Ha! Ha! Ha! I always have good intentions. It's June. So much for after Christmas blogging. And after Valentine's Day, Easter, and Victoria day blogging. I think it's time to make a new blog, considering we left the UK in 08. Will ruminate on it, come up with a new title, and let you know.

Talk about your time warp! 2010 in the blink of an eye. Where did '09 go? I think I need to do some serious work on catching up. Not at 10:00 pm on a work night...but soon. For now, I'll just say that 2009 was a good year. Busy, but good. And yes, I fully intended to sit down before Christmas (or slightly afterwards...) and write a long, detailed report--noting all of the exciting happenings for each of us--and post it cheerily on New Year's Day. But alas, this year I actually had to WORK between Christmas and New Year's! A bit of a shock to this part-timer's system. Life as a"Clinical Director/Senior Physiotherapist" often means less time to sit on my behind and write. Actually...it means NO time to sit on my behind and write. So for now I'll just promise to be more active in the blogging world. I will TRY to write out that report soon.

For now, Happy New Year... and more later! B

Happy New Year from the Dunne Family!

Hello Again!

Here it is, January 7th, and what a year we've had! It's hard to believe that only a little over a year ago we were sitting in a beautiful chateau in France, ringing in the new year with locally grown sparkling wine and European chocolate. 2008 was an amazing year. Busy, wacky, fun, trying, difficult and rewarding...2008 saw us breezing through 8 different countries, skiing down the slopes for our first time as a family, learning to cope with type 1 diabetes, crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II, settling in to new schools and jobs and welcoming a new addition into the Dunne Family unit (Ash, the kitten). We've sailed down the Thames, viewed Paris from the Eiffel Tower, yodeled in the Austrian Alps, tasted salt underneath a Bavarian mountain, had tea with the Queen and watched the sun rise beyond the Statue of Liberty. I'm not sure how we managed to fit it all into one year. Through it all we worked, went to school, moved, met new friends, and kept in contact with old friends. What a great life!

I guess the best way to see what we've done would be to ask you to look through the old blogs, and update you on the 'post-England' days in this one. So here goes...

The Big Move.

As you already know, it seems impossible for us to do anything in the simple, 'normal' manner. So when Tom finished his course (and his Masters' degree), and our replacements came knocking on the door, we loaded into our rental vehicle and headed off on another adventure. Having heard about the wonders of Cornwall but not yet experienced it, we had booked 4 days on the western British coast in the surfing town of Newquay. The place reminded me a bit of Old Orchard Beach with it's cheesy tourist-trap stores, but where we were staying was a bit off of the beaten path. We had a great time on the beach, in spite of the rain and misty weather. On the second day we even rented wet-suits and boogie boards- a big hit with everyone. Our hotel was comfortable and the view of the beach from our room was gorgeous. We also visited Perranporth, and had an amazing meal at a little restaurant called "The Tin Fin" (http://www.eatoutcornwall.com/cornwall-restaurant/details-restaurant.php?pv=5703).

After a few days on the Western beaches, we meandered along the south shore of England and made our way to Southampton. A brief sleep in view of the port, and the next morning we were boarding the Queen Mary II. What a great way to cross the Atlantic! Even better was the fact that our friends Sophie and Julien (with their boys Loic and Paul) had a cabin just down the hall from us! We ate, drank, played, danced, and were entertained in grand style for 6 days. The 'afternoon tea' was very dignified, and the ballroom dancing lessons were a hit with the whole family. I especially liked the napkin-folding classes and the planetarium shows.

In the wee hours (4 a.m. to be exact...) of the 7th of August we saw our first glimse of North America. The Statue of Liberty (and the homeland security helicopters) were an amazing sight. We disembarked without incident and jammed ourselves into a massive taxi to head to the Yale Club (http://www.yaleclubnyc.org/). Tom had booked us a suite, using his affiliate RAF club membership privileges to do so. We were positively spoiled here. After shopping on 5th avenue (the kids really liked FAO Shwartz and the American Girl stores) and a carriage ride around Central Park, we sat on the Club's 14th floor balcony and had an outstanding meal while the sun set behind the skyscrapers of NY. Aaah.

