Operation Hello 5-0...

Weeks of planning, days of worry; and despite the worst of Storms Dudley and Eunice, I can report that Operation Hello 5-0 was a complete success. 

T's 50th had involved much secrecy; plotting, planning, and, well, outright lying; but all in the name of a good cause. She'd been wondering what might be happening for a few weeks but I'd been playing it cool. Until lunchtime on Friday 18th that is - as that's when it all kicked off. I'd arranged a magical wild goose chase round some of her favourite Kirky shops - collecting clues to lead her from one to the other...for no other good reason than to get her out the house whilst her parents snuck in.

She arrived back a little confused and somewhat windswept wondering what on earth was going on, to find her folks here who'd kindly agreed to look after the kids whilst I whisked her away to a lovely little cottage in Crieff. It hadn't been easy. Being a prolific organiser she kept arranging things for her birthday weekend...and I, being the party planner just kept, well, unorganising them again. But what else could I do?

And so we headed off on the tail end of Eunice, and spent the most wonderful weekend...only our 4th/5th night without kids in nearly 10 years. We'd forgotten what it was like! T managed to squeeze in 3 baths in the luxury outdoor bathtub; we ate amazing food at a leisurely pace; stayed up and got up late; watched films; drank bubbly; read books; went on long walks with no cajoling; and, all in all, just kicked back, relaxed and celebrated T's half way mark! The sun even shone the whole day. Awesome it was...

Then back home we came to more food, cake, presents and some more surprises too. I think she felt truly spoiled by the end of it all and so she deserves. Happy Birthday my gorgeous wife - here's to another 50 years together!

Triple-decker 50

Heaven is an outdoor bathtub!

Bliss...

The view from the bath

Walking along the Earn

Crieff - Perthshire's finest

Happy Birthday T!!

Happy Seven...

Our little bundle of singing happiness turned 7 at the start of February. And you can really see her starting to grow up! Her chocolate making party was delayed a bit due to half term but that did nothing to dampen her spirits. The bonus being she kinda got two birthdays with two cakes! 

Throughout it all though she really did us proud, happily sharing everything as she went. She really is the most generous of souls. But bless her, it was so, so lovely to see her filled to the brim with excitement and happiness. She really doesn’t want or need a lot in this world – passing through without a great desire for many of life’s trappings. Like us all she just really wants to be loved. Melts your heart at times she does. Letting me just sit back and smile at how she has changed and grown over the years… Makes me very proud of her.

Happy Seven Niomi!!

Happy Seven

Chocolate making heaven

Grrr....

Seven year old bundle of happiness

Or you can watch the video here

They say it's just a number…

They say age is just a number, and that is probably true…but some of those numbers definitely seem more significant than others. And 2022 is definitely going to see lots of those seemingly significant numbers in the Rooke family. We’re full of 0’s, 1’s and 5’s this year. Deep breath... As a family we are 5, we’ve been married 10 yrs and Emily is also 10 too…(coincidence??). Then there’s the big 5.0.’s, both Tanya and myself hit seemingly significant birthdays this year too. And so far it looks like Tanya is going to hit hers in better shape than I will, as I’m nursing a very sore 49 year old knee and shoulder (still not needing specs though, and I can still dress myself, so my pride is just about intact!).

And to celebrate all this we’ve got much planned. So buckle up, watch this space…it’s going to be a big one!

And maybe 2022 will be the end of facemasks...

Happy 5 Rooke Family

Videoclip: Happy 5!

Or you can watch the videoclip here

A classic Christmas and then some…

After weeks of not tempting fate, the 07:00 Mercedes shuttle departed Birmingham. It was carrying the Kirkymas party collective – and boy did they do us proud. I’d engineered quizzes, games and songs for the journey – emailed at suitable junctures – so that the Bucks Rookes arrived in fine festive fettle with Rooke Snr in equally fine spirits. And then the merriment began – there was an endless supply of happiness and laughter; food and drink flowed; games, jigsaws, beauty treatments, dancing and song sprung forth; there were trips out to see Santa, some festive craft, and the rest of Kirky's finest; plus an exceptionally lengthy Boxing Day feast at the Broadcroft Hotel. For once I find it hard to put into words just how good our 5 days of Wondermas truly were. But I guess it boiled down to the fact it was filled to the brim with fun, laughter, kindness and love. It was a simply classic Christmas. All you could wish for and much more besides.

And then as the bulk of the party departed – my niece Chloe stayed on to keep us (and particularly the girls) entertained on a high energy journey for a few more days. We enjoyed the best of Scotland's outdoors when the weather was fine and the best of indoor entertainment when it wasn’t. But the Christmas vibe was not for departing and we continued to have a lovely time. Thank you so much to big cousin Chloe for entertaining the girls so much… and come visit again soon!

