...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A young mum and her young son playing on the park.</span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-84966325262335411422014-12-12T13:21:00.002-08:002014-12-12T13:21:28.606-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This week I have been reminded that; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sweeping leaves up on a windy day is pretty near impossible</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Even the tinsiest drop of surplus water will make mixing icing sugar pretty impossible. Hence the use of a whole box of icing sugar and <i>lots</i> of stirring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Buying enough cream cakes for the family becomes very unhealthy when you end up eating more than one just because the date is running out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How powerful book four,in the Harry Potter series,is. Wow! It's been brilliant! And the last two chapters that we have read were incredible. The amount of detail and the twists and turns of the plot had us both spellbound.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> We were wowed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unbelievably I had forgotten some of the plot too! I truly did not know what was coming and that was good in way and funny in another,because how could I have forgot something like that...? This brings me to say....write it down folks,write those memories down any way you care to,be it a blog,a diary,a old scrappy notebook,because memories <i>do</i> fade and we <i>can</i> forget stuff quite easily,even of we think we never will. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Having a project deadline anytime in December is going to be stressful. How can you think about Christmas when you are researching Hitler and Messerschmitts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Yep,I can spell Messerschmitt without even looking if up #proud </span></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-74820171145945292772014-12-08T13:46:00.002-08:002014-12-08T13:46:48.752-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Christmas Fair</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The dear old school Christmas fair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So crowded and squashy and hot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For adults a place of trauma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For children a place of joy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sweet stalls full of pick and mix. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Games to play. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And teachers dressed up as Santa,handing out chocolate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What's not to like! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For me the best bits were; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The homemade mince pies made by Sally the cook. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seeing old familiar faces and mouthing ''Hello'' across the crowded hall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The choir singing sweetly as we entered the school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The smiles of the teachers as they manned the stalls,they probably just wanted to get home after a full day at work but they were so cheerful and the children loved seeing them selling the yummy scrummy Christmassy stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After the initial mad rush of people had died away it became easily to maneuver around the hall and I had a look at the trophy cabinet and saw Chips name on the wall where all the children awarded the Maths Wizard award were written. I also saw his year five class photo up on display. I always like going into junior school,it has a nice atmosphere and the children are always so polite and friendly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was probably more poignant this year because it was the last junior school Christmas Fair that I would be going to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes,after many years of attending events like this.the end is nigh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is Chips last year at juniors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Year six. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next year comprehensive school beckons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And I have no more boys to go to junior school or Infant school or nursery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All my boys are growing up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As children do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hola Hum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Time to remember the promise I made to myself a long,long time ago.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Be happy with this amazing chance to do all the stuff you love again. Don't look back and be sad because he is your last child,be grateful that you have got the special gift of a third child." </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As with lots of wise words,they are easier said than done. </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-40982620286886013192014-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:002014-12-06T14:37:10.895-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mutterings </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Been wanting to write something for ages. Each day I think to myself that after I have put Chips to bed I will sit down and write a blog post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Eight o'clock comes....I sit down,and I'm absolutely too tired. I fall to sleep or I just sit there in a semi comatose state. Needless to say,no blog post gets written. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So tonight I'm just going to go for it and write about whatever comes into my head,with a view to posting it tomorrow...here goes...