A walk at Burton Mere

The tail end of half term was basically pretty much ruined by school work -

Megs was out and about with friends

Ben spent several days festering on the sofa

And I was buried in folders....

so come Saturday - when I had to pick up some logs for the Nursery Garden - 

we bounced Benjamin into a lovely walk at Burton Moss - 

the RSPB reserve on the Dee.

It's a new reserve - with a great mix of habitats and wildlife -

Al did his photography thing -

 I just enjoyed being outside in the sun - 

And Ben {in full ASD kit} moaned.

But at least he was there!

Planes, Trains and Throwing Stones {May Bank Holiday Weekend}

The weather forecast was uninspiring -

but it turned out to be rather sunny for most of the weekend.

We drove out on Friday night -

Saturday was the Llandudno Airshow

{really quite chill - sitting on the beach watching the Red Arrows display}

though Megs preferred to spend the afternoon reading in Waterstones café

{on the way back to the caravan we saw the steam train departing.}

Sunday we saw Tomorrowland at the Cineworld at the Junction -

then spent the rest of the afternoon strolling at the RSPB Reserve.

Monday was another quiet day in Llandudno -

café, chips on the beach, ice creams -

just the usual before we headed home in the evening.

Nothing big - nothing hectic -

just what we needed.

Happy Birthday Al

OK - so it's no fun having to work on your birthday - 

but at least Al got his choice of tea - Toby Carvery!

 

Oxford Earth Science Dinner

When old geology classmates Anna and Hugh suggested a meet up of the 1989 Earth Science group  to "celebrate" 25 years since our first field trip I made an excuse.

It would be in the middle of Megs AS levels - and the Sunday was the FMC Anniversary.
No - I wouldn't be attending.

Then Lee announced on Facebook that she had booked her flights from Australia - 

and my excuses were rather pathetic.

So it came to pass that we left Megs at home revising 
{and sleeping over night at Gma's}
while Al, Ben and myself went to Oxford.

When I was organizing the weekend I contacted my lovely old friend Clare -
hoping that we would be able to meet up after far too long.
When Clare texted me a couple of days before the weekend I was delighted -
and so we spent a Saturday afternoon in the University Parks - 
walking in the sun
watching the punting
{and the quidditch!}
eating ice creams
 and of course chatting with friends.

We've made plans to meet up again this summer - 

I'm never leaving it this long again.

And then there was the dinner - 

a typically Oxford affair at St Cross College.

 The last time I saw most of these people was in July 1992 when we sat finals -

or perhaps on the afternoon when we got our results -

{I remember walking down the High to the exam schools with Al and Cath to look at the boards - and then sitting outside the Kings Arms - and being told off for being too loud by students who were still studying across the road in the Bodleian} 

so it was an interesting and slightly odd evening

with lots of catching up and reminiscing.

There are photographs -

but I missed the pre-dinner drinks {parking issues on St GIles}

I left at midnight {the group shots were done quite some time after that}

and the best shot of me during dinner is of the back of my head!

BUT - there is a picture of me and Bob Spicer - 

and anyone who has heard my 

"there was no grass in the Jurassic - so why is there grass in this dinosaur movie" rant

knows that his palaeobotany lectures must have made an impact with me!

And finally - the 1992 Finalists -

Happy Birthday Jude! {King Lear at the Lowry}

Originally this was a theatre trip for me, Al and Megs -

but she dumped us in favour of a book signing with Carrie Hope Fletcher

at Manchester Central Library

so we turned the day into a birthday trip for Judianne.

The Northern Broadsides production of King Lear was paired back and beautifully clear -

I've never understood the relationships so well.

Barrie Rutter as Lear - just so very human.

Loved it {though not the cripplingly uncomfortable high seats in the Quays gallery}

Afterwards we ate at Bella Italia -

then walked over to the Blue Peter garden at Media City for a spot of nostalgia.



Early May Bank Holiday - 2015

 

Sunday and Monday at the caravan

A Masquerade Ball (with added Strictly)

Jude invited us to the Rotary Masquerade Ball -

{ and while my 14 year old self was aghast at the thought-

we couldn't pass up seeing our favourite Strictly Come Dancing Pro Kevin Clifton }

It was a beautiful evening at the stadium - with lots of friends from church also in attendance

  

 

After a somewhat dramatic fainting incident by Megan

{it's been years since she did that - lesson about drinking enough water}

we sat in the reception area when Kevin and his lovely sister Joanne

 emerged from the green room.

They spoke kindly to Megs - who had recovered enough to watch them dance.

Of course - Kevin and Joanne don't usually dance together -

but Kevin's partner and fiance Karen was stuck out of the country with a visa issue.

Karen is an amazing dancer - and it was a shame we couldn't see her -

but we fell in love with Joanne last year on SCD -

and she was just  lovely in person.

And Kevin? Just as adorably geeky in real lie as on TV.

The dancing was definitely

 FAB U LOUS!

Blogger doesn't want to accept my HTML for embedding the little bits of video I took -

so link to my youtube here.