Visitations.

Day trips in this house are like buses, it seems. We don't go anywhere for weeks and then are out all day for two days in a row!!
Yesterday we visited HE friends who live a fair way away, making it necessary for it to be a day trip rather than just a pop round to see them. The weather was set to be freezing cold and not conducive to outdoor activities, so we were set to spend the day indoors with 6 children from 3 to 13! After an initial time of chaos, with much noise and running around, they all settled down and 'paired off' involved in various activities.
William was VERY happily playing with my friends daughter, aged 6, with a wooden train and car track and consequently only saw him when refreshments were required!!!! Bliss.
As for the weather? It snowed pretty much the whole time we were there, but it did not settle. A lovely day for all and I now have the addition of raspberry jam to our store cupboard!!! Yummy!
And today we ventured off to Birmingham to the Sea Life Centre as part of an organised visit by our local HE group. It was the first time we had met any of them as we rarely make it to any of the meets there, and most trips are not necessarily our 'thing'.
It was quite a long trip there, as Rob took us the 'pretty way' through the town centre!!! We had left in plenty of time and still arrived half an hour early! The journey was slower that way , easier to make wee stops and certainly more interesting!!!! There were so many fruit and veg shops with produce in plastic bowls out on tables in the streets. There were lots of people on bicycles, and so many sari shops. The models were usually without heads, and very tall and elegant, yet all the ladies we saw walking around were only small. So obviously they have the same issues in their culture as we do in ours!! Although I guess it easier to find a sari to fit, or adjust one if you are not the prerequisite size!
It was quite strange for us to drive through such a built up and busy area, in comparison to our little village. I guess for other people who live in small towns, it isn't so much of a culture shock! And even Tom, and Rob who have recently spent a fair amount of time in Northampton, probably didn't see it the same way as I, and possibly Jonathan, did. I love looking at the buildings though. The mixture of old and new together. The architecture always interests me. I love old buildings, and although I know very little about which era they were built, it doesn't stop me from wondering what life was like for the people who lived there when they were new.
I felt the same when we visited our friends yesterday, as they live in a 1930's house with lots of the original features in tact. Really lovely. It made me reminiscent of our little victorian terrace we left behind 3 years ago. I loved the fact that it was so old and that many families had lived there before, even babies born there before William. I feel sad that the thing that attracted us to that house in the first place, and what we loved about it most was now lost.
I think that is what I would like most, to return to a house that has history, character and as many original features as possible! Somewhere my beloved Rayburn would fit in!
Anyway, back to today's trip.
We all enjoyed it. We all had our own favourite bits, and as always, mine is the rays...

David loves the sharks best.





I'm not sure what he's so cross about.


This little fella was a real cutey pie! He kept picking up small pebbles with his hands and waving them around!



Will's favourite was the turtles. He said they looked like they were flying!!


And these guys were just enormous. Two rescued sea turtles. The smaller of the two weighed 30 stone!!!!


And this reminded me of David's new lampshade!

A wonderful couple of days, all be it a bit tiring....ok, so I'm knackered!!! But I came home to a little package of wool containing the ball I need to finish Jon's balaclava. I must get it finished tonight!!!