New York !

I used to dislike it when I got to the end of the summer and felt I hadn't done anything much. Life with a family means that no longer happens and I doubt it ever will. Lydia always makes me a tiny little album of the previous 12 months for a Valentines present and I always ask 'where's that?' 'Wales', 'where's that?' 'Ireland' etc etc and I'm always amazed how much things we cram in.

Well anyway we went to visit the Horca Stones in Ireland a month or so ago which was a low key but pleasant trip. Olive seemed to get more attached to her 2 other cousins and when we got back kept saying 'Maya?' in a slightly wistful way. Quite sweet really.

I don't like airports much but this 1 hour flight was a useful dry run for our next trip. Lydia had been grumbling that we hadn't any plan for her birthday on Oct 8th so I decided that we should use our wedding present fund (which we hadn't touched) to book a trip to New York. My friend (and usher) Dominic lives in upstate New York in a suburb called Pelham and had offered us a place to stay. He has a boy William who is nearly 4 and Stella who is 2 1/2 and said his house is very child friendly. I decided that 5 nights would be enough time to see some sights but not outstay our welcome. I spent a good while researching flights and discovered that British Airways were the only airline that provided a 'bed' for an 18-month-old so we booked with them. Olive had quite enjoyed the flight to Dublin. She likes lots of people to smile at and there is usually at least one person nearby who smiles back. We weren't that lucky on the way to NY - a couple in there mid 50s sat next to us and didn't seem too chuffed to be next to a baby. Olive only cried a couple of times tho and slept a little bit in her tiny bed.

Anyway we had a great time when we there. The first day we just went into Manhattan and wandered around, having lunch and just soaking up the atmosphere. There really is nowhere else like New York.







Rockefeller Park - Olive stretching her legs

The second day we took Olive to the Bronx Zoo. I was really looking forward to this as Ol has never been to any zoo and yet we spend hours every day reading books, singing songs and drawing pictures about elephants, lions and crocodiles etc. Thankfully the world-renowned Bronx Zoo did not disappoint. There was a great kids zoo to start off with - Olive can be a little nervous of animals up close so this was great way to ease her into it - then we were off looking at giraffes, gorillas, tigers and elephants followed by an enchanting butterfly house and then penguin feeding ! You can't beat a proper zoo.







Prairie Dogs





The great Butterfly House


Penguin feeding


That night was Thursday night which in Dominic's house is 'date night' where their neighbour's 17-year-old daughter comes around and baby sits. Olive was sleeping ok so we agreed to give the babysitter a little extra and go out for dinner nearby with Dom and Caden. This was lovely and great fun.

Next day we went back to Manhattan and wandered around a lovely sunny Central Park, had lunch by a lake and let Olive stretch her legs.









Fun in Central Park


Saturday we spent with Dom and his kids, going to a fun 2-yr olds' birthday party, then a farm. This was Lydia's birthday and Dom and Caden offered to babysit so we could go out into Manhattan that night ! We knew they would know some great places and sure enough Dom recommended a very atmospheric speakeasy bar and Caden a great French restaurant which didn't disappoint. It was a lovely warm evening and quite possibly Lydia and I's dream night out. We got back at 2am.

A really great family holiday. I think Olive liked spending 5 days with both of us and the zoo was fun.

Can't wait to go back.

Mother and Daughter

These are some pictures Lydia likes of her and Olive. Think she likes the fact they're both doing the same thing, maybe copying even.

They're from a picnic in Dulwich park.










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Location:Dulwich Park

Wales, Olive drawing and baking, nappy changing and new kitchen

When we got back from France we went away to South Wales to stay in the barn with Gareth & Alison, Richard & Eleanor, James & Kris etc plus numerous kids !

A great walk. All be it ending with a feeling we were heading off in the wrong direction and a minor shower began. Thankfully we saved ourselves largely by spotting and following someone else who appeared to know where they were going !?



Olive in backpack thingy






Someone tells Findlay there is a sandwich in the tree


Starts to rain, concerned face


Saved !!





Beer & standing practice in L'Anthony Abbey. Fab



Always a great weekend. Already booked for next year. Well done Gareth !


Lydia's daytime activities with Olive -












A gift from Auntie Laura


Finally a favourite shot of mine -



Olive likes to read now while you change her nappy. Is it me or is it all a bit impersonal !?

Finally 2 pictures of our lovely new kitchen. Finally finished, floor and all.

France May 2011 part deux

After leaving Rille we headed back north to Normandy and le Colombier. Again one of our favourites. A ludicrously pretty pool. The whole place almost empty. I granted Lydia her wish of a crepe when we arrived. Due to a misunderstanding we ended up getting 2 each but Olive got one with jam and seemed suitably ecstatic.

It was due to rain the next day so we decided to stay another night as we thought it was probably a bad idea to head to the coast in the rain. To be honest it showered on and off and we were a bit stuck with what to do. In the end we played cards whilst Olive had her morning nap; played crazy golf whilst Olive had her afternoon nap; then took it in turns to swim in the nice warm pool while O watched from the pram. In the end not a bad day for a rainy day on a campsite.











Finally we headed for Etretat on the coast. We had stopped here last year on the way to the tunnel but were running late so I ran to look at the beach and buy a baguette while Lydia fed Olive. This time we wanted to camp. We just got in before the rush. For the first time on holiday there were people. Lots. We pitched up and had a great lunch using up the remains of our holidays' market purchases. Cheese, bread, tapernade and cider. Lovely. Mrs Leach very happy. Then off to the beach and ice cream.




Etretat has a pretty beach with views both ways of limestone arches sticking out into the sea. It had a loud fairground in town and was considerably more Blackpool-esque than I remembered.



