after reading others blogs, it is difficult to know what to write!
We did have a lovely time, and I think between us talked to everyone. SB had a ball, and played with all age ranges. She was loving and kind to the littlies, and the oldies were loving and kind to her. I never heard Kennedy and Hannah’s placing for her, but think it might have been bossy…
It was much more comfortable this Melrose knowing most of the people.
Things: well, luckilly the Morrocan stew seemed to go OK, and it was all eaten up. So i think I might do that again. Perhaps with rice rather than couscous, as although the cous cous was far easier [once Alison and sorted it out from exploding out of the saucepans – it was a right PItA for sweeping up from the floor!! Good sous chefs and conversationalists in Alison and Karen for the veg chopping, and Jax was in charge of rice.
Trips:The little roman trimonutium museum in town is lovely. SB really got a lot out of it, and we were in there for some time. She particularly liked the roman game, the pictures, and getting dressed up with the clobber and sitting on the horse! Apologies to Jonathan and Jan for her inclusiveness when they were probably looking for some family time!
We went round the abbey this time, just before closing. the warden was great, and allowed SB to lock all the big doors. we talked about home-ed – which his sister is doing! It was a little bit chilly…
A hooray for leandra organising the Jed Forest outing. Yes, I know it was totally brass monkeys weather, but unless leandra really is a goddess, I can’t see how that could be avoided… SB loved being able to have the hawk land on her. She also asked some sensible questions!!!! The chicken moment was the best really. Its not often you get to really see how good they are as birds of prey! The chappie doing the demonstration was cute, and although the farmer not cute, he did talk to SB about the deer and ponies in the sheds.
We also managed to get to the swimming pool without getting lost – hooray! SB did some swimming, but mostly tried to cling onto Joanna [already laden with 2 of her own] or Jonathan, who also was dragging 2 around! BB loved the pool.
Other People: well, there were very noticeable changes in some of the children – ‘Little Chick’ who does indeed now talk, and talked to me for a bit. also Small, who in adding talking to his repertoire seems way older! Some of the older girls are definitely proto-teenagers – somewhat scary! Manny thanks to Violet for her organising SB, and allowing her to be in the play at the last minute. A born Head Prefect that girl! [maybe we should make some prefect badges for next year - give them the task of keeping the middle ones happy??] SB played with loads of different people, and had an absolute ball. Some predictable falling outs with equally strong-willed girls, but quickly resolved. i had lovely evenings of chatting, though didn’t actually drink much [shame!] with as many people as possible.
US: well, SB had a great time, playing with all sorts really. i thought all the children goit on really well. The age ranges of the people playing were fluid, and that is one of the things I erally like about home-ed. Port and Starboard seemed to be quite a favourite, and other wierd counting games involving the staircase that I never quite sorted out. I actually missed SB a lot, as in my hols i do like full-on parenting mode, but she had a riot! BB enjoyed poddlilng about. As predicted, she did have rather a thing for the saucepan lids… She did seem to play with rather than just alongside the other triplets and R, J and L. Chase was her favourit game. BB also seemed to love the disco – doing her groovy dance moves [rofl]
things I missed: well, actually the resource table to look at. Also everyone who went home early! I didn’t realise some where leaving, so never said goodbye.
Hmm, may add more to this blog later! Anyway, thankyou Merry for doing a great organisational job.
oh, and although all my photos already on flickr via Mery [as she kindly lent us her camera as I was going to suffer major withdrawal otherwise!], I will put them up again i our bit and then add them from there.
I have forbidden Fran to be showing ANY signs of teenager-ishness by next year. I will take an extremely dim view of it indeed!
Was a lovely week, i think i missed the resource table too, but i enjoyed getting to spend time with you properly. Thanks for being such a good friend. I’d say we were very alike but um… you got 16/18 in the photo contest, which quite honestly spells out the difference between us all too clearly
And thank you for the thanks – it is nice to be appreciated
Ah – the word for people between 13-19 has put me into moderation
So does that mean I’ve known you for about a year? Don’t recall having met you before last Melrose anyway. Good round up there, rather more coherent than mine
Yep Jax, seems strange to think that until Melrose last year we hadn’t met you, or any of the other Puddlers for that matter
same for us and I can’t quite believe it’s only been a year too. Mind you if you add in two Melroses, a Kessingland, a Hesfes, an Okehampton and various jaunts around the country I’ve probably spent more time living with some of you than I have with people I’ve officially lived with over the years!
Infact I might even have some sort of rights to half your belongings!
Who won the photo contest then? I haven’t heard much about that!
Helen won it by a mile – no one else got much over half marks.
Oh crumbs Nic, so long as that doesn’t mean any of us are responsible for anything of yours
More important than that, do we know who won the platypus???
yeah. kennedy did
The platypus’s name was actually Duckleberry
I do think Squagglebeak was close though 
rofl! well, I liked the name anyway.
It was lovely to meet you in the museum Helen.
Have some of you really only know each other for a year? I just imagined everyone had known each other for ages and ages. I really must make more effort to be less shy.
Some people go further back, but we don’t was said (well i’ve bumbed into some people in various places online – esp. Nic and Alison ove the years). We did have a bit of head start though on our first Melrose via the blogs which we had been writing ans reading for a few months beore the camp, so had some idea a bout people, as well as Muddlepuddle list postings. There was also a lot of metting up by some people last year. As well as the summer camp at Kessingland, some of met up at a Rentahostel gathering December, and there were other gatherings, plus individual family ‘blogbumps’ last year.
But the MP camps do seem to have become bit of gathering for a certain group of people, which I feel a little uncomfortable with for some vague reason.