The wee hours of the next morning saw us jamming into another limo to the airport. We flew from La Guardia to Ottawa, had a slow but pleasant visit to customs, and were very, very, very happy to return to our home and native land. Home. What country could possibly compare to Canada? Dazed, tired and in the city we departed from it felt as if it had all been a fantastic dream. We picked up our truck from storage, visited old friends, and were happily reunited with Zeke as we drove out two days later.

A New Home.

Our house closed on Monday the 10th, so we didn't dilly-dally. There was lots to do. Lawyer visits, family visits, school visits, utility connections and phone calls to shipping companies took up the next few days. As expected, the kids, who hadn't seen the house yet, loved it. They played in their empty rooms as if they had always lived there. And the snakes, toads, frogs, bugs and general wilderness around us is food for the adventurous soul.

The Big Boss

Tom took command of 424 sqn on the 14th, the day after our storage stuff was plunked down at our house. It was admittedly a bit chaotic, but the ceremony was the absolute best Change of Command I've ever been too. The sqn went all out. The kids loved the SAR tech in the tiger suit who frolicked on the wings of a herc parked behind the parade the whole time. But the REAL tigers were the icing on the cake. Nadia, a full grown tiger, and Misha, a baby the sqn 'adopted' stole the show. It was wonderful to have so many friends and family come to help share Tom's big day. We are all so proud of his amazing accomplishment.

The Old Stompin Grounds

Tom and I met here 16 years ago, and started dating while he was at 424 sqn as a young lieutenant, so the area is not new to us. We settled in quickly, he at his job, and the kids at their respective schools. For the first time Delaney is not at the same school as Shane and Kate, but she lucklily had her cousin Zachary to show her the ropes as he is in grade 7 at the same school. The split is due to the fact that Delaney, as a grade 5 'Extended French' student, must travel to another school to be taught in French. The younger two will be eligible to do the same when they reach Grade 5.

After our year of travel, we've slowed down a bit and stuck pretty close to home. We're blessed to have friends and family nearby for the first time since our wedding 11 years ago. Our focus has turned inward a bit, allowing everyone a chance to explore different extra-curricular activities. Nearly 5 weeks in hotels this summer have made us appreciate just being home. Although it may be a bit on the anti-climactic side for reading material, you would not believe how happy I am to be able to stay put for a few months! We love the area, and have done a bit of local exploring to wineries and events (the TO Int'l airshow, the Lippizaner stallions, the Port Hope fair, the Royal Agricultural winter fair...). We've also just returned from our second trip to NB to visit family.

Delaney

Delaney is now 10. The big double digits. Beautiful inside and out, she celebrated her 10th birthday by gathering donations for the local Humane Society instead of gifts for herself. She sings in the school choir, and takes martial arts once a week during lunch time. She continues her horse addiction, riding weekly and spending every moment possible at the barn. In November she tested for her D1 pony club level, passing with flying colors. She returned to figure skating and will be competing in a few weeks in a local competition. Happily she has made several good friends at her new school, although she misses friends from previous postings too. Her marks at school are stellar in both languages. She absolutely loved her week at 'Visiting Cousin's' in August.

Shane

Shane is now 8 and doing exceptionally well in Grade 3. He too has made many new friends, but came with me to Ottawa before Christmas to visit some much-missed old friends. His big activity is guitar lessons which he seems to have a real aptitude for. We all enjoyed his recital in December. He also skates once a week, and is half way through the 6th Harry Potter book. In November his Remembrance day poster won 3rd place in the regional competition. He loves spending time on the computer emailing friends, and helping his dad around the house.

