Beach Bum Fun.

A few more pictures from the holiday, this year we were far happier with the weather, we were able to get on the beach quite a few times, each time it was 'interesting' Those Europeans as far less inhibited than us Brits. Just sitting on the beach trying to keep your eye on the kids revealed loads of things that should have never been revealed on a beach!!!
On one of the visits we set up camp in our usual place, on a sand dune looking over the beach down towards the sea, we had been there a short while when a couple turned up and decided that topless sun bathing was the order of the day. Tom, Carl and Malcolm suddenly developed an interest in looking at what the kids were doing (behind their sunglasses!!)

The kids started at the top of the dune behind us and jumped and rolled all the way down, covering everyone with sand.

Carl was buried by Georgie. (its traditional!!)

Next a game of 'something' on the beach, the wind always picks up and you can never hit the 'thing' anyway! Just behind the boys was a family, again obviously European of some sort, because the lady just stripped off her wet costume, (without the aid of a towel to preserve her modesty) she managed to get one foot in her knickers, but tangled her other foot and fell flat on her face, giving us all a view of her ample bottom!!! There were lots of sniggers all around.

Beth went down to the water and came running back to report a 'blue' jellyfish , there were a few of them, this disappeared back into the sea.

Sam and Beth loved to pose for cheesy photos!


One final incident on the beach happened on a boiling hot day, the beach was packed and our favourite spot was taken, so we had to move further along the beach and slog down the dune to sit on the flat sand. We had been there chatting for a while when a group of teenage lads turned up with a couple of footballs. They set up camp some way behind us. The men took the kids off to buy ice cream. Deb, Carl and I were sitting there when the balls started to head in our direction. People behind jumped up and started to shout at them in Dutch. The next ball hit Carl with some force, although he had been looking and was able to bat it away, well Deb was on her feet in a flash and started off after their ball clad only in her swimming costume. She gave up after it ran on and on, but she shouted at them and when the ball headed our way she said she was going to kill the ball. They seemed to under stand and they sent one of the lads over to say sorry, she told him she would kill the ball, he though she said she would kill him, he was shocked!! The people behind ended up taking the ball and putting it in the bin!!

The Falcon!!!!

This year there was a new ride at Duinrell, the incredibly quick but scary Falcon. The carriages contain 8 people and right at the start the riders find themselves lying on their backs looking at the sky!! Very shortly afterwards they are face down heading towards the ground. Beth was not sure about going on, so it was the end of the week before she gave in and when she had been on once there was no stopping her!!

This photo was the first time for Carl, Sam and Georgie.

This time it was Malcolm's turn with Georgie, Beth and Carl.

I really love the feel of the park at Duinrell, its never too busy even in the high season!!

It feels safe and the kids enjoyed it!

Card for Di Hickmans Blog.

This card was very useful for getting rid of bits and pieces!! All the papers used I had used in previous weeks, the greeting is from a printed sheet by craftwork cards. Take a look at Di Blog, there is some great work on there, the link is in my blog roll at the side.

Under a pile of washing

I am always amazed about the amount of washing that four people can generate in two weeks. Particularly as I feel I have been virtually living in the same clothes for most of that time!! Today I have done 8 loads, the washing hasn't been the problem its the line space to dry it all, so I have taken two loads around to put on mums airer.

I have finally downloaded my photos just the 450 of them, not all my own handiwork, Beth has obviously been using the camera on the quiet so I have some pics that I knew nothing about!!

We crossed from Dover to Dunkirk, which is a two hour ferry ride, The sea was as calm as a pond and we had a very lovely journey. This shot of the ferry almost makes it look like an exotic cruise ship!

Its not often even in the middle of summer that you can stand on deck without a thick coat!! Here we are with our holiday buddy Debbie Hula Muma.

This year we stayed at Duinrell a great site in the town of Wassenaar in Northern Holland. The town seems quite affluent it has a sort of Disney feel to it (as in the town of Celebration) lots of nice little shops, coffee shops, flower shops and all a short way from the site. When we booked last year we asked to be in roughly the same area, the company we go with has 70 vans in the park, so we thought there would be a good chance, but when we got there we were miles from where we wanted to be and we were not impressed. The kind manager did eventually offer us a change of caravan but we had to wait a couple of days.

Last year we were pestered by seagulls, this year the site was under new management, Jackdaws. I have never seen so many. There were flocks and flocks of them. They were tame and cheeky, coming right up to the decking and eating out of your hand. They were very obliging and happily posed for photos!!

I hope once I have sorted my photos out that I will be able to post a few more!!

We are back.

I can't believe that two weeks have gone in a flash, it seems like yesterday that we were frantically preparing for the holiday, trying to sort everything out. Now its gone.
We have had a very good time, this year the weather has been everything that it wasn't last year. We only had one wet day, last year we only had one dry day!
I have lots of photos to upload and share, but at the moment I am wading my way through piles of washing.
We left Wassenaar this morning at 9am, the plan was to drive to Gent in Belgium (on the way home) and take a look around there, but the traffic was quite heavy and we ended up with a quick 45 minutes while grabbing a roll for lunch. I am quite proud that I drove all the way home, through 4 different countries. We usually share the driving but Tom had a bit of an incident with a go kart last night and is nursing sore ribs and a bruised shin. I even drove onto the ferry, a job usually reserved for 'men' (its strange just how few women drive cars onto the ferry!!) Its all good practice for when I go away in December when I will be the only driver on a visit to Bruggs.
The other big news is that while we were away we had a new bathroom fitted, so I was really pleased to come home and find that it looks beautiful, it echos a lot at the moment as it needs flooring and a blind, but I am very pleased with it, I am even more pleased not to have been here during the fitting process!!
Right on with the washing, can't wait to download the pictures!!

