Narrowboating, London Trip, Theatre Visit, Partying and then Welcoming Baby Maxwell - August 17

Our August hasn’t felt as full as the list seems as I look back on the month, whilst it has been full-on fun together.

My two week holiday started with a trip to Norwich Theatre Royal with Jerry and Dylan to watch ‘The Railway Children’. It was right up Dylan’s street, he was enthralled all the way to the end of the show avidly following the story. The stream train had a visual presents as a projected film whilst supported with really authentic train audible accompanied by bellows of puffing effects. Our theatre trips seem to conclude in the Waffle House where Milo joined us, but Dylan decided he didn’t like waffles anymore and sent his supper back!

A week on a narrow boat followed starting from Linslade near Leighton Buzzard. This year we included Pat (Jerry’s mum) with us as we all stayed on ‘Empress’, a bit more luxurious with two bathrooms, single leather chairs, bow-thrusters all within its 65ft length. We had Captain Dylan to lead us, Jerry as Chief Driver, I functioned as the Chief Lock Operator and Nanny Pat generally enjoyed the scenic moment! The weather was mixed resulting with driving rain for two days and a sulking driver, until my role duelled as the umbrella protector until the sun came out and tranquillity settled the mood. We travelled our way north along the Grand Union Canal, through a number of locks, aqueducts one over the Great Ouse, turning around after Blisworth Tunnel, stopping at a waterside pub daily. Our daily Heron count concluded with 27 seen over the week all close enough to touch, catching sight of 3 kingfishers with one I saw properly as it flew up the water towards us. Beautiful sight. Lovely holiday break!

All four of us had a day together in London, travelling by train then underground, so different stresses for my Norfolk boys to endure! Our planned visit to London Dungeons as demanded by Dylan, was really good fun. An entertaining wander through the evil and unpleasant elements of London history. The actors played their parts with really believable furiousness in the half light, poor Dylan was terrified and in tears the worst point being when his Dad was in the torture chair he was worried for his safety. The tour ended in the 1889 pub with a drink, Dylan saying he enjoyed the experience! He then won the heart of the landlady when he spent his time describing his life in 2017 of pizzas, electronic games, TV, then electricity and the conversation went on. He was in belief of the moment he was in, capturing all the threads he was being thrown by Margaret, the landlady actor. This summer Dylan’s imagination has been in the world of war, warships, tanks and guns so it had to be HMS Belfast as the next attraction, an immense craft. We wandered from the top being Admiral's chair looking over the guns to the engine room some 15ft below water level. A well organised trip to wander facilitating the age range well, enjoyed by both boys. Trip home was quiet! 

London Dungeon - Great Fire of London 

                                     

Margaret the landlady in 1889

HMS Belfast - from the Admiral's chair

HMS Belfast - to the Engine Room

HMS Belfast - Locked up!

Bank holiday weekend we legged-it to Nottingham with Jerry's brothers, their wives and mum for a celebrating party as the lovely Andrea reached 50 years, really pleasant evening catching up with the Nottingham Steggles and their friends. The partying afterwards was really good fun realising there is still life in us to keep going beyond the early hours, surviving the long haul home, challenging the recovery period is much longer than it use to be! Brett and Millie looked after Dylan deciding playing families was fun but not for them just yet, they all looked pretty exhausted. 

August also saw the early arrival of Jake and Nicola’s baby, Maxwell Boris Becker. He came 7 weeks early weighing 2lb 10oz, he is well and has needed support to grow, all a bit too familiar again. They are doing well and nearly home, Nicola is happy to share these pictures of her beautiful boy.  

Happy family early August

Mawell end of August

Finally in the last days of the month I managed a second visit to Proms 61 at the Royal Albert Hall, listened to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra playing Strauss, wonderful opportunity after a day at work when the pressures of winter were evident, yes in August!

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