Kate

Now 6 and in grade 1, our youngest loves her ballet and jazz dance classes. She is very expressive, and can't wait for her recital in a few weeks. She's doing very well at skating, and is reading up a storm. Her marks were also stellar last term. She was awarded the 'Student of the Month' award in November. Her diabetes has been well controlled, giving her much more energy to do everything she wants to do. January will hopefully see us ordering an insulin pump- which will make a huge difference in our lives, limiting the needles and the incovenience they bring. Insulin injections across a seat while driving down British M series highways are possible, but not easy!

Tom

Tom is treading the delicate balance between a busy work schedule and family life amazingly well. The blackberry is ever present, but he's very good at delegating when necessary. He and I made the decision to buy ski passes to the local hill for the family this year, and updated our gear too. He's been invited to speak at many local events, meeting all sorts of interesting people in the process. He's trying to get back in to indoor soccer- if he can find some free time to do so. And he manages the 'Honey Do List' with finesse! (The pic is from his 40th birthday party with friend Geoff)

Brenda

And me...? Well, I continue to be the domestic manager on call. I'm back to work as a physio, and love my new job. Unfortunately days like today (a snow day) mean I'm home instead of at work. I work 15 hours a week (when possible) at a clinic about 20 minutes from home, which, incidentally, I worked at 13 years ago. I managed to get to Ottawa to visit some old friends before Christmas, and went out for dinner with some other friends recently too. When not at work, taxiing kids to events, or trying to maintain order in our house, I'm writing. I looooooove writing. As of last night I'm 152 pages into my book. It's such a peaceful way to spend an afternoon...sitting in our beautiful living room, a fire in the fireplace, soft music in the background, the sun shining through the window and the cat purring at my side. Pure bliss if you ask me.

What Next?

Good question. Hopefully here for at least one more, if not two, years. We've got some major landscaping plans, and home improvement plans for the spring. We'd like to spend as much time skiing as we could while the snow is still on the ground. Travel will be within Canada, at least until I can update our passports...really not a bad thing if you ask me. Canada is so vast and so beautiful, it's a pleasure to explore. We'd like to do more camping and canoeing this year too.

So there you have it. The Dunne Family Adventure continues...just on the other side of the pond now. It's been wonderful hearing from all of you over the holidays. I tried to get cards out this year, I really did, but Christmas crept up and was over before I could blink. Maybe next year? Until then, I'll blog when I get the chance, and keep in touch that way, or on facebook, or by email... Thank you all for being part of our lives.

God bless,

B

The Last Post (in England anyway!)

How on earth did it get to be July 21st? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think time travels at a different speed here. On permanent fast forward. Wow. As I write this our house is in a state of organized chaos, as the packers are due to arrive on Thursday- three days from today. Tom is off to London for the day to do our final clearances. He's taken our transformers, so our North American appliance use is down to the computer, and that's it. Before it gets packed away and sent into the ether between here and there, I thought I better tie myself to the chair and manically type off a few paragraphs --bringing you all up to date on the past month and a half before we set off on the next phase of our adventure-- the move home.

More Visits and Visitors, Shane's 1st Communion

I hate to admit it, but I had to get my old fridge calendar out to remember June. The scary thing is there was not a single blank day in the entire month! The month started with the biggest deadline of the entire year- The Dreaded DRP (Defence Research Paper, aka Tom's Thesis) was due on the 2nd. After a few frantic last minute corrections (something about forgetting the 'abstract' and recognizing the fact an hour before it was due), Tom handed it in about 10 minutes early. We were ALL glad to have that off our shoulders. We hadn't seen Tom for a month! As it was the biggest and last official graded item on the course curriculum, it was a huge relief. There were a few celebratory toasts, and if I remember correctly we all went out for dinner as well.

Tom left for a 'Learn to be a CO' course in Winnipeg on the 8th. This left the kids and I to deal with a field trip, Dr's appointments, Beavers, Brownies, Horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, communion prep classes, play rehearsals and UK diabetes week all by ourselves. Then, on the same day Tom came home, Marilynn and Holly arrived from Canada, and Trevor, Jessica and Rebecca arrived from Ireland. It was an instant full house, but we had a great time. We all had a wonderful visit and then were off to Shane's First Holy Communion the next morning.

He did really well, and was very serious about the whole thing. After the main event, we joined the other families and some special friends for a barbeque at the cricket house. When we got home all of the kids worked together to present a great play to the adults. Tom got it all on tape... to put on Youtube when they're all famous actors... Trevor and the girls had to scoot off to make their evening flight, but unfortunately George W was in town, creating airline havoc. From what I hear the girls were real troopers, and enjoyed an unexpected night at a hotel (and day off school!) before heading home.

Marilynn and Holly spent a little more time here, visiting London and a bit of the local area before heading home on Wednesday the 18th, which, incedentally, was the day that Gerry and Erin landed on our doorstep. What was really neat was the fact that the night they arrived there was a 'Blues Brother's' party at the college. All suited out with their sunglasses and briefcase, they headed down to the party to check it out.

11 years...

June 21st marked our 11 year anniversary. An evening at our favorite restaurant, The White Hart, was in order. We booked a babysitter and had a well deserved night out alone-- Gerry and Erin had moved on that morning. The sticky toffee pudding was divine, once again. Something I will miss.

Watchfield School International Week

June 23-27 was International Week at the kids school. There was food, games, dancing, clothes and presentations from just about every country represented at the school. Our Canadian contigent cheated a bit- our 'food item' that we brought in was maple leaf cookies- directly from the Superstore in Ottawa (thanks Val!). After the non-stop pace no-one really wanted to bake anything. We also did a small presentation for the school, with our 8 Canadian children proudly singing O Canada in both official languages.

On Wednesday, Tom (at my urging) escaped to the school to watch the children at a concert that all of the internationals had produced. As he was running late for a meeting, he scooted off quickly afterwards. A little too quickly, it turns out. His bike hit a rut in the pavement, he flew off and landed on his shoulder-- breaking his right collar bone in the process. After a quick run to Swindon Hospital to confirm that it was in fact broken, it was obvious he wasn't going to any meetings for the next week!

Summer Fayre

I had to put a little note about the school summer fayre in as it was a cultural experience in itself. You wouldn't think there would be that much difference between Canadian School Fairs, and British Fayre/Fetes, but wow, what a difference. Firstly, the event is a huge money making endeavour, designed to earn money for the school fund (run by the PTA). Secondly, there is alcohol everywhere! The kids bring in 'bottles' (from shampoo to champagne) the week before in to school (where they sit for the following week in exchange for a day of no uniform. These bottles are then raffled off in a 'Tom Bola' (not sure of the spelling on that one) to the adults at the fair. There is also beer, Pimms (a summer cocktail) and wine available throughout the evening. Although North Americans may frown at it, the Brits embrace it and the evening becomes a party for the whole family, including those of us who are working at stalls throughout the evening. Different, but definately fun!

North American Barbeque

Rather than have both a Canada Day event and an Independence Day event, the North Americans on the course join forces to organize a huge party and barbeque together. Tom was the head Canadian organizer on this one, so we were heavily involved. The event was held on the 28th ( the day after the summer fayre at the school!) and our prayers were answered- it was a wonderfully sunny day. There was something for everyone-- bouncy castles, face painting, a magician, a band, and of course lots and lots of Keiths, Labatts, Kokanee, and American beer too. Tom's broken collar bone didn't hold him back from playing a few tunes on his trumpet (or from holding a cold beer...) with the band. As you can see from the pictures, there were lots of people (estimate was about 500) and everyone from North America and otherwise had a great time.

Legoland

Somehow we managed to find the time to take the family to Legoland in Windsor, near London. It was a fun day, until it started to pour rain. I don't think I've ever been so wet. We (sort of) kept our sense of humor, though, and went on as many rides as we could, between downpours.

