Funny

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Tuesday 12th June 2012Saturday 16th June 2012Baggie

Unbelievably we are in June, not that you can tell from the weather. However the British people are not easily dishearted and thus the unseasonably cold weather and persistent rain did not put a dampener on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations however Lucinda and I feel like we need to apologise to the Queen about the weather. Now I am not saying that we are rain gods (although it does feel like that sometimes) but on our return from holiday it looked like summer had arrived so we decided to buy a gas powered barbecue. A purchase that has been long overdue unfortunately since it has taken residence at chez Bagnall it has done nothing but rain. So, to the people of the UK we would like to apologise for the fact that the jetstream has moved south bringing the autumnal, nay wintry weather with it.

It may seem like a long time ago but the week started off with temperatures in the mid 20’s which was a good way to acclimatise after our holiday in Tenerife. Nestled between returning from holiday and returning to work I managed to tick off one from my to-do list: a day’s falconry. I have always fancied the idea of falconry (perhaps it was something to do with watching Kes when I was younger) but have never managed to organise a date. Then a couple of weeks prior to my holiday a ridiculously cheap offer via groupon appeared in my e-mail inbox. It was too good an offer to miss, so myself and Andy booked ourselves up for our trip up the A1(m).

The Birds of Prey centre at Old Warden Park near Biggleswade was the venue of our experience. We started the day with an introduction to a couple of chicks yet to fledge, a tawny owl and a Turkmenistan eagle owl, the latter of which decided that it would try and undo my shoe laces. So while the falconer, Graham, begun the introduction to all things raptorial I had a ball of feathers sitting on my foot picking at my shoe laces with a beak evolved to rip rabbits apart. Frustratingly (for the owl) I had double tied my shoe laces and he couldn’t undo them so begun nibbling my leg (I was wearing shorts). Not sure what to do and not wishing to annoy him I just ignored him and hoped that he didn’t try to eat my leg.

I wasn’t the only one of the group to have a closer than expected encounter. After being introduced to a number of adult owl species we were taken to the visit the eagles. Obviously these are the superstars of the raptor world and we were allowed to handle and 4 year old bald eagle. Still classed as immature (they do not get the iconic white head until the age of seven) he was nevertheless fully grown. Andy volunteered to hold him first and gingerly held him at arm’s length. ‘Don’t stroke him,‘ Graham explained, ‘For he will bite your finger, but you can hold him closer to your face for he will not peck your face.‘ So Andy brought the eagle closer to his face and without warning the eagle plucked at his beard. ‘That one is nesting.‘ Epilated by an eagle.

After the introduction we were allowed to fly a number of species. A barn owl, an Turkmenistan eagle owl and a Harris Hawk all of which were brilliant but they paled into insignificance when we flew the final bird: the bald eagle we were introduced to earlier. The sight of a bald eagle flying across a field to you is a magnificent and awe-inspiring vision and you thank the deity of your choice that you are not a rabbit and something that will stay with me for the rest of my days. It is a day I would wholeheartedly recommend and feel free to view the very many photos I took that day on our flickr site.

That was the first Monday back from our holiday and it was Éowyn’s first day back at school. Unfortunately it was not such a good day for our first born, the teachers called Lucinda’s dad (who was picking her up for us) into the class to say that she had been particularly naughty striking three different children during the course of the day. So we needed to have a serious talk to her. We are not sure why she did it and even if we did there there obviously would be no justification for it. We can only assume that she was struggling to acclimatise to being back to school after being on holiday but we explained to her that it was wrong and then attempted to get her to relate to how the other children felt and how she wouldn’t like it if it happened to her. It must have sunk it because for the remaining days of the term she was apparently a delight at school. However, there were only two more school days left for her before the half term holiday begun. She is back to school this week so we will see how well she behaves next week.

Obviously the big news of the last week or so has been the Diamond Jubilee of our current monarch Queen Elizabeth II. I can vaguely recall the Silver Jubilee and obviously it has only been a decade since the Golden Jubilee but this is only the second ever diamond jubilee of a UK monarch (the other being that of Queen Victoria) so a very special event. The British weather decided that it wasn’t special enough to bestow a typical June day moreover one more befitting February, the month she actually ascended to the throne. Although extremely fitting for an anniversary of the coronation for the weather was also unseasonably cold and wet on that date too!

