Amie Noah blog: August 2010

We've just got back from a week spent in France, at Cavalaire sur Mer with Rich's parents and his sister and her family. Cavalaire is located on the most southerly bay of coastal Var, and has a 3km sandy beach. It was a week of sun, sea, sand and snakes! The kids spent a lot of time perfecting their swimming techniques in the pool, and enjoyed trying out the snorkel.... maybe a scuba holiday is on the cards as soon as Noah gets rid of his armbands (?).

We were lucky with the weather as it was hot but not TOO hot... it's taking a while to adjust to being back in the rainy UK.. but still good to be home. Jessie and Seamus were well looked after by the neighbours, but think they still missed us (or like to think they did anyway). Just back from Toy Story 3, really top film!

Rapunzel's Tower.. at least that's what we told the kids it was, and they had a great time trying to get her to let down her hair. What we should have said was "This fine tower, built of mica-slate interspersed with granite is about 30 metres high, with an entrance 3.5 metres from the base. The conical roof was rebuilt in 1876 using the original stones. The tower originally had six timber floors, connected by ladders. The four storeys above entrance level are each lit by a small window; while the top storey has four windows facing the cardinal compass points. Round towers, landmarks for approaching visitors, were built as bell towers, but also served on occasion as store-houses and as places of refuge in times of attack." It's going to be our fault when they flunk out of school.

Rich holding up the headstones at Glendalough Co. Wicklow. Glendalough (Irish: Gleann Dá Loch, meaning "Glen of Two Lakes") is a glacial valley located in County Wicklow, Ireland, renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and destroyed in 1398 by English troops.(Can't you just tell I have the Wikipedia page open!)

Amie insisted she wanted to carry these horses, a present from Granny, around with her. Of course I ended up carrying them after about 5 minutes. In this picture she is nice and dry. It's a pity I didn't have the presence of mind to take a picture AFTER she fell into that stream behind her, while trying to cross over on stepping stones. I left Daddy in charge for 5 minutes, and came back to a soaking wet sobbing child. Luckily we had a spare pair of trousers with us, and I managed to dry her knickers in the women's toilets with the hand dryer... stoically ignoring the strange looks I got from all the women in there.

Now this is a great invention. In the shopping centre's of Ireland they don't need creches. You simply shackle your child/ren by the neck and collect them when you're finished shopping.

No Disneyland for us. If you want to keep your kids entertained (with the added bonus of scaring the life out of them so they're too scared to kick up too much of a fuss at bedtime in case the Vikings hear them) then head to Dublina www.dublina.ie. Rich and kids had a great time in here for a few hours while I got in some retail therapy.