Evening all. I guess I forgot yesterday with all the posts I made to finish on yesterday.
Yesterday was the birthday of Amy. She, her brother and her sister live near to us, and it was her birthday party yesterday. Being knackered after only four hours sleep or so, we got lucky. Our daughter was taken to the party by Sally. So I got kip with my son and my wife got to rest. On the return of our daughter, Amy, her sister, brother and parents came over. And of course, the kids loved playing with them here.
The thing is, today, my wife went over to see them. I got back from work after they got back. So I changed my son's nappy. During this, he said "willy" (one of his favourite words) but the thing is, he kept saying "Amy" as well. I am not sure if the two things are linked....
I hope you are well. I have spent today in recovery. Today it is (assuming I have calculated things correctly) nine weeks and five days before I start my new job.
I was back at work last week. When I got there, I thought that all the others had been told that I was leaving. Unfortunately, one member of staff, who was on holiday for the same two weeks that I was away only found out when she got in by accident. People have called me a traitor for leaving but they mean it as a joke, I hope! But I was working yesterday as well. And then went out with my wife to a party in Suffolk. It was great. Great company, good food and drink (a shame I was driving) and a brilliant disco, which to be fair, I did not dance in as much as I would have liked. While there, I got talking to a person (who I have met before) who in addition to his job, has been creating a comic. Shooting Bad Guys. So I thought I would post a link here, as it seems to be hard to find on the internet. I did try to convince him to use a blog to post it, so that he could update the pictures as often as he wanted, but I think I need to ply him with more drink before I can convince him of that! I did mention one of my favourite webcomics, Order of the Stick, which I think is great. But I am aware that not everyone will agree with that.
Anyway, the kids. Took them out to the park on Wednesday. Which they loved. My son liked the big slide that is there. You have to climb up quite a way to the top (well, it is quite a way if you are a concerned parent) and loved to slide down. His sister was great, climbing up behind him, and with occasional encouragement to do so, looking after him. I can see how brave she is when you see other kids of roughly the same edge who get nervous doing similar things. One boy understandably got scared with two slides. He wanted to do what others did, and on getting to the top of two different slides changed his mind. I actually helped him down with one. Not so with my son. He does fear danger at times, but seeing other children go down the slides, that is what he wanted to do, and so he did it. And on that topic, thanks to Barbara, Chris and their two kids Henry and Lizzie, we have a new slide in our garden. Both kids love it.
I guess this will have to be the last post on the holiday. We got back last week, and had a great time.
We stayed in Cranmer, in a place called Cranmer Country Cottages. Our cottage was Swallow and was an amazing place to stay. The kids had loads of room, and there were a few board games for them to play with. In addition, in the garden, there was a playground (a climbing frame/swing/slide and a playhouse) in the enclosed field outside. There were ants in the cottage, but other than freaking out my daughter, they kept to themselves! Both kids loved the heated swimming pool as well as playing outside and I even taught my daughter the basics of playing chess! (Well, only how to move the pawns.) One important thing with kids is that the television has to have access to Cbeebies, which it did.
It was a great base from which to explore North Norfolk and from there we were able to do things like take the kids on the Wells to Walsingham light railway. We had a great time there, and if you want to go to North Norfolk with the kids, that is a place I would recommend!
First of all, the Hoste Arms. My wife and I had eaten here before, many many years ago. BC in fact (Before Children), and loved the food back then. Of course, staying in the area, we decided to eat there again. And loved it so much, we ate twice. It is a bit posh, but eating there mid week, and getting there at noon, there was plenty of tables for us to feed the kids. Being in a village, there was lots of places to get the kids to walk while we waited for the food, and one of the two times we ate there, a waitress even came out to get us!
But the food... I remember that when I ate there, the food was great. But after several years, we returned, to find that our memories were correct. The food was brilliant. Full of flavour and of course with children, they had the right sort of food that a four and a two year old would want to eat. Great for adults and for children, if you are willing to take the kids out for a walk outside the place. My only gripe was that I was the drive and therefore did not get to drink! The wine list went well with the food, though of course, I was more interested in the beer which sadly, I did not get to drink.
