The main reason for a trip to UK...part 1

Our little family has just arrived back in Winnipeg after a wonderful trip home to the UK.

It was 10 days filled with so much that I could never tell you everything, so I'll attempt to cover the highlights, fill in the gaps here and there, and smooth over the missing areas with some chewed-up paper — just like the stuff we used to stick under the desk at school, next to the hardened chewing gum we weren't allowed to have.

So what was the main reason for being in UK?

Well, Chris and Emma's oldest — Alistair — was getting married to his missus Georgia, and as we knew them from our time spent living in the UK, we were lucky enough to get an invite. And what a wedding it was.

It was a Friday afternoon ceremony, and after meeting up with family in the pub across the road, we all headed inside Manchester Hall where the wedding was to take place. For reasons unknown, we stood around in a room next to the ceremonial room for a while before things got started — which was actually great, because it meant we could all have a bit of fun with Macsen, Michael (my nephew) and Hannah's (Michael's wife, from our last UK wedding trip) nearly two-year-old son. He is such a fun little boy, and all the adults — along with our Hannah and Ollie — loved playing with him, throwing his hat and trying to land it back on his head. 

Our two always love playing with other kids, and I think Macs loved being the centre of attention too. It was a really nice, playful and happy way to start off what was a great afternoon and evening.

The ceremony and the dinner were both great — especially being there to watch Alistair and Georgia really enjoying themselves, including a crazy entrance when they burst open the doors to dance their way into the room for dinner.

The kids dealt really well with a long afternoon of 'adult talking', and this was helped by a great little pack of kids' stuff on the table for them to play with and take home — whoever thought of that was a genius! I really enjoyed catching up with a few old and a few new friends, and especially Mikie and Hannah, who I got to sit and chat with for a while. The last time we saw them both was at their own wedding two and a half years ago, and we were really happy that they were able to make it to the wedding.

All too soon it was 10:30 at night and we were all knackered from good food and drink and a lot of dancing, so our little family all headed home to our nearby hotel for a well-earned sleep.

Thanks so much for the invite, Alistair and Georgia — it was a fabulous day!

This is us heading there.....

and this is us heading home later....

    

Anyway, the main reason we were in the UK was for a trip to Skegness......

IIt's been over 10 years since me and Buff were there, and we always wanted to take the kids. So, as part of the trip we drove across the Peak District and all the way to the east coast, to the wonderful, dirty, lovely, windy, smelly and crazy town of Skegness. We showed the kids where me and my bros were born and our old house on George Avenue, as well as mum and dad's old bungalow on Melbourne Drive. We counted mobility scooters — a Skegness tradition — and stayed in a caravan, as you have to do at least once when you visit Skegness.

AAlso on the list of things to do was the seal sanctuary, a stroll along the beach where the kids ran all the way to the sea, threw their socks and shoes off and paddled in the frigid North Sea, a couple of pints in the pubs and a lot of money spent in the arcades.

The kids especially loved the penny falls, with Hannah trying her best to win a stuffed Capybara which unfortunately she didn't manage to do — while Ollie was working out the best way to throw as many 2p pieces as possible! We bowled, ate chippy dinner and spent half a day riding the rides at Fantasy Island, including an indoor treetop climbing route which the kids loved.

On the last morning we took a stroll along mum and dad's favourite beach by the North Shore Golf Club and told the stories of spreading the ashes in the wind and the lifeboat passing as we spread dad's. We then wandered back along the rocks instead of the pathway, so the kids could parkour from rock to rock.

Without being over the top — the kids absolutely fucking loved it! Every minute — especially staying in the caravan where they both had their own room and spent the first hour carefully unpacking and hanging up all their clothes. It was a wonderful little holiday (we were there for just over 48 hours) and all I wanted it to be. I remember the feeling of being on holiday there as a kid, and I know the kids got the same feeling.

Oh, I nearly forgot — the main reason we were in the UK — for United!

We have a very good friend (almost a brother really) called Paul, who was generous enough to give us access to his box at Man United for a game. The kids have always watched United with me at home and to take them to a game at Old Trafford was a dream come true — I can't thank Paul enough, I really really can't.

