Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau...

I'm not Welsh, nor is my father, but it was to the "Land of my Fathers" that we headed to continue the (not really) summer holiday. Wales, land of song, castles and the red dragon. It's national emblem is the leek and its language unintelligible to the uninitiated. Mountains, valleys and beaches - summer holidays from Birmingham as a young boy I remember with fondness.

We were headed to Borth y Gest, a tiny little picturesque village near Porthmadog in North Wales, to stay in our friend Tom's parents cottage. I had been before and knew what a gorgeous cottage it was, fabulously located right on the bay, with lovely little coves and beaches nearby, plus small hills and woodland walks from the door. Perfect for a supreme being who is as eager as ever to learn all there is to know about the world, only now wants to do it all within 10 seconds and in Welsh. An ever-changing world of adventure - perfect to keep Emily amused.

Emily was up early so we watched the sun come up from the bedroom window

We had plans to go on the steam train, visit the rabbit farm, the castles and other nearby sites. But with the weather set for glorious sun all week we quickly settled into a routine of sandcastle building and shell collecting on the beach, learning about nature and bramble eating in the woods, eating ice cream and having adventures everyday. In fact we never really left Borth y Gest, except to go shopping in Porthmadog, and one very exciting day trip to Tanya's Aunt and Uncle who live a semi self-sufficient lifestyle in a wonderful self-built house in Anglessey (Emily made big friends with their goose).

 My two lovely ladies indulging in ice cream

Daddy was in his element, reliving his childhood and truly appreciating what a master sandcastle builder he really is. On the other hand Emily wasn't so convinced, as another "Daddys castle - uh oh" rang out across the beach at the same time as she laid ruin to another masterpiece. She was however more patient with filling up the moat. Although admittedly this normally involved me running frantically back and forth to the sea with a substandard bucket full of water, whilst a supreme being looked on crying "Daddy, more water". No matter though, it was safe to say Emily LOVED the beach.

 "Daddy, more water"

 Architectural brilliance, seconds before "Daddy's castle - uh oh!"

 Beach beauties on a beauty of a beach

Still running on the beach at 5pm

So if we weren't on the beach we were in the woods learning all about nature. We learnt all about oak trees, from their leaves to their acorns to their deep roots. We learnt that brambles scratch but blackberries taste really good. We learnt that nettles sting and holly is spikey. And Daddy learnt that trying to change a supreme being's nappy in the woods is no mean feat. We wandered for hours in the woods, a very happy Emily smiling and chatting away with her new found woodland knowledge.

So between the woods and the beach, regular ice cream and blackberries, a trip to Anglessey to meet a goose and some quality renditions of "Row, Row Boat" it was a sterling success. Thanks to Jim and Mary for letting us stay in the lovely Dolphin Cottage!!

 Foraging in the woods, face covered in blackberries

Dolphin cottage - our home for the week

Amma and Dad...

As part of our (not really) Summer holiday, we planned to spend some time with my Mum and Dad prior to a week in Wales. It was Emily’s first time staying at Grandma and Grandad’s house, and we weren’t too sure how she would get on, but she took to my childhood home like she had also grown up there, and was right at home within minutes.

Riding on "Beep Beep", Daddy's childhood push along

Grandma and Grandad it seems have particularly hard names to say, so one of the first things the supreme being did was re-christen them to Amma and Dad. Much simpler all round, although a little confusing on the paternal side.

Emily just loves a garden to run around in, so with the sun smiling not much could go wrong. We met old friends Kev and Jill on their narrowboat, took a trip to see the farm animals at Umberslade Farm, went bramble picking at the Lickey Hills, met big cousin Ruth, as well listening to Daddy witter on about his childhood memories around Birmingham. We even got Amma and Dad doing races in the garden – not bad for 2 young at heart folk in their 80’s. A really big thanks to both of them for giving us a really special time in Brum.

 Quality Dad-Daughter time in the garden

 Enjoying narrowboat life

 Dream come true...a real life rabbit :-)

 I can't believe they got me brushing up leaves!

 Watching Bambi with Amma

A walk in the park with Amma and Dad

Food and more food…

Keeping a supreme being energised is no easy feat. They need an incredible amount of nutrition, despite being still pretty tiny. Emily is no exception and can put away a fair bit of scran when on top of her eating game.

