Whilst the Moog was away with the in-laws, Moogsdad, Monster, Minx and I have had eight days away camping in beautiful Dorset.
Those of you in the UK will appreciate that the last week has not been what you might consider perfect camping weather. We pitched our tent at a lovely campsite last Saturday and the afternoon was lovely.
The night was less lovely.
The night of the gales.....
......and 40+mm of rain!
It was an experience. I tend not to sleep well when we go camping. I didn't sleep at all for four nights!!
What with that and no hairdryer I was not looking my best!
The kids, however, were oblivious to the weather, slept solidly and had bags of fun with my cousins' children :)
On a soggy bank holiday Monday we headed to the Tank Museum at Bovington. Moogsdad and Monster loved it. It's a great place really. If you like tanks.
We squeezed in a lovely bloggy meet up with the fabulous Mrs Trash and her gorgeous children at Old Wardour Castle - thanks for sharing your picnic (again!) Trashy!! Whilst there, Monster got away with spending pocket money, in the castle shop, on a bow and arrow set when Moogsdad took him shopping!
We moved to another lovely campsite on Thursday where the weather was much better behaved (shame about the idiot four blokes who pitched by us on Saturday afternoon and spent the evening and late into the night talking and swearing loudly. More insomnia meant I was about ready to castrate them all!!).
We revisited an old favourite - Corfe Castle and discovered a new one - Kingston Lacy - making the most of our 'impulse buy' National Trust membership.
Saturday 31st was the first anniversary of my Mum's death. I didn't know how I would be feeling but Moogsdad was a star and took us on a fabulous boat trip from Swanage to Brownsea Island.
Brownsea is one of the last refuges for the red squirrel in England. We didn't see any of them but we saw where they'd been! Lots of chewed pine cones were evident but no little chewers.
Brownsea is also the site where Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement, held his first Scout camp and is still an important Scouting venue to this day. We saw lots of Scouts. No squirrels but lots of scouts.
Mum had loved Brownsea when she visited on a birdwatching trip a few years ago and it was a lovely place to be on such a poignant day. She was there with me in my heart. Laughing 'cos she'd seen the squirrels!!
Whilst I've been away I've been tagged by Joannabags and Jane- and as I have nothing crafty to show for the past week I thought why not :)
Here goes:
What was I doing ten years ago - 1998
Ten years ago Moogsdad and I moved to Southampton - a move I have never regretted :)
5 things on my to do list for today
Washing (LOADS after 8 days away), food shopping (a carLOAD after 8 days away!), pick up work emails (LOADS after 8 days away!!), pick up home emails (53 after 8 days away!!!), start to read all the blog posts I've missed in Google Reader (455 after 8 days away!!!!)
Snacks I enjoy
Walker's crisps, fruit, toast, wine!
Things I would do if I was a millionaire/billionaire
Keep enough to live happily ever after in a smallholding in Dorset or Devon with onsite craft studio, invest plenty for my children's future, help out friends and family and give a good chunk to charities researching brain tumours.
Places I have lived
Birmingham, Dagenham, Northampton, Southampton
6 people I want to know more about
I'm going to cop out now and not tag anyone - 'cos I'm a rebel - but if you'd like to pick up this tag and bare your soul please do :)
I am now going to see if I can start to make inroads into the HUGE number of posts sitting in Google Reader - forgive me if I take a day or two to comment as I'm still doing the laundry too!!
xxx
22 comments:
Hellooo welcome home!!!
Glad you had a good holiday, apart from the rain and the louts. The second set of photos are much more my style.
Good to hear Moogsdad looked after you on Saturday, if I'd have known I'd have been thinking of you (can you do that with hindsight?)
Indulge in your fave snacks while doing the washing, especially the last one!!
xx
Welcome home Lesley. We missed ya. You look as though you had a lovely holiday despite the weather. I think you were very restrained not to murder the drunks!
I'm glad you had a good day on Saturday with lovely memories of happy times and your Mum.
If you'd said this morning, I could have done your washing with mine! Shame! VBG
Lesley! Wake up! lol :)) Only 400blogposts to go!
I've been stalking your blog all day to see when you would update so I'm pleased to see you have finally got around to doing it without needing a sharp poke from me!!!! :0) xxx
It is soooooooooooooooooooooo good to have you back in Blogland (and on the end of the telephone too) it seems like such a long time since you went on your soggy holiday.