Two public holidays were granted to the UK public turning the first weekend of June into a four day weekend. However with Lucinda being a shift worker she was actually working on those days and with the wintry weather myself and the girls contented ourselves to watching the flotilla on the television. Apparently there were 10,000 street parties over the weekend however Stanwell Moor did not join in with a street party but held a tea party at the village hall. Unfortunately it did not have the atmosphere one would hope for such an event. However there was a competition to guess where the Queen has lost her crown and one had to pick a postcode for where it could be. We duly entered and thought nothing more about it. We stayed about 40 minutes or so then headed back home when we received a phone call, we had won the top prize a big cuddly dog. We headed back and collected the prize so it wasn’t such a bad party after all! And something that worth more than a lottery win according to Éowyn for when I expressed disappointment that we had not won the lottery she said ‘But at least we won the doggy!‘ Wise words!

Éowyn and Amélie are becoming closer with Amélie idolising her older sister, following her about and copying her actions. I think that Éowyn quiet likes this most of the time however as with all of us, it can get annoying. Amélie was following Éowyn around the other day constantly shouting ‘Éowyn, Éowyn, Éowyn, Éowyn!’ Suddenly Éowyn snapped and hid in her room shouting ‘Amélie you are winding me potty!‘ It has rapidly become our favourite phrase and obviously a mixture of ‘winding me up‘ and ‘driving me potty!‘

I will leave you there and trust that you all enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations for it is likely that we will not see another.

Peace and Love

Baggie

A Jubilee Tea Party

Jubilee tea!

Congratulations!

Do I have to go with those two?

Get your flag out of the way

All Jublieed out!

I’m happy because I’m inside!

Not happy!

That’s better!

Up to something…

The next generation

Peep-po

Incoming

Brace yourself

Touchdown

Hello

What’s going on there?

Just sunning myself

A rainy Bank Holiday May Day

Monday 7th May 2012Thursday 9th August 2012Baggie

So after the wettest April in recorded history the drought continues and May doesn’t seem to be much of an improvement. Indeed with the May Bank holiday looming we are living with the threat of ground frosts killing our spring plants. Glad the Met Office predicted it all (not!) but at least they have updated their prediction for the next few months (apparently there is a great than average uncertainity, i.e. we don’t know!).

Work is still gearing up for its busiest period for me, the conclusion to all the football seasons and the inevitable last day of the season shenanigans. Hence the lack of exciting trips and a dearth of photos to delight you with this time, hopefully as my busiest period comes to an end I can begin to spend a little more time with the family.

Work was in the way of seeing Nanny Fran for her birthday but not so the following weekend. So although Lucinda was working until the afternoon the house was full of travelling Bagnalls, as Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz made their way down from West Bromwich and Auntie Mary across county from Woking. Éowyn is always exciting when Nanny Fran and her Aunties visit and this was no exception. She even tidied her toys away before they came. I think as soon as Amélie comprehends the notion that people can plan a visit, (i.e. grasp the idea of the future) then she, too, will get over-excited at the proposal of a visit from Nanny Fran. With Nanny Fran retiring at the end of the year then it is quite possible that those visitis will become more frequent.

Éowyn entertained her elder relatives with Amélie as support act. Éowyn even let Auntie Liz plait her hair, something that she will not let Mommy or Daddy do, but it is Auntie Liz! They also cheated Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz at snakes and ladders, you have to watch them!

Amélie is going through one of those rapid learning phases. A couple of weeks ago it seems that her vocabulary was limited to the usual half a dozen or so words, but that is rapidly increasing and it probably will not be long before she is constructing complex sentences, ‘Mater, pray tell your opinion on Boris Johnson retaining the Mayorship of London?‘ Perhaps not that complex. The current favourite sentence (if you can call it that) is ‘Dad, dad, dad, dad: look!‘ Which is usually followed by her taking a large bite out of what ever she is eating and making a real show of finishing her mouthful.

She has also begun to enjoy playing with Éowyn, not that Éowyn appreciated it all the time! Although one game that they both enjoy playing is hide and seek. Although Amélie’s notion of hiding is to stand by the wall and close her eyes and giggle when you find her. When it is her turn to hide, she will stand there counting up to 10 (more of a long continuous word onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten than what strictly could be called counting) but with her hands over her mouth rather than over her eyes. She then runs around giggling while trying to catch you. She is very good at hide and seek, for an nineteen month old.

Amélie is also very good at eating her food and it is rare that she refuses food or doesn’t finish her meals – unlike her big sister at the moment. We have been introducing her to the Alpro Soya Milk for Toddlers, mainly with her breakfast. She doesn’t seem overkeen but neither is she rejecting it out of hand. It is to be expected and the nutritionist has told us that even if she grows out of her Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance the chances are that she will never be that keen on milk or dairy products. We just have to ensure that she gets her required calcium from other foods.

Éowyn is back at pre-school and seems to be enjoying herself. We think she is really going to miss her friends at the start of next term when many of them going up into the infant school, while she has to wait another year. One can understand why there is a cut off date but surely a staggered start to school would be better, Éowyn is only 6 weeks younger than some of the children that will be going to infant school in September and is equally on a par in terms of development to most (if not all) of the children that will be leaving. We fear that there will be more displays of naughty behaviour as she will be bored and not challenged, however on the other hand it might do her good for I think she is part of a little gang. Not that we think that she is being influenced by them, indeed on the contrary it wouldn’t surprise me that she is the ringleader and at the very least there is a lot of mutual influencing. So breaking that little clique may be a very good thing. We shall see.

She thoroughly enjoys herself there and I asked her the other days what is her favourite thing that she does at school. ‘Dressing up,‘ she replied. So what do you like dressing up as then I inquired. ‘A Unicorn,‘ came the surprising reply. Although given her name maybe not that surprising.

I will leave you now to shelter from the May cold and perhaps leave you with a timely reminder of the old English proverb: ‘Cast ne’er a clout ’til May be out.’

Peace and Love

Baggie

A kiss for Nanny Fran

Snakes and Ladders with Auntie Liz

Hello!

Helping Mommy wrap the presents

Éowyn Vera Bagnall

Mommy and Amélie

Mommy and her daughters

‘Hello!’

Just in case we get a summer

Sisterly love

It’s a bit cold for summer dresses

Right, I’m off!

Paschal Playtime and the Great Easter Egg hunt!

Tuesday 10th April 2012Friday 29th March 2013Baggie

April is here and the promise of Sunshine has disappeared in a blizzard, not a metaphorical blizzard, an actual blizzard. Admittedly not in the South East of England but across great swathes of the country, Aberdeenshire for instance which was basking in the warmest March day every recorded in Scotland a mere week ago is now under 8 inches of snow. Must be a sign that the Easter bank holidays are here and children are off school.

However before the Artic low pressure begun to dominate our weather we managed to squeeze in some out door fun to wit: The First (and possibly The Last) Great Bagnall Easter Egg hunt; held at Lucinda’s parents we invited many of Éowyn’s friends, fourteen in total. So we arrived early Sunday morning armed with chocolate eggs and buffet food. Éowyn’s cousins Lauren and Maddie were really excited and came round to help and, of course, Lucinda’s parents helped get everything prepared. Fortunately, although it was a little chilly to begin, the ground was dry and we could hide the eggs around the garden, in flower beds, against trees all easily accessible since their were, on average, only 3. Amélie, the lazy monkey decided to have a morning nap and slept through the whole of the preparation – which actually was probably the most helpful thing that she could have done!

We managed to prevent the early arrivals from heading off into the garden but that involved distracting them with the variety of bikes, cars, prams, doll and balls that Nanny and Granddad have accumulated over the years of being grandparents. Éowyn tends to regard them as hers, unless of course her cousins are there so she was a little perturbed to see so many children playing with ‘her‘ toys. A quick father to daughter chat about sharing and then a little distraction technique and she was fine and didn’t complain for the rest of the day.