We enjoyed a fantastic night sitting on the balcony with a superb view of the United v Brentford game. Chris and Emma came along as well, as did Alistair, just a couple of days before his wedding.

We enjoyed a great game along with great food and drink served by the fantastic hosts at United. It was great to see the kids taking it all in when we arrived — just sitting and watching as the stadium filled up, listening to the music play and joining in with 'United Road' before kick off. It did get a little loud for Ollie in particular when United scored, but they both loved it all.

After the game we waited for an Uber but ended up in a dodgy transit van which, while definitely not a 'taxi', got us home all together. Even though the bloke driving was a bit daft saying "If I had known it would be so busy I would have charged more" — haha, it's a United game with 75,000 people! What do you expect. It was so good to see a game live though, and once again I really can't thank Paul enough!

Well, that's it for Part 1 — I will be back soon with Part 2 and the real main reason why we went to the UK!

The last pains of winter.....

I've written more than a few times that this blog isn't for you. It started as a way to diarise and remember my travels after I left the army over 15 years ago. Over the years it has mutated into what is basically a quick peek into my little family's life — a way for old friends, enemies and relatives to see what's happening with the 'cousins in Canada' that you never see in person.

One of the main reasons I continue this is so that when the kids grow up, they will have something to read about me and Buff — something they can refer to, tell jokes about, remember their childhood adventures through, and share with friends (and fiends). (I love a good spell check error) 

We have a lot of adventures planned in the coming years, and it all starts with a quick trip to the UK soon. We're heading over for a family wedding and also plan to take the kids to Skegness. Unfortunately, time is tight this visit, but keep an eye out for an update in a few weeks — and I promise we'll be back to the UK again before long to catch up with the people we're missing this time around.

Back to real life in Canada now, and we are firmly at the arse end of winter. April starts tomorrow and it's still snowing outside! This happens every year — just when you think spring has arrived (which it officially did last week), winter wakes up for one last fuck you,  and hits us with a fresh dump of white shit and a few more days of chilly icy northern winds. This is what driving looks like when its snowy and windy in the Canadian prairies....fun.

You can see the predicted weather for the next few days here, and while it doesn't exactly look toasty, every hour of sunshine means that giant ball of gas in the sky is slowly melting away the ice crap that has covered the ground for the past few months.

One of the things the kids got up to this winter was a weekly art class at the local Community Centre. 'RA Steen'. Its a great place — there's always something going on there (we won a quiz night a few weeks ago, for example) — and it's there that the kids did their art class on Saturday mornings. They both really enjoyed it, creating lots of different pictures and crafts. It was a great finish to the course as the teacher had a personalised award for every child depending on what kind of artist they were — here are the kids getting their certificates.

Now that the roads are clear, Buffy can finally get out her new toy — the ebike! Our old neighbours had one before they moved, and with the bus route disappearing from our street, Buffy decided she'd like to be able to take the kids out for longer rides — particularly during the warmer months. 

She found a great deal on an ebike with a double kid carrier to load the kids onto the back. 

Ollie in particular wasn't too sure at first, but once they got going they all loved it. It doesn't mean the kids won't be riding their own bikes anymore — it just means they can all get out and go further together over the summer months. Here's the first run out!

Nobody got dirty on the bike ride, but Hannah has started to take after me and my brothers a little – last week on a warmer afternoon , she decided to play in the mud after school.She made a right mess of the garden and herself... haha, good on her!

They both love this time of year – it's warm enough to play outside without needing a million layers, a full snowsuit, or a face mask. It's especially great when they get a chance to splash in the big puddles that appear – Ollie was particularly happy doing just that in his new boots last weekend, on the way to and from art class!

Someone else likes to play outside in the snow too....

 

As well as playing outside, the kids love playing inside too – As I said in the last post, we have started playing Minecraft with them, which they both really enjoy, especially the ability to build whatever they want!

I also try to give Buffy a bit more time to work when I can. She has the kids a lot, especially during school holidays, so I've started taking the odd day off here and there to help out, as well as having the kids more after work on Fridays when I finish early.

