Handsome

Slug Balancer

There's a scene in Blackadder Goes Forth in which General Melchett misconstrues Baldrick's Charlie Chaplin impression as a slug-balancing act.

It seems that Holly's Wildlife Club have been - knowingly or otherwise - recreating the scene in Davidsons Mains Woods.

For reference, all the Wildlife Club pictures can be found here or by clicking the picture.

Almond Swingers

Another idle Sunday, another stroll up the Almond from the "pony field" at the Cramond Brig. We had a laugh on the swings, we strolled up to Cammo. That was about it. George Orwell had very little to say on the matter either.

The Sporting Spirit

George Orwell once wrote:

Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.

He was probably last to be picked for football.

Luckily, sport at Primary School level is a bit more benign. Here are a few snaps of Louis being put through his paces at the school P1-P3 sports day. Holly did one too, but I missed that due to work. Next year, and for one year only, they're both in the upper school and will have sports on the same day.

Violating The SSSI

After meeting up with the McQueens, we planned a camping trip with them. We went to our old haunt at Scremerston beach, and did all the usual stuff - we started a fire, the kids collected driftwood and explored the dunes (with Casper the dog), we got fish suppers from Berwick-Upon-Tweed, we huddled together for warmth because it was blummen cold and windy.

Two things happened that hadn't before. The gas stove exploded, which was alarming but caused no injury or damage apart from a small tear in our tent.

In the morning, a ruddy-faced agricultural-looking fellow (I could tell he was a country type because he wore green cords and a bodywarmer, and drove a pickup) approached the camp as we were sizzling sausages for breakfast, and informed us we were illegally camping on an SSSI. This was news to us, but he went on to explain that our favourite beach for burning things on had in fact been incorporated into the Lindisfarne SSSI on account of its rare grasses. Or something. We promised not to come back, and come to think of it the wild camping laws are far more relaxed in Scotland - so it was a fond farewell to Scremerston.

Casper The Friendly Dog

Strolling idly through Inverleith Park, to the distant sound of two separate pipe bands practising, we stumbled upon La Famille McQueen (albeit sans Sarah) doing a bit of digging in their allotment. We strolled, we chatted, we hung on the crossbars of rugby posts, but most of all we met Casper the dog. Louis suits a dog, and he got on with Casper straight away. Handsome dog, handsome boy.

May The Fo(u)rth Be With You

The May Day holiday fell on May 4th this year, and thus shared its slot in the calendar with Star Wars day. I took the kiddies on an epic bike adventure to Hound Point, where we collected driftwood, started a fire, and cooked sausages and marshmallows in the shadow (figuratively, at least) of the Forth Bridge.

It was awesome.