summer time(s)

Good times are being had here I tell you! 

Last weekend I went off all alone to have a reunion with the people I went on my gap year between school and university (15 years ago). Although our numbers were rather sadly depleted we had a wonderful time.

i made that fire all by myself

cooking breakfast

dinner

We spent several wonderful days together, talking, eating, talking, drinking, talking, walking, talking. The setting was gorgeous and the weather just heavenly. It was so odd being without the kids and what a lovely thing travelling without children is, I read a whole book!! 

I did miss them though and Garry of course so I was very happy to arrive back home again on Sunday evening. But the camping fun didn't end there...

 A couple of weeks ago Garry found us a very bargainous trailer tent. While we were away he set it up in the garden and the kids have been sleeping there ever since.

The Courtmac summer festival is on at the moment so we have enjoyed being out and about, meeting with friends and joining in the fun.

kids arts and crafts workshop

Rebe's clay lion

sandcastle competition

sand armadillo

 We have also had lots of trips to various beaches around here. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such gorgeous, clean beaches!
The kids have been doing lots of Plasticine what we picked up at the supermarket last week...

another lion by Rebe

Elvis for Garry

 Life is good and fine and happy. The garden is growing well, I must get my camera out there soon and show you. We're enjoying salads and berries daily and might even eat our first ripe tomato this evening.

 Joa has been great. He can be a little difficult to handle at times (see car incident) so we came up with a way to encourage him to be kind and helpful and above all to listen. We drew a race track on some card and stuck it to the wall then with bluetac we attached one of his 'winner cars'. Every day he behaves well we move his car forward one place and today he got his car all the way to the trophy. Rebe and Benny came and applauded him and he, delighted, gave thumbs ups and fist pumps :-)

Other than all of that I have been working hard. Over the last few months I have been getting the CE certification for my dolls. This shows that my dolls meet European Safety Standards. It has felt at times like a mountain of red tape and I bet I will never need to show any of the work I have done to anyone, but it feels so good to have achieved it and I felt very proud tying my fabby new labels onto this doll's hand.

 I hope you are having a lovely summer too :-)