Holiday

They said there’ll be snow at Christmas; they said there’ll be Peace on Earth

Monday 12th December 2011Tuesday 13th December 2011Baggie

For those of you who scored 10 for knowing the answer to last year’s Christmas pop trivia another ten points are on offer if you know from which Christmas ditty the title of this update is from. Well done, treat yourself to a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine.

This will be the last full update before Christmas although the (now annual) Bagnall Christmas message will automatically appear just after noon on Monday 19th December 2011 (already pre-written – aren’t I clever?) and I will try to squeeze in a post-Christmas update (time permitting) before the New Year.

As I mentioned in the last write up, I have attempted to use the remainder of my 2011 annual leave up by taking this past week off, in an attempt to get into the Christmas spirit and complete (start) the Christmas shopping. The week started well with the obligatory trip into the loft to get the Christmas tree and decorations down. We then duly put them up and encouraged Éowyn to help decorate the tree. Not the most enthusiastic of decorating from our oldest child but I think she will get into it a little more as the years pass. Amélie on the other hand just wanted to pull the bauble that you had just placed on the tree and throw it across the floor, well it is a fun game! Éowyn however did let us play Christmas songs (her particular favourite being Mrs Santa Claus by Nat King Cole for some reason) while we bedecked the lounge. It certainly raised the Christmas spirit and indeed does the tree everytime I walk into the lounge, all that was missing was a flurry of snow (still a disappointing lack of snow in these parts this winter!).

As I was off Lucinda also decided that she would book her week off too (both days!) so that we could have some time together and since the childminder had already been booked for Lucinda’s work days then it meant that there was two days that we could have off together. However, an invite to a supplier’s lunch on the Tuesday put pay to part of one of those days but at least Lucinda could spend a little time with her mum without the kids, which was good for both of them.

The Wednesday without the kids flew by. We were worried that we would spend the whole day missing them, but to be honest we just didn’t have the time. Taking advantage of the fact that we were dropping them off at 0800 we headed to Kingston early (to avoid the lengthy queues to the car parks) in attempt to complete our Christmas shopping. We may not have completed our Christmas shopping but we certainly put a big dent into it. Going early meant that there was no queue for the car park and we were ahead of the game before the shops got too crowded. Definitely the way to Christmas shop, second only to sitting at home surfing the on-line retailers and getting it all delivered to your door (or alternatively their door – even better if the on-line retailer offers a wrapping service!).

It seems that no matter how much you think you know you children they will always do something to surprise you. Amélie has not slept through the night since she was born. The latest she will wake up in 0530 and usually once or twice in the night. This week she slept straight through for four nights in a row. Yes, not one or two days but four! Brilliant we thought, she is finally learning to appreciate the magnificence of a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately we don’t know how long she may have slept on two of those days because we had to wake her up to take her to Jo’s (the childminder). Nevertheless we were feeling a little pleased with ourselves as we headed to the end of the week.

A trip to West Bromwich to visit Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz was in order to complete the week, especially since we will not see them until after Christmas. We arrived Friday lunchtime and did not stop. We paid a visit to see Éowyn and Amélie’s Great-Grandma. Then the school that Auntie Liz works at were having a Christmas fayre and so we paid Auntie Liz (who was busy face-painting) a visit and had a look around the fayre. Very disappointing really, except for the roasted chesnuts. They after putting the kids to bed myself and Lucinda headed to the local supermarket to stock up on supplies that we hadn’t brought up with us.

Sitting in the car on the way back to Nanny Fran’s, Lucinda realised that she hadn’t got her purse. We headed straight back and retraced our steps from the till to the car. No luck. No one had handed the purse in and there was no sign of it either in the shop or in the car park. We gave our details to security and headed back to Nanny Fran’s. Obviously Lucinda was extremely upset but fearing the worse we left Nanny Fran’s and headed straight to the Police station to report the incident. As soon as we had the crime number we began cancelling Credit cards. It was part way through cancelling the second bank’s cards that we received a phonecall from security, someone had found the purse and handed it in.

All the cards and all the money was still in the purse and Lucinda was delighted to have it back (even with the now useless cards in there). We had been fearing the worse but the spirit of Christmas still endures in the Black Country and we thank the kind soul for handing it in. He left his name and number and so there is a thank you card and a little something for him to thank him for his goodwill. We salute you, sir!

Amélie, however was no so generous. After lulling us into a false sense of security with her four nights of sleep she brought us down to earth on Friday night. She awoke just after 0100 and would not go back to sleep. Nanny Fran popped up about 0500 (when Amélie is awake everyone without a blast zone of 20 blocks is awake – she has the most piercing scream when she wants to let loose!) and took her from us and finally got her to sleep leaving us to get a couple of hours.

