just another morning here

We’ve had a busy old weekend – though with plenty of nice things in it. Saturday morning was orchestra as usual – busy, with new kids starting and lots to do; all good though I really don’t want to give it up, though just not sure I have time to do it justice. Dithering!

On Saturday afternoon, Josiah went off to evensong, and I took the girls out to Creative Stitches. They were incredibly lucky that I’d just been paid and was feeling in need of retail therapy! We had a nice time – it wasn’t as expensive as it could have been, either. They both came home and got on with their new arty stuff while I cooked dinner – my favourite Cottage Pie … comfort food! Steve came first in his class at the new hillclimb at Manor Farm so he came home in a good mood too.

Today I was up early to take Joe to his morning services – then came home and worked (huge ironing pile plus school work) while the girls did more arty bits and bobs. After picking Josiah up we rushed off to Charmouth to watch the hillclimb – it’s the last race of the season and the first time we’ve managed to go and spectate! The venue brought back happy (and some not-so-happy!) memories of Hesfes, and actually it was a good hillclimb venue too – not too steep, and not a long hike from the paddock to the spectating area! Not as much fun to watch as Wiscombe though, although Steve said it felt fun to drive. (nb turn speakers off before watching video otherwise Abbie’s annoying cheering voice will grate somewhat – I did tell her not to do it but she thought I was joking, apparently )

Anyway, after the race we stood around chatting for a while, then went down to the town for a cache, then to the beach for an earthcache where we had to find fossils, something the kids love doing. Steve found a whole ammonite which looks like we could polish it up – so have been googling that this evening – anyone know anything about that?

Now home and trying to fit too much ‘finishing off’ into one evening – there’s ironing to finish, school work to finish (all four of us schoolies have some!), not to mention a shopping list that needs making and other general tidying up …

This post will may or may not get added to at some point … suffice to say at the point at which I wondered ‘whose stupid idea was this anyway’, I remembered that it was mine, ha. There were some highlights and we did have fun, but on balance I’m glad to be home and wish I hadn’t squandered quite so much of half term as it feels like a lot of catching up to do now!

Ok, here’s the proper post. For the past few years, Steve has gone to see the Rally GB in Wales with Mr Portico. When I realised that the rally fell on the first weekend of half term this year, I decided that it would be a great idea for us all to go (hoping that the Portico family might fancy it as well), so booked a campsite in the general area for that weekend and a few days afterwards. As it turned out, we were left to go it alone, even though we did spend a very lovely afternoon with the Portico one and all on the Sunday.

The rally was fun … well it would have been fun if it hadn’t been so wet … well, it was still fun, just very wet as well. Lots of driving and walking between stages, and so much mud. I probably would go again, but I’m not sure I’d get the kids there again without much kicking and screaming! We enjoyed Sunday morning’s stage the most – mainly because it was dry, at Walters Arena you could see so much more of each car – *and* we had an hour extra to play with due to the clocks going back! Forgot the big camera (doh) so not many photos since the iphone isn’t known for its photographic abilities.

After the rally on Sunday we had the pleasure of catching up with friends on Southerndown Beach. They humoured me and not only did we work together to find info needed for an earthcache there, we also did two more real caches. I think the last one they only took me to so that they could laugh at me getting my feet wet on the stepping stones across the river to find it, but it was fun.

Had a lovely meal at the Watermill in Ogmore afterwards, before saying goodbye and going our separate ways.

After that we had three more days to fill, which, I think, was probably too much given that we didn’t have any plans. The Hymer was fine, but not the most spacious of vehicles for 5 people really. Luckily it was relatively dry for those three days and the children spent a lot of time at the campsite’s trampoline, inventing games which they played for hours.

We also walked along the coast from Llantwit Major to St. Donat’s (yes, another earthcache) and had icecreams despite the drizzle. Actually this was good, and I do enjoy earthcaches as they give you things to look for and learn about along the way – I wouldn’t even have noticed half of it otherwise!

We ambled round the shopping centre in Bridgend, went to the cinema and watched Up in 3D (fun but I could have lived without it!), then on the last day we sneaked into the first round of Britain’s Got Talent auditions with a friend for a couple of hours – fascinating, but we didn’t stay long – went off to do the Dr Who exhibition in Cardiff, as the kids wanted to see it (grown ups were slightly disappointed with it really).

And then we came home. And now, as every weekend, I’m left with a washing mountain!

For the third Saturday in a row I have driven south for various activities, you would have thought I would learn that it is a Stupid Thing To Do. Doh.

Still, once we got to the site for Steve’s hillclimb (arrived in their lunchbreak so perfect timing despite delays on the A30) we did have quite a nice day. The event was particularly well organised to fit three timed runs in, which was an added bonus. I let the children have the camera to keep them occupied so ended up with some particularly random shots (and not very many good ones of cars!).

In the morning, the class record for Steve’s group was 27.20 … and Steve was doing times of 27.6ish. During the afternoon he managed to get his time down to 27.25 but the Cosworth was on good form and got the class record down to 27.11! Steve’s staying down there for the weekend; they are racing again on Sunday so there will hopefully be some more good competition

After the hillclimb we set off to find the nearby Helman Tor, as I knew there was an earthcache as well as a geocache there. A very *interesting* drive down tiny lanes which aren’t on Googlemaps (the only map I had available, ok?!), but got there in the end and very glad we did, it was fantastic. Had a nice walk looking for the geocache, and then set to work on the earthcache, for which we were meant to find the ‘Logan’ or rocking stone – a stone which actually moves. Well, for some people. We couldn’t make it move an inch! So couldn’t gather all the info required for the earthcache, but I’m hoping the owner will consider our efforts to have been worthy of a log anyway! It was an excellent location with stunning views, and I have at least logged the trig pillar Gutted to have only had the small camera, but there we go.

Drove home after that – with the A30 looking as it should this time, fairly clear and only a little bit of traffic! Ended up at Pizza Hut (the children’s choice!) for dinner. Fell into bed and enjoyed the clean sheets I’d put on the bed for a night alone in it!