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: