We live in a rather sleepy little village. We have one little shop, with a post office. That's all. Not much happens here.
On Tuesday morning, at about 7.45am, I was sitting in the lounge when Joshua said
"Look, Mum! There's a hot air balloon!"
....JUST ABOVE THE NEIGHBOURS ROOF!
Now, I did mention we live in a village, right? Not in a field. Not even beside a field.
And the hot air balloon was descending....quite rapidly.
We do have a playing field at the end of the close, but I wasn't sure if it would make it!
We ran outside the front of the house to have a look. (aherm, in our pajamas......) Not just us, but a lot of the neighbours had spotted it too! (do we ALL spend our morning moments gazing out the window?!??)
The boys ran upstairs and woke the girls up to tell them (not the best way to be awoken in the morning, we found.....). I told them we could go and see where it was landing. The boys ran off IN THEIR PAJAMAS, and us ladies went to get dressed. Not very quickly. (You can guess which daughter went on the dilly-dally side of things) Elijah got thrown on my back, in the carrier, and off we went.
You could tell we didn't get dressed quickly, because when we got to the field at the other side of the road, at the other side of the playing field, this is what we saw....
Yep, no balloon! Deflated, and in the process of being folded up!
There was quite an assortment of people that had gone to have a look. As I say - small sleepy village....not a lot happens.
Interesting start to the morning, no less! Family jog.....
Then, the next afternoon, we went on a charity shop browse. I don't do it often, with 6 children in tow - not my favourite past-time.
When we were coming out of one, we noticed there was a new wool shop open. And, the children spotted a spinning wheel inside!
The lady kindly gave the children a demonstration, and answered their barrage of questions! It was a rather therapeutic experience, watching the wheel spin around, and a task that was probably quite tricky, made to look quite easy! She was spinning a yarn made from camel hair, and something else which escapes my mind, but it wasn't sheep's wool. I'm thinking rabbit or something else unusual.
She also dyes her yarns with natural colourings, and they are very beautiful, but rather expensive. I had to tell Bethany that we COULDN'T buy them for her to use for finger knitting.....spoil sport of a mother, I am......
Thursday's excitement involved a trip to the Safari Park at Woburn. Woburn is a large estate, belonging to the Duke of Bedord. Here is a little more information about the estate.
I haven't been to the Safari Park for years. So many years, that Joshua can't remember going, and he remembers ANYTHING animal related! I was reliably informed by my sister that she took me when I just had Joshua as a baby, along with our friend and her daughter (do you remember, Joanne?......). I may have been once since then - if you look at the prices you will see why we haven't been more! This time, the visit was paid by Tesco - thank you very much!
We had a lovely day. Elijah sat on my knee for the safari circuit - I didn't want him to miss out sitting away in the back in his car seat!
We saw lots of different animals - some closer than others. Joshua was my designated photographer, owing to the fact that you can't drive AND take photos (ESPECIALLY with a 1 year already on your knee......*whistles*.....). He did a good job, especially as they are all through glass (needless to say....with wild animals roaming around just the other side of the glass... and I mean JUST the other side, at points....like the moment when we had a bear lying down on the road, so we couldn't pass...and he got up - EVENTUALLY - and walked RIGHT PAST the window....eek.....had thought about bibbing the horn to get him to move, then decided that wasn't a good plan......moving swiftly on.....lol)
On Tuesday morning, at about 7.45am, I was sitting in the lounge when Joshua said
"Look, Mum! There's a hot air balloon!"
Sure enough, so there was....
Floating high up in the morning sky?
....JUST ABOVE THE NEIGHBOURS ROOF!
Now, I did mention we live in a village, right? Not in a field. Not even beside a field.
And the hot air balloon was descending....quite rapidly.
We do have a playing field at the end of the close, but I wasn't sure if it would make it!
We ran outside the front of the house to have a look. (aherm, in our pajamas......) Not just us, but a lot of the neighbours had spotted it too! (do we ALL spend our morning moments gazing out the window?!??)
The boys ran upstairs and woke the girls up to tell them (not the best way to be awoken in the morning, we found.....). I told them we could go and see where it was landing. The boys ran off IN THEIR PAJAMAS, and us ladies went to get dressed. Not very quickly. (You can guess which daughter went on the dilly-dally side of things) Elijah got thrown on my back, in the carrier, and off we went.
You could tell we didn't get dressed quickly, because when we got to the field at the other side of the road, at the other side of the playing field, this is what we saw....
Yep, no balloon! Deflated, and in the process of being folded up!
There was quite an assortment of people that had gone to have a look. As I say - small sleepy village....not a lot happens.
Interesting start to the morning, no less! Family jog.....
Then, the next afternoon, we went on a charity shop browse. I don't do it often, with 6 children in tow - not my favourite past-time.
When we were coming out of one, we noticed there was a new wool shop open. And, the children spotted a spinning wheel inside!
The lady kindly gave the children a demonstration, and answered their barrage of questions! It was a rather therapeutic experience, watching the wheel spin around, and a task that was probably quite tricky, made to look quite easy! She was spinning a yarn made from camel hair, and something else which escapes my mind, but it wasn't sheep's wool. I'm thinking rabbit or something else unusual.
She also dyes her yarns with natural colourings, and they are very beautiful, but rather expensive. I had to tell Bethany that we COULDN'T buy them for her to use for finger knitting.....spoil sport of a mother, I am......
Thursday's excitement involved a trip to the Safari Park at Woburn. Woburn is a large estate, belonging to the Duke of Bedord. Here is a little more information about the estate.
I haven't been to the Safari Park for years. So many years, that Joshua can't remember going, and he remembers ANYTHING animal related! I was reliably informed by my sister that she took me when I just had Joshua as a baby, along with our friend and her daughter (do you remember, Joanne?......). I may have been once since then - if you look at the prices you will see why we haven't been more! This time, the visit was paid by Tesco - thank you very much!
We had a lovely day. Elijah sat on my knee for the safari circuit - I didn't want him to miss out sitting away in the back in his car seat!
(whoops, bad double chin moment....just keep looking at the cute one!)
We saw lots of different animals - some closer than others. Joshua was my designated photographer, owing to the fact that you can't drive AND take photos (ESPECIALLY with a 1 year already on your knee......*whistles*.....). He did a good job, especially as they are all through glass (needless to say....with wild animals roaming around just the other side of the glass... and I mean JUST the other side, at points....like the moment when we had a bear lying down on the road, so we couldn't pass...and he got up - EVENTUALLY - and walked RIGHT PAST the window....eek.....had thought about bibbing the horn to get him to move, then decided that wasn't a good plan......moving swiftly on.....lol)
Asian elephant....
some kind of cow (what do you think, Anne....anything like the ones you have?......)
an american black bear (having lunch....lu-ver-ly)
a lion....erm...the wild sort....
a giraffe, or two, or three or....actually, loads of giraffes! all looking at us like WE were the ones to be observed!
a cheeky monkey....oh, sorry, Elijah standing up and looking at the others whilst I tried to drive.....
an ACTUAL monkey, of some variety, which climbed onto the top of a coach, and thankfully not OUR car (husband - paintwork - protect - all spring to mind)
zebra (that's with an *eh*, not an *ee* folks.....)
very gorgeous macaw (one of his buddy's was whistling "how much is that doggy in the window" in his cage....very clever!)
a wallaby....and no offence to anyone who loves these, but they looked like huge, hopping rats....*shudders*
There were many more creatures, but too many to include here, and also the ones we didn't get pictures of because BOTH my batteries (the one in it, and the spare) died....oops....
My favourites were the sea lions - amazing what they could do - the way the slipped in and out of the water, jumping (leaping?....gliding?....soaring???....not sure of the correct terminology?), virtually noiselessly. All the tricks they could do - truly amazing.
My one concern?.... that my poor, home-schooled, socially inept children had so many questions and queries for the daft woman who merrily said after her bird of prey display... "Anyone with questions, just come and see me after the display". Boy, she had no idea what she was letting herself in for when MY children came along! *grin*
Full week - but a lot of fun.
Next week?....getting ready for Holiday Bible Club the first week in August - just over a week to go! YAY!
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
Romans 1:20
What a busy week! I'm not going to show this post to my kids or they'll really think they're deprived!
ReplyDeleteAs for the cow... Wow! That's some set of horns. I definitely wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of that one!
Love the spinning... I can imagine it was therapeutic ... pity kids keep coming with their questions even when silence *would* be golden ;)
Wonderful times :)
Errr first of all, August is a week away??!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun week, love the way you all ran out in PJ's! Safari looked good :)
Hey, my dad has got cows just like those, well they don't have those giant horns, and they don't have a funny back either....
Love Dawn x
Anne - normally we don't go out much at ALL! I'm a home girl, and with 6 children, it's quite a task. I may post about our trip to London, but I took Robert for THAT one - train, tube, buses...that needed an extra pair of hands! lol
ReplyDeleteDawn - yes, it is nearly August! Time passes rather quickly these days.
Sounds like a fun week - taking my children to a safari park is on my list of things I would love to do (well actually just taking me would be fine haha) not been for years!
ReplyDelete