Lily did us proud yet again yesterday with what was a great run in the Austwick Amble junior race. We’d had a lovely night camping in Malham and turned up for the Austwick street fair with semi-plans to run (we’d packed the trainers etc!). Continue reading “Lily’s third fell race: The Austwick Amble”
Elsie turns two
Elsie’s second birthday today – yes – it has flown by a bit hasn’t it. It generally does really, but newborn-to-two seems especially fast in children. Katie and I decided that a Very Hungry Caterpillar theme was appropriate given the fave-book status and Elsie’s hobby; eating things.
Continue reading “Elsie turns two”
Jane and Dips’ house: Oxford’s alternative May Day weekend
Oxford’s tradition of May Day (or rather May Morning) is a bit much sometimes with young children (when, generally, an early morning is not something you do by choice) and when we went to stay with old mates Dips and Jane in their Oxford home, the last thing we wanted was to hit the pubs at 6am. However, with four grown ups catering for the needs of four children, we made a good effort at comprimise by hitting the pubs around about midday and pretty much keeping going – albeit at a cultured snail’s pace, as the day progressed.
The visit – pretty long overdue – was a great chance to hang out and catch up with great friends, and sandwiched between pretty good car journeys either end, wound up being a great chilled out time.
Photos of some general fun here and a video below… followed by a few photos from Jane here too
Bill Dalkin turns 70
We had a great time at the weekend, a family get-together in beautiful sunshine for the Dalkins to celebrate Bill’s 70th. The three daughters – Fiona, Katie and Sally – plus all their family-hangers-on meant a total of 13 family members and four close friends. A bit of a house full by any standards.
Managed a quick run up Ingleborough on Sunday which was a real treat. Got up there pretty much before anyone else was there and had one of thiose tranquil mountain moments all to myself. Fantastic. But spoiled by a few red winey burps from Saturday. Hey ho – can’t have everything.
Brilliant to see the children all together – running about the garden, cheating at football, playing on swings, irritating the dog… in such fantastic sunshine. Continue reading “Bill Dalkin turns 70”
Catching up with Jenny
Jenny “First Cousin Once Removed” Holmes is visiting the UK and Europe at the moment and we had a great chance to catch up with her for a day last Sunday when she came to stay with Phil & family in Arkholme.
Jenny was plucked from this fine land at the tender age of six and whisked off to New Zealand by my cousin Mark and the rest of his family. Seeing someone who lives on the other side of the globe is always an odd thing, but seeing a 22 year old woman who was 12 last time I saw her is very strange… Life’s moved on in undescribable ways since the last time I saw her. I have two children and am… well… forty. Jenny is about to graduate and is no longer a little girl.
But what’s remarkably great is that there is such simple warm familiarity in “family” – something that never dies out however long that gaps are between visits.
Lovely to see you Jenny and let’s all maybe try not to make it such a long gap next time.
Photos here
February half term in Peebles – again
If ever there was a good sign that a holiday works, it is that you do it again. There’s a good mix of the things that seem to add up to a good little holiday for the Haygaths at the Peebles Hydro hotel. Too pricey for a full week, but just within the realms of decadence for three nights in Feb half term (especially with three nights for the price of two!).
It was a similar recipe to last year’s holiday there – but different in many ways as Elsie has doubled in age in that short year. Continue reading “February half term in Peebles – again”
Forty
XXXX … today. I’ve reached middle age, and am having a lovely time. Quiet day planned with close family and no doubt a few drinks (helped now because tomorrow’s national cyclocross championships have been postponed).
I hear a lot of people saying that they don’t feel any older when they get into their 40s, but I have lost all my hair overnight, become wrinkled, and put on two stones. Never mind. I can still rock out.
Photos below of the day…
Happy New Year 2010 from the South
We headed down south for a lovely couple of days to see friends Rachel & Jon at their place in Eastbourne for this New Year. The children and dogs loved it as much as we did. Couple of great relaxed jogging outings on the downs and meandering outings to the seaside – even the traffic was agreeable. Fancy dress party for a few friends (the theme was “a colour” some dodgy pics below). All boxes ticked. Happy New Year all.
Photos and Videos below…
Continue reading “Happy New Year 2010 from the South”
Dips & Jane & Libby & Flo popped in
Good old friends are always the best – and it was so ace to see Dips & Jane and their girls today on their way back home to Oxford after a Christmas stay in Dentdale. We had about five hours together all in all, but it was just enough time to cram in another few great times and forge some more goods for the memory bank.
Amazingly the dying Christmas snow had its Swan Song and provided us with yet another chance to sledge (… this after I’d already taken Lily for her first bum-boarding lesson in the morning). A few bruised bums on the cold ice, and a very cold muddy foot for Libby after an all too predictable welly incident, but all somehow made it just better and more memorable.
Back to work tomorrow for me, but this flying visit helped it become a very memorable and valuable Christmas break.
Some photos here or slideshow below, and a short video below that…
Christmas Day & Boxing Day 2009- photos and videos
Nativity 2009 – double the Christmassiness
We got a double whammy this year for the first time – Lily’s nativity plays have been a source of parental pride for the last few years but this year was also Elsie’s first public performance – in her nursery nativity this year.
The snow has certainly made things miles more festive this year,everything obviously looks and feels more Christmassy – so double the nativity plays means double the Christmassiness.
Lily’s school play was called ‘Santa and the TV set – and Lily had a bit of a starring role, playing Santa’s nagging wife, taking inspiration from goodness-only-knows where:
Elsie’s nursery had a more traditional Christmas nativity, and rather than go for an obvious role like Mary or the Angel Gabriel, Elsie wisely took the all important support role of a Christmas pudding. Despite the wisdom of her 19 months, stage nerves eventually got to Elsie, who crumbled to tears soon after seeing parents and sister in the audience. Halcyon days. Pics here
Jenny: 18 = me: old
The little baby that my sister in law Fiona and her husband Graeme had in 1991 – not very much further back than yesterday, it feels, is 18. Like millions of others before me, the coming of age of a close relative has really brought home to me how quickly time flies and how there is bugger all we can do about it. I think the traditional solution is to ‘party’ – if that’s acceptable as a verb [I did use an inverted comma]. Continue reading “Jenny: 18 = me: old”