Reasons to be Cheerful. Last week of the holidays #R2BC

Its the last Thursday in August so my last time hosting until October. I will be handing back to Michelle for September. The school holidays are racing to their finish and we have managed to pack quite a lot in. Here are a few things that have made me happy this week:

1) Kendal Museum

We went to the museum whilst friends were visiting. It was the first time for 4 years my son had stood next to the polar bear. What a difference:

2) Race photos

The official race photos from Grasmere Sports included this awesome one of my son's sprint for the line. He finished one second behind the boy in front:

3) Scottish Dancing

I went to the U3A country dancing class with my mum and my daughter. It always brings a smile on my face to have a go at Scottish dancing. Roll on November when we are going to a whole evening of it!

4) Peekaboo

I had fun tickling our neighbours' German Shepherd through the gate. He is a big softie to anyone he considers pack (which includes us and our guinea pigs!) but woe betide a stranger:

Grasmere Sports 2018

I once again volunteered to help at Grasmere Sports and was put on the fell running registration. It wasn't the best of weather for an outdoor sporting contest:

We set ourselves up with all the numbers for each of the categories:

We then spent most of the day registering anyone brave enough to come out in the cold and rain! My dad brought my son up and he took part in various sports. Unfortunately for him in the wrestling he came up against one of the regular wrestlers in round 1 so didn't last long... He also needed dry socks as they wrestle with no shoes on....

Next he participated in the fell race as it was part of his club championships. It wasn't wonderful conditions to run or spectate in:

Camping at Sykeside, Brothers' Water

When a friend from Buckinghamshire said they were coming up to the Lakes this summer I knew it was a good opportunity to show off my adopted county. I suggested camping for the night and then sent a few potential sites to her from pitchup.com. From these she chose Sykeside near Brothers Water. It was a wet and misty drive up into the mountains from Kendal and I was beginning to think camping had been a bad option! Then as we descended Kirkstone Pass the vista opened up and it just looked stunning:

Before pitching our tent we fortified ourselves with chips at the Brotherswater Inn. It was a good job we did as pitching the big tent in strong winds and drizzles was a testing experience... probably didn't help that I hadn't remembered to bring all the pegs so I had to buy more. The ones from the shop were more up to scratch for the hard ground any way! It was worth it for a view like this:

Once we were set up we headed across the fields for the short walk to Brothers Water:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Home Sweet Home #R2BC

Its a miracle I am ready in time to host Reasons to be Cheerful this week! No need for Michelle to dash to the rescue - thanks for last week. I look forward to seeing what is making everyone smile this week: grab the badge, link up and share the love.
1) Holiday memories
After a fortnight in Wales I have so many happy memories to look back on:

It is however wonderful to back home and close to my family again.

2) Bejewelled

How could the sight of a rose like this not make you smile:

3) Happy Cat

Pembrokeshire Beaches

One of the reasons that Single With Kids run a holiday to Stackpole is its proximity to wonderful beaches. Over a fortnight we had plenty of adventures and fun on them with our guests. We always start with Broad Haven South:

Its a beautiful spot with big enough waves for body boarding and plenty of sand for getting creative:

With plenty of other holiday makers the children (and adults) had fun damming the stream:

A day at the British Museum

Last Saturday my son and I had time to kill in London before going to a friend's house. I dragged him into the British Museum as it was one of my favourite museums at his age! He had been there as a toddler and was OK but as a tween he was not at all impressed...

The lady on the family desk did her best to persuade him by talking about Night at the Museum and Indiana Jones but he was not convinced! She gave us one of the children's trails but he was not at all interested... He did want to see the Crystal Skull from Indiana 4 but that was it..

However I wanted to see more so insisted that we looked at the other must see items: 

As you can see it was pretty crowded especially in the famous parts. We did manage to find a few more of the must see items, which includes the Crystal Skull:

Then I attempted to take him on the Anglo Saxon trail. He was really not interested and I barely had time to snatch a few photos as he whizzed through the exhibits:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Single with Kids in Pembroke

I have just come back from 2 weeks just outside Pembroke at the National Trust's Stackpole Centre as  co-ordinator for Single with Kids. The Internet there turned out not to be up to blogging so thank you at Michelle for coming to the rescue this week and hosting. Two weeks in a beautiful spot with nearly 100 people (not all at once!) has given us many reasons to be cheerful:

1) Tenby

Beaches, history and arcades - classic British seaside fun.

2) Barafundle Bay

Remote, clean and with wonderful sand.

3) Pembroke Castle

Schleich Eldrador Creatures

Sponsored Post

My son was sent one of the new Schleich Eldrador Creatures to review. These are a new range of lava, stone, ice and water creatures for ages 7-12:

From the four worlds of Eldrador, the lava world has managed to get hold of the super weapon. This provides the hot-headed creatures with an evil power that they can use to rule the other worlds of water, stone and ice. Only by seizing the super weapon can the others manage to save their own worlds. But this is not so easy! The weapon is stuck in lava rock deep inside the lava world and is being watched over by the red-hot fire lion! So they can possess this power themselves and put a stop to the lava world, the best and strongest warriors from the water, stone and ice worlds are entering the battle to regain their worlds. A fiery pursuit of the super weapon ignites – and grips all of Eldrador. The frost monster – not generally a fan of hot temperatures – is the first to make it into the depths of the lava temple. Will he manage to knock the fire lion out cold?

The one he was sent was the Monster Kraken (£13.99):

He blinds enemies with jet-black ink, fights them with his long harpoon, and with his strong tentacles, can even hold several opponents at bay at the same time: the kraken is a real super fighter! He is not only as quick as lightning under water, but is also super quiet when attacking on land – as he is practically walking on tiptoes. This makes him more dangerous as he is more unpredictable. 

The kraken is a real super fighter – he has several tricks up his sleeve to hold back his opponents. With his strong tentacles, he can take on several opponents at once, he can squirt jet-black ink into their faces, and using his harpoon, he can keep uninvited guests at bay – even those from the air! But anyone who thinks that he is only as quick as lightning under water is most definitely wrong. The kraken can also fight his opponents on land! But how does he do this? He can not only move extremely fast on his tentacles, but is also super quiet – as if on tiptoes – and hardly leaves a trace. No one is safe from him anywhere...His only weakness is that the monster kraken needs water after an hour at the latest, otherwise he is at risk of drying out.

We have reviewed plenty of Schleich models including dinosaurs, Smurfs, elves and knights. The common theme with all of them is the high quality and attention to detail. They are definitely not a toy that breaks after a couple of plays!

The Monster Kraken definitely matched previous toys for the paintwork and small details:

My son is now 11 and he is into action and adventure so these creatures are perfect for him. The fact that the arms move and the weapon can be switched around was a winner with him:

He may say he is too old for toys but playing with the Kraken and creating sets turned out to be a lot of fun. Schleich are brilliant at developing these playsets to spark the imagination and add to the play.

My son now has his eye on the Hellhound (£9.99) to make the story telling more fun! When he does grow out of them they are good enough to look at to keep as part of our model collection too.

Reasons to be cheerful: Off grid! #R2BC

I am in deepest darkest Wales with rubbish Internet so haven’t been able to create a proper post! I will get online properly soon... meanwhile please link up and share the reasons to Be cheerful love!

get the InLinkz code

Cartmel Show 2018

Junior Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling:

 

A taste of the rest of the show:

Reasons to be Cheerful: History, Friends and Science #R2BC

It's August which means I am back in charge of the happiest linky around for the next month! Thanks Michelle for hosting in July. Looking forward to linkers old and new joining in this week. Here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) History

I had a flying visit to the British Museum on Saturday. Being a history buff means that I love getting close to items such as the Sutton Hoo helmet:

2) Back to Chesham

This is where I had my first flat, met my now ex husband and lived for about 5 years. It was lovely to be back there for a couple of nights:

3) Friends

We were down to catch up with my old High School friends and their families. Celebrating over 30 years of friendship with conversation, wine, good food and cake:

Ambleside Sports 2018

 

On Thursday my son and I headed up to Ambleside for the annual Ambleside Sports. We have been twice before in 2014 and 2015 but have been away for the last couple of years as it is always the last Thursday in July. The fell race was part of the club championships but there was plenty of other stuff going on as well.

We watched some cycling and the start of the gruelling 9 mile Rydal Round before he had a Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling competition. Unfortunately he came across the eventually champion in round 1 so that was game over... Then he lined up with his team mates for the under 12's fell race (photo by Woodentops):

It was a there and back again race up quite a steep hill:

He had an awesome sprint finish: