Chester Parade

Yesterday it was the Scouts County Parade in Chester - a hot, hot afternoon for marching - but at least that was better than the drenching on St Georges Day. M took part in the service as an 'olympic' athlete, B did astonishingly well at marching, standing and sitting relatively still, and A - well A survived.... Marching Beavers....

...and Cubs

In the Chester sunshine

M and C after their 'star' roles as 'Olympic Athletes'

B - just because he is gorgeous!

Sunset Cottages - Whit Holiday Part One

So - having been told off by my little brother for being a BAD blogger - I am starting to upload pictures of our Whit holiday to Yorkshire. I love these smiley shots - taken in the Minster Gardens in York. A and I used to go to York every year - and the gardens have always been our favourite place for a picnic. It's so quiet -only around the corner from busy streets and shops - but feels like the countryside - and of course just so green.

Evening stroll down the lane to Gillings East.

Black Watch

Friday night was theatre night - we went to see Black Watch at the Lowry (actually in the Pie Factory - a film studio just round the corner from the Lowry) - and it was just amazing. Seriously - one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen. The story of a group of Black Watch soliders in Iraq - based on real life interviews - the combination of drama, music and movement was stunning. Not for the faint hearted - virtually every sentence was punctuated by a swear word and the mortar explosions literaelly shook the room - but the end result was left me speechless.

Bank Holiday Weekend

We had a fab Bank Holiday Weekend (appart from the little trip to A&E to get B's thumb x-rayed after he shut the car door on it - it wasn't broken mind - he's a toughie)

Saturday we went to Southport - A had a morning bird watching and I took the kids out along the pier to play on the old slot machines - great fun!

And then on the Monday we popped out to Maes Dollau to see A,S and the girls - it was a gorgeous sunny day - and the children spent hours together out on the field.

Busy Boy

B spent yesterday on a school trip to Underwater Street (at the Pier Head Liverpool) - and had the most fantastic time! The variety of activities was just excellent - he was one busy boy!

Wet wet wet

Not that it was wet at the start of the St Georges Day Parade when I took these photos mind - but by half way round the heavens opened. At first it wasn't too bad - but by the bottom of Farnworth Street it was like a monsoon! As we marched past Auntie Jude's house in the torrential rain I would have loved to take some pictures to remember just HOW wet it was - but there was no way I was using A's camera in those conditions LOL!

Fortunatly we have the most wonderful, organised Akela in Kay - so our scout group was all kitted out in matching green waterproofs - but most of the children were drenched - and I imagine there were lots of unhappy parent to deal with later on...

Ben on his first (and hopefully wettest) St Georges Day Parade - his refrain all afternoon was "my legs are very tired - it's a long way!"

Megan and Charlotte looking very grown up this year.

Flights of Fancy

Time for some catch-up entries, the last few days have been somewhat busy!
Saturday evening there was a family fun night at FMC. Seeing as it was to raise moneyfor the NorthWest Air Ambulance we gave it a flight theme - with fairy cakes to decorate, a flight quiz and the highlight - a paper areoplane competition.
Neither M or B won (though they both did better than Gpa whose areolane manged to go a negative distance TWICE!) - but we had loads of fun