we got to Melrose on the sunday and fell in to saying hello to old friends. BB def melrose ready, as soon disappeared for long spells playing. bit odd having my ‘baby’ so easily independent!

on monday, chris and i quickly whipped up some birthday cakes with a little help from friends, and then with lots of kiddie help, iced the cakes and also lots of digestive biscuits. i think a lot may have been eaten at that point! it was certainly difficult to keep up with new icing requests. beautiful artistry. we then had an hour of party games before a true party tea - just crisps, cake and biscuits!! SB got some pressies from us, and very generously from friends there as well. She was very happy with absolutely everything [especially since i said she wouldn't get any!]. She said it was a perfect party - awww.

She also had a knitting lesson from jax, and did lots of playing, ds-ing and had her hair crinkled. tBH, this melrose is one where i have far more photos of adults!!

early nights for all, as i was very very migrainous.

next day we upped and breakfasted [and i took bucketfuls of tablets and my new nasal things which seemed no better]. The Babs texted an ETA so we went to Hadrians wall whilst waiting - a rather bracing walk given the windiness! the children did scampering, katy and i chatted ans handed out restorative chocs as we walked back. Obviously we were out of signal, as the Babs had already got to vindolanda [and lost husband en route] so we quickly piled there.

gloriously sunny so we all said hello, children again joyous and enthusiastic to see each other, and a packed lunch eaten. As soon as we paid and got in it tipped it down! so we looked at the covered courtyard and watched the introductory video whilst rain settled.

children scampered about - and since it was muddy itwas not a positive experience for all… lots of pointing out and imagining. the hypocaust for the baths and the mock fort towers were ‘the best’ and also the recreated rooms. SB had a very thorough look at the museum with Beth and then me, and we saw the tiny ‘postcards’.

copybooks blotted by some raucous child behaviour from SB amongst others engendering a telling off from one of the staff. [and then SB got a very full telling off from me too, so was crying and sulking - great]

off to melrose, noticed our front number plate had half fallen of so fixed that. then after about 20 mins stopped for a weird tapping noise on roof - the camera!!!

otherwise a very straightforward drive to melrose . both girls disappeared with friends v quickly.

to be continued…

camping at wicksteed park fri and sat nights with fri spent at the park - perhaps??

Will blg about melrose and pre-melrose, as we have had a fab time with great company! SB has turned 7 and chris 45, and i have receivd an ‘excellence’ award at work - which does have a monetary tag attached!

Finish off with whipped cream

anyway, when i was coming home , i thought my lights weren’t right. i pulled over in a carpark and they seemed on - i am a bit paranoid about light, so thought me being silly. however, when i drove on, to a desolate country lane, i thought i was right, but on all the lights, saw weird things happen to the dash. just as i entered the village i decided lights were getting too dim, so looked for somewhere to pull over, at that point everything dramatically dies.

chris not too far away, so ring him and he pushes us home. meanwhile SB, who hasn’t been asleep realises she is home alone…

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

SB had a great time at my mum and dads, they went to whipsnade, cousin M stayed over too as his half term. they went to see danny champion ofthe world - which she loved. one happy girl.

oh, and we are enjoying watching damages here . i have linked but not read - don’t want to lose that tension

we made pastry and jam tarts. air drying clay, plasticine, duplo, cuddled, read books, wathced tv.

yummy day. oh, and i made nice feta cheese, leek and artichoke flans.