Wait, wait, there's still some more!

(Read the two below first!)  As if that wasn't enough, on Friday on the way home we stopped off at another holiday destination from my childhood - Ironbridge, which has a world famous, er, well, iron bridge! Cool, eh?

View from Ironbridge.

And then, to cap it all off, we dropped in on Paul and Emma Bennett in Maidenhead on the way home. It was nice to catch up with you two, even if it was brief.  But hopefully we'll see you properly soon enough.

A great week had by all.  I wonder what the next few weeks will hold?

Wait, there's more!

(Read the one below first - it'll make more sense!) Then on the Thursday we went out on a very miserable and wet morning to Chirk Castle.  Nice spot!  After that we visited Chester and that brought back childhood memories for me as we used to park the caravan at the racecourse on our way down through England all those years ago.



"Black Knight?  Not likely!"



"And this, Chris, is the Roman Ampitheatre."  "Hmm, very interesting, Caitlin."



Half term shenanigans

Normally the autumn half-term is a non-event but this one has been exceptionally busy.  We flung open the door on Monday and welcomed the wonderful Roddy's of Up North.  We had a lovely afternoon and evening eating, catching up and drinking tea.  Thanks for gracing us with your presence guys.
Then on Tuesday we headed to Quinta in Weston Rhyn to stay with Al & Sarah Nurden for a few days.  What a gorgeous part of the world - we'll be back!  Thanks for having us guys and feeding us in the evenings.  As for the bowling, revenge will be mine! 
We managed to fit a lot in while we were there.  On Wednesday morning we walked around the Quinta site and played on the low-ropes....

....then in the afternoon we headed over the Trevor Basin to walk across the magnificent aqueduct - and, no, I wasn't blindfolded and lead across - no-one offered!  It's an incredible construction that requires low blood pressure and steady nerves if you happen to be crossing it on a barge!

"Please step to the right not the left - it's a long way down!"

Then to end the afternoon we had a cream tea at the famous Ponderosa cafe on the Horseshoe Pass before a brisk walk around Llangollen - spot the longest shop name in the world in the photo below.  Try saying that after a few sherries.

Double figures!

Chris celebrated the big '10' on the 23rd October with a trip to the cinema the previous day with his mates, loads of sweets & popcorn floowed by lunch at Frankie & Benny's....

...then on his actual birthday the next day he had a real treat and chose Sunday lunch - tinned meatballs and spaghetti - mmm, yum!  Grandpa & Grandma joined us and provided the cheesecake.



Perks of the job

One great aspect of my job is to take residents out on day trips.  So far, since I started seven months ago, I've been to Chartwell, Dunkirk, and a couple of weeks ago I headed off to the beautiful city of Bruges for the day.  The lingering smell of chocolate and waffles was enough to make me consider moving there permanently! 

Go Ape, young man!

 Swing time, baby!

So it took me 6 mths to get the courage to do it, but do it I did - with no.1 son for company though.  It was, how shall I put it, FLIPPIN' PAINFUL!  My legs felt like they were full of lead for the following three days because I was putting so much pressure on them every time I stood on the flimsy, narrow ledges or transferred my safety lines.  It was, however, a morning to remember, and there were some fun times, especially when Joel did the tarzan swing and raised his voice by an octave in the process.

Would I do it again?  Hmm, not sure about that.  I think I'd do another skydive, even though its thousands of feet higher and I'm not attached to anything, but at least you get plenty of time to pass out on the way down and the view is to die for!  (Perhaps that's not the best thing to say)

Thanks go to the Grews and the Philpotts for the opportunity to Go Ape!

"How do those monkeys do it?  If I believed in evolution, I'd be grateful!"

Summing up the summer

Joel was 'dead' bored in Yorkshire.

"Caitlin, tell me when to charge - I can't see a thing in this helmet!"

"Don't call me Caitlin, my lord.  I've changed my name to Baldrick."

A Robin joins us for lunch during a gruelling 2.5 hrs red route at Bedgebury.

Rant over - here's a nice piccie!

Mr Fox paid another visit this evening.

Forget 'Facebook' - blogging's where its at!

Feb'2011 was the last time I blogged - I can't believe it. Well, I can actually. Facebook - that world-wide sensation that makes people brag about what a wonderful day they've had with friends and then their friends reply in kind, making the rest of us look in from cyberspace at their wonderful lives with just a hint of jealousy after not having been invited to these magnificent soirees and coffee dates and wonder why not - really has a lot to answer for!
We've become a world of internet voyeurs and cyber-peeping toms and eaves-droppers. Yes, we get annoyed when people show the world what a wonderful family they've got and the fantastic holidays they've had without a thought for the people who haven't been as privileged or as fortunate, but we still log-on, scroll through all the inane posts, video links to bands from the 80s, open those pics from yesteryear.
Am i complaining? Well, to be honest, I'm not sure. After all, I am on Facebook and the number of 'friends' I have tells me I'm blessed with lots of people who want to know what's going on with me. Or do I? The label 'friend' doesn't really sum up the majority of people who 'request' us to be their buddies - it just tells us the number of people who want to nosey into our lives for a bit to see if they're having it better or worse than we are. "Oh, Maynard, don't be so cynical," I hear you cry. Am I? I did say the 'majority' not all. Don't get me wrong, it's a great way to communicate and keep track of people. But what happened to picking up the phone and talking to our friends when we need to instead of adding posts like 'Had a bad day - wish I had someone to talk to.' or 'Aaaargghh!'. While these posts prompt some people to ask 'Oh, hun, what's happened?', wouldn't it be easier to grab the phone, call and speak to a real friend when you need to?
Personally, I've decided to get back to blogging more. After all, if people really want to know what's been happening in the lives of my family then this is the perfect place to show them, post pics of those happy times, keep folk up to date.
To summarise, I'm not completely against Facebook, I'm more for it to be honest - I just wish we could use it thoughtfully and not with a 'Hey, everyone, look at me!' attitude that many people have when using it.

