Isle Of Man

Have you ever been??
It's stunning. Lots of pictures to see, will they fit?

We went to see friends, known to this blog as IOM. I think it is October half term.
We stayed with them, Father Mother and two girls similar ages to ours, yes they are the family that come here to Sussex and stay with their family and then we all hang out together in the summer.

Go by plane not by boat.
Got a bit teary when I saw Mother IOM at the airport, it was a bit special.

This is Fenella Beach, with the winds this week it wasn't so tranquil.

Ah, there is a happy family.
The girls went on a horse riding birthday treat together, on a proper horses,

not donkeys.
Lovely house FHM?
This beach is in the very north of the Island and all the stones are flat and smooth. There was also a seal swimming that enjoyed playing hide and seek with us.

Windy very windy.
It was also 17th October 2016 and I took this picture for FHM, my face. Because I love her so very much.

These photos from inside the Museum at Douglas. It's great, a proper town I could probably spend a day in here without the kids, it's a place for craft inspiration.

At the end of the day we drove here and ate chips cheese and gravy.  Although I was not in the shop apparently the chips go into the paper and are flooded with gravy then on top goes the cheese and they are wrapped up and then when you open them that's when the magic happens. I can't show you a photo, it doesn't do it justice, It is amazing.

We watched Strictly this year and voted!

Then it is time to go up.
You take the tram at Laxey up to the summit. Hanging out here feels like you are in a 50's style crimbo movie in rural America waiting to go chop a tree and buy jam.
A bit beyond cool.

 

I am going to drink tea at the top.

A trip to fairy glen!

Then south to Castletown. All the IOM girls were in school so we were on tour with Father IOM.

 Nice stools FHM two each, you can have the basket.

Then to the beach for tea. I think this is called the Calf? More seals to be seen here.

I'd recognise that body anywhere, little brave heart.
Then we  drove down a lane, it looks like Skyfall and there is the most beautiful beach but I'd need a wet suit to go in.
The girls were shown how to collect and skim stones, although P really chucked them in.

This was October and the weather was mild, apparently it's iffy most of the time, but in my head when we go back next year it will blistering.

Thank you for having us it was perfect.

CM

Back to School.

From September are the dates on these photos

The early starts and the making of two lunches everyday is very hard on oneself after the long summer days.

I am not usually a fan of cartons in lunch boxes and certainly not bottles of water soit could be that this was a trip day.

T nagged for a crochet tutorial and P has a new year 1 teacher who we love and is enthusiastic for the homework as soon as she gets it. As soon as they get home they change into pj's which is less washing for me.

T attends a karaoke and sleep over party and I take P off to Pizza Hut. It's an off day for me, anxiety? a virus? I cannot put my finger on it but I get new lenses in my glasses at the same time and it takes a week to get used to them etc. anyway I have a Pizza Hut story but I am still desperately updating this blog so now is not the time but I love these photos.

 
In the party bag is a face pack?
T is adamant to try, she is under the impression that is will peel off her face, she basically doesn't move a muscle for 10 minutes and then her hopes are dashed when she is still picking it off half an hour later telling me she doesn't like the burn...............never using one again!

I have a mooch round M&S and as the kids are in school decide to see what all the fuss is about and have a full lunch.
Like the face mask it isn't what it looks like, but I did it.

I buy that fantastic glass pumpkin for Halloween and take the last of the Christmas mince meat and make one giant pie.

My Braderie de Lille bag finally gives out and I buy a hobo tote? which I justify by getting in sale and on a friends discount, it proves too big for the school run so I buy a full price cross body leather which is then too small to fit my crap in so I purchase this gold card holder, but where do the coins go, oh what a faff!

 P looses her first tooth. Beyond cute! No tears.

Loving Autumn and ready for winter.

CM