It's Like This

If your imagination is stifled, not encouraged in any way, then it becomes stagnant and more difficult to access.  As a parent it's a responsibility to let your children become who they are not who you expect them to be.

Let them run; roll down the hill; get their new shoes muddy; paint and draw and forget the mess until it's time for you all to clear up (yes, them too, it's important); bake cakes and not worry if they're inedible or all over the place; write silly stories; sing silly songs; make up words.

That's the jist of it all.

On another note, it's also worthy letting them fail, finding out that the world, that people, are sometimes mean and nasty.  Grow from it, confident that they know how to deal with the situation, that they haven't been hidden away and protected to the point that they can't cope with reality.

That last one I'm seeing a lot of.

WANT!!!!

Dear God but there is only so much cute a human can handle.  No wait...

Just got cuter!

I Know It Has Been A While

But just look at where we've been.  

There was real, live sun and warmth and everything - vitamin D get in my bones.  We climbed into volcanoes like some weird tribute to Torville and Dean.

Hmmn, ok just take my word for it - it was a proper volcano, Google "Montana Roja" if you are a doubting Thomas, ner ner see!

The Hobbits (as was) grew fins.

We found (semi) precious stones - not emerald but very sweet Olivina - like little mining gnomes and we didn't have to go into a mine, they're on the beach!

We lived in a yellow submarine (if only for an hour) 100'/31m underneath the Atlantic.

All in all for one entire week the world was all right again.

And then to home.

*sigh*

Truthfully the government could do everyone a favour and give them one whole week away somewhere sunny and hot (it was 80 degrees and after a while our weedy Scottish bodies got used to the oven feeling).  It really did pick up and get rid of the grind of life in a grey climate.  I mean, I managed to climb a flippin' volcano - all 400+m of it.  I have CFS, I shouldn't be able to do that.  Ok so I spent the rest of the day (and every afternoon) slumped by the pool but I was up in the morning and not zombie at all.  We were able to do such fun things and although I'm still recovering it was worth it.  Please but if I can scrabble enough money together to go away again next year.

Warm Memories Of Warm Days

Artsy Fartsy and a Day at the Beach

This week I joined a new and odd club at the Hobbit's school. An art club for parents. Well, I thought it would be a room full of earnest artists scrutinising their daubing on easels (the paintings would be on the easels naturally and not the artists.) Of course it was all mums, and as we got cramp sitting on seats made for six-year-olds our art was to make hand print self portraits.

And you know.

It was actually really good fun. The hour whizzed by, it was so amazingly relaxing and nice. I'm thinking this must be what the Stitch and Bitch groups are like. The art might have made our little ones jealous but there are other projects to hand. Some might sneer at a group of grown women hunched over paper gluing on bits of glitter and feathers but sod them, it was light-hearted because we were doing something we would do with our children. There were thankfully no show off snobs.

Next one is on Wednesday and I'm looking forward to it.

Don't have a picture of that but do have a picture of Andrex II on the beach at Kinghorn during a Guide Dog puppy takeover day. Okay, there were only three and one pet dog but still, much fun was had rolling about the surf and sand.

When I Grow Up I Want To Be...Part 2 With Photos

Sunny Side Up

Reminding myself that it doesn't always rain in Scotland.

Burntisland, Summer 2006