bairn blog: a tale of three henleys

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11:40pm Monday, 28th April 2008

it’s been over a week away for the Henley’s 3 and 2 weeks since we posted a blog entry so time for a catch up.

cole headed off for a conference in londinium on the 16th april before heading up to leamington spa to spend a week with uma and oompa. this sadly meant that P had to do the dreaded drive south all on her ownsome with mister G in the panda. but made it she did and all in good time too.

on sunday we had a manic but fun day as we all got together to celebrate cousin samuel’s 2nd birthday but also gethin’s recent 2nd and oompa’s imminent 60th. a great day was had, added to by the visits of oompapa, great-gramps ken, great-aunt lynne, cousin (once removed) stefan and their respective partners david and lucy. presents, fodder and cake galore ensued followed by some playage on oompa’s 60th birthday treat from the family: a nintendo wii. the highlight though was seeing Leiske – feel so far away being in Scotland since she had her second stroke last December. She is doing so well but it will be a long haul recovery for her and those around her. Just wish we could be closer to help her along.

on monday we visited oompapa in warwick, playing with G whilst cole tried to fix his computer/telly before a stroll through the historic town, baulking at the small fortune required to visit warwick castle. bah humbug!

tuesday was the birthday treat day for the boys with a trip to west midlands safari park. a great time was had on safari and the subsequent trips round the animals and on the choo choo. snaps will ensue! we all returned after a lovely, sunny day for fish and chips before Leiske had to get back to hospital and we all crashed on the sofa, shattered from our fun day out.

on wednesday P disappeared for a few days to visit friend Kate in Cambridge. this meant some quality bonding time between dad and bairn with trips to the town, soft play, the park, getting caught out in the hail, shopping and other malarkey. on friday peta returned for our last day in the midlands. heading over to warwick again, G hung out with oompapa whilst cole made the final touches to pc/telly issues.

friday night we all settled down to watch some telly (a treat for Cole and Peta who are without such luxury in Scotland), avoiding the packing, before a long journey back home on Saturday. In the morning we paid a quick visit to Lorraine and Abdul, the parents of one of Cole’s school friends, for a blether and beverages before setting off and negotiating the rabid panic buying petrol consumers of leamington spa, out in their chelsea tractors to sniff up the last fumes of diesel before the country ran out with grangemouth going on strike. idiots.

the jounrey back was eventless and getting back on saturday meant we could enjoy a day at home before the shock of returning to work after so long an absence. to boot, the weather was gorgeous leading to a spontaneous and unprecedented outbreak of gardening from the henley’s 3, with weeding, planting and general mischief to be had with any tool that came to hand in the warm april sun. hopefully this will be the shape of things to come this summertime!

anyways, by way of apology for so long an absence here is one of a couple of videos that we took in the garden this evening of peta taking gethin for a spin. the other video can be viewed here.