Turn on the dark

December Nov« »2008

We go to Lapland! It was fantastic. We met Santa, to quote David as he met Santa, That's my letter!. We also met all his Elves and had a sneaky look at their work place/home. We had a Husky sledge ride, a reindeer sliegh ride, used snow shoes, tandem skies, David did a splendid job lassoing a reindeer (just the antlers) plus many other Xmas delights.

And the work starts on preparing for that all too brief festive period. Unfortunately the wind and rain are back so maybe thoughts of a white Christmas are overly hopeful! More like floods than snow drifts.

November previous« »next

And it gets cold; even down to minus temperatures! Our local fireworks were very good. Our local hedgehog makes another appearance. The little animal regular turns up at our bird table and triggers the security light.

And it gets really cold! Is this a prelude to a white winter?

October »Nov.

And we start the count down to half term and a break. The dark dreary nights are closing in on us all here. The little ones look forward to fireworks and halloween.

We were so happy to reach half term and a short break to some warmer climbs with Grandma and Grandad. Claire even paddled in the sea but preferred sunbathing to dipping in the pool. Each to his/her own I say.

One of David's friends joined us for our halloween trip to a local hostelry for food and fun! They both happily delved in the body innards for a prize.

SeptemberAug« »Oct

School does of course bring hot sunny weather - well this is Britain. And the rain comes back. David found a large frog in our pond (it is a plastic washing up bowl in the ground. I am back on my bike getting into work and my dad's old racer loses it's pedals again so back on the heavy old mountain bike. I think a new one may be needed to get me through the winter rains and wind. The weather remains a lottery with frosts, some rain and pleasant sunshine.

The in-laws come up to visit and we all enjoy a party for the young ones. And the pink slide - wow! It is big especially when you are only six but he being waiting for weeks so down he went - scary!

AugustJul« »Sep

This summer has really been abnormal. Personally we have not had to get the humidifier out. In the garden the vegetable patch looks over grown with radishes but where are the onions, the carrots, the lettuce? The field behind us has an extra pond rather than one slightly damp depression. And the gazebo frame has been put up but very rarely has been a day to make it worth adding its canvas.

Early the other two are enjoying not going to school and I get to sleep past 6:30am some days. And we get to go away. And come back. And get ready for school yet again. I try some walking to work for a change and see some rare sights. Over the five weeks I saw a fox, a pensioner breakfasting in his front garden and a couple dancing in the lounge cheek to cheek! I find walking is so much more enriching than a car drive and even cycling, my normal mode of transport.

JulyJun« »Aug

And the school year slowly comes to a close. Will it ever stop raining? It is not a warm summer either. No flood around here though other parts of the country aren't so lucky. We make little progress on our garden chores.

We make more trips down south, well midlands actually.

JuneMay« »July

This is a black month as again we loose a loved one, bye Vic. We all miss you. Cannot remember much else to be honest.

Weatherwise we get rain, rain and yet more rain. We did get out in time to plant some vegetables and we have picked some raspberries - sweet!

David has started learning how to spell words and can write out his full name, middle names included. Claire is off to the Oscars at school. We do not know what for yet but have dusted off my best suit for the occasion.

MayApr« »June

So we move into the hot season! No, we don't, it goes cold. At times it is worse than winter with day time temperatures down at 8°C and Siberian winds. We have built a raised vegetable bed but we are yet to get out there and plant anything. I have put some raspberries in though, and the apple and plum trees are looking good; maybe we will get some fruit this year or the birds will.

And great news for us is the occupation of our bird box by a family of blue tits. They are noisy at present as the little ones near flying their nest. Currently wood pigeons are hogging the bird table but the little ones do get a look in and have their own feeder to themselves.

David's reading is coming on as he nears the end of this school year. Claire is off to France with her school. This is not as scary as accompanying her on a shopping trip, clothes were bought.

Meet Plank

Come the Bank Holiday and we trekked off to Morecambe to enjoy a day pottering on the sands and in the beach pools with the crabs. Earlier Claire assisted me in starting the decoration of her bedroom. She has gone for a three colour scheme of China blue, a light lilac border and a vivid pink at the bottom.

AprilMar« »May

I went out the other night to see what the noise was. Sometimes the local kids get a bit boisterous with local duck population but no. It was just the ducks doing what they do in spring time on our front lawn. And we have also had the close crowded with visitors to the pond; presumably some local nature lovers. They came equipped with torches. I guess they were interested in the newts.

Update April 2007:

Wild Mutt

And now we are into Ben10. He can turn into ten alien life forms to stop evildoers. Wild mutt, here, is more animal than humanoid. He has great athletic strength and heightened sense of smell, hearing and taste. Are you keeping up?

MarchFeb« »April

And we get British summer time and a brief few days of near warmth! Certainly enough to get people around here smiling. Signs of spring are here. We have seen a newt and frogs have been around for a while. E has found frog spawn in the local pond. I found the swans too; they have moved down to the canal away from the pond on the green (this is a new estate so banish all thoughts of a quaint English village green, think more tarmac pathways, concrete decorations with some trees and grass to lighten the scene). And I have mowed the grass for the first time this year!

All here are grateful of the Easter break and look forward to a few family days out and the odd lie in so we can recover from the lost hour that children take a while to come to terms with.

Favourite toys come and go. Power Rangers have fallen from David's grace and been replaced by Ben10, a young boy that turns into alien life forms to combat evil. His parents struggle to keep up with all the new characters and plot lines.

Leaf canopy over bed

We have had a lot of cars visiting our road since an article in a local paper about Tesco building an green supermarket around here. If they are looking for that site they have the wrong spot as the old brickworks are nearer the canal. Or it could be because the English Partnership have put up a sign up near us: "Reserved for future for development" - so we can look forward to building soon. We are asking how soon? We expected it when we bought our house and we had inquired about the land behind us. Their website is, as I write, quiet on the possibility.

FebruaryJan« »Mar

So any snow this month? No. This disappoints the youngsters. Weatherwise we get yet more wind and rain. We have managed to enjoy a couple of coastal walks. First we pottered along the front at St.Annes and then went further up to see the coastal erosion in Morecambe Bay. David found some lovely starfish stuck in little pools; unfortunately muddy water prevented Claire getting any clear photos. She did get some lovely ones of beach though.

It is incredible how noisy the ducks are at night. The signets on the main pond seem to have flown off but one swan remains. I have woken numerous times in the middle of the dark hours to hear duck quacking and sheep bleating into the cold night air. Clearly they do not benefit from double glazing but their sounds do penetrate it!

January2006« »Feb

They call the wind Mariah! Well not around here I can tell you. A few more explicit phrases are in order. Serious injury and death around the country. More locally fence panels down and the bird table hits the grass side on. Go away wind!

And then it goes cold. We have started our spring cleaning with Claire up first. Sheep are in the back field and bleating at night but on the whole quieter than the cows. The lambs are well cute.

And as the month draws to an end we get the cold winter nights and the early day frosts. My old bike plays up and the pedals refuse to go around so the icy roads are the least of my problems getting to work.

Food glorious food!

There has been a recent interest in the skills of various family members at cooking Yorkshires. Fine examples are made the traditional way, no packet mixes used here. Myself, Claire and mainly E have demonstrated their talents to some aplomb.

Sheep come into the garden