On Saturday myself and Lucinda headed into Birmingham to visit the German market while Nanny Fran, Auntie Liz, Éowyn and Amélie went on an adventure of their own. Again the few hours that we had to ourselves allowed us, not only to visit the Christmas market but to finish off our Christmas shopping without the kids. Indeed I think we are both now completely ‘Christmas shopping’-ed out, we just have to wrap them now!

But where was the adventure that the other went on. Well Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz took the girls to visit Father Christmas at Dudley Zoo and Castle. It was Éowyn’s first visit to Santa this year and she was a little overwhelmed by the experience. She was overcome by shyness and did not ask Santa for anything (does that mean that she doesn’t get anything? – I am a cruel father!), indeed did not speak to him at all. Not sure what Amélie thought about it. It was only afterwards that Éowyn got a little upset because she did not ask Santa for a cicciobello doll, which seems to be the one constant that she asks for. We are not sure where she discovered the doll or why she particularly wants it but it is a parent’s duty to at least investigate.

After another disturbed night of sleep (it is payback time) and a Sunday lunch we headed back down the M40 and home. When we finally arrived home Elf was on the telly and if there is one thing more magical than watching a Christmas related feel good film that must be watching a Christmas related feel good film with a three year old that believes every word of it.

For those of you that we won’t see between now and the big day we hope that you have a great time and trust that Santa (Father Christmas/ Saint Nicholas/ Kris Kringle/ Santa Claus/ Ded Moroz etc…) brings you all that you deserve and maybe a little of what you want.

Peace and Christmas Love

Baggie

At the Zoo

Come here little sis…

Cheeky!

Not impressed with this

I’m hiding

Where does this go?

Face painting

Do you know what it is yet?

Gingerbreadman

Just chillaxing

Hey big sis!

Hey Mommy!

On my way to school!

This is comfy!

Cheesy grin!

Ze German Market

The Salvation army band played

Hmmm Crepes…

Cooking with Auntie Liz

This is fun!

The finished articles…

11:11, 11/11/11

Friday 11th November 2011Sunday 1st January 2017Baggie

Confirmation bias, spirit guardians, Nigel Tufnel day, your 40th birthday (you know who you are), Armistice Day or just the ninth binary date of the year? What does the date of 1’s mean to you?

There are a lot of people that I know that hold the time 11:11 in some kind of esteem, some temporal awe and claim that whenever they look at the clock (a digital one of course) that it displays 11:11. For me this is nothing more that confirmation bias, you are looking for it so as soon as you see it you remember it and it confirms your theory. The fact is, because you are holding 11:11 in some form of regard, subconsciously you are looking for 11:11 and the frequency that you are looking at the time will peak in the lead up to 11:11, then once you have seen it the belief is confirmed. You probably don’t even remember that you looked at the clock at 11:08, 11:09 and three times during 11:10. How often have you just looked at the time, then someone immediately asks you what the time is and you have to look at the clock again. Is your memory that bad?

Still quite a cool date though.

So what have we been up to in the last couple of weeks? Well as the East Coast of the U.S. received it’s first dumping of snow (New York City’s heaviest ever October fall) we were experiencing a mild end of October which continued into the beginning of November. This was most welcome for my 2nd cousin Charlotte who was married to Paul Eccles on the 4th November at Salmesbury Hall just on the outskirts of Preston (Lancashire). When we first received the invite I was concerned that the weather could play an unwelcome part in the ceremony but I need not have feared and although the Lancashire countryside can be unforgiving during the winter months it was perhaps a little too early to cause any issues for the wedding party and the rain held off until after the ceremony and most of the photos had been taken.

As Preston is 220 miles away we decided that we would head to Lancashire the day before the wedding and spend two nights away from home. We had initially thought that we would drive to Nanny Fran’s and spend the previous night in West Bromwich and then head in convoy to Preston. However we decided that trying to get ourselves and the girls ready while Nanny Fran and Aunties Mary and Liz were also trying to get ready and then drive to Preston was perhaps asking a little too much. Far easier to concentrate on just getting ready on the morning of the wedding and not then worry about the drive and checking into the hotel and all that entails.