Come on world, let's be real friends. Let's talk properly instead of 'commenting'. Let's 'share' in the true sense of the word. After all, 'friends will be friends right to the end' - won't they?

Change of plans!

I really must update this thing a bit more. I started this as a way of reminding the family what we all got up to, so I guess we haven't been up to much since 9th Dec.2010, eh?
Well, that's not true. We had a lovely Christmas, albeit the first one were we didn't take any photos whatsoever. I guess they all look the same year after year, only the kids look a bit taller and the adults look at bit wider and odder..er...ahem...I mean wiser and older.

So, what's been going on, well, I've been spending Fridays with a very good buddy of mine decorating the flat that our church Apprentices live in after we found that the place resembled a hovel and a filthy one at that. On Mondays I've been taxi driver for some of the older ladies in the church who have needed a lift to get to their weekly meeting. And I've finally joined a new Housegroup which is great.
Jess had a wonderful extended birthday. She got the present of her dreams from her folks of a flight in a little, tiny, weenie aeroplane/aircraft. She was made up. I'll just have to think of something else for her 40th next year - hmm, thinking cap well and truly on already!
I've got stuck into writing a full length novel. It's a children's fantasy adventure and from the kids reaction to what I've written already, I think I'm well on track for a number one best seller. At least that's what I'll keep telling myself as I continue writing it.
Which will now take longer than planned, due to the fact that I've been offered a new job to start in a couple of weeks.
Against everything I'd planned, I'm going part-time (4 days per week, 9am-3pm) to work in a Christian hostel as a Support Worker to assist people with mental health issues. If someone had told me even two months ago that this is what I would end up doing, I would have laughed - heartily. Which goes to prove that only God knows the plan he has for us. It is just up to us to follow his plan and accept that he knows what is right for his glory and for us. I've spent the last five years planning my own future and trying to achieve things that I believed would please other people. Now, after all these years, I've realised that God's timing is perfect; it is up to us to 'push the doors' that appear before us and not sit back and wait for God to give us what we want; and that He knows what's best for us. Instead of being served, it's up to me to do the serving.
As for teaching? Who knows. As for the writing. Who knows, although I'm getting a real passion for it now, more than I used to. And as for the future, well, that's in God's hands, not mine. I'll just smile, follow him and lead my family in the paths of righteousness.
As for all the different forms of service I've been doing lately, who'd of thought it would lead to a very rewarding and worthwhile job? Not me!
Here's to the future.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

A proud day today. Caitlin got to be a beautiful and serene Mary and, for once, both parents were there to see her. Well done, sweetie.

Joel finds another way into Narnia.

October to December

Whoa, I'm so far behind with this thing. Sorry avid readers - just been preoccupied with nothing much.

Anyway, here's what's been happening:

Chris got the guinea pigs home.

Mum Tait came to visit during halfterm.

Chris celebrated 9 years on the planet.

Caitlin made her Brownie promise.

The decs went up on the 1st December!

Graduation

Friday the 17th September 2010 - a date that will always bear significance in my life. After four years of study, boredom, frustration, heartache and, at times, blind faith, I have graduated from the Open University. Up until last week it hadn't really sunk in what an achievement this really is. Every time someone congratulated me I was becoming more and more embarrassed and at times felt a bit of a fraud. Don't ask me why, I just did!

But sitting in the Barbican theatre in the front row, with almost three hundred other graduates behind me, listening to the applause of the guests, and the wonderful words spoken by the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Open University - I can openly admit that I felt very proud of myself for the first time. To wear the robes and hold the degree certificate in my hand felt amazing. When I left school at sixteen I was made to feel that this was something way beyond my reach, and even just before I started my studies, one 'wise' person told me, "I've tried it - it's very hard - I'm not sure you'll manage it." Well, I guess it was just the remark that I needed to prove her and my old teachers who instilled the me the feeling of failure, that I could do it.

It's incredible how words and feelings can linger and can have a lasting effect on someone's life. Children should leave school feeling that they have achieved something and that they are going on to achieve even greater things - they shouldn't have to wait over twenty years to do so.

I know I turned 40 this year, and the old adage that 'life begins at 40' couldn't be more true. Although I have completed my studies, I have required a hunger to keep on learning. The future is very unclear right now and I have to say, I am already very bored at home, but I know God must have something exciting for me and I'm praying for the patience to wait on his perfect timing.

The one and only downside to graduating last week and not last year was that my Dad couldn't be there to see me. However, when Jessica and I saw him in hospital a few weeks before he died, he did say he was very proud of me. I can't remember him ever saying that to me before, but it's the one time I'll never forget.

Words can wound, but don't let them scar you - have the courage to aim for what you want. You may not always reach the target, but without trying, you'll never know what you can achieve.

And to my beautiful wife, Jessica, I say 'Thank you', for putting up with so much and losing out on certain things and pushing me when needed, to enable me to do this - I love you xxx

Catch up!

Since May, well, I've finished my studies and have just been offered a 2:1 BA Honours in Humanities with Creative Writing. WOW! Yeah, I know, me. Well, well, well, wonders will never cease. Just waiting for the actual graduation ceremony next month and I can actually call myself a graduate. Bought ourselves a new LCD TV and a DVD/HDD recorder to celebrate - a bit of an extravagant graduation present, but what the heck - it's about time we joined the 21st century.

Just got back from two weeks in Norn Iron staying with Mum. Had a great time catching up with folk and all the Ulster spreads that I've been missing out on. I sure have missed all those Irish breads and tray bakes. Not good on the waist line though!

Some pics for ya.