Category: Family Photos

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Wheelbase Cyclocross – organisational skills to the test

It seems to be ground hog day. The torment is the same each year. I plan the course, I rope in everyone that’s needed. I liaise endlessly with the council, I pack the car late at night, I get up early… then – somehow – a bike race ‘happens’. I am not a natural organiser. It’s not me.

But I have to do it. Get those violins on – I can feel a lump in my throat. I honestly feel – at the end of a day organising a bike race – that I’ve done something for someone. I’ve given a bit back. People turn up, warm up, cut up (the park) then grab their money (if they’re lucky and can wait for the crap organiser) and they’re off. I did it for them. Toby (Dalton – director of wheelbase) did it for them. As did Louise, Len, Donna, Katie, Carolyn, Mick, Jack, Alan, Simon, Sue, John, Damian and a few others. They got their bit of bike racing, we got knackered. But boy does it give you a buzz. Continue reading “Wheelbase Cyclocross – organisational skills to the test”

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Half term hols… a Cumbrian secret

We discovered a lovely thing about Cumbria in half term that you mustn’t let on. When we said we were going to a caravan park for four nights near Millom, we were generally met with distaste and grumpiness. Cumbria has in the heart of it a series of incalculably beautiful mountains, lakes and chocolate box villages. No-one’s interested in those bits around the edge, are they? Continue reading “Half term hols… a Cumbrian secret”

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Lily’s first Cyclocross of 2009

We just had a lovely weekend – a very deliberate effot to stay away from exercise for me after the intense and selfish build-up to the Theww Peaks last weekend – and a weekend of just hanging out at home and doing simple things with the children was always going to be rewarding. But we could only stay away from bike races for one day – it was Lily’s turn to race and mine to watch… Continue reading “Lily’s first Cyclocross of 2009”

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Summer Holiday in Wales – Ogwen Bank

Ogwen BankA third family holiday this year for us Haygarths in the UK – the ‘Staycation’ (or ‘Holistay’ – a more ‘English’ version of the new term I prefer) has really come of age. We booked a ‘log cabin’ (or really more a pine lodge – not as romantic sounding) in Ogwen Bank – just on the Snowdonia National Park boundary a few weeks ago, and had a great stay there last week.
Continue reading “Summer Holiday in Wales – Ogwen Bank”

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The Book of Elvis – by Lily

Lily goes off from time to time and sites down quietly with her pens – like lots of six year olds do – to create something.  Usually it’s a card or a picture, but sometimes it’s something a bit more of a ‘project’.

Last week Lily asked me to print some photos of our dog Elvis and disappeared with some paper to a quiet corner on a wet afternoon.  The book she made is just lovely – from the DIY spelling to the use of language – it warms our hearts so much to read. Continue reading “The Book of Elvis – by Lily”

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A Lancashire Heat Wave? Well – it’s not been bad.

It’s amazing how a bit of warm weather makes life so pleasurable.  Home life for the past week seems to have been a perpetual cycle of playing in the garden, going to the park, sitting outside, eating outside, riding bikes and generally not being indoors to do much other than work and sleep.  I even heard talk of a heat wave earlier today ont he radio – the very prospect thrills me, I must say. Continue reading “A Lancashire Heat Wave? Well – it’s not been bad.”

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An overnight visit to Kirkby Lonsdale

We had our first overnight stopover at mum’s house in ages this weekend. It’s been an odd year with the sleep patterns of a baby and going to someone’s house has generally represented hassle for me since Elsie came along, but she’s been sleeping so well for the last few weeks and Katie & I wanted to get oursleves out for a meal without children – so going to see mum was a really ace opportunity to kill a whole flock of birds with a very small stone.

On top of it all, the sun shone despite a dreadful forecast.

I had two ace bike rides – one on the way up; the ‘usual’ way over Gisburn Forest I ride – and the next morning I opted for a (mildly hungover) hilly and gobsmackingly scenic ride from Kirkby Lonsdale to Barbon, Dent, Deepdale and Kingsdale – on my way to Katie’s family’s house in Ingleton. Continue reading “An overnight visit to Kirkby Lonsdale”