Tea with the Queen

Tom and I were fortunate enough to receive official invitations to the Queen's Garden Party held at Buckingham Palace on July 8th. We took a risk and decided to drive in, as our invitation came with a parking pass. Surprisingly enough, we drove right up to the palace- parking about 80 metres from the gates! We did arrive a bit early (Brenda's timings, of course...) and had plenty of time for a quick picnic in the park before we went up to the gates. Tom's uniform ensured us quick passage through the gates (I guess uniforms make the London public edgy or something...) so we were one of the first ones to go through the palace and out onto the Royal back yard. Everything was very elegant, but surprisingly relaxed. Lady guests are required to wear a hat, and the men were in formal wear (I saw a few top hats) as well. We didn't quite get to meet anyone royal, but we did get to see them VERY close. We were in the front row of the crowd, and the Queen walked only feet in front of us, as well as Prince Philip and Prince Andrew (and several other royals whom I'm afraid I didn't recognize). The tea was hot, the cucumber sandwiches were light and refreshing, and the little chocolate bonbons had embossed crowns on them. What impressed me the most about the day was the lack of visible security. I'm sure they hand pick their guests very carefully, but the royals mingled with the crowd (all 8000 of us) almost the entire time. There were, of course, several people with earpieces on, and a few men dressed in black on the roof of the palace...but very few ropes or visible weapons. We strolled on royal grass, ate royal treats, and went to the royal port-a-loos for two hours in the sunshine. It was a day to remember for sure.

Normandy

The last 'field trip' for Tom's course was a three day whirlwind tour of the Normandy battlegrounds and beaches. Tom left the day after the Garden Party with his division. From what I hear it was fun and informative, but quite compressed. I did, however hear something about a trip downtown, and a VERY late night at the bars of Caen....

The Purple Ball

Wow. The British really know how to throw a party. With tickets at about $100 per person, we expected a classy evening, and had a vague idea of what to expect...but wow. From 19:30 until 02:30 we hardly stopped! First of all, it's always nice to get REALLY dressed up. I in my full length gown and Tom in his mess kit. The kids were so excited from this alone, and the fact that we were going to a real 'Ball' that they could hardly breathe. Then there is the fact that everyone else is really dressed up too, and that you know the vast majority of the people there. Thirdly, with all of the entertainment possibilities, food possibilities and just general splendour, how could you not have a good time?

We held a 7 foot (baby) python...

Watched the fireworks, ate, and ate...

Ate, and ate, and ate...

Went on the ferris wheel...

And the bumper cars...Chatted with friends...

and even danced a bit. And when 2 o'clock rolled around there was champagne, orange juice and breakfast waiting for us! What a great night. Need I say more?

Music and Fireworks

The last official social event was on Thursday the 17th. It was basically a picnic in the park with the Royal Marine Band playing, the Parachute display team, and a huge, wonderful display of fireworks. We were all a bit drained after the constant stream of social activities (Tom's course ended with a display of the Red Arrows- Britains Snowbirds)...so it was nice to just sit, eat, drink and visit with friends. The fireworks were out of this world. It was an amazing night!

The end...or the beginning?

The kids have one and a half more days of school and the packers come in two days. Then we begin the long process of packing, loading, marching out and then, at last, a little well deserved family vacation. We're spending a few days in Cornwall on the beach before we catch our very big boat to NYC. We take possession of our beautiful new home on the 11th.

The kids report cards were, as always, glowing. They've all excelled in the British school system. Delaney and Shane had fun in their school play, Robin Hood, earlier this month- both of them were in the chorus. Kate competed in her gymnastics competition with style. Delaney, once again, is a published author (I'll post the link when I can find it...) after a wonderful article about her Brownie pack's 60th year was published in the latest Bower Brook Magazine.

You would not believe how hard it is to leave this place. I have made so many wonderful friends, learned so much about other cultures, and have truly enjoyed our year here. If we could stay longer, we would. The military beckons us onward, though, and so we must say goodbye and continue our adventures elsewhere. The end of one chapter leads to the beginning of another...and so, reluctantly, I will close this book for now. See you on the other side.