Still on cloud nine...

We are still celebrating Carls sucess particularly in light of some of the disappointments of some of his friends who didn't fair as well. Yesterday was a C day, Carl had three C's and yesterday we heard that things are looking up for Laura as well also involving C !!!
This is the last full day of our holiday Beth has hired a go cart and we will start to get stuff back into the caes in preparation for the trip tomorrow .
Much cooler today although the promised storm passed us by !!
See you soon

Good News!!!

We are still on our holiday and today we have learnt that Carl has been accepted onto Primary Teacher Training at Middlesex University !!! It's such good news I had been worried that we would not to in a good position if he missed trying to go through clearing from Holland. So now all we have to worry about is money and getting accomodation sorted. We are very proud that he has got a place he will get his grades later .

Card for Di Hickmans Blog

This is my latest card for Di Hickmans design team. Di runs a challenge blog and every week people make cards and scrapbook layouts from her designs. This card is another one of those made out of scraps on my work table!! The yellow coloured paper is from a very old paper adventures pad. The dots (or peas as my friend Debbie observed!!) are from Craftwork cards. The green paper is from a Glitter stack, by DCWV, Please check out the other cards of Di's blog!

Hello from Wassenaar!!

Hello from sunny Holland we have been lucky with the weather so far this year blazing sunshine and cool evenings. We have had a mixture of busy and restfull days, yesterday we went to Amsterdam which was fun did the park and ride so car, train and then tram. We went to the Vondelpark and then wandered back through the street entertainment and markets. We bought a print of Amsterdam which is beautiful from a street artist, very tallented !
Today is a rest day kids been swimming and we are heading for the beach later. I am looking forward to seeing my new bathroom when I get back!!!

Card For Di Hickmans Blog.

This design was one that I didn't find too easy!! I am not a huge fan of circles really. In the end I was quite happy with it, circles do make a change sometimes.

The papers are by crafters companion and papermania the letter are studio G stamps and the cake stickers are by GCS International. A little chalk ink around the edges. I hope you like it, take a look at the rest of the cards over on Di's blog.

Greetings from Holland

Good morning from Holland, we have been here a few days and today we are about to move caravans. The ones we are in are ok but the location is pants virtually in the main car park away from everything. We are moving closer to the centre today.
Yesterday we went to the theme park kids went on the new falcon ride which looked really scary. We saw the magic show which was fine unless you are sitting with someone who continually looked for how the tricks are done and tells you about it !!

In the afternoon we went to the beach stayed a few hours and got frostbite!! Still the kids enjoyed it!!

Card for Di Hickmans Blog.

I have got back into making cards from the designs that Di Hickman posts on her blog every week. I went through a spell where I didn't have the time to do any, but I do like having the deadline to work to.

This card has been made using KI Memories word paper, some printable paper from Crafters companion. The dots are from Craftwork cards, they are fun different coloured dome shaped 'thingies' very useful. The cake sticker is by GCS International, Letter stamps by studio G.

Hope you like it!!

Preparations.

This week is looming ahead of me and on the one hand I am sure I will get things sorted on the other I can just see so much 'stuff' to do that I am sure I won't get it done.
Last night the plumber came around and we paid for the 'stuff' he needs to buy for the bathroom. I explained that it was a shame that I wouldn't be able to watch what was going on and see the progress, so he said he would take daily photos for me!!! While I am of course interested in the bathroom progress I was bemoaning that fact that I wouldn't be able to watch HIM in action, but you can't win them all!!! I can't wait to see my new bathroom.

Work is busy, can't wait until I am over the next couple of days and then I can concentrate on getting started on my packing.

Let the Countdown begin.

I can hardly believe that we are in the final countdown for our holiday. I still have much to do and only a few days to do it in. Add to that the issue with stripping out the bathroom, this last week should be fun.
Strange thing is that I simply don't feel in the holiday mood yet I think its because I have so much to do that I haven't even started the 'lists' I am trying to keep the house reasonable so that all we have to do is pack. I have far too much on my mind to relax into it.
We are having a new bathroom fitted while we are away and just for good measure this morning while I was in the shower, the shower head came off in my hand, this resulted in a pressurised jet of water shooting all over the place and eventually making its way through the kitchen ceiling. We have no luck with water. I will have to go and get a new hose as we can't manage for the rest of the week being pressure washed!!

This is why you should not drink and take photos.

Last night we went to Barbecue at our friends house, John and Madeline. We all went, and it was nice to see Tom and Grace again and Laura came with us so there was a lot of chat about times past when we all used to go to Centre Parcs together.
John really pushed the boat out, stocked up on gas for the barbie, he went to the local hire centre and paid by card, he showed us the receipt for £22.500 which we thought was a whole lot of gas, so we thought we were in for a whole lot of cooking!! He did cook a really lovely barbie, all the usual fare chicken, sausages and burgers,lovely. He also drank his way through several bottles of wine while Mad and I had at least a couple of bottles of Sangria. We felt quite virtuous because the fruit in the drink counted towards one of our five a day.
By the end of the meal the food was gone and John started to serve pudding, didn't really matter what we asked for because by that time he was beyond caring or coping with personal requests. Madeline was served the very unusual dessert of cheesecake and hot custard!!! Yum !
On to the photos.......



I took this lovely shot of Mad, sadly not taking into account the lemonade bottle in front of her!!


I was requested to do a group shot. (won't be asked again!!)

I got closer on this one, just a row of heads AND out of focus, nice study of the ceiling though.

This one , a jaunty angle!!

Bingo !!!!!

I wonder how John is this morning??? He was having real problems walking and stringing words together when we left. I thought I might suffer as a result of the Sangria, but so far so good.