Home Again (briefly)

Well, we're back.

We had a lovely time down in Cornwall. we went to:

Flambards - my first trip there & Aggies first for many years (decades really). It was kindly paid for by those all-useful Tesco vouchers, and was a really good day out for everyone - despite the rain that threatened all day long. Mstr A went on a few of the rides (he's a right coward most of the time) and there was plenty of indoor stuff for when the showers came. Aggie spent plenty of money winning the kids cuddly toys that will only be sold in the next car boot sale we do, but it made him happy....

Lappa Valley Railways - we've been here a few times and always had fun. All children love trains, and there's crazy golf to keep Mstr A amused for hours, an adventure playground which all the kids enjoyed, boats to get wet in (Mstr A managed his own pedalo while i took LMB out in a canoe - we didn't subject Nanny A to the waters following her hilariously aborted attempt last year) and an old mine to climb up and a water wheel to watch, which makes any day good:-) I reckon it'll be the last year we take Mstr A though - it's really best for under 5's and I think he'll neeed something more stimulating soon.

Blue Hills Tin Mine - not the best or most famous mine in Cornwall (although the only one actually still working as a mine), but a good one for us as the whole family could go together. Mstr A was fascinated by all the machinery and kept Aggie busy asking all about everything. I think that next year Aggie will have to take him to one of the big mines where yu can go wandering around underground & trying things out for yourself, while I and the girls go and find somethiong a bit younger to do:-) They had some noce stuff there too, and I was tempted to buy some for re-enactment, but they were a bit expensive *sigh*. Maybe next year....

St Michaels Mount - I went to the French one when I was about 12, but have never been to the English one before. we walked over the causeway there, then by the time we'd climbed up & looked around, the tide had come in, so took a boat back & ate Cornish pasties on the beach:-) The house & gardens were pretty, the view beautiful & I could certainly understand why it causes such awe for so many people over so many years.

We also spent a day on Perranporth beach - it wasn't really the weather for a day at the beach, but Nanny A doesn't feel it's a holiday without a beach, and the kids all had a great time. I had wondered if living so close to the beach meant that they wouldn't feel that magical thing I get every time I see the sea, but I guess they still do;-) and some time in St Agnes too (Perranporth is a bit surfy & touristy for our tastes). And managed to squeeze in a trip to the cinema to see X-Men 3, which I quite liked. I agree that you could tell that it was lacking it's groovy director (who buggered off in the middle of filming to go play with Superman! Huh, any proper superhero fan would've finished one film before swanning off to the next IMO! - although I am quite looking forward to seeing Supes too).

The site that we were staying on was OK. And that's pretty much the best you can say about it! The accomodation was OK (a 2 story chalet - I'm too old to stay in caravan's with my mother-in-law any more!). The pool was OK - a nice, but small free form pool. well kept, but open at inconvenient hours, and with no special features. The site facilities were minimal, but that was all we expected. The kids club was poor - badly trained & pretty uninterested staff, following a script that had been written for 8-12 year olds, when there were only 2-6 year olds staying there! We won't be going back, but then again, we won't be complaining either - which is not unknown from us at the end of our holidays;-)

The weather was also OK. Well, it would have been ok normally - it stayed mostly dry (a couple of showers), not too cold (no frosts or snow, or even need for heating) - if it hadn't been for the fact that last week was fantastic weather. I blame my mother for making us change our holiday dates! grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Hmph, well the weather was OK - it would've been better if it had been hot for a couple of days for the kids to play outside & give us some peace & quiet, and maybe for the beach, but really, we did get everything done that we'd planned to, so I'll just mumble and grumble a bit under my breath like.

We all made it through the week without any major rows. I don't think Nanny A will be coming to live with us in the too near future though *grin* I don't think she remembered what a moody cow I am sometimes! I don't think Mstr A lost out too much by being taken out of school for the week (we didn't get permission - i asked, but it'd not been granted by the time we left!), in fact, I reckon he learned loads while we were there. If I didn't dislike the idea of home-schooling so much (for many reasons), I'd seriously consider it for him.

We're off to Cosmeston tomorrow for a re-enactment. I really wanted to do this one as Cossie is one of my favourite places & it usually costs us a fortune to go visiting, so that's another reason I'm annoyed at my mother guilting me into changing the holiday dates. Oh well, one day is better than none!

I'm sure Aggie will get around to posting some piccies eventually. When he does, I might write a more detailed version of the week.