Brenda

Visits and Visitors, Part 2

Eddie and Janice come to town...

When I last left you, we'd just abandoned Mom and Dad Corey to the chaos of Heathrow airport. If my calendar isn't lying, that was a month ago, and as far as I know, they arrived safe and sound in Fredericton a few hours later. Ed and Janice met them at the airport... and I wish I could have been there too, as from what I hear Mom and Dad started emptying their pockets and handing over their British Pounds almost the moment they touched down. Apparently there was money appearing from all over the place, and without coersion!

The real reason for this monetary ejection was the fact that Ed and Janice were due to arrive in England less than a week later...( and not Mom and Dad's sudden loss of sanity). Mom and Dad left on a Monday; Ed and Janice arrived Saturday morning. I DID have time to change the sheets, but reprogramming of spoiled children was sadly not quite complete. The kids are going to start thinking that every person who comes through the door will be bringing at least one gift for each of them!

As both Eddie and Janice had been to England before, their visit was more of a 'eat, drink wine, shop and enjoy the countryside' kind of visit. They were especially lucky, as summer seemed to hit the minute they touched down! We sat out on the patio with our fruit, cheese and wine, and just enjoyed life. They went for walks in the local area, generally with a stop at the 'Swift Shop' for more wine, cheese and fruit. Poor Tom was studying for an exam, but he did have some time to join us. We all went out for dinner at Rafu's (yummy curry... mmmm...see photo at right) one of the first nights they were here.

As Monday, May 5th was a holiday, we thought we'd take a picnic and go for a drive, leaving Tom to his studying for a while. We meandered across the countryside up to Barbury Hill (see a previous blog). It was a wonderful day...the rapeseed (canola) was flowering, the breeze was blowing, and the sun was desperately trying to shine through the clouds. I've attached a few pictures to show you how pretty it was.

Shopping wise, we managed to get to both Burford and Marlborough--beautiful old Cotswold-stone towns with lovely streets lined with quaint shops. Then, of course, there was the mandatory 'cream tea's...mmm. Not many things taste as good as scones with clotted cream and jam after a morning shopping in a beautiful English village. Bliss.

Our two visitors did get a day out by themselves in London. They took a train from Oxford in to Paddington, and had a whirlwind hop-on, hop-off tour, complete with shopping at Harrod's and a sighting of Wills and Harry. (Well, at least they saw their Landrovers...or so they say!)

Thursday night was a double treat-- Tom had finished his exam, so we booked a babysitter for the evening and took Ed and Janice out to the White Hart Inn in Fyfield. The White Hart is one of my absolute favorite places to eat here. The food is always good, and the owner, Kay, is always around with a kind smile. The Inn is about 600 years old, and has maintained it's atmosphere. And the sticky-toffee pudding! Mmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It's divine.

So, as I said before...we ate, drank, shopped and saw the countryside together. It was a hoot! Hope you had fun Ed and Janice!

Mother's Day

Ahhh, Mother's day. My day off. No cooking, no planning, no mediating fights...pure maternal spoilage. I got breakfast in bed, scads of presents, flowers, and kisses. After lunch (which I didn't prepare) I took the kids to the outdoor pool for a swim. Even though this took some motherly preparation, it was well worth it. May 12th, and we were swimming in an outdoor pool! The sun was shining, and the pool was warm. And then when we got home there was chili on the stove, and tired, happy kids at bedtime. What more could a mother want? I hope all of my mother friends had a lovely day too.

Steph and Julie visit England

Our next B&B guests, Steph and Julie, were here from the 19th to the 21st. We were a stop on their very busy schedule--they were in England for 3 weeks total (I think). It was great to see them, and hard to believe the little 10 year old at our wedding is now graduating from university! (Congrats to you, Julie!). I picked them up at the bus station in Swindon-- a place I hope not to frequent...it was one of the shadier areas in the town. Really, Swindon`s not that bad!! Continuing the tradition of Dunne children spoilage, they came with gifts in hand. You shouldn`t have. (But thank you!) They joined the kids in their 'walk-to-school-week' efforts, getting lots of exercise, and seeing LOTS of bunnies. On Tuesday we drove to Oxford so that Julie could see some Harry Potter things. Steph and I just shopped- which was lots of fun as I had never 'just shopped' in Oxford. My favorite part was the covered market- It may become a regular hang out in the next two months! I'd like to try some of the yummy looking cheeses there.