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's nearly Christmas,well it's nearly December,this means a few things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. It's my biggest boys birthday in three weeks! Always something to make me smile. I adore having a Christmas baby,well maybe I should rephrase that to I adore having a son with a birthday at Christmas,maybe that's a post in itself. But to me he will always be a Christmas baby,even though he's six feet tall and 22 years old this year....how can that be....a case of <i>blink your eye</i> I guess. My mum was smiling about that fact this week. It kind of wows us all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. I work in a school so Christmas is <i>busy</i> but great too! The children's excitement about Santa is contagious,there is music constantly throughout the day as the children practice their concert songs and there is always chocolate in the staff room....say no more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3. My middle son breaks up from uni soon!!!! *starts to squeal quite loudly* I can't quite comprehend that he will be at home for a month. This is huge for me. My boy is back. Well nearly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We
are still plodding our way through Harry Potter. 3/4s of the way
through book four,getting to the bit where all the questions </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">begin to get answered. We are still loving it and I can see us carrying on to book five when we have finished this one. </span><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So,a few reasons to be smiley. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">***************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well this didn't get posted the next day! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Five days later and still this post is kicking around in the drafts section,with all the same above reasons for not getting posted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maybe I shall really,really get my act together and post this up tonight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maybe...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We will see!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">*******************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Third time lucky! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Posting right now! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just a week late!</span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-31759695312689583882014-11-02T05:47:00.000-08:002014-11-02T05:47:25.299-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Blackpool</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBBbK7UFcq3MoiBc_MId1fHmy4lAP0B9tccNhpa3TGiMysarxASHhqXTfaMfybT4w70K3wxMhSy2kOw0xHL0H9uSmPgKU0fd9-yaV6BZ6hyphenhyphenTEJftilmgaVq2u1T2l_hi-X-Ab8HCpMl_5/s1600/DSC05997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBBbK7UFcq3MoiBc_MId1fHmy4lAP0B9tccNhpa3TGiMysarxASHhqXTfaMfybT4w70K3wxMhSy2kOw0xHL0H9uSmPgKU0fd9-yaV6BZ6hyphenhyphenTEJftilmgaVq2u1T2l_hi-X-Ab8HCpMl_5/s1600/DSC05997.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sometimes,when the two older boys were smaller,we used to go to Blackpool during the October half term break. We would spend a couple of days there doing the whole touristy thing.....visiting the pleasure beach,going up Blackpool tower and of course looking at the illuminations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now,both these boys are growing up. One is at work and does not get half term off and the other one is at uni and does not get half term off either. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I thought it might be fun to reminisce about the old days at Blackpool,so I have been casting my mind back trying to conjure up some seasidy memories. The funny thing is that what I remember most is the weather! I find that really sad! How can that be my first memory to come to mind when I think about Blackpool in October half term week. Honestly though that is my strongest memory! I remember wrapping up tight in big coats and gloves and hats and still getting battered by the wind. Because it was further up north the air would be colder and because it was near the coast the wind would be more blustery.One of my firmest memories is the day it was blowing a gale outside but we decided that we would brave it and get the boys out,because,you know,two little boys stuck in a small boarding house is never ideal. It was SO windy that the door would hardly open and we were literally blown down the front. The boys could hardly stay on their feet. The wind was nearly lifting them off the ground! I don't think we lasted long out there that day but hey it left a lasting memory for me! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We would visit the tower and I've been smiling at the boy who used to get to the top of the tower and show such defiance on the walk of death (which is a transparent piece of glass that you can walk over and see all the way down to the ground below) was he scared,not likely,he would jump gleefully on the glass with a <i>Im not scared</i> look upon his face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the boarding house we would eat yummy full English breakfasts and warm home cooked meals at night. Delicious soups and all things good. Mmmm. And I recall there was a snooker table that one of the boys used to have a go on. There was also a cat that used to lurk around and the boys would love to spot this cat and stroke it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We would stay up the north side of Blackpool and travel to the other attractions by either tram or by foot- it was a bloomin long walk down the front in the bracing sea air! </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFSvQA7sWdNsw0gmsjpbmgZ4ea4VVnlFrTlKtm5hxF5SzaMf90Ogco1zC3sEgzBT4f62_O94nU-uLPky7cVfLilaJ8V09i4n4_bEMhS-C8mt6CIXURpK_7qbDxSdC7LQLCKeu4I_cD4gO/s1600/DSC05993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFSvQA7sWdNsw0gmsjpbmgZ4ea4VVnlFrTlKtm5hxF5SzaMf90Ogco1zC3sEgzBT4f62_O94nU-uLPky7cVfLilaJ8V09i4n4_bEMhS-C8mt6CIXURpK_7qbDxSdC7LQLCKeu4I_cD4gO/s1600/DSC05993.