From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

Been busy 'being on holiday' 😁

We went out to another NT place yesterday.  Again, it was one that we'd not been to for some years.  We actually went in the house this time.  I think the first ever time we went there........ maybe it was around the time (some) c'vid restrictions were in force, and I'm not sure the house was open - either that or they were renovating.  Anyway, this time we went around the areas that were open.  Not the most "interesting" place we've been to, but there were interesting aspects, and as ever, there are things unique to that particular site or geographical location etc.  We spent ages enjoying the 'summer of play' activities that had been set up.  I don't know if the locations could opt-in to the theme, or were given creative license how to do it/according to their visitor profile, but there was loads to do yesterday.  There was a 'coconut shie' - actually the 'coconuts' were tins, but the principal was the same.  LG implored me to have a go, and I found myself to be 'Bullseye Brown' (Paddington), and hit all the tins.  I never thought i was good at throwing balls/bean bags.  Maybe i need to consider taking up cricket - would any of the '100' teams have me, do you think?  

We ate our picnic lunch in the garden.  We were lucky with the weather - it was intermittent showers, and we'd put our rain macs on when we're arrived.  We managed to find a bench that had been sheltered by a huge tree, and other than the odd drip of a raindrop off a leaf, we ate in comfort, as it didn't rain, and the sun came out, so we were in the shade.  We explored the garden some more, and I picked up some of the produce at the greenhouse and gave a donation.  We had been watching someone walking around the garden, helping themselves to fruit, scrumping if you will.  They studiously avoided the donation box.....

We would have bought an icecream, but no-one was staffing the booth, even though the till was still open 🙄So after an impromptu puppet display from LG, using the booth and handpuppets that were there (it was a popular activity, there were children in it, most of the time we were there, we left for home.  

We called into a 'new' MrS on the way home - I say 'new', it's bound to have been there a year or so now, but we rarely drive that road.  Anyway, I was disappointed as it was quite a small store, and there wasn't anything 'different'.  I did pick up an insulated cup though, as we've decided that they are a useful addition to our elevenses/picnic kit.  

Tea last night was vegetable and tomato sauce with pasta and I used up the 3 remaining qu0rn filets.  Clean plates and satisfied customers.  There was a small bit of sauce left over and a little bit of pasta.  That went in the freezer.  We all had a HM ice-cream for pud.  

I've done the shopping this morning.  I need to dig out the receipts to work out what I spent, as there was some expenditure on purely hols stuff.  

We then went off to the cinema with chums for a £1 movie screening.  Thankfully LG had some sweeties leftover from one of their tombola stints, so it was a cheap morning 😁

We've just had sandwiches for lunch - and I used the last egg in the box that was BB 28th.  Interestingly, I did the float test with it, and whilst it didn't float, it did pirouette.  I cooked it, and it was fine - no bad smells/taste.

We've booked an air bnb for a few nights to end the holiday.  It's somewhere we have been before and we like the location.  There are NT/EH places local to it - we have one more NT voucher to use - as well as other towns etc that we've not visited.  So there is plenty of choice - probably more choice than time available if I'm honest.  The weather is threatening to not play ball, but if all else fails, we could always just 'chill' - it's a nice place to do that too.  I just need to summon up the energy to think about a meal plan, and what we'll need to take with us.  Not a particularly huge job, but one that always gets left to me, so I had better get organised.  If I did the 'everyone packs for themselves' we would end up pantless, shoeless and hungry 🙄  I don't mind most of the time - because trying to do things in a low cost manner is down to me, but it just becomes a bit of a monumental task when you've got to do the catering, the picnic lunch, the clothing, the entertainment.  How do you all manage it - lists?

I've no idea what to make for tea.  We've pretty much used up all the MrL box and/or gifted produce now - although we're still good for apples.  I didn't buy any bananas today - I think perhaps we've had our fill for a while.

Can't think of any other MSE-focused things to add.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

rtandon27

Definately lists GP - and some guided packing which this week amounted to me shouting down the stairs 'if you don't get your backside up here and participate in the packing, you will be swimming in the nude in front of 100 people' - OH came and helped, grumbled the whole time, but did spend the morning in the pool today appropriately covered 😀

themadvix

RT that did make me laugh!

Totally with you on the packing. Mr MV will do his clothes and toiletries, but not the communal stuff (and yet will be the first to ask for the paracetamol). I'm pretty sure it was ever thus - both Mum and MIL have said the same. 🙄 I have a master list and several adapted versions (i.e. UK city break/foreign plane holiday etc.) saved on the computer which I print depending on the context. The master has every eventuality and I often just print this and cross through whole sections (i.e. the camping section if we're staying in a hotel). It alleviates some of my hatred of packing, although not all.

Your day out yesterday sounded lovely - and the cinema today too - I really think LG has been spoilt (in a good way) this holiday!

Cheery_Daff

Yep,same here. Mr C will do his own clothes/toiletries etc, and is pretty decent at ambience (fairy light, candles etc) and booze 😂 Will sometimes participate in food, but does like a supermarket so often wants to go round one as soon as we get wherever, regardless of what I've packed 🙄😂 

I tend to start a list earlier in the week and keep adding to it. That way I'm not relying on a single stint of brain use to remember everything 😂

themadvix

Ambience? That's impressive Mr Cheery! Mr MV tolerates me taking food, but wouldn't if it was left to him. On the booze front, we prefer to buy something local when we get there (even if it's from Mr T's beer section, which does usually have some local options).

Cheery_Daff

Mr Cheery is the king of ambience. It's why I'm often found cleaning the toilets and hoovering before parties - he's far too busy with some elaborate scheme involving scarves and disco lights 🙄😂

Greying_Pilgrim

rt - just like tmv - I laughed out loud too,  at you're 'persuading' technique 😂

tmv - Thanks for making me think.  Yonks ago - pre LG - when DH and I used to go camping, I had a 'master list' of all the equipment we needed.  It did simplify things.  And you're right, if you've got a master list for each scenario - or perhaps one that can be reduced/expanded for number of days or climate or whatever, then that makes life easier.  I can do that, as we're mostly 'self catering' (in some sort of fashion), in the UK, either at a PI type hotel or a self contained unit, caravan etc, most breaks are broadly similar in what we need to have with us - just whether it's for 1 night, 3 nights etc etc. 

Thank you for your kind comment.  I don't think LG realises (who does when they're a kid?) the amount that we have done together this holiday.  I think what we've achieved - and, again, no kiddo is likely to realise the value of this at the time - is some form of 'consistency'.  We've managed to do 'something' or 'gone somewhere' most days.  Sure, we've had a couple of 'down' days (and that's no bad thing - we all need a nap now and again), but for the most part, there's been something to do, or see, or someone to meet up with, most days.  We've been to old places, but seen new things, been to new places and seen many old things 😂  I realise that 6 weeks of...... doing things, will never, ever have the glamour of 'a week at D1sney', or '2 weeks all inclusive at a beach resort' etc etc.  Those words conjour up fun, happiness, wall-to-wall 'stuff', wall-to-wall activities, even if - as an adult - I know that that isn't always the case that these holidays = a good time.  All families are different, and sometimes the headlines don't tell the whole story.   

LG has (sort of) maintained their diary - and at least they will have that to look back on.  But actually, it's the stuff that didn't make it into the diary that will stick with me - LG's little impromptu puppet show, their face when they were given their first 'homemade' ice cream cone, because we'd not been able to buy one that particular day or something.  Their scrambling up a climbing wall-esque item in a play area/gamboling over a balance beam like a gazelle/clambering up towers and climbing frames - all play equipment that has previously scared them, or seen them give up at the first slip.  This has been the summer of 'got it'.  Thankfully I was there to document some of it with my camera - but also sometimes I just watched..........And I think that I've enjoyed the time we've been able to spend with wider blood family, and chosen family (friends).  They have all been choosing to spend time with LG, wanting us to visit, wanting to natter or play with LG.  That's a tremendous thing really - I mean we all have to go to school with people we don't get on with, or work with colleagues with whom we have zero in common, but to be wanted, to be invited, to be 'chosen' to spend time with....... personally I think that's something pretty special, and I'm grateful that we have those type of people in our lives.  

I'm most certainly not anti "two weeks away", I wish we could give LG that too.  But I remember how long (and boring) the summer hols was in my childhood.  Conversely - this summer hols has whizzed.  Our chums said the same this morning.  They've been great company, and we've had activities to look forward to, with them - which has helped enormously I think.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery - I'm impressed that MrC does 'ambience' - If MrGP is required to remember anything other than his asthma medication or to fill the car with fuel, he goes into melt down........  😂

Greying X

rtandon27

Ambience? @Cheery_Daff - can I send my Mr over to yours for lessons? In fact he may need lessons in what a party is! Can't remember the last time we had guests for dinner! 🤣

Cheery_Daff

😂 I can rent Mr Cheery out for ambience purposes😂😂 But he does tend to get quite antsy if we haven't had guests for a week or two, and he much prefers it when people get quite drunk and stay up past 3am so be careful what you wish for!