Last week I took the kids to a local arcade and 'glow golf' course – we had a great time and both kids did really well on the golf, with Hannah getting a hole in one and Ollie getting 3 of them!

Another indoor activity the kids enjoy is climbing – there's a pretty big indoor climbing wall near Ikea that they love. It's great to see them get up and do something energetic! I don't mind them playing video games or watching TV, as long as they also get on their feet and do something physical – and our kids definitely do. There's always a dance party in the basement when they have a babysitter, and they love jumping off things and climbing stuff..

Well, that's my afternoon done for today.  Time to go pick up Hannah from her day at Grandma's – it's spring break – and Ollie has had a day at daycare with his mates.

See you again soon!

Sick beds, being kids and the end of winter (almost)

Catching Up – A Lot Has Happened Since November 12th

Looking back at my last post, it was mainly about me being an idiot and falling off Hannah's pink scooter. Well, there's much more to tell on that story, and a whole lot more that has happened since November 12th and the last time I posted.

To start with, my physio appointments made very little headway with my shoulder injury – it just didn't get better. So, just around Christmas, I went through the process of getting a doctor's appointment and then an X-ray with a specialist to see what was going on with my shoulder. On January 8th I was referred for an MRI and given a corticosteroid painkilling injection to reduce the pain for a while.

It's now mid-February and I am still awaiting a date for my MRI. I've become very used to relying on my left arm and hand for a number of things, while being very cautious about using my right. I just have to wait, I suppose!

A few days into December the kids started to show signs of illness. What began as a cough and a sniffle for each of them developed into full-on hot and cold flashes alongside fevers, clammy skin and general overall tiredness. In the three weeks leading up to Boxing Day, there were just 2 days when one or the other of the kids wasn't ill. Just 2 days.

So when it came to Christmas, instead of getting together with everyone for celebrations, we were stuck at home with our kids, opening presents and eating pizza for Christmas dinner. To be honest though, it was actually really nice and we all enjoyed ourselves – the kids were just about recovered by then, and we simply didn't want to risk anyone else getting ill, especially little ones and older family members.

Luckily, by the 27th everyone was fully recovered, and so we headed over to Jon and Susan's for the traditional Cowtan Christmas, with Stef, Pat, Alana and Erika, plus kids. It was so nice to finally get out of the house with the kids for the first time in almost three weeks, and it was a great way to spend 'Second Christmas'.

At least that was all the inllnes over with - Oh no wait...again.....

Just a week into February, I started to feel off. The first weekend was mainly spent in bed, sweating and coughing, dosed up with painkillers for headaches and general aches and pains. I dosed myself up again on the Monday as I had an installation port date at work, but by 3 in the afternoon the drugs had worn off and I was back in bed. I took three days off work that week, and on the Friday I worked from home, sat all wrapped up and drinking hot tea – but still ended up back in bed just after lunch. The second weekend was spent in bed again, even as the kids had friends over to play. I hid away in my darkened bedroom.

Eventually, I made another trip to the local minor illness clinic, and after a chest X-ray showed what the doctor described as a bit of 'fluff' in my lungs – his actual words – I was given a 10-day course of antibiotics and told to rest. It's now 10 days later, nearly three weeks since first getting ill, and I'm nearly back to 100%.

One thing I have noticed is that since I was ill in Thailand back in 2011, whenever I get sick I seem to get hit with it really badly. The virus I had back then – Cytomegalovirus – knocked me out for most of a month while I was travelling, and it can apparently reactivate later in life. I do wonder if that's what happens to me now whenever something comes along.

What makes this all the more frustrating is that I went 23 years in the army without ever really taking a day off sick – apart from one occasion when I was unable to see because of an eye infection. If you know that story, it's epic. If you don't… unlucky!

Anyway,  everyone seems to be better now and I may even get back out for a run late this week. 

Right, that's enough about illness and doctor visits. What else has been happening?

