days out

Zoe was excited about going to Malcom's firework display so by 7:15pm Jack, Joe, Milo & Eadie, Zo, Myself, Jon and Jill were all waiting for blast off. Zoë really enjoyed them - and poor Eadie got some soot from the bonfire in her eye which spoiled it for her a bit. The fireworks were great - so here's a short video of some of them.

Zoë was excited from the minute she woke up! "It's Halloween Daddy" she said and indeed it was. I took Zo to her Mums at 2:00 along with some things to play with and her costume - a mermaid princess as she liked to call it - so that Nino could take her to the Halloween party at the garden centre in Mossley in the evening. I got a call in the afternoon from Nino to say that Zo was missing me so would I come to the garden centre too - I did and all went well for a while









Zoë had a great time for an hour playing hide and seek and having her face painted and then, as food was being served for those who wanted it, we went off to the pub for a J2O, a beer and a large glass of wine for Nino.

We all went to the duck race in Delph today, me, Zo and Nino. Zoë loves the brass band and messing about by the river so it was a great day for her. Nino was her manipulative, normal self but I think even Zo is starting to ignore what she says!

We had a great weekend at Centre Parcs at Whinfell forest in the Lake district a couple of weeks ago - Zoë loved it!

When we arrived we were greeted by a pair of ducks and a couple of young rabbits on the grass outside our apartment waiting to see what we had to feed them with. This was really exciting for Zoë as she's not had any 'close' contact with rabbits before - except for 'Max and Ruby' on the tv of course, her favourite programme. She was almost as excited by the 'trailer bikes' that many people were using to tow their young children behind them as they cycled around the forest. We, unfortunately for Zo, didn't need one as we were so centrally placed. Our apartment was on the lakeside across from the swimming and restaurant complex so everthing was within very easy walking distance.

Sunday morning and an excited Zoë saw a convoy of WWII american military vehicles passing our house!

Waving to Zoë as they passed, men dressed in their wartime GI's uniforms drove through the village in their Jeeps and other military vehicles, accompanied by their ladies in 1940's finery. It was 'Yanks' Day - a local celebration of the filming of the 'Yanks', the 1979 John Schlesinger film for which the Saddleworth Villages were a major location.

Nino has posted an entry on her blog with some photos which you can read here at 'Yanks' Day in Saddleworth

It's strange, after not going out for so long I've been out three times in the last couple of weeks!

I took Nino and Zoë out for dinner on Valentines day to the 'Top house' in Dobcross it was a really nice evening and night. Nino has a great entry 'Valentines Day' on her blog. Zoë really enjoyed it too as you'll see from the photo. I think she feels quite at home, sat at the bar of a pub. I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing.