Chatsworth and pizza

We met up with Gregor, mum Gemma and bump at Chatsworth House, Dad Nick was supposed to come only a plasterer or plumber was going to give them a quote for much needed work [as it transpired he didn't show - so not the best Saturday for Nick!!] The adventure playground was what occupied Elspeth and Gregor for almost the whole time we were there, there are fresh water play areas with Sand and Archimedes screws so transfer water - I had a great time... needless to say Elspeth and Gregor were filthy and wet, but much fun was had by all.

Gregor had his face painted

Following Chatsworth we went for Pizza at Fellucini in Bakewell - top nosh. And we even made it home in time for Robin Hood - at least the last 5 minutes anyway.

I have just discovered that they are repeating the man in green on Sunday at tea time so if we miss Saturday we can watch on Sunday...

Warmth

Well the heating has been fixed, after a much disrupted day... Sarah called to be told they'd be with her by midday. Still waiting at 4pm when I telephoned the house sounded, well chaotic. I'm sure the prospect of being sat in a cold dark house whilst the engineer prodded around by torchlight was not one that many would enjoy.

As it was it was fixed reasonably quickly as the electrician fitted the control box I bought last night, it should turn out to be a cheap job... a bit galling as it seems that I was in the right place looking for a blasted blown fuse, I didn't look in the fuse box upstairs by the hot water tank!! Could've saved the call out and the two days shivering.

I did try suggesting that as we'd managed quite well in the two days without heat we could economise and turn the heating down.... fortunately nothing was thrown at me as I headed for the car.

It's Chuffing Freezing

Why is it the household appliances all go wrong at the same time? I got a phone call from Sarah this afternoon as I was preparing papers for court:

"The heating doesn't work"

"What do you mean it doesn't work"

"The control box thingy [techincal language] is dead, it doesn't work"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Nothing, I just thought you should know..."

[mmm resist the comment that could be made about non male gender and logic] well ok, almost!

So I sped home from work, forsaking the lure of the gym, to return to a very cold house, I fiddled and tweaked [because I am a man and that is what we do best when we have no idea what to do other than call an expert, but for some reason pride (or economics) makes you want to have a go first!] to no avail, I even went to a well known DIY store to buy a new control box for the central heating and water- alas £42 down the toilet at that stage - unless when the expert comes out he decides we need a new one then I suppose it's "money well spent".

So it's still chuffing freezing!! Double duvets and socks all round tonight...

The Twits and the Seal

If you meet Elspeth and she says she'd like a "twit" she means a "twix", of course!!

It seems as if we now have a seal rather than a younger daughter, her "crawl" has evolved into a drag, largely gone is the stage where she teeters on her knees before throwing herself forward onto her stomach with careless abandon [often ejecting part of the meal/liquid she's just consumed on impact], and the new means of motion is "the drag". For the most part rejecting the use of her legs she places her hands on the ground and drags herself along, even better if there's something to grip onto and pull herself up against.

Most things need to be nailed to the floor or put about 6 inches off the ground out of her reach. I was too late to save the poor speaker and returned home to find it limply laying on it's side - Sarah decided after the 5th or 6th time to just leave it lying forlorny on the ground rather than right it.

Sarah had done some ironing and the ironing board was rescued, rather Jemima was rescued from having the ironing board come crashing down on her head.

She'll have forearms and shoulders like a rugby player if this carries on.

If you've seen any war movie you can probably picture the style of motion...