Five on Friday - the school holiday edition.

Good morning Friday! Good morning. Thank you all for stopping by and saying hello. Thank you also for your emails behind the scenes, I really love to hear from you. My special get well wishes this Friday go to Gina, who is forced to take it easy after fracturing her ankle. 

I am in a happy place this week and I am sharing five of our holiday activities and other unrelated news. I am off work all week and I have been keeping the peeps busy. It keeps the house tidier. I am also giving you five random photos taken recently. So really, it should be Ten on Friday. Please stop by at Amy's to say hello to other Five on Friday bloggers. 


Most of Alistair's popcorn were lost in the wind. 

On Monday we went for a picnic at the Loch Ardninning nature reserve. My friend Christine came with her daughter Annie (isn't it a funny coincidence, the names). My Annie also brought her friend Alice along. It was unusually windy up on the moor. It is always a bit windy but the wind on Monday was biting. Still, us hardy Scots are not easily put off, and we had a windy picnic at the top of the hill, barely sheltered by a pile of stones. We did come across a perfectly sheltered spot under a rock face about 2 minutes after we continued the walk. Next time! Our boots were caked in mud. Jack loved it, we all did. For the next few months, we won't be visiting with the dog because there are ground breeding birds in the area, which we don't want to disturb.


Mr or Mrs Wagtail down at the river. It seems to like this spot, we often see it there.

On Monday we also got planning permission for our extension. I am delighted and exited. The architect is currently responding to the building warrant query list and it can't be long for this to be granted, too. 


This is a photo of crazy swimmers conquering lock 25 on the Forth-Clyde canal. 

On Tuesday we went into town. Before Christmas I had put in a small silent auction bid for a 'party' at the Juice Garden for up to five children, a prize I gave Annie for her Christmas. It was a bargain present. It isn't a place where I am often seen (I don't buy into the superfood/raw food craze) but Annie loves it and the juices taste nice. We took a bus, me and seven children, and caused much hilarity for our fellow travellers. James, Alistair and I dropped the girls off for their juice experience and rushed away for a short visit to Hamleys. I owed the boys some money and this was a good opportunity to pay them back. I am really bad having my own cash handy and I sometimes raid their piggy banks. I know, shocking. We bought two boomerangs (the neighbours will be delighted), a new small skateboard and a Darth Vader lego torch. Did I mention that I owed the boys quite a lot of money? When we got back to the Juice Garden, the girls were enjoying their own juice creations, and offered to make us some, too (all included, which was very nice indeed). They were allowed to use the industrial juicing machine and their own recipes. James's juice contained 5 bananas and quite a lot of other fruit, too. So much sugar in just one cup of juice but oh, it was so good... I assumed we would go home afterwards but I was wrong. Five girls in town, it can't be a quick visit. We had to go to the Buchanan Galleries for a toilet stop, to the American Candy shop for yet more sugar, then to Lush for bathing essentials, and on to Tiger for all sorts of bits and bobs nobody needs but everybody desperately wants. My feet were killing me but it was surprisingly stress free. We nearly left Alistair behind at Tiger's - accidentally I should add.


I just love the two different coloured flowers on the  lungwort I found on a recent walk

On Wednesday we went for a long walk in Pollock Country Park, a huge park on the Southside of Glasgow. It is the home of Pollock House, an impressive National Trust property, and the Burrell Collection (free admission, great art and artefact collection). There is also a golf club, mountain bike tracks and miles of footpaths to explore the woods and countryside. We stayed clear of all things culture and headed for the woods. It was an overcast chilly morning but it didn't rain. We enjoyed our walk with Johnny, Eadie, Maisie and their dog Rudie, who is Jack's best mate. I tried to draw attention to the many pairs of courting birds but only drew blank looks. We had to trick dogs into giving up stolen boomerangs (yes, the new ones) and we saw a heron take flight in a densely wooded area. It barely had enough space to unfold its wings. Alistair won the diva of the day prize. 


Mr Mallard's colours are just amazing. He was moving fast and is a little out of focus

On Thursday we rested our feet and souls. Ok that's not entirely honest. The boys ran wild in the garden and I took the opportunity to do some dreaded chores, like decrumbing the toaster and scrub the kitchen floor. I sorted through recent clothes donations. I ask you, how many superhero t-shirts does a boy need? And why are so many boys clothes a drab khaki colour? I cleaned five pairs of muddy boots, hoovered the stairs and cleaned James' and Alistair's bedroom. I don't know where they find all the yuck that is collecting on their floor. Quite possibly there is a door to an alternative and filthier universe which opens into their bedroom. I tried and failed to find the fabric we bought to make a dress for Annie. It is probably in the alternative universe. We ate cheese on toast on our front steps, enjoying the gentle warmth and watching our crazy cat Pippin rolling on the warmed paving stones. It was a good, productive day. 

The teenager didn't participate in any of the above. He alternated between sleeping all day, and going to supported study at school. Any teacher who volunteers to give up entire days of their holiday to help my teenager (and others) do well in their exam deserves to be knighted. The council's education department of course will not acknowledge the efforts but us parents, we do appreciate it.

I am not sure yet what Friday will bring. Maybe we'll go to the BMX park in the morning. I am not keen but the boys are. 

I hope your week was a good one, just like mine. Wishing you a great weekend. x

Comments

  1. Sounds like a lot of fun - if rather expensive at times!

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  2. Your photo of pulmonaria is very beautiful! I have one too, Mrs. Moon but it would like a more moist soil. Have a lovely weekend!

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  3. sounds like a great week. superhero tshirts, mmm well I've just folded Captain America, Batman, Superman, Darth Vader (super villain, does that count?) and I'm sure there are more still in the washing basket..........
    my daughter's maths teachers are running after school revision sessions 3 nights a week. I feel like I ought to send cake.

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  4. Sounds wonderful, apart from the cleaning (that is one thing I do not miss). Cheese on toast whilst sitting on the steps sounds good I could just eat that. Have a great weekend.

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  5. What an interesting and fun post! The lungwort is really pretty and I love the first photo. It's lovely to imagine the handsome landscape around.
    Enjoy your weekend! xx

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  6. Your kids are so lucky to have you as their mum, and I don't mean that in a OTT gushy way, I do actually mean it. I can manage 1 day of excursion possibly every 3 days at a push and definitely not with any form of shopping involved loved. Respect.
    Jillxo

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  7. That sounds like a wonderfully fun week with your children... I hope they appreciate what a great mum you are, especially cleaning their boots etc! Hope you all have a great day today... And thanks for the mention and good wishes! Another sofa day for me 😜

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  8. you are so loving mom dear your kids are so lucky to have you as mom ,your adventurous week visits sound great ,loved those unique flowers too and found that duck pic so interesting specially the circled water around her ,have blessed days amen

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  9. It sounds perfect ands you sound in fine fettle. x

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  10. Hey Christina,
    So lovely to hear that you are back on an even keel. It sounds as if you kept your kids busy and happy through the holidays. Have a lovely weekend. Love the picture of Alistair!
    Leanne xx

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  11. Looks like a nice holiday! I grinned at the wind and popcorn; it tells so much of a story with few words. We don't have wagtails (beautiful bird!) here but we do have mallards. Enjoy the weekend!

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  12. Sounds like you've had a much better week. I love a good walk, don't mind the cold, it's the heat that slows me down.

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  13. Sounds like a fantastic week. I love the idea of an alternative universe opening into the children's bedrooms, it explains a lot. I hope you have a really good weekend as well. CJ xx

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  14. Sounds like you've had a fun and adventurous week. I really enjoyed your photos. :-)

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  15. I love your energy and enthusiasm for keeping your children entertained - and you cleaned the house too! I hope you have some sewing time this weekend Christina.

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  16. Awful as this sounds, I was dreading the holidays - bad weather, entertaining a little one - but it's actually flown by. We too had strong winds earlier in the week. Monday in particular was wild and the washing kept being whipped off the line and deposited in the (newly dug-over) flower beds...
    I admire you for taking seven on a bus into town. And I'm bad for piggy bank raiding too. And 'sharing' Joe's Easter eggs when he's up in bed.
    Hope you had a great Friday and that the weekend's a fairly relaxed one.
    S x

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  17. What a lovely week you had! And you took beautiful photos... Irune

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  18. I am exhausted just reading it! I need to go and have a lie down now. Enjoy your weekend ;)

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  19. Wednesday sounds like my kind of "ideal" day for me. I love to go for walks and explore.

    Oh, and that first photo of Alistair with the wind blown popcorn...lovin' it. A photo taken at the right time and the right place.

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  20. hello Christina, looks like you took good advantage of the break. I'm cracking up that you listed decrumbing your toaster with your kitchen cleaning. I hope you decrumbed before you scrubbed the floor! Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for your visit!

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  21. Glad you had a 'happy week'. Love the idea of an alternative universe. That would explain where all those things I've lost have gone! Are those men serious in that loch brrrrrrrrr. Enjoy your weekend. B x

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  22. It looks like you had a good week. I'm hoping that something similar will be in place for Harry when revising for his GCSE exams in a couple of years. I shall certainly send in cakes for the teachers & quite possibly gin too xx

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  23. Oh Christina, what a wonderful post!
    I enjoyed reading about the children's activities, it's wonderful for them to be out in the great outdoors. Funny how kids don't worry about the cold or the wind so long as they're having fun!
    Cheese on toast on the step sounded good too!
    My grandies who live in France are on school holidays too and luckily the weather has improved for them so they're enjoying walks in the forest.
    Enjoy your weekend.
    Shane

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  24. You week sounds very fun and productive. I love your sense of humor and your zest for life. Happy Weekend,
    Meredith

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  25. A week full of fun and adventures , big and small things...
    I like your wagtail photo and the long wort have in garden too, it's a lovely plant with its flowers and dotted leaves, it grows allover.
    Have a quiet nice weekend

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  26. Wow sounds like you have been very busy. Thanks for letting us have a peek into your life.

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  27. You are very brave and deserve a gold medal.

    Alistair would be a perfect Peter Pan in the school play. Don't tell him I said so, though. He might not agree.

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  28. Your week sounds fun. I think there's a door to that alternative universe in small daughter's bedroom too :-) xx

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  29. Sounds like a great half term! It's always nice to be busy :) My parents used to raid my piggy bank (repaid) but the worst was my dad eating my easter eggs (never replaced). I guess it's a parent's prerogative! Good look with extension shenanigans! x

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  30. Wow, what a full and wonderful week Christine!! Your weather sounds a lot like my northwoods half the time. Lol

    Such beautiful photos too. Thanks for sharing the fun! xoox

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  31. Great photos - particularly like the popcorn one - hope there was some left for him! #fiveonfriday

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  32. Enjoyed this description of your busy week Christina. I know what you mean about drab cooured clothing for boys. When my two were toddlers I used to find it very depressing. Now they are older there is more choice for them. X

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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