The One Where George Climbs a Wall

It seems a good while ago now but back in June George came up to Bay View with his Grandad and me for the weekend. 

When at Bay View one of the things we all like to do is walk down to Archer’s Cafe for breakfast (I know I must’ve said this a time or two in previous posts but it’s so true - we love going down to Archer’s for breakfast.  There I’ve said it again!) and to do this was definitely on George’s wishlist.  Archer’s Cafe is up there in the distance at the tip of that wooded headland, not too far.

The walk takes about 30 minutes or so and takes in plenty of pretty scenery.

   Look at this handsome boy, twelve years old now and very nearly as tall as I am!

A beautiful day meant breakfast was taken al fresco.  Always the best way in my book.

This is the view in front of the cafe, it looks over to the glorious landscape of The Lake District in the distance.

Sunday we drove round to Arnside where George saw this wall...

.. and immediately decided to climb it!

Just like that.

No hesitation and hey presto, there he was at the top!

Once he’d started this caper he couldn’t stop and promptly scaled the wall again.  About this time I told him to quit while he was winning.  There was no way I wanted to take him home to his mother with a leg in plaster! 

As day turned into evening we all strolled down to the campsite bar/restaurant where George played a game or two of pool with Grandad.  I have never, ever been any good at this kind of game so I sat and watched and sipped a drink while the boys played.  And in this fashion the we happily whiled the night away.

The weekend had been a fun one and was over before we knew it but not before I snapped this smashing pic of my biggest Little Treasure.  #timepleasestoppassingbysoquickly

Until next time,

A Dip in the Irish Sea

I have been very sloppy over the last few months and just haven’t felt like editing photos and blogging but I seem to be coming out of the doldrums and the need to save our memories for posterity has come over me again and today I’m posting lots (I couldn’t decide which to include and which to leave out so I went with lots) of photos from a day at the seaside earlier this month.   My elder daughter Victoria reached one of those big milestone birthdays and as a birthday treat she and her husband Gary took off for a weekend in Windermere minus the boys.  The boys stayed at our house and on the Saturday Caroline and I took all three boys for a day by the sea.  Happily the weather couldn’t have been better.  It was picnic, ice-cream and good old bucket and spade weather all the way.

Picnic consumed the boys couldn’t wait to play at the splash park on Cleveleys front.   

The mandatory ice-cream.

Next up was the skate park.  Nicholas watched and studied how George went over the top of this steep drop..

.. but he couldn’t quite let himself go over the edge.  He is only eight though.  He’ll do it next time.

Charlie got in on the act too.

By this time the tide had receded and the boys were able to go down onto the sand.

I think it’s safe to say buckets and spades will never go out of fashion. 

Digging holes until they fill with water just has to be done.

George came up with a game to play on the sand involving circles with scores inside and stones.

Simple but fun and played with serious determination by all to be the winner too!

Then it was back to digging.

And before the day was over a paddle in the Irish Sea.

A fun day.  A day like many before it and hopefully like many more to come.

Charlie

This hasn’t happened for quite some time.

One of my little grandsons posing happily for the camera!  In this case it was my littlest treasure, sweet six year old Charlie.

In fact not only was he posing happily but he was also posing  like a little pro.

   The only direction I gave him was “just look happy”. 

I was over the moon excited.

I had almost forgotten how much fun it was to have one of my little treasures let me take photo after photo of him and what’s more I am really pleased with the results.  What Nan wouldn’t be?  I think his Mum likes them too.

Bless your little cotton socks, Charlie! xx

The Last of January and a Thoughtful Son.

January is now behind us and February is already here.  Can somebody enlighten me please as to how that happened so fast?!

A highlight of the last few days of January for me was Afternoon Tea at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester with my lovely cousin, Sylvia.   Of course, Afternoon Tea for Two at The Hilton is a big treat and this treat was a Christmas gift to Sylvia from her ever so thoughtful son, James. 

We had window seats and this was our far reaching view over the city of Manchester as we ate, drank and chatted the afternoon away.  And boy, can we chat – we never get stuck for something to chat about.  Ever!

As dusk sneakily fell lights began to twinkle all over the city but with forecast imminent heavy falls of snow on the horizon we had to call it a day and head for the train.  However, we did make time for a glass of champagne to round off the afternoon.  Very civilized.

A quick visit to the ladies room on the way out raised a smile.  Sylvia took one look at the window graphics and quipped “don’t jump, love” before my mind had even processed what the picture was all about. She’s quick like that.  :-)  

So, what a lovely present Afternoon Tea for Two at The Hilton was!  We had a good time didn’t we, Syl?  Even dashing back through the city streets in the rain dodging the traffic was fun!

 

Now other bits and bobs now from the last of January.

I finished my patchwork table topper and I’m very happy with it.  It’s sitting on my dining room table and it makes me happy every time I see it.

George has stayed with us again.  I like this Instagram pic of him.  Relaxed and happy looking plugged into his tablet.

Another picture I snapped with my iPhone.  This time during a game of good old-fashioned draughts we played together.  We played a bit of Scrabble too.  That set of draughts is what you might call vintage now.  I’ve had it since well before I got married. 

I habitually peep my head between the curtains to look at the night sky before I get ready for bed.  This particular night the snow had begun to fall and everywhere looked so calm and peaceful I decided to capture the scene for posterity.  And with that I’ll sign off.

TTFN,

Fun in the Snow

Last weekend saw the first snowfall of the winter and there was fun to be had.

George (on the left above) stayed over with us Friday and Saturday night and had a great time with his friends out sledging both Saturday and Sunday.

Its great fun going downhill on the sledge but it can be a pain dragging the sledge back up the hill.  Especially when it’s impossible to stay upright and you end up on all fours like George.

I watched and happily took photos of them for a while and then when..

   .. they set off to find a better slope I sloped off home.  I’m so glad I got my act together on Sunday and tromped through the snow, camera round my neck, to find George and his friends and get these snaps of them.  It was fun and really not as cold as it looked.

Yesterday was another snowy day and it just so happened that William and I had to collect Charlie from school.  Leaving the car safely parked outside the house we set forth on foot.

Charlie had a great time chucking snowballs at both me and granddad on the way home.

The snowballs seemed to get bigger each time he made one.  The little treasure! 

Childhood is all too fleeting a time but these photos and this blog will help ensure that fun times like these in the snow will be remembered again and again in the future when these little boys are grown men.  And that makes me happy.

As the afternoon wore on and Charlie’s daddy came home from work William and I set off back home.

 

As we made our way carefully down the footpath kids in the fields alongside us were galloping around having a great time.

We haven’t had any snow today and there’s none forecast in the short term.  That’s okay with me.  Everything in moderation is my motto.