Friday 16 August 2013

Catching up, and a spot of gorilla hunting!

Well how is your summer going? Enjoying some good weather I hope.

I have been trying to keep up with everyone else's blogs, I've just not blogged much myself. I have had a bit of time - I'm just lacking a bit of motivation - feeling a bit down in the dumps I suppose.

Life has been busy and it's the time of year when my nerves are a little tattered and I've had my fill of cricket! August is a tricky month as I'm trying to balance some fun stuff for the kids (without spending the earth) but also trying to keep up with all the cricket fixtures.

Number 2 son had a match in Essex this week and for the first time in a long while I gave it a miss. I touched on some of the difficulties we/I have with number 2 son here, and those difficulties are not always easy to deal with - I've reached my tolerance limit right now and one more false move on his part and I WILL EXPLODE!

So while he went to Essex with The Builder I went out for a more relaxing day with Little Miss, we continued our Go Go Gorilla hunt around Norwich. I say a more relaxing day but we actually went on a route march for 4 hours only stopping once for the obligatory coffee and cake. The waiter in the coffee shop nearly took the brunt of my current mood when he almost refused us a table (while maintaining a sneery smile) as we didn't want a full "afternoon tea". After a little discussion he asked if we "really wanted to sit in the formal tea room" to which I replied that "we really did"!

Anyway onward and upward we ticked off most of the remaining Gorillas and only have about 5 left to do on the outskirts of the city - a huge walk still to do I'm thinking. These are the highlights....
Norwich Cathedral Gardens



Inside Norwich Train Station - after we'd searched the carpark for half an hour!

King Kong outside the Cinema

Alice in Wonderland





 A lovely riverside walk in the city centre - something we'd not done before
 
 It truly is "A Fine City"



And in amongst all the cricket we've had exam results for number 1 son
 - not the greatest and a little bit of upset to console.
 
We've had a major argument with a neighbour (it's been bubbling for many years...) to do with cricket balls being hit over into his garden - that's a story all on it's own but probably not one to publish!

We did a bit of this
And boy did we pick! Heaps and heaps of strawberries, delicious big red juicy ones too.
So we spent the afternoon making smoothies - the boys were at cricket so didn't get so much as  a sniff of our delicious juice!


I've started my holiday diet, we don't go away until February but I'm allowing for all the failures I'll have in between - it's going well up to now (week 2).

And one bit of good news after all the courtesy car mishaps, I received this from the insurance company........

Now that is an apology I'm happy with!

19 comments:

  1. You sound like you could do with a bit of "me" time! It does get easier eventually, once they learn to drive there's a lot less running around! Love the gorillas, great fun. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Number 1 is talking about learning to drive - less chasing around but won't I worry more??

      Delete
  2. Love the selection of gorillas you shared with us. KK is fab and I love the Ironman one.
    Sounds as though you may appreciate something slightly more alcoholic to slip in with the strawberry smoothies, sometimes alcohol really can be for medicinal purposes!
    Sorry to hear the results weren't as wished, hope he's ok.
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lisa, he's doing fine really, one paper is being sent for remarking as there's a discrepancy apparently and he's talking about re-takes - so all is not lost!

      Delete
    2. Oh yes, pass me the gin please!

      Delete
  3. Awww I'll be right around to get you out of the dumps!!
    I can so relate with what you're going through, sometimes my kids schedules can be a bit too crazy and much so I have to take a break. Also... my son... my middle son, I may have mentioned... has given me crap for a few years, he even got arrested at the age of 15, but he's 17 next week and finally maturing a bit. (A bit ... and I tread lightly)... So if you ever need to vent I'm here for you!! I think sticking with your daughter is a good plan :) Love the flowers and the gorillas! Your daughter is a cutie!
    Tammy x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tammy - arrested at 15? that's only a year away - you're not making me feel any better you know!!
      I'm sticking with girlie days out for the rest of the summer!

      Delete
  4. Sorry to hear about the august blues... it can be a bit much, can't it? I am so wishing I could go hunt Gorillas too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love King Kong, I haven't seen him yet! Sounds like you definitely need some 'me' time. I don't have kids - I can only just manage to look after myself lol! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. King Kong is at the Odeon, Riverside. Quite a big display with a couple of trampled old American cars too - it's worth a look.

      Delete
  6. The rhino will be auctioned at the end of the display time. Do you fancy the cricket one in your back garden?
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it would be fun in the garden, if only to annoy the neighbour! I think they sell for a lot though so probably not a possibility sadly.

      Delete
  7. This parenting lark is a hard road sometimes isn't it? We have had a rough year with son number 1 - I think what helped me most in the end was a quote I read in a book on parenting ( yes I even tried reading a book to help me out) that said you have to let boys fail to enable them to eventually succeed for themselves. It took the pressure of me trying to make things "right" for him all the time. And I started saying 'no' more often and putting my other children and me first - got the balance back a bit. Oh - and I'm with you on the cricket balls - only ours are tennis . Can't look our neighbours in the eye, although they are very understanding and don't mind at all when the 100th ball bounces off the roof of their car again......sigh. Hope things even out a little for you. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, it is tough but that's a good quote, maybe I need to try the book? I don't seem to get anything right at the moment but it has worn me down.
      The neighbours are anything but understanding, I can see more trouble ahead.....

      Delete
  8. So glad you had flowers to make a difficult time a little better. Stay firm, fair & supportive with your son & I wish you well.

    Thank goodness I've not had a problem with neighbours about my four cats... though next door is empty at the moment & my cats enjoying the jungle of a garden !

    Fabulous colourful Rhinos and fresh smoothies yum x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gorillas in a blog title!! You win the summer prize. I love how England is doing this great outdoor public art, I think it really leads the way with all this stuff. And what a fun way to get people to walk around town and see all the history. Nice with the roses!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sorry you are feeling a bit down in the dumps, hope things are less hectic once school starts up again. I'm glad you have managed to have a reprieve from cricket and found lots more gorillas!
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kids will drive you crazy sometimes......but everything works out in the end..so try to just have some 'me' time.....breathe and smile and take some time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the idea of all those gorillas. So sorry about those downers you've having - but it looks like there are plenty of up things going on too! Life, eh? xx

    ReplyDelete