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brothers</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwPQtC7di2KUJeTc1AK30pwto1pFSfrBqtHtkLVEe11SVg_mx9LDCmFmp-hfn8u6Y8Lm9OY6L-erXvNUvIX_uCeGb3k4nqyQjQyjv-GNkgBtWC9_q_BdvTHNfj4Z8akRJKCPeL82V3LXl/s1600/DSC05994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwPQtC7di2KUJeTc1AK30pwto1pFSfrBqtHtkLVEe11SVg_mx9LDCmFmp-hfn8u6Y8Lm9OY6L-erXvNUvIX_uCeGb3k4nqyQjQyjv-GNkgBtWC9_q_BdvTHNfj4Z8akRJKCPeL82V3LXl/s1600/DSC05994.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think the boys favourite thing about Blackpool was the pleasure beach. And we would spend lots of time looking at the big roller coasters and playing on the slot machines. One boy loved roller coasters and one boy was not as keen. One little boy just couldn't wait to be tall enough to ride on the biggest roller coaster of all and eventually,after many years of growing,he did just that and came off smiling and not at all scared or shaken,roller coaster king that kid,never found a roller coaster yet that bothered him!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That's the little boy
I sat feeding on a bench amidst the chaos and noise when he was only
about seven weeks old. His daddy and brother would have been enjoying
the rides and he lay cuddled up with his mummy slurping milk. We bought
him a bib,a little bib with baby blue writing on it which read </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"When I grow up I'm going to ride on roller coasters like my mummy and daddy" </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLghIMbySXEZB4zz7BL4UBqzFpOE8Fu19Uc7JfpmvHze0452bDbCyb51oAQk72wxRgijkLGAg6oWha3hZhaCSDYKFOOyHZmqyQymk2AiqRVpETtYzsnlQE_Dte2aKwu8YuptKIRK8FnuZj/s1600/DSC05988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLghIMbySXEZB4zz7BL4UBqzFpOE8Fu19Uc7JfpmvHze0452bDbCyb51oAQk72wxRgijkLGAg6oWha3hZhaCSDYKFOOyHZmqyQymk2AiqRVpETtYzsnlQE_Dte2aKwu8YuptKIRK8FnuZj/s1600/DSC05988.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I found a photo of the baby in the bib! </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Little did we know then how true those words would become! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm glad I have given some thought to Blackpool because that last memory is such a precious one. I can remember being that young mum of two boys and how happy I was sat feeding my baby whilst all around me was noise. That baby,who had only probably just been named,and me were so happy,it was a feeling of peace and even then I knew it was a special moment. Also it was the last week before my eldest son started nursery. So the time we spent together there was poignant as he was soon to begin another big stage of his life. First becoming a big brother,then off to nursery school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So cold,blustery Blackpool,I do remember you for lots of reasons.....not just your weather! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZcXlpdxr6aYY5v7519jZLeqSJbkOVZf6U4DfUPbYioxH8uBe4MSaJCkbUq_Cfn6zJ05181aAgKE9JuIvX-863WDDcYMTlNkK01Id3XfwzTpbDTxP8bJni2lthlD3Ylldc_YgVhKneO4V/s1600/DSC05996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZcXlpdxr6aYY5v7519jZLeqSJbkOVZf6U4DfUPbYioxH8uBe4MSaJCkbUq_Cfn6zJ05181aAgKE9JuIvX-863WDDcYMTlNkK01Id3XfwzTpbDTxP8bJni2lthlD3Ylldc_YgVhKneO4V/s1600/DSC05996.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What <i>is</i> he thinking about?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs-qty5qpC6l_4OaIkEZDjlR8J8KJ1zAa63LxEJ50PPB8jxOUMY84wcOwCzKdHUyC16jqnaK09WwC3ysOIr0rCKdap8JIixYW0YkGiS0VxeaoREhOlAeUpVZh0Dh5Yq5r710EQW3dGtrn/s1600/DSC05998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs-qty5qpC6l_4OaIkEZDjlR8J8KJ1zAa63LxEJ50PPB8jxOUMY84wcOwCzKdHUyC16jqnaK09WwC3ysOIr0rCKdap8JIixYW0YkGiS0VxeaoREhOlAeUpVZh0Dh5Yq5r710EQW3dGtrn/s1600/DSC05998.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Boys</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs-qty5qpC6l_4OaIkEZDjlR8J8KJ1zAa63LxEJ50PPB8jxOUMY84wcOwCzKdHUyC16jqnaK09WwC3ysOIr0rCKdap8JIixYW0YkGiS0VxeaoREhOlAeUpVZh0Dh5Yq5r710EQW3dGtrn/s1600/DSC05998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-70565027376711291462014-10-30T11:57:00.002-07:002014-10-30T11:57:14.713-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Visiting</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last October half term I wrote <a href="http://splashesdashesofyellow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/big-city-we-live-in-little-villageon.html">this post</a> about a family day out visiting the city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Never,in my wildest dreams did I think that a year later my boy would be living in that city and be at university. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But he is and today we are going to visit him! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chips is beside himself with excitement! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I'm wishing my hours away," he said,as I tucked him up in bed last night, "so it can be morning time and we can go to see Sharky" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was looking forward to it too. But I did not wish my sleep away....that's one thing grown ups never do! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So let's see what the day brings and whether or not we find him,in that great big city where he now dwells! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well the day brought lots of smiles. We went for something to eat as soon as we arrived and then had a wander around the shops. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We read stories snuggled up on a Waterstones big squashy sofa and then went to the slowest cafe in the world and enjoyed a cuppa and a chat. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/10/30/365.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/10/30/s_365.jpg" height="210" style="margin: 5px;" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A really sweet Halloween story.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And that was possibly the best bit. Away from the bustle of the shops and the crowds of people. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sat around a little round table,cup of tea to slurp and time to chat. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I want to remember that feeling because it was good. Easy going chatter,something that we do well. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hooray for the slowest cafe in the world! </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-88618796296172531952014-10-28T01:53:00.000-07:002014-10-28T01:53:00.144-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">List Love</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had been contemplating meal planning for a while.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anything to make life easier and to help </span></span>me reach the holy grail - organisation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So early one morning,when it was dark outside and all was quiet inside,I began a list.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A list of all our usual meals,in the hope that I could create some kind of rota that made meal planning more feasible and not just every day of every week ending up with the same old meals.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I left my notepad out on the kitchen unit and got on with the </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">usual school run/work stuff.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You know what mornings are like...busy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As I got ready upstairs I could sense that Chips was not in the lounge.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">''Where are you?'' I yelled down the stairs.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">''In the kitchen,'' he replied.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">''Keep getting ready,'' I yelped.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You have to use a big voice when you are upstairs</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and your child is downstairs</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a whisper just isn't going to achieve anything at all.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Five minutes later I rushed into the kitchen,bags flying everywhere,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">tissues stuffed hastily into trouser pockets and the hairbrush being </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">waved around like a lethal weapon.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I saw Chips hovering around my list but I did not think too much about it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All that I wanted was for us to get out of the door as quickly as possible.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The morning passed in its usual blur.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Plenty of things to do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Plenty of thoughts zooming around my head.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I got home and started to think what was next on the hit list and that was when I looked on my list and saw it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There in very faint writing was a message from Chips.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And it said</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>I LOVE YOU MUMMY.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well that was it,Im not ashamed to say it brought a tear to my eye.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That little boy had found time to write me a note<i>.</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And what a sweet note it was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Very faint writing.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Very simple words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Very powerful effect on a rushy,stressed out Mummy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you sweet Chips for caring so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">MUMMY LOVES YOU TOO x</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVVbw8YZgn_M9Lax51Bubs5slb7jX_eDyWrVn5_lZia0JfF_7VYU_043aFh1AdmsPhtAloI5KUY64eFrYOsfJfuVk4EZE17WIs1w3P77y5EXPVXO3SYNDFwteYIujwSxUk28TLAw-pHAL/s1600/DSC05912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVVbw8YZgn_M9Lax51Bubs5slb7jX_eDyWrVn5_lZia0JfF_7VYU_043aFh1AdmsPhtAloI5KUY64eFrYOsfJfuVk4EZE17WIs1w3P77y5EXPVXO3SYNDFwteYIujwSxUk28TLAw-pHAL/s1600/DSC05912.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-23019582133070643382014-10-22T06:43:00.001-07:002014-10-22T06:43:50.620-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saturday Swimming</span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We were so concerned about Saturday swimming. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Goodness knows why. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Because it turned out to be the best lot of swim lessons ever! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the time we did not know that though. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As they say,hindsight is a wonderful thing. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There was the fact that the lessons would be with a new teacher. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And queries about doing widths instead of lengths. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And we thought it would make Saturday rushed and who wants a rushy Saturday, when all the week is lived at breakneck speed,you don't want to make a precious weekend day too rushed as well. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We had also just had the worst set of swim lessons that we had ever had. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The move to the big pool had been harder than anyone had expected. Painfully hard. So bearing all this in mind,we approached Saturday swim lessons with caution. As we ate our Saturday breakfast we discussed what the lessons may entail. We had a lot of questions and only one way to find the answers out....go to the first lesson and see what happened.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We were very early for the first lesson but our first surprise was that it was not a new teacher at all,it was Jenny,our very first swim teacher! And because she knew us well and we were very early,she said we could join the two o'clock class. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There were not many children at all in the 2pm class and it was a different feel altogether than the Friday night class. It was SO peaceful. Just a handful of children,maybe four or five in the bottom end of the large competition pool. The space the children had was unbelievable and the noise level was minimal....it was blissful. At the end of the lesson I remarked to Jenny about how great it was and she grinned and told me that in Chips proper class there would only be three children altogether,I started to feel that this move to Saturday swimming was going to be a very good move. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And it was. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For the first time ever I felt pretty peaceful at swimming lessons and I think the children felt peaceful too because they swam hard and learnt so many little things that they might not have done within a class of twelve. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They had a go at diving into the deep end. This was a bit ouchy as when you fall into water at speed but without control it can hurt and produce some red sore skin! But at least they had a go. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They were taken to the deep end numerous times to jump in and I can still picture their little excited faces as they leapt into the pool and swam 25 metres to the shallow end. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They did push and glide and all sorts of little swim techniques and quite simply they got such personalised attention that it brought their swimming on no end. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For most of the ten swimming sessions there were only <i>two</i> children in the whole of the competition pool! I guess that speaks for itself,especially if you have ever seen how busy that pool can sometimes get. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Once the swimming baths had a difficulty with the chlorine levels in the small pool and the fun pool but the competition pool was ok so Chips and Cory were the only two children swimming in the whole of the leisure centre! That was just unbelievable too! Like virtually having the whole pool to themselves! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After such a terrible time in the last lot of swim lessons,this was pure bliss. It completely turned Chips attitude around. Gone was the little boy who intensely disliked swim lessons and in his place was a smiley boy who was confident once more and as for the swimming....well both little boys achieved their 50 metre badge this time. I don't think they had ever swam as much to be honest! With just two children to watch and teach,the teachers got them swimming continuously and it did bring their swimming skills on and give the boys more stamina. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So,Saturday swimming is going to stay for us for a while,the very day we did not want to go swim lessons has been the very day that is best! </span></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429181581164372392.post-44567205515823772032014-10-10T14:43:00.000-07:002014-10-10T14:43:46.137-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Splashy Week</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Its been a rainy old week.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We have spent lots of time at school doing </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">our activities and listening to the sound of the rain on the canopy. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I always find the sound of rain soothing and I like playing outside </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so its been nice to do both things and stay dry!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Its not often we can do this and the children were quite bemused </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">to be allowed outside in rainy weather.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">School runs were soggy and it turned cold enough for the heating to be put on for the first time</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">since Spring.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The evenings were spent ploughing through Harry Potter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We are on book three now.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Harry has met the Dementors and Sirius Black is on the loose.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chips remains enthralled by this book</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and so do I!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Reading stories has to be one of my favourite things about being a parent.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So many good stories to share!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I began to think about meal planning.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Whether that happens remains to be seen.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think that it would be a good thing to do.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Its just that life seems to throw up things that make sticking to meal plans</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">rather hard for me.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maybe I should just give it a go.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My favourite songs of the week have been Tom Odells Another Love ans Ed Sheerans Photograph.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These two songs have kept me company through many dark nights.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The uni kid is back for the weekend.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He's piled his dirty washing on the sofa and never has a pile of dirty washing been so fondly gazed at!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unless you count the way that I smile at the red footy shirts.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My boys....even their dirty washing makes me smile! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02754484410475506832noreply@blogger.com2