It’s a family affair…

You can pack an awful lot in to a weekend. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, singing, beautifying, swinging (golf clubs), quad biking, laser questing, ping ponging, escape rooming, teddy bear making, duck feeding, eating, drinking, laughing, memory making…

Location: Centre Parcs, Penrith
Invitees: McRookes and BucksRookes
Mission: A family affair

In short we had a wonderful time. I’d heard mixed things about Centre Parcs but I genuinely had a really great time. The setting, the activity, the company. There was slight Hunger Games vibes when I ran round the perimeter fence a couple of times but we were in an ideal central location – walking or cycling distance to everything. We managed to pack in a wide range of activity despite some favourites being booked out (no treetop climbing, swinging or ziplining) and we ate lovely food with great company. Special thanks to Will and an award to him for max time possible in the pool. And lovely to spend time with my brother and family post parents. On the way back we debriefed about our favourite activities – conclusion was pretty much all of them. For the family affair though it had to be the karaoke booth!!

  

Team Rooke

A Kirky phonebox in Centre Parcs

BuckRookes all dry-robed and ready

The making of Parker

A little dutch courage for the karaoke booth

The booth!!

Videoclip: Butchering Country Road

Or you can watch the video here

Niomi and Parker

Escapees

Family Days....

"Let's go for a family cycle round Cumbrae" says Mummy. Theory sounds great, reality can sometimes be wide of that mark. Years ago I could get 2 adult bikes and a kid bike on the back of the van and a kid bike inside. Everyone's bikes are bigger now, and so it involves taking wheels off and strapping things down. Plus my bike appeared to have a puncture. Quick pitstop to Halfords for a repair, lots of swearing and cursing as I packed up. Then the van wouldn't start. More swearing. Then it did start and we were off. An hour later than planned but hey, we were moving.We arrived at Largs, put the bikes back together, and patiently waited for the ferry whilst my stress levels decreased. 

Anyone who knows Cumbrae knows it's a fairly flat 10mile cycle round the island - with a Millport pitstop half way for an ice cream. But then its not just anyone that came on our cycle adventure. Half a mile in and we stopped for lunch. Two miles in and Niomi was refusing to go further and had about turned headed back for the boat. Hasty negotiation involving a square of chocolate every half a mile or so, and Niomi and myself arrived somewhat later, and somewhat more frazzled, than Tanya and Emily into Millport. Stress levels were back up but the ice cream certainly helped, particularly Niomi.

And before I knew it we were on the final 4 miles - this time Niomi left us all standing. Fuelled by ice cream and sugar and a tailwind, she blasted back to the boat - only stopping once to take her jacket off. A cycle adventure and family day of two very different halves, topped off with a trip to Wagamamas.

My niece Chloe also stayed at the start of the month. More family days with a trip to RSPB Loch Lomond. The sun was shining at the start of the month and summer was still going strong. 2 weeks later and autumn is most definitely here. Like the flicking of a switch the seasons changed very rapidly this year. The fires on inside as we prepare to bed down and coorie in for the dark season. More family days are in store though as we are about to head to Centreparcs with my brother and family.

Happy faces before the going got tough

The boat to Cumbrae

Stress levels low

The view of the west coast

Millport and Arran

Me and Em

The delightful Chloe

Loch Lomond to Arrochar Alps

Picnic on the bonnie, bonnie banks

My family and other animals...

And back to school they went. And back to work I went. It was definitely back to earth with a bump. But thankfully not for too long. After my Dad's low key cremation in July we had organised a much bigger memorial for him in August. Lots of planning, organising and emotion, alongside sorting out his estate. All-consuming but really helped by everyone in the family chipping in, particularly Chloe, Ruth and Emily for sorting all the music. Its so great when everyone comes together and we gave Dad a really good send off! I even got through the eulogy without bawling my eyes out.

And then it was 2 days of more royal treatment at the Bucks Rookes this time. They really know how to host very well, and as well as being truly looked after, we had 2 wonderful trips out to Waddesdon Manor (a National Trust property that's part of the Rothschild Estate) and Whipsnade Zoo. I even got my new phone in time to start snapping lots of photos!! And I have to say the animals were really very well behaved - elephants were playing, lions feeding and the tiger prowling. Couldn't really ask for more!

More thanks to our hosts once again! It seems we've managed to land ourselves on pretty much all the family this summer 😁.

Bucks and Mc's Rookes (and Jaki)

Never ending summer

Hello from Waddesdon

Waddesdon Manor

Picnic time

The egg and spooners

Videoclip: The Waddesdon Games...

Or you can watch the video here

Safari Kings

Mumzo and Emzo

Trolls were everywhere at the zoo

They even captured Emily

Face off

Videoclip: Animals on parade...

Or you can watch the video here

The tiger who came to tea

Dadzo and Emzo

Summer really is so much fun...

Getting a bit behind with the blog so a whistlestop catch up on the end of the holidays. 

