T-Bird Anni Rides Again

Saturday

 Had a lovely journey over the Welsh mountains, stopped at a lovely tea shop on the A5 just outside Betws-y-coed, and arrived seconds after the Manor Borns.  After a lengthy safari (and amidst much nervousness about my sump/exhaust/front bumpers…) we found a spot big enough for at least 3 of us, with the plan to offer our spare sleeping pod to 4th family and to relocate the next day after all the weekenders had left.  There were a few fraught moments when I discovered that you really do need longer pegs in sand, and to hammer them in, but finally we were sorted.  The Goddards arrived next and their dainty (by comparison to the 2 ridiculously big tents owned by The Manor borns and me) tent went up no trouble.  There’s a lesson there I think….. (it’s either get a more reasonably sized tent, only go on very boring but perfectly flat campsites or invest in lots of very long pegs….)   The Babs arrived, and finally got one of us to notice (oops, really should keep phone in earshot!) and our company was complete.  There was sunshine and showers, the children all dissappeared into the dunes, and we even indulged in a small-ish fire in the evening and all in all it was a reasonable start to the holiday really.

Sunday

Or was it Saturday night?  Don’t think I looked at the clock.  We had just a little bit of rain and a stiff breeze and I woke up realising that I’d not put the longer storm guys out or checked that the normal guys were okay so lept out of bed and attended to that, I was soaked before I’d even got the first one done.  Ho hum.

Anyway, it was lovely again by morning and we had a pleasant time toasting gently in the sunshine and occaisionally waving at children on the horizon.  I’m sure sometimes we were waving at our own and not just random children…..  Scouts were sent out to find a bigger pitch in the afternoon and I’m going to let Nic blog that so as to maintain the neutrality and impartiality required of member of the Red Cross.  Suffice to say there was a compromise reached eventually and 3 of the 4 tents were successfully pitched up on the next area down to where we had been the day before.  Then we started to unpeg mine…. remember my tent is huge and parachute shaped?  Just as we got past teh point of no return a gentle breeze whipped up, and then there was some light rain, but we carried on (well, we had to really!) The breeze got a teeny bit stronger and the rain a teeny bit wetter (and I’m in denial about it being any worse that that okay?) and we walked it to the new pitch and wrastled it into position.  Aparently my tent doesn’t like being walked, and tried to collapse itself which made getting it pitched a little more eventful than I would have liked.   I was, aparently, getting a little testy at this point.  Then my trousers started heading south and the whole world knew what was written on my undies.  Oh how we laughed……   Eventually it was (sort of) up and everyone ran away except Michelle who fed me wine before running away…..  Obviously the weather cleared up not long after that.

Monday

There was a bit more weather over night which made me glad that I had done that obsessive guy rope checking and tent peg bashing thing before bed.  Some of us ambled over to the rocky end of the "island" for shell collecting and Duke phoned to sort out arrival times etc adn to day that Curly the guinea pig had died. Sun shone I think, but not as much as it did on Sunday.   Duke arrived fairly late on and there was a campfire in the evening.  Marshmallows were toasted, smores were made, children were lightly scorched and marinated with wine.  Gotta love camping!

Tuesday

We went to CAT.  It’s very good, better than I remember it being last time we went.  I bought a fire lighting steel so I could be as cool as Nic.  There was a bit of tomfoolery with cars when we got back, first Ady needed to be rescued by the nice chap in the corner, then The Babs decided that that looked like fun and tried to get stuck too but really didn’t put the required effort into it and thus didn’t require Ray Mears to rescue her, just us pushing and a few well aimed swear words.  There was another fire, lit without the aid of a match, but we did have to use a fire lighter due to a lack of proper dry kindling etc.  There is something rather satisfying about making all those sparks!  We did establish that holly roots aren’t too useful on campfires though, all glow and no flame, we shall do better next time (or nip over to the camp shop and buy a bag of logs!)

Wednesday

 We headed home   Somehow packing up at the end is always a longer process than it should be.  And somehow it seemed to take up twice the space it should do.  But, as we had 2 cars, taht was okay.  Duke and Aprilia headed off to the slate mine whilst I headed straight home so I could get showered before Rainbows.  They had a great time.  I had a great time with the Rainbows but could have happily beated some of teh parents to a pulp.  I mean, how hard is it to LET ME KNOW if your darling isn’t going to be going to the outing next week?  They have all known about this for weeks and yet non of them have had the decency to let me know that they won’t be going.  Last year 1 girl came and I swore I wouldn’t do any more outings, but thought I would give it one more go but with a note saying that I would need to know in advance so I could provide party bits as it is the leaving party for 2 girls.  Neither of the leavers is coming.  So that’s saved the unit 2 "Leaving Rainbows" gifts anyway.  I do hate the attitude that most of the parents have.  They really do treat me like something they scraped off their bloody shoe.

Today

I’ve washed.  I’ve even managed to wash child.  I’ve still got the tent in the car though cos I need to put everything else away before I can face getting the rest out of the car.  

I was sorry to come home early but really, Aprilia was getting to the worn out stage.  She has wilted fairly dramatically today.  Tomorrow she goes to mum and dad’s as Duke and I are doing 2 days at Wombwell this weekend so really Wednesday was as good a day as any to come home.  Duke is planning when we can go back again….