The Egg Hunt kept the little ones occupied for a good 20 minutes or so and all managed to find some eggs to fill their baskets. We then turned our little ones and the egg hunt into a utopian communism by means of the sharing blanket. We had bought enough eggs so that all could have one big one, three little ones and a kinder surprise egg. Amazingly all the children loved the idea of the sharing blanket and all happily sat cross-legged around the perimeter of the blanket while the eggs were shared. Then it was party food for everyone. By mid-afternoon everyone had left and we were exhausted, however it was so much fun and all the children seemed to enjoy themselves that it would be nice to turn it into an annual event – I think we may have to persuade Nanny and Granddad!

Obviously, Easter isn’t just about Easter Eggs and Éowyn prouded came home from pre-school just before the holiday and announced in the car on the way home that she has learned all about Easter. Lucinda was driving and asked what had she learned? ‘That Jesus died on a hot cross bun.‘ Lucinda said that it was a miracle (pardon the choice of word) that she didn’t crash the car. Poor Éowyn was none the wiser and when I arrived home from work proceded to tell me the same thing. I haven’t actually corrected her and occasionally she still will bring it up, especially when there is an advert on the television for hot cross buns.

Amélie is still enjoying having a room to herself (and so are we!) for she is sleeping through the night and, indeed, slept through until 07:20 one morning. Sheer bliss. However, she is still a cheeky little madam and ‘Swiper’ in disguise. However she gets away with it because she is so cute and will give you such a cheeky grin when she knows she is up to something naughty. Éowyn’s Easter Egg stash was the lastest casualty of our own veritable swiper. Éowyn and Amélie were in the lounge while Lucinda was getting showered and dressed one morning. Lucinda came downstairs and entered the lounge, Éowyn was happily sitting watching Peppa Pig while Amélie was hiding her crime out of sight of her big sister, although the half-eaten egg in her hand and the chocolate smeared around her face betrayed her guilt.

We still believe that Amélie has her Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance and the above crime seemed to confirm that assumption as she cried throughout the next night and seemed to be in pain. Some things seem to be OK and we have introduced her to Soya products now so she can join in with the yoghurt eating and milk on her cereal. She has an appointment to see the dietician next week so we will see where we go and what is the next step.

Éowyn’s behaviour has been fantastic of late. She has been very well behaved and more than that is seemingly revelling in being good. Whenever she is good I have been telling her that I have been proud of her and this encouragement technique seems to reap rewards. In fact she said to Lucinda just the other day, when Lucinda dropped her off at Nanny and Granddad’s, ‘I am going to be a good girl and make Daddy proud.‘ She was and she did! We have been a little reliant on Nanny and Granddad with pre-school shut for Easter holidays, myself and Lucinda both working and Jo, our childminder taking holiday too, it doesn’t give us too many options – apart from wasting precious leave from work. Unfortunately we don’t get the same kind of annual leave entitlement as a teacher.

Before I leave you to the current crop of photos another amusing ancedote from the vaults of Éowyn. We have an extensive Disney collection and Éowyn enjoys watching films, something that she inherits from her father (and grandfather Bagnall) before her. She asked last week while at home with Lucinda, if she could watch Aladdin. Lucinda dug the DVD out and put it in the player. The film started and Éowyn said ‘This isn’t Aladdin!‘ Lucinda confirmed that it was but Éowyn was adamant that it wasn’t. ‘I want the real Aladdin,‘ she said, ‘The one where there is a man on a motorbike and some cats in a basket and he throws them into the river.‘ Lucinda’s film knowledge is not as encyclopedic as mine, especially when it comes to children’s films, so Lucinda asked me when I got home if I knew what she meant. I said that it sounded like the Aristocats. So we put the Aristocats on and asked Éowyn if this was the film that she wanted to watch. She confirmed it was and so I explained that it wasn’t called Aladdin (or even ‘The Real Aladdin’) but it was called The Aristocats. I asked her to repeat it and obviously not really knowing the word repeated what she thought she heard: ‘The Embarrassing Cats‘. Much better title in my opinion.

Peace and Love

Baggie