We’d decided to go to the Sustainability Centre today to have a look round and see how it’s all looking for camping in two weeks time. It seemed to take forever to actually get out of the house but we finally set off about 11am ish after Davies and Scarlett had spent more time in the garden playing cavemen. Davies has decided for his birthday he wants a penknife and a fire steel and various other camping-y things – and this after just one session of Forest school ;).
We parked up and had a wander round the woods, checked out the new graves and benches and birdboxes since we were last there in September, paused a while at Sue’s bench (forgot to take a flask, will remedy the cup of tea omission in 2 weeks time). We didn’t manage to spot any adders and were very disappointed at the lack of bluebells but it was lovely and leafy and sundappled anyway.
We stopped at the visitor centre for a tea and coffee and a cake each for the children. The cakes were apparently delicious but Ady and I were a bit put out at the price of the tea and coffee but we sat on the grass and got all excited about being there camping in two weeks time :). Can’t wait 🙂 We looked at the solar panels on the buildings, checked out the solar powered shower strawbale block which still isn’t finished and admired the pizza oven area which is finished. We also peeped in the new yurts which have been put up since we were last there.
Davies made us laugh as we were laying around in the sun chatting when he asked Ady to pass him the water out of the rucksack. Ady asked why he didn’t do it himself and he said ‘I’m saving energy!’ like he was some sort of ecowarrier rather than just lazy. I did explain energy saving doesn’t apply to 8 year old boys! 😆
We were there for a couple of hours and then came home. Davies and Scarlett went straight out into the garden to carry on with their cavemen game, Ady started cooking a roast beef dinner and I got on my bike and cycled up to the allotment. It was fine, I did it surprisingly quickly and didn’t fall off and cycled up most of the uphill bits rather than getting off and walking. Most of the way there is uphill and so most of the way home is downhill which is the right way round really – get the hard work out of the way while you are fresh and enthusiastic!
I did some weeding – filled a bucket which if I managed every time we went up there would mean we were pretty much weed free and some watering. There was someone else waiting for the tap so I just did a quick water but it looked like it was clouding over to rain anyway. Basically I stayed until I was starting to reach the point of thinking ‘oh shit and I’ve got to cycle home again’ and then finished.
I managed to slip over on the wet patch near the tap right infront of two other allotment holders which was embarrassing :blush: and then cycled home without incident. Guess I’d rather fall off my feet than my bike!
Ady had run me a bath so I enjoyed a glass of cider and my bath before dinner :).
We had a lovely dinner chatting about camping and then the kids were late to bed again as the evening sort of ran away with us.
20,000 + photos on flickr and the one I want to see – you on a bike – isn’t there. C’mon you’ve got to know your audience. I can’t be the only one 🙂
Comment by Chris — 27 April 2009 @ 8:23 am