Been busy indulging in your last favourite snack whilst sewing a mini quilt and crocheting a dinosaur - now need to go to sleep. Night night, Locket xxxxx
It's good to have you back! Your holiday sounds fun, if soggy. I'm glad you had a good day on Saturday, and to be able to laugh at the squiggles is wonderful!
I'm happy to 'see' you again!
Perhaps you should wrested the the bow and arrow from Mr Moogsmum and fired the uncapped version of those arrows at the RUDE man.
We had a lovely visit with you and my brood all went home knackered. Fortunately the car started and kept going AND when we did get home I managed to completely engage the handbrake! (I swear I had previously!!)
Your vacation photos are gorgeous! Moogsdad seems to be a great person! I am glad that you a good time, despite the horrid weather!
As someone who was also in a tent, the same weekend, with two children, you have my sympathy.
We were forced to do the Museum at RAF Cosford. Perhaps there's some secret bad weather/military museum link of which I have been blissfully unaware before.
Pleased the holiday was good, sorry it was a bit wet. It was very quiet without you, so pleased you are back and love the photo's.
I missed you and hoped you hadn't disappeared! I hope you are getting a good night's sleep tonight too. You have such wonderful places to visit there. I liked all of your photos. I'm sleepy here... no crazy people keeping me up though... so I'm off to bed. When you can, please read my post about the gallery show I'm doing and I would LOVE for you and the kids to participate!! ;)
Glad your back. Hope you can get some sleep in between loads of laundry. I love the gate photo--I'm kind of into gates at the moment. Must be the garden swap I'm doing.
I'm so jealous - when I was little we used to spend many camping holidays at the Durdle Door campsite - I have so many memories of camping in Dorset!!!
Glad you had a good holiday even if it was soggy. You visited many of our favourite haunts although we haven't been to Old Wardour Castle yet. not sure i would have been patient with the noisy louts! Jane x
Welcome home Lesley-lady :) It's been quiet around here without you (obviously, because its your blog so if it wasn't that would mean you'd been hacked I guess).
Sorry you caught the crappy weather while you were away. I'm shuddering at the very thought of camping in all that rain! But then I am the LEAST hardy camper. Ever.
xMx
Welcome home Lesley! Gawd, don't know how you can 'do' camping when we're 'enjoying' a traditional British downpour. Lovely to see you back, and thanks for sharing the pictures - they're gorgeous.
x
Good to have you back - you've been missed. Sounds like a fun trip despite the rain. Have to admit I hate camping - the last time I went was 1979 in the rain - to Corfe Castle!(one of my favourite castles too)
xx
Hey Lesley,
Glad to have you back. I love the mosaic you made out of your camping pictures. Moogsdad was very sweet to carry you out on Saturday in memory of you Mum, it must have been a special day.
Lots of Hugs,
Dy
Glad you had a fun time. We have a campsite not far from us and the weather has been so dismal I felt like going over and offering our spare room :)
Glad you remembered the happy times you spent with your mum on Saturday.
Twiggy x
lol! you're the best when it comes to tackle mountains of laundry!!
you sure had a great time!!!
Looks like a fab holiday. The pebbles have been to Dorset quite a few times but we've never managed to make it to Brownsea Island - you lucky things! I had a story book about Brownsea as a little girl so it seems a bit magical in my head. A lovely way to remember your mum too.
Oh Lesley, how I feel for you and your soggy camping experience. After getting flushed out of Europe last year, we haven't even booked a holiday this year. Anyone want to buy a Mazda Bongo??
Even with rain and inconsiderate neighbours, it sounds like you made a sterling effort on the camping front, and your holiday shots are brill!
I hope you've managed to catch up with sleep/laundry/blogs/wine drinking by now.
:)
I saw those poor campers on the news and you were one of them! I hope having your feet in the water didn't put you off too much. Don't you get backache sleeping on the floor, or on a campbed? You got to visit lots of places. I have only looked across to Brownsea Island from Poole Harbour. I was lucky enough to see two red squirrels on our last trip to Jersey, they are cute little critters. I am glad you had some happy memories on the anniversary of losing your Mum, and being able to spend the day with your family in a beautiful place. x
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