 

Caught in a filthy chocolate act

On an average day her daily Hobbit-like diet consists of:

First breakfast: 3 Weetabix
Second breakfast: A third of Daddy’s breakfast of muesli/fruit & fibre plus anything else she can get her hands on
Mid-morning snack: A whole nectarine plus some toast
Lunch: Two slices eggy bread
Mid-afternoon snack: An ice cream plus few handfuls of grapes
Dinner: Adult salmon portion (plus some of Mummy and Daddy’s), potatoes and any greens that end up in her mouth by accident. Followed by upto 4 yoghurts for pudding

The joy of ice cream

Now the more observant amongst you might notice two things. Firstly, the calorific content of the above is not far off what an average adult consumes. It’s incredible, God knows where she puts it all but put it away she does. Secondly, it is a trifle carbohydrate based. Vitamins are not high on our daughters agenda. Indeed most things green are routinely ejected from the plate, so a cunning use of the blender to infuse vitamins into various dishes is required. She also doesn’t drink milk since Mummy put her boobs into retirement, so the yoghurts seem to give her the calcium she needs. 

Still, we shouldn’t complain. She is wonderfully happy, particularly when fully fed. And all that food gives her the energy she needs to run round all day and enjoy life to the full. Now if only we could keep up, then all would be fine…

High as a kite and purple coloured, post bramble picking/eating

 

Face painting with evening yoghurt no.2

 

Clutching at straws...

And so the great Glasgow summer continued in a similar vein. This meant we were really starting to clutch at straws to keep the supreme being entertained. Suggested recipe for success below:

1. Take one supreme being to local Home Bargains (avoiding rainshowers)
2. Empty pocket of change
3. Allow same supreme being to buy bucket of straws with change
4. Return home (avoiding rainshowers)
5. Empty straws all over house and improvise, improvise, improvise

Videoclip: Row, row, row your boat (with straws)

 Videoclip: Straw trumpets

 A glimmer of sun, and the shades are on

Having clutched at one straw too many

The great Glasgow summer...

Glasgow has a good summer once every 7 or 8 years. That might not be a scientifically proven fact and meteorologists might dispute it, but I have been in Glasgow for about 15 years and there have been about 3 good summers in that time. And that is a fact. The last good one was last year, which was a glorious summer all round in Glasgow, which normally prides itself on being the wettest city in the UK.

So this year had up to August been posing somewhat of a dilemma to my evidence-based theory on Glasgow's (not) sunny season, by being a lovely summer for the second year in a row. Impossible the sceptics cried! And so it seems the end of the Commonwealth Games may yet have proved those same sceptics right. August this year has brought with it some more familiar weather, and so we have dug out the wet weather gear and merrily gone back to splashing through the puddles of the great Glasgow summer. The only problem now we have a toddler is that it takes an awfully long time to go anywhere, rain or no pouring rain...

Videoclip: Splashing in the rain

Drying off post-splash

And so sadly we have to find new ways of entertaining ourselves indoors as well as out. But in every threat there is an opportunity, and so we have been trying to explore the supreme being's musical creativity. Now, Mozart made his musical debut when he was 4 and Chopin aged 7, but as a supreme being Emily is set to beat them all, mastering the trumpet and singing her first duet all by the age of 21 months. Not to mention her love of percussion. Drums, bells, xylophone and tambourine - all of these have been mastered and she is currently developing her own one-woman band. So you can imagine our house - a joyful cacophony everyday.

 Make sure your instrument is clear of blockages before playing

And off she goes...Dizzy Gillespie stylee

Videoclip: Debut singing from Mary Poppins

And after a hard day's puddle splashing and musical practice? Nothing can beat a good old fashioned nosh-up and giggle session...Wonderful. That's how to spend the great Glasgow summer.

Videoclip: Post-dinner giggles

Pure dead brilliant...

And so sadly the Commonwealth Games draws to a close in Glasgow, which means I pick up my proverbial blogging pen once more. It's hard to sum up how we all feel post-Games, but suffice to say it feels a bit like the best Christmas season ever has just ended, and you know it isn't going to be repeated ever again. Still, Glasgow really did itself proud and we all loved every minute of it.