Wednesday after lunch I drove the two of them to Newbury, where we met Jean -their next hostess. We were all sad to see them go, but are looking forward to seeing them in our new digs in Ontario--much more frequently.

Shane is 8!

Yup. My little boy is 8. Seems like just yesterday he was screaming his little newborn head off all of the way to North Carolina (he was 4 weeks old on our move, for those of you who don't know that story...). After much, much debate over what we would do for his 'friend party', we settled on the outdoor pool as a venue. It worked well for everyone, as the kids could swim, and the adults could hang out. Which, it turns out, is what happened. It was a wee mite cold outside that day-- somewhere in the 15 degrees range, I think--and the wind was blowing fiercely. This didn't stop the kids from swimming in the (heated) pool for over an hour. The parents, on the other hand, were not so brave, and hung out by the barbeque pit (see pic at left...). Somehow Tom managed to stay there the whole time (pic below, right). Hmmm... The kids were sufficiently blue after an hour in the pool, so we took them out, warmed them up, and fed them hot-dogs, hamburgers and cake.

In spite of several incidents of blown-over plates, and a wasp sting (Kate`s finger, poor thing) we all had a wonderful time. It was great for the kids to have the huge pool all to themselves, and great for the adults to have time to sit and have some good 'ole picnic food (chips and dip, cheesies, cheese and crackers...)! Yum. I agree with Valerie- Ridgie chips and dip rock!

A special thank you to the Lutes family and the Zuipos family for helping with clean up, and to all of the kids who came to the party to make it such a success.

Nottingham

My friend Sue Edwards and I have been trying to get together for a couple of months. She lives in Lincoln, which is a bit far, and we'd been there before, so we decided to meet somewhere in the middle. We chose Nottingham, as it fits the 'somewhere-in-the-middle' criterion, and it's also a place neither family had done the 'touristy stuff' in. What's also kind of neat is the fact that the kids are in the chorus of their upcoming school play "Robin Hood", and have been singing "Sherriff of Nottingham, sitting and plotting-ham, up in your ivory tower..." over, and over, and over, and over again, practicing for their play. What better time to go visit it?

Tom, once again, was unavailable for this trip, for two reasons--he's still working on the neverending essay, and he left yesterday morning in the wee hours on a 3 day trip to Paris with the College Rugby Team (not sure how he can fit that in with all this work... but hey, I just live here... :) ). So, it was just the three kids and I on the road again. The drive was nothing, but Nottingham is definately a pedestrian city. It took us over an hour of driving around in circles to find our hotel, and then another half an hour to find a place to park. Painful. We ended up checking in at about the same time as Sue and her three boys.

As Tuesday (the day we left) was Shane's birthday, we decided to head out for some light supper/snacks, and dessert. The Bella Italia was a great place to eat, but the waiter forgot about us...after waiting an hour for the dessert menu we opted to go somewhere else for the dessert part. Shane got a happy birthday song at the Costa coffee under the hotel, and was quite happy.

Yesterday morning we met Sue and gang for breakfast and then she (very kindly) had offered to do some testing on the kids (to make sure that this year's schooling was keeping the kids at where they should be by Canadian standards). After assuring that all three of the kids were geniuses (okay, not really, but they ARE doing very well...), we checked out, dropped our bags in the car, and headed over to the 'Robin Hood Adventure' attraction. It was...okay. Well, the kids loved it anyway. The 30 GBP pricetag was a bit steep for what we saw. And like every tourist attraction we see here, it ended up in the gift shop...sigh. It was neat to see a little big of what life was like back in the Robin Hood timeframe, and the kids got to play with a real sword and some armour.