Following Croatia there was more fun in store. I'd managed to buy extra annual leave this year so I was looking forward to being part of the summer party for once rather than having to work and looking on from a distance.

First up was back to Banchory for some pampering from Nana and Baba. For me it was great to breathe in that Deeside air, get out and running in nature and find the space that I really needed after my Dad's passing. We did well in the charity shops, had great trips out, played tennis and the girls loved horse riding (I have finally decided I am not cut out for the equine life). We ate like kings and queens and were equally treated like royalty.

Then it was a quick return to Kirky and a sunny excursion to the Trossachs before we headed off to a festie experience extraordinaire at Fringe by the Sea. And there was more being treated like royalty courtesy of the Gurneys this time - they even set up the royal tent in the garden for us. We joined the masses though and saw plenty of bands - Racecar, Manran, Pictish Trail, Hamish Hawk and The Ezra Collective - as well as watching a soupçon of comedy and witnessing the Drum King John getting the main festival area jumpin'. I have to say it was an absolutely brilliant few days!

Thanks so much to all our hosts! And boy, summer this year has been so much fun.

And then....back to school and full working weeks! Aargh.....

Gediks, Gurneys and Rookes largin' it North Berwick style

Videoclip: FTBS...

Or you can watch the video here

Sandra and Andrew's Wedding Blog by Niomi

Hi everyone, it's Niomi here and I'm going to talk about Sandra and Andrews wedding from the end of July because I had no other thing to write about so I decided to do it about their wedding. The reason I chose to do it about their wedding was because I made some really good friends there, and also because their wedding made me want to cry because it was so beautiful. The only reason that it made me cry was because the words they used was just so lovely and beautiful that it made me think of when Alex and Chloe got married. It was a very good lovely service.

I also got to make new friends at the wedding called Thea and Sylvie. Thea and Sylvie are really good friends to me because they're my only friends. The things I did with Thea and Sylvie was playing games and chasing around. I also did some dancing with Sylvie. I really liked the music.

I like the food particularly pepperoni pizza and chips, which was not what you normally get at a wedding.

Thanks for inviting us - I had a great day!!

Me and my friends

Me and fam

Sandra and Andrew

Sylvie and Thea

Videoclip: Me dancing with Sylvie

Or you can watch the video here

Croatia, Croatia...

Croatia, Croatia  - what to say? Short video below says it all really, but suffice to say it's a really beautiful place - a blend of Italy (old and new) and it's more Eastern neighbours - giving it a unique flavour all of its own. Everyone's favourite bit varied - but swimming the blue, blue sea with the fishes was defintiely up there, as was gelato, wandering around, boat trips, ziplining, cats and much, much more.

Although I never quite fully switched off, for me it was welcome respite from a few rough weeks. The sunshine, beauty and tranquility of it all (particularly our time near Sibenik) was really good for my soul.

Anyway - if its not on your bucket list then get it on there. Well worth a visit. So thank you Croatia - we loved you :-)

Videoclip: Croatia...

Or you can watch the video here

Memories...

My Dad's passing left me in a little bit of a lull, so some gentle, quality outdoor experience was in order to help me navigate my way through the emotion. Straight after dealing with things down south, I joined everyone heading over to North Berwick for some lovely family time with the Gurneys. It was really good being back in North Berwick as I'd not been for what felt like an age. It's such a great place for the soul, which was just what I needed, coupled with a lovely bbq on the beach and a very long run, which were both good for my body too. The sea and beach offered time for quiet contemplation as the sun set and I spent some lovely refreshing moments lost in thought. The 'grown ups' also enjoyed beating the 'kids' at our new family favourite game of Kubb - an old Viking game minus the pillaging. Recommended for a family summer's day in the garden if you've never played it.

And then as the school holidays started, we quickly moved on to dog sitting the neighbours dog Blue. Having a dog around has been equally good for the soul and has got me outside much more. Allergic sneezing aside he's been a great companion, particularly for Niomi who was already having him round most days after school. Last year Blue helped us all get up Ben Lomond, and this year, despite the intermittently rainy weather, we managed a glorious days walking up Beinn Dubh by Luss. Niomi even declared that she 'loved' the walk up the hill, although that's not quite what she was saying when she was actually going up it. And then the way down became another opportunity for some quiet contemplation as we were followed half the way down by a pair of larks in full song and flight. An absolute joy to watch. 'The Lark Ascending' by Vaughan Williams was played at my Mums funeral in 2020 so it was really poignant - like Mum and Dad were just letting me know they were still there, hovering about, keeping watch.

At the end dementia had stripped Dad of most his memories. They are in some ways what make up much of our identity, and I hold dear my memories of him. And so, now that holidays are here, it's time to make some more lovely memories. Next stop - Croatia! Watch this space...

Barbeview

Good for the body

Kubb

Quiet chat

Half way up

Summit shot

Videoclip: Climbing mountains...

Or you can watch the videoclip here

Good for the soul 1

Good for the soul 2