Eastbourne

We spent a nostalgic day in Eastbourne on the sunny Sussex coast today. We visited my mom's cousin, Jean, her husband, Dick, and their daughter, Hazel, who will soon follow her husband Niel to Australia with their two teenage sons, Connor and Shane. (We will miss you guys!)

We also fleetingly met up with Cathy (my ex-Rhodes friend) and Mike Burbridge and their two kiddies, Abi and Greg, in the park later in the afternoon.

So great to see you all!

Jean and Pearl catching up on family gossip in Jean's lovely back garden.

The four of us in the Eastbourne sun - aah, we remember it well!

Traditional seaside Fish and Chips for lunch.

Shane and Ben playing "Eye Spy".

Abi and Greg in Helen Gardens Park.

Treat time again! (It's really tough being a kid).

Philip listening to Cathy and Mike's 102 week plan to drive (!) from the UK to Australia in a campervan!

The Beans at the Bloxham Steam Rally

My parents arrived yesterday for a much-anticipated two week visit and we kicked off their holiday with an afternoon at the annual Bloxham Vintage Vehicle Rally and Country Fare. (Yup, Philip is on holiday again too!)

The kids love the movie and were delighted to see the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car used in the film! We met Pierre Picton (in driving seat of car wearing hat and goggles) who was responsible for maintaining Chitty during filming in 1967/68. He also did some "double" driving sequences in the movie and went on to acquire the car after filming).

Ninni and Anna taking a break.

Dad and Benjy take on the big wheel (rather than the big local on the right).

Grandparents have only been in the country for 24 hours but already the treats are flowing (much to Benanna's delight).

Checking out an old caravan.

All girls love the carousel!

Bean contemplates whether this would handle the Transkei "roads".

While Philip quite appreciates the styling of this (war-time?) little khaki number.

This family's kite-flying days just might be over

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Stowe Landscape Gardens

The kids had the day off school today (staff training) so I traipsed off to Stowe National Trust gardens in Buckinghamshire with four other brave moms for a picnic. 13 kids on Friday the 13th: unlucky some might say, but we all made it home dry and in one piece (except for Dylan's (already loose) front tooth which was accidentally kicked out during a boisterous game of footie).

The kids (did we lose a few along the way?)

Admiring one of the many superb views.

And this is what happens to the buggy when there are no dads to lug things around.

Good Food Show

Anna and I took the train to the Birmingham NEC with Michelle and Francesca Thompson yesterday. We had a fab day out at the BBC Good Food summer show and Anna and Frankie loved tasting samples of farm sausages, yogurt and organic bread. They fortunately turned their noses up at the sushi (prepared before our eyes by a Japanese chef) so there was more for us. We watched Gordon Ramsay prepare hot and sour clam broth and guinea fowl with pea and lettuce fricassee (twice) and Michelle rubbed shoulders (literally) with cutie posh presenter, Ben Fogle, in the Gardeners' World part of the exhibition (where we also bought a sweet little bonsai tree for dad for Fathers' day). It's not every day that you get to taste chilli beer, hibiscus cordial and liquorice root and have water buffalo burgers for lunch.

Anna not looking too impressed with her freebie ice cream sample (we all preferred the water buffalo milk ice cream - amazing - honest!)

The food demonstration theatre (I am sooo buying a new camera).

What a Lovely Weekend

We had a house full of visitors and a garden full of sunshine this weekend. We welcomed back Nico and Fi after their glorious travels and Philip and Nico's cousins, Chris and Mike, finally made it down to Oxfordshire from Scotland and Nottingham respectively. Benanna were totally spoilt by all the attention (Anna is decidedly grumpy this morning as her "fans" have left and I am immune to her fluttering eyelashes). Thanks to Chris for the stunning photos (we now have chronic camera envy :) The sous chefs, Fi and Mike, spatchcocked chickens (not as rude as it sounds) with aplomb and I'm not sure how I'm going to survive without Chris's chilli slicing skills. Great to see you all - let's not wait another 15 years!

Mike, Nico, Chris and Philip - ahhhhhhh sweet.

With the kids and wives.

Flying Chris's kite on one of the school's cricket fields. (The only photo taken on our camera but I'm sure you didn't notice.)

Anna and Ben having fun with the flower sprinkler (vaguely reminiscent of a demonic alien from Dr Who).

Practising parents?

And even the fast and furious, "Slip and Slide" made an appearance - a few close calls, but not too much maternal angst with two doctors on the premises.

The braaimaster doing what he does best.

And even Tigger popped in for the afternoon...

Camping - Gower Peninsula, Wales 27-30 May

We said goodbye to the Fields and headed off to Wales, where we met up with our Bloxham friends, Robin, Rebecca, Dylan and Luis Hill at Pitton Cross campsite at the western tip of the peninsula. Despite some nights of heavy rain, the weather was slightly better and we had lots of braais (with plenty of vegetable kebabs for the Hills, who are vegetarian :) and discovered yummy Welshcakes (Safferhire Welshcake anyone?). We spent time on some of the area's gorgeous, sandy beaches: Rhossili, Oxwich and Caswell (outside Swansea) and plenty of time stuck in Swansea traffic.

Rebecca, Robin and Philip admiring Oxwich Bay.

Robin (he did occasionally get up :), Luis and Anna on Oxwich Bay beach.

Admiring the view of Three Cliffs' Bay.

And this is why we love camping so much.

Playing a game called "Rush Hour".

Ben and Dylan still singing in the rain in the Mumbles...

Camping - Forest of Dean 25-27 May

We spent two nights camping in the lovely Forest of Dean with Dean, Louise, Amber and Tristan Field. (I think Anna is still convinced that it's Dean's Forest ie owned by Dean!) Our site, Bracelands (a Forestry Commission site) was beautifully nestled in the forest and although it rained almost constantly (!), we had a great time exploring the forest and the Wye Valley. Highlights included a trip to the Clearwell Caves (where iron-ore was mined), lunch at a pub on the Wye River and 5 minutes or so when the sun came out :)

Inside the (slightly spooky) Clearwell Caves with Lou and Amber.

The cricketer, Ben, in action (note makeshift wickets).

One of the advantages of pitching your tents at the top of a hill: plenty of scooting opportunities!