One Down and One To Go-

One week is all my chick had to rest up, sleep till her body woke her and catch up with friends. Oh and do the homework that was assigned for half term. In truth, the poor thing spent her wakened hours doing that homework and as for friends, all the great plans were pushed under the bed that she was in when she wasn't working!


I felt particularly bad as a parent because I had all these great ideas for us and we didn't do any of them as planned because of her work load and real need to just be at home with her room and stuff. We didn't go to London to the Tate Modern, we didn't go out to this great farm shop not far from us, for a girls lunch and we didn't make it up to Cambridge to Christmas shop. We did manage to get a new pair of school shoes for her, yah! and we did pop into town for a new sketch pad and acrylic paints, for school, again, yah! And I managed to not feed her a single sandwich for lunch as she has one every school day during term time.


Where I did come in on the " good Mom" barometer was the Rooster's birthday trip to London, Wapping and Canary Wharf. It was really a two for one though. Chick, Rooster and the young Rooster were all due to play hockey, at Wapping on Saturday morning, perfect timing, 10:30 start. The Chicks team needed a couple of extra players, being half term, so I roped in two of her girl friends that she hadn't seen in ages as extras. Along with two of her really good friends that are already on the team and the five of them were happy girls together. So they played their game in the beautiful sunshine with Tower Bridge as their back drop the my boys played, also in the sunshine. Both teams won by a mile and as the club was so nice where they played, there were hot showers for all after. Very important for hot sweaty hockey boys and girls. Then off we went to Canary Wharf for a lovely lunch and a walk around India Quay and the Wharf. The Rooster and I had the adult company of one of the girl's parents who are friends of ours as well so we had someone to share a bottle of wind with. It was all very social and bubbly and when we'd had enough of four walking around, we headed back up the M11 to home and had birthday cake and presents and watched some rugby.


Really, everyone was happy for the day. I think I covered everything in one go:
London, friends, physical exercise, two wins, family time, sunshine, meat and fish for lunch, atmosphere, a bit of shopping, cake and presents. It was exhausting squeezing it all into one day but worth it.


Chick was back to school this morning and young Rooster has gone on a rugby tour to France. All's quiet on the home front this morning!

Camping

Where have the last couple of weeks gone?

The other weekend was particularly enjoyable.

We had a very full hen house but not actually in our house.

We filled our far field with friends and their children for a camping overnight.

The weather was iffy to start out with but then dried up a treat.

There is nothing worse then putting up a huge tent with no instructions, in the rain.

But that wasn't the case for all five families. 

We pretended to be very organized while 22 children romped and played along the river.

We never ask them to help prepare the tents because that's when extra poles  are left out and air 

mattresses get exploded.

The chicks  try to change the sleeping arrangements which is always amusing. 

Nobody wants to sleep with their perspective parents no matter what age and usually all the little girls cram into one little two man tent. 

That happened this past time and five girls woke up wet from due and lacking sleep. 

Their tent cover had slipped off in the night to expose them, poor chicks.

Though I'm not sure the odd older brother wasn't some how involved.

Dinner is always a treat on a campfire.

We've had butter-flied  lamb, salmon, pork fillets and more.

This menu consisted of kebabs.

But not ugly one, beautiful marinated pork ones, chicken satay ones,thai prawn ones and beef and lamb ones.

Couscous and tomato salad and little bakers warmed in the fire finished off the meal.

We even tried some tear away bread with success.

Camping puddings are the best. 

Lots of sticky finger food and chocolaty,gooey smores get served up way past sunset.

There is something so enjoyable about popping up chairs and sitting around a blazing fire with friends, sipping champagne or wine out of plastic cups or cold beer from a huge iced bucket. 

Children screaming, teenagers brooding and adults ignoring the lot.

We were all pretty smokey by breakfast but eggs and bacon sandwiches cooked over and open fire pretty much 

sums up a great camping weekend.

If the birds didn't start chirping at 4:15am that would have better but I'm not complaining.

Schools out and the chicks and I are off on holidays,best part is we get Dad with us too!

It will be nice to escape the English summer here even if we get a bit of rain where we're going, at least it's warm and I can leave my cashmere cardies at home!