 Our 'Commonwelfie' - taken during some gripping athletics

The final days saw us return some hospitality to the Gurney's as they came west to sample some of the Commonwealth feel good factor, in what turned out to be not so feel good weather conditions. The kids all stayed up far too late, joining in the ritual screaming at the athletics on the telly, and Emily became absolutely besotted with her cousins Abbie and Rosie, particularly Abbie. This culminated with Emily getting up far too early at 5.45am, with her first excited word for the day being 'Abbie'. A word that was repeated much over the few days...

Travelling trouble in triplicate on the train

Competing for the 'Hide and Seek' Gold medal

It was great watching Emily interact with her cousins. She wanted to copy their every moves and followed them round everywhere. Her attempts to be a young lady were very cute, doing everything they did but not quite correctly. Although saying that, she does most definitely manage to out eat them both. She even presented Abbie with a Commonwealth medal in a somewhat haphazard fashion. Poor Abbie, but she did tolerate her wee cousin's affections very well.

Abbie's Gold medal presentation

And the final few days of our Commonwealth extravaganza saw road cycling and athletics top the bill, alongside numerous trips to the live zones at the BBC, Merchant City, Kelvingrove Bandstand and Glasgow Green to soak up the atmosphere. And following the celebratory closing ceremony, there seems to be a unanimous opinion in the press that Glasgow truly delivered "the standout Games in the history of the movement". Whether that's true or not I don't know...but I do agree with Prince Imran in his closing speech when he said "Glasgow - you were Pure, Dead Brilliant!"

Videoclip: The Women's Road Race

All gone a bit strange...

Strange things have appeared in George Square

Hello, Emily here...due to the fact it's all gone a bit strange in Glasgow. Mummy and Daddy have been absent for the last 10 days or so due to something called the Commonwealth Games which appears to be happening. Consequently Daddy hasn't been bothered to update the blog and has given me the computer to do it myself instead.

It all started about 10 days ago when we went to Victoria Park, only to find it full of people at something called the Queens Baton Relay. I didn't really know what it was about but by the time we headed home, Nana had appeared, and next thing I knew Mummy and Nana had headed off to the dress rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony leaving me to the mercy of Daddy's 'putting me to bed' skills.

Nothing to see here Mummy, look at the ducks!

And then it all really started. All I know about what's been going on for the last week is that everywhere we go on the bike there are thousands of people where there never used to be any; the house is full of lots of visitors talking about sports and places I haven't heard of before; there are people doing weird and wonderful things on the telly (which also seems to be constantly on - bonus); oh...and Mummy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandad seem to every now and then burst out in spontaneous shouting at the people doing the weird and wonderful things on the telly. It really has all gone a bit strange.

One bonus in all this excitement is I have managed to get myself on the BBC. What seems to have happened is that Mummy and Daddy took me to see some people hitting a ball against a wall. Seemed a bit pointless to me but everyone else seemed to be enjoying it. Anyway I took the opportunity to make my TV debut.

Not really sure what I am doing here

That's me up the top!

Grandma and Grandad have also been staying. They came to watch something called Lawn Bowls but seemed to also like sitting in the deck chairs at the make shift beach. It was here that Mummy introduced me to Team Anguilla - I wasn't too sure about that, but I did like all the boats that came along in a thing called a Flotilla.

 It's sunny in Glasgow!

Not too sure about Team Anguilla

Over 250 boats came down the Clyde

Daddy has also got particularly excited when he and Grandad got last minute tickets to the Rugby Sevens. That made me quite excited too, so I decided to take his tickets and do my own song and dance.

Videoclip: Special rugby song and dance

Videoclip: Daddy and Grandad join in the singing

Mummy and Daddy also keep getting me out of the house very early no matter what the weather is like. On Sunday we went to see some people running very fast. I tried to keep up but despite all my practice the ladies were a little bit faster than me...

Lots of running people

My favourite bit so far in all this chaos has been the appearance of a little green man with purple hair. It's a bit like Christmas when Father Christmas is everywhere. This little guy is a bit less scary though and is called Clyde.

Me and Clyde

And there we have the story so far. Not sure when business as usual will resume but this blogging malarkey is tougher than it looks. I hope Mummy and Daddy return to normality soon but in the meantime I have learnt that 'People Make Glasgow' apparently. Whether they do or not I haven't got a clue, but I do know that there are an awful lot of them in Glasgow just now. Just hope they don't all want to stay here...