Thus having just come back from a fortnight off work I took another couple of days off for our petit sojourn. We left the moor a little late (we always do whenever it involves packing with the kids!) and headed north. The girls were fed and watered and laden with toys to keep them entertained on the journey. We also gave Éowyn a packed lunch in case she felt hungry along the way. In true Bagnall style she had eaten most of it before we have even made it to the motorway – that’s my girl! Fortunately the traffic was light and the girls fell asleep so we were able to make good time. We arrived in Lancashire in the early afternoon and decided that we would head to Blackpool for a couple of hours before checking into our Preston lodgings.

Blackpool was as tacky and dreary as one would expect for early November and although the weather was kind (I have seen what the Irish sea can do to the promenade at Blackpool) it still felt desolate and depressive. However as the night closed in and the illuminations were switched on then Blackpool came to life. We were only in Blackpool for a couple of hours and didn’t really see it at it’s best however we are considering a holiday either to, or near, the Fylde coast for our summer break next year.

Our lodgings for the night was the Preston Central Travelodge and I only mention it for the fact that it ranks in one of my top ten worst car parks. (Rest assured I don’t actually have a top ten worst car park list and it certainly isn’t laminated!). The rooms are what you can expect from a £19/night hotel but the car park is veritable challenge. After negotiating either the ramp (to the 1st floor) or the tight ground floor entrance you are confronted with a forest of metal pillars (all decorated with a variety of paint scuff marks) and 90° turns. My only regret is that I never actually took a photo to show you, but please be warned that should you ever find yourself in Preston and decide to stay in the night at the local Travelodge and you are driving the car park is something you may not want to negotiate more than once.

Despite the basic nature of the hotel, Éowyn thought it was a fantastic adventure. This was due in no small part to the fact that our room was on the fourth floor. This meant that we had to take the lift and for a three year old that enjoys pressing buttons that is the best thing in the world. She insisted on operating the lift and not only was it fun it was a little educational too with her making sure that she knew what floor we were heading for and whether we were going up or down in the lift and pressing the relevant call button. We also told her our room number and encouraged her to find it. It is important to find the education benefits and the game in the mundane, whether you are a three or ninety-three (think Mary Poppins and A Spoonful Of Sugar).

Charlotte and Paul’s wedding was excellent, Salmesbury hall was a beautiful venue. It is a 14th century manor house on the outskirts of Preston and an ideal one stop venue for the guests with the ceremony and reception all held within the house and plenty of photogenic spots within the grounds, especially with the trees dressed in their autumnal garb. The hall was closed to the public for the day which was nice to have the venue to the wedding party and we did not see any of the supernatural residents while we were there either. Both of our girls were very good and before the ceremony Éowyn kept asking where the Princess was (i.e. the bride) and if she was a Princess who was the hansome prince? They were both very good even through the speeches (although Éowyn did start heckling the groom’s speech with ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah!‘ part way through, Amélie just joined in with the clapping). However the excitement of the day was far too much for them and they only managed to last until the Bride and Groom’s first dance, before we had to make our excuses and head back to that car park!

We headed back the next day, breaking the journey up at Nanny Fran’s before tackling the final four motorways and home. I was working the next day so there wasn’t any time for relaxation on these days off, time to book some more I feel.

I will leave you now with the photos

Peace and Love

Baggie

The Big One, a tram and us

Where are we?

Blackpool!

Playing on the beach

Cheese!

Let me go!

Blackpool Tower, at night

I sat there alone upon the ferris wheel

Blackpool, at night

My first wedding

These weddings are fun

The Bagnall girls

The Bride enters the chapel

The bride and groom (and parents)

The happy couple

Now this is fun!

Chillaxing over breakfast

Look what I’ve got!

That’s funny!

Stop it, Nanny

Now then, what to do…

The Badger Moot 2011

Sunday 30th October 2011Sunday 1st January 2017Baggie

The great Badger Moot 2011 took place last week at the Puncknowle Manor Estate in the Bride Valley, West Dorset. Even though I have termed it the Badger Moot there were no Badgers there this year, neither in name nor form, only descendants and family of Granddad Badger. It was Amélie’s first time at the annual gathering (she had only just been born last year so we didn’t go) and only Éowyn’s second (again she was born at the same time as the 2008 gathering, went in 2009 and obviously could not go last year either).

As usual the week was relatively relaxed with trips to the coast and local attractions confirmed in the morning when we could be quietly confident of the weather and have a vague idea of who wants to go where. This year the trips were more fragmented as the weather wasn’t as kind as in previous years and as we have young ones that are more active in the morning and need a kip in the afternoon then we were having to make a decision as to where to go before the others. Irrespective of where you went during the day we would all head back to the manor house before dark to a relax and enjoy a big family meal (unless it is your turn to cook). It was our turn on the Wednesday night and we opted to keep it simple with a beef and guinness stew and a chicken one-pot.

