Tuesday 29 May 2007

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Good old bank holidays..............rain, and then more rain and finally today the sun shone.........Hooray!

It's been a busy old weekend, we had the scouting centenary family camp near Oxford on Saturday which was great fun although I'm surprised the tent didn't float off down the forest! There were loads of activities for the kids to do, a great BBQ in the evening and despite the weather and the cold (boy was it COLD!!) everyone had a great time.

We were camping with two other families we know so after the children had gone to bed (remarkably early for our children - I think they just wanted to be warm!) we opened the wine and six of us sat huddled in the porch of our tent and kept the other campers awake until the wee small hours.

I'm not yet in the "blogging" frame of mind so although I took the camera I didn't actually take any photos. Ian and I took part in the crate stacking which involves being harnessed and climbing crates together until they collapse. It was like watching two old people helping each other onto a bus. Ian was particularly upset because I fell off first and then proceeded to swing into his stack and kick him off - shame!

The tent is now in the garden drying off from it's first outing this year, actually it's nearly as big as the garden, looks like some sort of weird air raid shelter!...........





So, we were all excited about camping again this year and promptly went to the local camping store and looked at new tents - Ian was suffering from severe "tent envy" whilst we were away. Does anyone have any suggestions about a good tent to buy, needless to say "gadget man" is attracted to the sort that pop out of the bag in five seconds flat but I'm looking for one with ensuite facilities and a walk in wardrobe!

Today Jack decided he wanted to be a "red indian" or native American - I'm not sure what you call them now. So we made a head-dress complete with feathers, loaded him up with bow and arrows and we were all set..............that is until he announced he needed a tipi to make his life complete! Off we go into town to buy the bamboo canes and came home and built this.......

Now I was pretty pleased with this effort. Needless to say the children sat in it for five minutes, got bored and bogged off, leaving me to complain about the youth of today and how I would have sat in it for hours blah, blah blah!

Tomorrow my sister arrives for a few days so I probably won't be near the computer for a while. We'll catch up soon!

10 comments:

AC said...

Sounds/Looks like good fun even though it was cold.

You have a 'gadjet man' as welll!!!
...I have even threatened to get him a t-shirt with it printed on the front! Funny my husband is called Ian as well do you think there is anything in this?!?

Enjoy the rest of the 1/2 term.
Alison x

Ragged Roses said...

You had a good weekend despite the rain! Men and gadgets ... Your 'native american' sounds like he had a good day too, very impressed with your handiwork! It's always the way though isn't it, you spend hours making something and they play with it for ten minutes! Enjoy the rest of the week
Kimx

andsewtosleep said...

We have an enormous old tent that we bought second hand and takes a degree in civil engineering to erect. When we talk about getting shot of it our now grown up children beg us not to 'but Mum Dad it's sooooo vintage'. Mmmmm with that word mentioned it stays!! Enjoy your sister's visit. Mary

Gill said...

We haven't camped for many years but Husband and I were only saying recently that we'd like to go again sometime (having dumped our last tent which was a nightmare to put up!). I'm hoping technology has improved and today's tents will pop up at the flick of a finger :)
Camping is apparantly very "in" again, carbon footprints and all that, people are staying closer to home and going back to nature. Well that's what it said in the Mail on Sunday so it must be true.
I have to say your masculine tent looks very at odds with your pretty house, maybe you should consider this one?

http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/ProductList.aspx?cid=Camping&pcidl=Outdoor&language=en-GB

Have a lovely time with your sister.

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

Hi Julia-thanks for visiting my new blog! It's funny, but I looked at your photos and loved your house!! It's funny that when it's someone elses house, we seem to like them more!!I absolutely love your kitchen it's fantastic! A dream kitchen! I shall definately visit you again!!

A home sewn, recycled,vintage life said...

Hi there,
Just found you via he comments over at domesticali. Camping and rain go together you know, well whenever we went it did anyway, so I can recommend a tent that is completely waterproof (can vouch for that) and storm proof (can vouch for very very windy proof) with enough room to swing a cats home, it a.......Kyham (assorted sizes available), very pricey but very worth it.

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

Hi Julia-I was looking at your lovely kitchen photos again this morning, I love,love it!! It's worth a trip to Ikea at the moment, they had a lovely matching duvet set to go with the cushions, and some gorgeous tapestry cushions! Don't quite know how or why I refrained from buying the duvet set actually!!!I wish I'd got more pink boxes-I underestimated how many copies of 'The English Home' magazine I have....

Betty said...

Oh gosh...I could never recommend a tent. My idea of camping is a big motor home with a working shower! Room service and a hotel sound even better!

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

Hi Julia-thank goodness it is sunny- I can sit in the garden and do the reports!! The handles are all made of black Victorian porcelain! I have amassed quite a collection now- enough for the whole kitchen, and the big dresser in the conservatory! But my mum loves them too, and got brand-new identical ones from that big reclamation shop 'Walcotts' in Bath! They are really reasonably priced and do them in all different sizes!! Their shop is online too, I think-hers arrived the next day x

Genevieve said...

Hello Julia! I found you on Sophie's blog. I love your pictures!
I had to laugh at one of your comments,I too am the drill master of the family!Pity is it not! The projects that I could have for a carpenter husband would never end! My Mother and Grandmother both go by the name Kitty!Is that your daughter's given name or a nickname? I hope that you have a great week!