But during the week, between the two times that we ate there, we took the kids out to several places. To the beach of course, they loved that. The beaches at North Norfolk are amazing. When the tide goes out, it goes a long distance out. With beautiful sand, it was great for us, and of course, the two kids loved the sand. Loads of sand castles made, and of course, we were 'forced' to help them make some!
They got to see a crab on the beach, which considering they had been to a sea life sanctuary earlier on the week (and loved that) my daughter loved. Instead of seeing one in an aquarium, she got to see it trying to hide from us (in case we were going to eat it).
Afternoon all. Right, I have to post a lot now. Let me see if I can catch up with what had taken place since I last posted.
First of all, another place to eat. The Ostrich Inn in South Creake. Opposite a park, it does serve good food. We stopped there for lunch one day. The kids had loads of energy, and with a park for the village opposite it, I took the kids there after we had ordered our food. I did not expect what I thought would be pub food to taste so good! But it did. The kids loved it, and the staff there were understanding about our two children which is always nice.
And of course, the kids in the playground. They love playing on playgrounds. A pretty place, there is a stream running along the main road between the park and the road. The kids loved watching the ducks as well as playing on the swings and climbing frames. I did have to stop my daughter from tormenting the ducks though!
Anyway, time to post another update in a moment...
Evening all again. Time to post again. I have put the kids to sleep after reading them Toy Story. Both love it, my son loves Buzz, and since he has got a Woody doll, Woody as well.
But now we are on holiday. In Norfolk. We are staying in a place in Cranmer which the kids love. I will have to remember to write a review on it later once we have left. Started however with a trip to Swaffham and a stay in a place called Strattons. It was lovely. We had stayed there before BC (before kids) and loved it then. It has interesting decor, which in general you love or hate. Me, I liked bits, and did not like others as much. One bit that was there last time we stayed was a light piece in the main reception room. Last time, I nearly broke it! Initially I did not like it. I thought it was awful. But the more I looked at it, the more it grew on me. Intricate, there was so much to notice, a bit like the decor. While you may not like it at first, there is a lot to take in. And while you may not like all of it, if you are like me, you will find pictures or other things there that you do like. The room was great, and set up brilliantly for kids. Unfortunately, there are no chickens in the courtyard as there were before. Apparently, too many accidents with cars and dogs. But the food... For kids, there is a deli which will serve dinner for kids at a time that allows the adults to go to bed. We took our own intercom, but apparently they have a listening service that they offer. Now when it came to the food, I wanted to cry. My starter was nice. Good food, and in itself, very good. but the main course... I wanted to cry. I could not finish it. I love steak, and they did it to perfection. Full of flavour and tender, I could eat it over and over again. It was one of the best three beef meals I have ever had, the other two were one in Madeira and the other at Locanda Locatelli. I have to recommend the place, both as a restaurant and a boutique hotel.
Anyway time to post a picture. It is a fake, the headline was Cameron and Clegg (begin) running the country. But this made me laugh!
Afternoon all. In case you are insane, blind, not in the UK or stupid, you will now know that the UK has a new Prime Minister.
It has been interesting from a political perspective. I have to say, that once Labour did not win the election, this was the outcome I was hoping for. In my view, it means that it gives Labour the best chance of regaining power come the next election. I can not see the right of the Conservative party staying quiet about a forced marriage with the Liberal Democrats.
Anyway, it has been some time since I last posted. Quite a bit has happened. I took the kids on the weekend to London Zooagain, this time with my mother. My wife and one of our friends were in London for something else. The kids once again loved the zoo, and as my son is older, he appreciated it a bit more than he did last time. The only downside to the trip was the odd man who seemed to be following us about! Why a single man was hanging about a playground was beyond me. Well, it was not, my mother and I suspected that he might be a kiddy fiddler, and the staff at the zoo were great in seeing if he was about or not. I might be wrong and there might be an innocent explanation for his behaviour...
Anyway, the visit to the zoo was on Friday. On Saturday we met up with David and had lunch at a Pizza Express. I love pizza, and the kids do as well. My wife is not normally a big fan, but she and David both loved what they had there. And the service there was brilliant. I expect good service and good food at Pizza Express, but this was great. Probably the best I have had there, and to a standard I would recommend to all just based on the service. Attentive and understanding of children, we actually forgot to ask for things that the waiter brought for the kids!
