From "B" to "B"

My life just seems so full of sooo much to do. Never a dull moment, not sure how I have time to go to work! Last weekend Mr P and I travelled to Bristol to help my daughter, hubby and children move house. My son-in-law is transferring his job to Edinburgh and after much hunting around for a house to rent they eventually found one in Berwick Upon Tweed. So this is a big move and not one where you can pop back if you have left something behind or forgotten to do something! Friday night we arrived and helped by doing more cleaning - should say at this point a large chunk of the house was already cleaned and we were down to the bits you can't do until everything is packed up and furniture moved. Saturday morning we took the grandchildren out so that they could finish all the jobs.

After much discussion we headed to Portishead. It was somewhere I had particularly wanted to see before we finished returning to this area and was pleased when this venue was suggested.

Spud is full of life and has found his voice! It feels as if the moment he wakes up he does not stop talking. He's holding a police car which he took to bed during the night. But this car was a nightmare he decided three times to play with it and wakes us all up with the siren and his crying! Not what you need when you are moving.

Since our last visit Dumpling has decided that life is more fun by walking than crawling. Oh boy she's so proud of herself. Now we chose this venue because there was a park and a duck pond, but we did not realise that it was the start of the Portishead Carnival. So this was a fantastic bonus.

Mr P got to enjoy seeing some scooters, who were to be near the front of the procession.

Spud and I went are own way and left Mr P to talk.

With an hour to go before the prcoession left we went and played in the park.

Dumpling really liked the slide but was a little weary of the speed in which she descended!

Now it was at this point in time that we get a phone call from our daughter. It was not something we wanted to hear. The removal company had phoned to say that they were not coming on Sunday but would be coming on Monday instead! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! The conversation ended with them trying to come up with an alternative whilst we carried on playing.

Seemed strange to see pipers all this way south, guess it gave Spud and Dumpling a taste of the future! Perhaps one of them may take up the bagpipes?

Spud got given a flag and thoroughly enjoyed waving the procession by. Dumpling not looking too impressed.

Time for lunch and a think.

As you can see the sandwich was eaten at top speed! Salad noooooooooooooooooooooo! Meanwhile we think about the problem and come up with an answer. The plan had always been for my daughter, the children and myself to travel to Leicester late Saturday afternoon and for them to go to Berwick on the Sunday. Mr P and her hubby were to stay overnight in Bristol, be there for the removal men, last clean up and then they would head north trying to beat the removal men. My son-in-law was due in the Edinburgh office 9am Monday. So Mr P came up with a solution - us girlies would continue to Leicester. The men would finish cleaning and too head to Leicester. Then Sunday morning my hubby would drive my son in law to Berwick - leave him with an airbed, some bedding and essentials so that he can go to work on Monday. Then Mr P would drive back to Leicester. Then my daughter and he would go back to Bristol and leave me with the grandchildren. I would have to reorganise work for Monday. So with the plan well sorted in our minds we head back to meet up and eventually leave for Leicester. Now we were going to go in my daughter's car but seems as we were all meeting up later that night in Leicester I opted to drive our car to give her a break. She was exhausted and her head throbbing.

I've probably got your heads throbbing with our plans - but be prepared to throb more! Half way home we get a phone call. Apparently the removal company had made a mistake and they were coming on Sunday! So it's back to the original plan - but oh no we've got the wrong cars! So much more thinking about this problem. Eventually come up with another plan which involved Mrs A and her hubby helping out by picking me up from a service station on the M1, the next day!

So Sunday knowing that the children were going to have a long journey in the car we decided to wear them out in the local park.

Spud was not too impressed with his sister joining him on the climbing frame and suggested that she should be back in her pram!

Oh he loved this rocking horse, managed to get it going really fast.

Then it was time to head up the M1 to meet up with their daddy and Mr P. We had a picnic in the service station carpark, along with Mrs A and her hubby.

Note Darthvader has centre position!

Finally it was time to part. Mr P driving our car, with the grandchildren and mummy north. For me to return to Leicester with Mrs A and hubby. Their daddy went in their car on his own in order to get ro Berwick as quickly as possible to collect the keys and meet the removal men. They finally arrived around 6.45pm. The children were apparently delighted with their new home, running around the garden in the pouring rain. The removal men were lovely not only had they done all the loading of the vans, driving the long journey, unloading but stayed behind to help put up the beds. They were amazing men, from Romania. So kind of them, as they still had to drive back to London for their next job.  Well all that remains is for me to wish you all a good week. Bye.