For those of you who don’t follow the school terms, this last week has been half term. This probably explains why I haven’t written an awful lot (well… anything). I thought I’d give you a brief run down of what I’ve been up to over the last week.

Camping

Yes, we were one of the many nutters that thought it would be a good idea to go on our first camping trip of the season during the wettest and coldest bank holiday on record.

We went back to Christchurch (our favourite from last year). The first day wasn’t too bad – only the occasional shower and we had a lovely day out at Perrygrove Railway – a narrow gauge railway with a treasure hunt in the woods for the kids.

Sunday, however, was a complete washout and really not very fun. We managed to cope thanks to a little electric camping radiator and a trip to my mother’s house for lunch in the warm, but on return to the campsite in the evening we discovered that the site’s electric had gone off. With the wind picking up and temperatures due to drop severely in the night, we gave it up and returned home a day early.

We’ve since had bits of canvas and camping equipment draped all over the garage and in the garden in the vague hope the rain will break for a bit so we can dry everything out again. Not our most successful trip ever.

Potty Training

Gluttons for punishment, we’ve also started potty training again. Li’l Bhaji is over three and has been asking to use the potty for a while now since our last abortive attempt. We’ve just been waiting for a convenient moment to try again.

First day was a complete disaster, loads of accidents and no successes. Second day we did fairly well with only 2 accidents and lots of successful uses of the potty. Third day was pretty good too when we actually ventured out into the “real” world and had lunch out and used the restaurant’s toilets about 5 times in a row (think he was mainly fascinated with the hand driers personally).

Today, however, we seem to be back at square one, but he has found a new love for his bits and is experimenting with twisting it in all weird and wonderful positions and watching it grow. Think I’ll get his father to talk to him about that one.

Mini Internet Meet

Just as it seemed that we were going to go insane from potty training and rain, Turquoise Lisa came to visit with her lovely girls, M and T.

We’ve been MSN friends for a while now and there’s been several times where a “chat” with Lisa online has been my main adult contact for the day, so it was a bit nerve-wracking to meet her in “real life” at last.

What if we hated each other? What if our kids couldn’t stand each other?! What if she saw that there were cheese strings in my fridge?!!

Fortunately, all the panicking was for naught. We all got on very well (at least, I think we did!)

We even managed to venture out to a restaurant for lunch armed with lots of spare changes of clothes and some Pampers care mats for Li’l Bhaji to sit on while he ate.

Then back home for a rousing game of hide and seek (the children, not us) and a cup of coffee (us, not the children).