Pushing Olive's buggy up the hill was hard work but worth it when we got there. Nice to go for a walk. V hot day. Lydia briefly took charge of my camera and took nice pics of flowers.






Exhausted



'Back a bit, a bit further' !

We came down the hill and wandered round the town then all way back to the campsite to get our Cool Camping book and see if it recommended anywhere to eat. It did, a lovely place where we found moules Mariniere and Normande and some nice cold white wine. Olive again did rather well with a crepe. This time ham and cheese.



A lovely holiday.

Then I smashed the van on the way home but we won't talk about that. Thankfully no photos exist.

France May 2011

Another great trip camping around Normandy, Burgundy and the Loire.

We love leaving home at 11am (earlier just not possible) but then coming out of the tunnel in Calais and on the the motorway by 2pm. Yes, we then still have a 3 1/2 hr drive to our first campsite but at least when you come out of the tunnel you feel like your holiday has started and you're en France ! We arrived at our favourite site Brevedent around 5pm and so had plenty of time to sit in the sun on the grass and enjoy time with little O.





Happy to be out of the van





For me this really is a beautiful place to be. Everything about it is so pretty and relaxing. As we just sat and breathed it in, Olive was transfixed as a group of ducks waddled past quacking away. We spend a lot of time pointing a jigsaws of animals and going 'oink!' and 'moo!' but actually dogs and ducks are really the only animals that actually make the noise aren't they ? Can't remember last time I heard a cow actually 'moo' !?

Anyway I quickly set the van up for bed and Olive happily went off to 'sleepybobos'. She does genuinely now sleep on the rear parcel shelf, as she's grown we have done away with the pop up travel cot that we used to put on it. It's a good space, perfect cot. Thankfully she now knows it's bedtime when she gets her milk and story and never protested all holiday. Her usual story about bears going to bed was substituted by 'Peppa Pig Goes Camping' where daddy pig gets a camper van.





Loving the play house





We were surprised at just how much off peak really meant off peak at end of May beginning of June. We were the only people at Brevedent who didn't have white hair, a caravan and a pension book. There were no kids kayaking on the lake. We were the only people having the steak frittes in the restaurant. This was the same in 2 of the other 3 sites we visited. Still great croissants delivered to the shop every morning tho.

After just 2 nights we were sad to move on but I had booked us in at Huttopia Rille further south. We did at least begin a new part of our holiday. We found out that the nearby village of Blangy was having a market so we stopped there to pick up provisions. This was actually only about 5 stalls but it was absolutely great and of course Lydia loved it. A really nice nice half an hour then a couple of quiches and into the van for 3 hrs to Rille near Tours and Saumur.

We used to try and break journeys with stops in towns on the way but we had discovered that stopping by the side of the motorway at the frequent picnic spots worked better. As long as you have some cheese and a baguette you're sorted. Now by stopping at a market when we set off we could get classic mini quiches and treats and make this even more of a proper picnic and proper French !


Arriving at Rille was quite a surprise. A big Eco biased site in woods next to a lake. It has 20 wooden huts and a dozen or so ridge tents for hire. People are made to drive in, unpack and pitch their tents and then take their cars back offsite to the carpark. This is designed to make it a more pleasing site and safer for kids. In fact camper vans are the only vehicles allowed to stay.

What was weird is that when we arrived we were the only people there. At all ! It's hard to avoid feeling that you've made some terrible mistake when you're the only people there - apart from 2 visible staff. I had booked and prepaid for 4 nights and after an hour I was already thinking we may cut our losses and leave after 3. A weird atmosphere. Thankfully this was Thursday and slowly the site did fill up over the next 4 days. There was a pool and some really nice bike rides around the lake and the nearby tiny tiny hamlets.

We had to put some thought though into where to 'put' Olive to play. The pop up sun tent I had brought wasn't what she wanted as she wanted to be stood up and yet still cant walk. She didn't like crawling on the ground here as it was covered in pine needles and she didn't like getting dirty. We casually wandered up to the nearest empty ridge tent and picked up the picnic table and shuffled back to the van with it. After a good brush clean we adapted this for little O to cruise around.





In the end we actually had quite a nice time there. V scenic but v quiet. Thankfully Lydia's idea of a visit to nearby Saumur was a great idea. A beautiful town by a river (Seine?) with fairytale fortified chateau on a hill. And it was sunny and market day ! We had great 5 star meal in a square with Olive loving the pastime of people watching and eating.











On the last day at Rille we had so many things we wanted to do we couldn't fit them all in. In the end, bike ride and then beer by the pool won out. We did however create a new camping rule - never book anywhere for more than 3 nights if you haven't been there before !!

Olive at Nursery and new kitchen begins . . .

A few pictures of Olive first days at nursery. Taken by nursery staff to reassure us that she's enjoying herself and to be honest very effective. I quite like seeing her sat at the little table about 10 inches off the floor. At home she is really enjoying exploring her environment, often crawling just a couple of feet and then parking herself again and having a look around. I imagine the giant padded spaces at nursery with toys and mirrors scattered around is wonderful.

When you start putting her shoes and coat on in the morning you can see her getting excited and by the time you arrive at nursery and hand her over she is often quite giggly.

Overall despite aquiring a huge amount of minor ailments - in just 6 days she has had to come home early twice, go in late once, been sick, had a temperature, had Calpol and managed to pull something down on top of herself - she seems to be thriving. We are hoping her immune system is starting to build strength.

I can also report that she can now say 'mamamamama' which is nice for Lydia !

Before

At home we are having our new kitchen installed. What seemed to me to be a very tricky job in a very small space is progressing well. Stuart the fitter seems almost as obsessed with minor details as I am which helps. We love our giant fridge !

Measuring for worktops tomorrow !

A glimpse of the future !