After this we headed to the 'City of Caves'. Apparently, where Nottingham city now stands used to be a sandstone cliff, and the cliff and surrounding area were riddled with caves. We got a small glimpse of the cave structure, and some of the history too. Costumed interpreters told us all about the leather tanning process (Shane particularly liked the urine part...) and also about how the caves were used as bomb shelters during WWII (Kate didn't like this part so much). There was also some small exhibits of Victorian times.

After lunch at the Pizza Hut, and a walk around the pedestrian mall, we decided to check out Nottingham Castle. Unfortunately the skies opened up at this point. And I mean OPENED UP! We were absolutely drenched. The streets (remember, I said it was a cliff? Now it's a steep hill...) were like little rivers. We did get to see some of the castle, but opted to find a cafe to dry out instead of walking around in a drippy garden. Then it was time for the Dunne family to head home. Mom was pooped, kids were drenched, and Kate's blood sugars were completely haywire, adding to my stress somewhat. Zeke was happy to see us when we got home, as he'd spent the day inside and alone.

Thanks, Sue, for making the effort to come out and see us. Hope you had a safe and fun train ride home. Enjoy the rest of your time in England, and see you on the other side of the pond!

So that brings us up to today! The kids are on a week long break right now (hence the ability to take off in the middle of the week) and we're planning on sticking close to home for the last few days. Tom won't get back from Paris until tomorrow, and then he'll have the last push for his big essay --it's due on Monday. We'll probably spend some time at the pool, and do a few short trips to local fun spots...or maybe not. It's nice to not have anything planned!

Kid news

And what have our wonderful children been up to lately, you ask? Well, Delaney has surpassed her goal of filling her Brownie badge sash. She's also been having a blast at her riding lessons--she jumped a triple combination jump last week, and did a mini course on Friday. She and Shane are taking a Pony Day tomorrow, which is like a day camp with horses. She's still doing really well in school, and has made a new friend in her year 5 (Grade 4) class. She's also joined the 'playground patrol' group.Her teacher asked me wistfully the other day, "Couldn't you stay another year?" but, alas, the military calls.

Shane's soccer is finished for the year, with the end of year banquet coming up on Sunday. He's also gotten more badges in Beavers. Between Shane's Beavers and Delaney's Brownies, I might as well not put away my sewing kit, I'm so busy attaching badges to uniforms! Shane was in the 'Gold Book' at school last month, for 'doing really good work researching Romans'. He received a certificate at a school assembly, and his name is written in a big gold book for all of the school to see. He was very proud. He also has been working hard preparing for his first communion, which is coming up in June. He's quite serious about the whole thing. He and his dad went suit shopping last week-- he looks very dapper in his new three piece!

Kate has been invited to participate in a competitive level gymnastics group, after she received her second badge since Christmas. She's extremely excited, but not because of the gymnastics-- her best friend Grace will now be in the same class! Her reading has been coming along really well, and she's moved up another reading stage in school. She's also moved up to a harder spelling group. This weeks words include: taught, caught, thought, pour, four, and more. Considering she's still in kindergarten by Canadian standards... those are some pretty hard words! As I mentioned above, I think our 'honeymoon period' (the period where her pancreas is still producing insulin) may be coming to a close. I've been upping her insulin levels for the past few days, and still having trouble keeping her sugars down. She just takes it all in stride.

All three children still love it here, but are looking forward to summer and our new Canadian adventure. Delaney is very much looking forward to having her own room again! Kate, not so much. She loves to be close to her big sis.

Our tickets are bought for the Queen Mary II trip home, and the hotels are booked on both sides of the pond. We've even had a quick visit from Tom's replacement, Mike Atkins, and given him a brief tour of the house and College. Hard to believe that in just two short months we'll be homeless nomads again! Wow, it's going fast.

Hope you're all enjoying the last few weeks of spring, and are looking forward to summer. Maybe we'll be seeing you soon!

B