Half Term Week

We had half-term last week, and so regularly scheduled programming went out the window. We got to do all kinds of fun things, and the weather stayed fine until the end of the week, so that was great.

Mon: Tropical World near Leeds with some friends and 2 out of their 4 children.

Tues: Up to Newcastle to help my Auntie move some furniture out of her house she is leaving. Furniture to be donated to incoming work colleague of GardenBoy - hooray!

Wed: Failed attempts to get more trugs (they only had them in violent pink!) and sand for GardenKids' sandpit. Very frustrating for all involved.

Thurs: Day out with friends in York, including a trip to the National Railway Museum which the kids loved, but is one place that I really don't need to ever go to again... We did hit the Museum Gardens afterwards and let them play in the sun. Totally over-dressed we allowed them to strip off their tops and run around like urchins. Luckily one clever mum (not me) had brought suncream...

Fri: I know it was only a few days ago, but I really can't remember what we did. Suggests it was not much. I suspect we played in the garden. Biggest has become chief aphid hunter and has been making sure our roses stay clear as much as possible. I am keeping them off the sugar-snaps which we can't spray because they are going to be eaten!

Sat: Biggest was going 'camping' with the Beaver Scouts. I say 'camping' because they stay in dorms because they are too little to be let loose in tents. They get to do that when they are Cubs, from age 8. One of his buddies was dropped off here and I took the two of them, plus Middley off to the campsite in the North York Moors. Littlest was being babysat by two of his favourite people, and was totally happy. Middley was really disappointed he didn't get to go camping, so we after we 'got rid of the kids' (his words!) we went off for ice-cream, just him and me. We fed the ducks and ate cheese straws... He got to be an Only Child for a few hours, which I think he really enjoyed.

It poured over-night that night, soaking the laundry I had foolishly left on the line. I had come down with an icky tummy that evening and couldn't drag myself out of bed to pull them in. 'They'll be ok' I thought to myself. Famous last words. They finally dried by Mon eve, and I got them in, which was lucky because it poured again last night, and is still pouring.

Still, Monday was a dry day, and I got my potatoes earthed up since they were getting very tall and have even started getting buds on them! The sugar snaps are about up to my waist, but no flower buds yet. Looking very happy and lush though. Garden Boy got his Passion Flowers in the ground which made him happy. They have been waiting to be dug in for about 2 weeks, but we have been lacking compost. So now they're done.

When the rain stops (!) I will take pictures for you to see the garden.

But here's one of Biggest's Beaver uniform, with the TEN new badges he has got! All the yellow ones are new. He's so proud. And I have sore fingers from sewing them all on!