Jamfest 2011

Tuesday 16th August
Mummy day with the girls, we started off the morning doing some threading, with Fidget making herself a very attractive necklace, while I made one for Squidge and Squidge sorted the beads from the container to a hat to the floor. Here are the girls modelling their lovely necklaces….

Friday 19th August
A daddy day – no idea what Squidge is doing apart from wearing her pyjamas and sunnies….

In the evening there was a Mummy takeaway evening at the Challis Palace which was lovely. The next morning we were up early to drive down to Granny and Grandpa’s. As soon as we arrived, M was whisked off with Grandpa to help Great Aunty and Uncle S & K move.
The girls, Granny and I set out for the day to a nearby country park which had a fab play area which the girls really enjoyed…

After an hour or so it started to rain and was close to lunch so we ducked inside to have some lunch. After a lovely lunch we went back home for a play in the garden and then a swim.
The girls were both doing really well with their swimming. Fidget had great water confidence, happy to leap in from the sides with just the noodle and happy to wander about knowing that she could touch the bottom and keep her head out.

Thursday 25th August
The plan was to drive up to Barton for this year’s Jamfest on the Wednesday evening. I had been asked at the last minute to attend a meeting in London on Wednesday and reluctantly said i would. Leaving Paddington the train tootled along for 5 minutes then stopped. Sat still for an hour before heading back to London waiting for 15 minutes and then going again. The reason being there had been a train broken down on the track ahead of us. We were so delayed that all passengers we able to get free drinks and snacks, which was welcome but I would rather have got home! We decided to go ahead with the drive north anyway so arrived in Barton stupidly late at night. Poor M had to drive off to Wigan early in the morning too.
M was working in Wigan until Friday when he came back to join us, so me and the girls had fun with Granny and Grandpa, particularly playing in the garden…

and having Great Grandma, Aunty N and little T visit, the girls had great fun…

and I think T did too…

M returned on Friday evening, so on Saturday we went out to pick some fruit, Fidget was very helpful carefully bagging the pears so they didn’t bruise.

The main fruit available was pears, so we decided to do a pickled pear, which was fab. The pears were peeled and cored then simmered in a white wine (and second batch using balsamic) vinegar, with cloves, allspice and cinnamon. I then scooped out the spices, put the pears into jars. Then added a HEAP of sugar to the vinegar and simmered that to a fantastic syrup that was poured into the jars of pears. The syrup is scrummy – very sweet but with a real tang. It does use vinegar but you could easily have it with ice cream.
M made a few pear tarts that were really tasty…

On the Sunday Grandma and Grandad had a BBQ, where the pear tarts went down a treat. Our camera malfunctioned after taking a picture of M, Squidge and T. So the other picture of Squidge and T queuing up very cutely is from Aunty N – thanks!

The Monday was a bank holiday, we took a walk out to the river and had lunch out.

It was a lovely weekend and i can’t wait to break out the pickled pears – thanks Grandma and Granddad!

Ireland Holiday. Days 7-9 Dublin

Friday 12th August
More rain this morning and very heavy at that, which made the job of packing up the car particularly un-enjoyable for M. The breakfast was pretty spectacular to eat up all the remaining food: cereal, fruit, pancakes, french toast, raisins, cheese! But by 10:30 we were away. It was a long and rainy drive. We eventually stopped at a service station and got a burger king. I was very disappointed that they were out of toys for the kids meals but the girls were delighted with the soft play house right by the tables and it was a great opportunity for them to let off some steam.

We arrived at about 3:30 pm to the hotel in Dublin. The event this weekend is a 40th wedding anniversary of M’s aunt and uncle Una and Sean. It is this year’s must-attend event for Granny’s family and was the event this holiday was planned around. There is a party tomorrow night at the hotel and most of the family (who aren’t from Dublin) are staying at the hotel.
Granny and Grandpa were travelling over with Aunty M, Uncle A and the twins to help out on the flight. They arrived not long after us. Then there was a period of lots of random meeting ups of family in corridors and tea taken in different rooms.
At about 6pm we went down to the bar to get some food with the girls and most of the other family who were arriving. We decided to let them stay up. They had a great time running round with their cousins.

It is now 8pm and I am now sat in the room right by the door of the loo, with the bathroom light on, the rest of the room is pitch black though I can hear the chiccas wriggling about and squeaking every now and then. We had brought our walkie talkies which can act as longer range room monitors, but they are not charged so M is downstairs mingling. We are spoilt after our 2 weeks of staying in lovely cottages which were like home from home. Hopefully at some point soon the perpetual motion machine which is Squidge will give up for the night…oh well.
Saturday 13th August
The girls woke up at about 7.15 this morning, we got dressed and went down for our massive hotel breakfast.
We joined Aunty M, Uncle A, C, J and Cousin A on a walk out to the shops perhaps stupidly leaving the pram behind so that I had to carry Squidge on my shoulders much of the way, though after this holiday I am certainly used to that task.

We got back and there was a general massing in Granny and Grandpa’s room for a while…

before we all set off to walk to Una and Sean’s house. We stayed there for much of the day and Fidget and Squidge had a great time playing with their cousins.

Fidget and I got a lift back as Fidget was big enough for the booster seat in Great Aunty M’s car, but M and Squidge had to walk (though at least we had brought the pram this time!).
Then it was time to get ready, the girls looked beautiful in their dresses and finery and received many compliments.
The first stop was a party to celebrate one of M’s cousin’s getting a very good job, so it was champagne and strawberries in one of the rooms…

before heading down to the main event. We had decided to keep the girls up, and they coped very well with it. Squidge took it very much in her stride and was running in and out of people’s feet, while Fidget was getting tired and didn’t like the loud noise of everybody’s chatter. She kept going though and both ate their tea very nicely. After a while we thought it best to get them to bed not realising it was already gone 10pm!

Our super range monitor works down to the bar on the ground floor but not down to the basement where the party is, so it is 10:30 and I am sat by the loo door again, while Fidget is flat out asleep and Squidge is messing about in her big bed. To be honest I think I may be asleep before Squidge at this rate!
Sunday 14th August
Squidge kept going until gone 11pm, mercifully they both slept in until 9am. We got our breakfast, then went back to the room to pack. Fidget was being super helpful by adding a half drunk bottle of orange juice to M’s suitcase which I did fortunately spot before his wardrobe became truly zesty!
While M took the bags down to the car we went across to see Granny and Grandpa before they had to leave to catch their flight. There were more goodbyes in the lobby, we then followed Great Aunty and Uncle M & S over to G.A. Una and G.U. Sean’s for a cup of tea and directions to the port before we had to leave.
We found the port with no trouble and were soon on the boat with a good table by the window. We had some lunch, the girls each went on deck with Daddy, then Fidget and Daddy watched a film that was being shown while Squidge and I did some sticker books. In no time we were back at Holyhead.
We arrived in at 4:30pm and drove on to Chester services to have some tea and get the girls changed into their pyjamas. Then drove back home. Fidget as usual was quite happy and fell asleep without much trouble while Squidge complained until 9:30 when we were only 30 minutes from home and she finally fell asleep.
After staying in the hotel for the weekend and a tiring journey home, I was certainly happy to be back at our lovely home. I can’t wait until we go back again to the Burren and Connemara and I’m sure we will have plenty of good reasons to take us back.