There are a number of favourite haunts that we usually pay a visit to and so it was this year with Bridport market, Lyme Regis and Hive Beach welcoming the Badger Clan as they do each year. Bridport Saturday market was more interesting than normal for we arrived just as the whole of Bridport town centre was experiencing a power cut. So most of the shops were refusing entry, some on the grounds of health and safety (it is dark in most shops, there are very few windows) and some because they couldn’t take your money (the tills and card readers were down). The bonus was that the carpark ticket machines were also down and so it was free carparking in Bridport and the market was unaffected.

Saturday night was themed meal night. The theme was all things American and food was suitably apt with hotdogs, burgers, fries etc. The kitchen was decorated with American flags and we all dressed in suitably American attire. It was the brainchild of Steve and Zoe and Adam and Lucy who co-hosted the evening. It was good to see that everyone had made the effort and turned out in fancy dress. Poor Finley was completely freaked out by Adam’s hillbilly outfit, which was extremely good it has to be said. Lucy had even organised an American theme quiz which was to correctly identify the location of each of the US states and name the capital of that state. Not as easy as it sounds, but I think that we all learned something (how little we collectively knew about the less well know states!).

As the weather was truly autumnal this year (usually we get unseasonably fine weather during the Badger moot) we looked for alternative destinations that didn’t rely on the weather (our trip to Lyme Regis although realtively dry was a very blustery affair and the photos of Éowyn on a windswept beach with her coat zipped up to her neck sum up the day). This is where the Merlin Passes came good. Weymouth is about a 30 minute drive away and has a Sea Life centre and as the Merlin Pass allows you free entry to Sea Life centres is was too good an opportunity to miss. We were quite impressed with Weymouth’s Sea Life centre, although we did get wet running from one aquarium to the next. Éowyn enjoyed seeing the sharks and the turtles but was far keener on staying in the adventure trail area and the rides that were there.

One of the few full family outings was due to have been on the Monday night: a ghost walk around Bridport. Unfortunately due to the heavy rain (some parts of the neighbouring counties received over a fortnight’s worth of rain) it was cancelled however the guide suggested that he could fit us in on the following day (Tuesday) before his public tour and so we took him up on the offer. Without wishing to be derogatory he did not have the gravitas, nor theatrics of our Dorchester guide from 2009, but he certainly spooked the children and it is always interesting to view a town with another point of view. Finley, especially, gave his imagination too much power and sidled over to me partway through the tour and asked if he could hold my hand. I, of course, said that he could but why and he replied because you are the biggest and the strongest. Not sure that is true and I am not sure that it would help against any malevolent spirits but it allayed Finley’s fears a little.

The week went far too quickly and a great time was had by all. Éowyn especially enjoyed palying with her cousins and with due respect to the cousins they really enjoy playing with her. They give her so much time and involve her in everything including the American hat piñata that Lucy had made. Amélie, obviously, was a bit too young to be involved with their games but nevertheless thaey would quite often sit on the floor and play with her too. It is not just the girls either, Finley (in between fighting me) really enjoys playing with Éowyn and chasing Amélie around the ground floor it is really nice to see. The older cousins also organised a Spa retreat for the adults, with manicures, pedicures, facials, nail varnishing and neck massages all charged at a pound a service (a bargain I am sure you would agree!). I think most of the adults paid a visit and the youngsters split the proceeds between them. I think that poor Seb had the most to complain about for they left his face mask on too long and almost exfoliated his beard when removing it; Adam was probably the most sporting wearing bright nail varnish after his treatment for far too long. It is very enterprising of the girls (and Finley) and Éowyn even helped on one day and was rewarded with a pound for her efforts.

As it quite often is, the day we were leaving Puncknowle was the finest of the week and since we have to vacate the manor house before 1000 myself and Lucinda decided that we would take advantage of the change in the weather to re-visit Lyme Regis and pop down to Hive beach for a cream tea before heading back home. We were glad we did as it was so nice on both beaches that Éowyn even took her shoes and socks off, rolled her trousers up and went for a paddle in the sea (twice – once in Lyme and once on Hive beach!). In fact, she didn’t want to leave and needed persuading that going home was a good idea. Both Éowyn and Amélie (and for part of the way, Lucinda) slept on the journey home. Back home and straight back to work for me – got to pay for it somehow!

Enjoy some of the photos below of our week away and there are plenty more on the Flickr site.

Peace and love

Baggie