Well, the most important thing happened just a couple of days ago. February 22nd marked 15 years since the Christchurch earthquake of 2011. If you have a magnificent memory, you may recall that on that day I was in New Zealand, just a couple of hours drive south of Christchurch. The bus tour I was on had actually been to Christchurch just two days earlier and had dropped off some friends in the city.

On the day of the earthquake, we were spending the morning at the Speight's Brewery, on a tour to see the beers being brewed, along with a few tasters – we had a lot of tasters actually, and enjoyed our day very much. We all felt a bit wobbly from the drinking, and did feel something of a tremor when the earthquake hit. At the time we had no idea how much damage had been caused and carried on with our day.

A couple of hours later, when we got back to the bus, a certain Canadian girl joined the tour.

Yes, that girl is now my wife – and the earth actually did move the day we met. This year marks 15 years since that day, and later in the year it will also be our 10th wedding anniversary. Crazy days eh!

Heres a photo of me and my mate Rich pulling pints in the brewery and the first photo I took of Buffy- she is stood on the other side of the pub that night, with the girls - the day we met...

15 YEARS HAVE FLOWN BY!

Anyway, enough of the big moments – let me fill you in on what Buffy, me and the kids have been up to recently!

Winter is nearly over now, and it hasn't been too bad this year. It didn't really start with a vengeance until mid-November, and apart from a couple of cold weeks it's been pretty manageable. We had a bit of snow and what was almost a record low temperature for me personally, when the wind chill took us down to minus 47 degrees Celsius. That didn't stop me and Buffy getting out for our early morning runs though, and the kids have been doing great too – keeping their mittens on and getting out and about climbing the ice mountains that build up when the ploughs clear the roads every now and then.

It's been a pretty good winter all in all, but we are all very much looking forward to spring arriving in the next three or four weeks!

The kids are also doing what kids do really well – growing up! They have suddenly hit a stretch where they actually play with each other, and we are able to sit and relax, normally with a brew and a jigsaw on the dining table. It's lovely to hear them both laughing and playing together without any need for us to get involved.

They are both getting bigger and stronger, and I am getting older – at 55, carrying a 23kg toddler on my back is fine for a few minutes, but I can't do it all day! They are beginning to understand that though.

They are also both now able to give as good as they get, throwing sarcasm back at Buffy and me, which is amazing. Being able to have a proper adult conversation with your kids is brilliant, especially when they are old enough to understand the art of taking the piss. It's not normally something that happens much over here in Canada, but coming from the UK – and especially from the north – it's an essential life skill. I genuinely couldn't be more proud of the kids than when they call me a dickhead.

We have also introduced the kids to Minecraft, so we play it once or twice a week now. They play pretty well together and both have their own worlds where they can build, dig and blow things up to their hearts' content. It's a great way to get them together in a relaxed way, and honestly I love that they are spending so much time together – whether that's playing Minecraft, playing games without a screen, or just spending time with me and Buffy and with each other.

Ollie is a bit of a card sharp (or is itshark)  and regularly beats me and Buffy at Uno and other card games. He is also getting so much better at reading and writing and is doing really well at school overall.

Hannah is also doing great. She is the top reader in her class, and often after quiet time – where the kids get a peaceful hour to themselves, and we get an hour too – she presents us with a handwritten book. Not just written by her either; she actually builds the book herself, taping and stapling pages together. She has probably written between 15 and 20 multi-page books now, complete with stories and hand drawn pictures. Just a week ago she even got the chance to read one of her own books to the rest of her class. Her teacher was so impressed that they have helped Hannah set herself goals for the rest of the school year.

They are both doing amazingly – not only with their education, but just in being good kids too. Of course they still lose their shit regularly, like most kids do, but we are seeing a definite improvement in how they recover and how they conduct themselves. They are a joy to be around sometimes and a pain in the arse at others – but that's just how things are supposed to be, 

Well, its time for me to get my old weary body off to bed - Its' been too long since I posted and as usual I will now make a promise to do it all again really soon - Let's hope I get time. 

Please make time to leave a comment if you can - I would love to hear from anyone who reads this, to know who is reading and to see how things are with you!

cheers

Here's a few pics to finish off!