Phew! A very short pause for breath and then turn the tempo back up for Hogmanay at Methana. We pushed back the tables, ate our veggie steak pies, got dressed up and family ceilidh’d till late - well late for little Niomi anyway. Then Mummy and Niomi disappeared off to bed – leaving the party animals of me and Emily to see in the New Year. A first for our Emily and so a proud moment for me as the bells sounded midnight…

Then New Years Day was a quick cold water dip for Mummy, packing of new Christmas cases and a drive to the East to see the Gurney’s in North Berwick for a few days. And that was more loveliness too. It was all fairly low key but quality time nonetheless including catching up with other old friends whilst there (Keighley’s and Dell-Scotts), and there was plenty of walks on the beach, more lovely food and a sampling of John’s Christmas whisky.

Thank you to all for making this year so classic. Our hearts are truly filled with gratitude as we begin 2022. May the year also bring you all much joy and happiness.

Visiting the big man

The Kirkymas posse at New Lanark

Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil...

The dance collective

Santa's been!!

Lord and Lady Bucks Rooke

My nephew and niece, Will and Chloe

Christmas Lunch

The Jigsaw Queens

My bro 😂

Merry Christmas everyone

Boys won Cranium 2021

Girls did face masks 😜

A splendid affair at the Broadcroft

Big cousin with us McRookes and Sassy at the Whangie

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas everyone...

 

Kirkymas, we are ready...

And as the crescendo to the big day continued so the excitement grew. But there was also tension in the air - Omicron was in full flight and the threat of another cancelled Christmas was a constant worry. Still, it kind of all added to the build up and this year begun to feel like it could be the best Christmas ever.

Following hot on the heels from my Birthmas came Daddy Daughters Christmas Day Oot. My chance to be Daddy Christmas for the day and spread some nice festive cheer with the girls. It was a kind of Covid affair as we needed to be pretty careful given the impending arrival of all the family but we still managed a festive film (The Christmas Chronicles 2), lunch out followed by ice cream, a quick shop for Mummy's Christmas present in our new organic, social enterprise addition to the town, followed by a Christmas show (fully masked and smaller capacity). Still despite restrictions it was a fatastic day out.

What's been slightly trickier is the return of our elves, Hoppity and Zippity. They've caused havoc for the last week or so - putting Santa into the fire, wapping him up, taping each other to the wall...it just goes on. They've even tried to get into all the presents round the tree! Naughty, naughty.

Oh, and then there's been cooking - an endless array of dishes have been prepped, stirred, chopped, boiled and baked. It's our usual homemade affair with quite a lot coming from our garden this year. So the freezer is now fully laden, and we're feeling very festive. So, with a full itinerary planned for the Kirkymas season 22nd to 27th. and 2 VERY, VERY excited girls, we are most definitely ready! Fingers crossed there's no last minute hitches.... Kirkymas here we come. Ho, ho, ho! 😁

5 mi-ince pies

4 scoops of Ice Cream

3 on a Day Oot

2 naughty elves

And our lovely Christmas tree...

Happy Birthmas....

Every year whilst Christmas is in full flow all around – us Sagittarians celebrate our birthdays. Being in the middle of the month I am by no means the worst off for having celebrations overtaken by Christmas, but it can still interfere. So, in a effort to take the path of least resistance, I feel it’s good to cut my cloth and settle for a Birthmas. This year and last, Covid has obviously added it's own spice into the Birthmas mix, but undeterred we hatched a plan to go to Edinburgh for the day – if only to see ‘Tanya hanging’...

Next door to us live two ‘fine’ artists – in all senses of the word. They are a lovely family, who run their own art studio out the ‘cow byre’ of our shared old farmstead. Anyway – a few weeks ago Neil knocked at our door and asked if Tanya would mind posing for her portrait – which would then hang as part of an exhibition in the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. Wow, not every day that fame comes knocking!

And so it was done…and she loved the results! Although I now know for sure she’s not cheap!

So, for my birthday, off we toddled to go and see her hang. Masks on, all aboard the 10.25am to Edinburgh. And then the day took a turn for the wonderful. Arriving at the station first off we were met by the Gurney’s – marvellous surprise! And then we were off to the outdoor ice skating rink (another surprise) on George St away from the festive masses which was nice. And then no sooner had we got our skates on than the Gedik Jnrs also arrived – even more of a marvellous surprise. And so the 12 of us spent a truly lovely, heart-warming and uplifting few hours ice skating, lunching, catching up and portrait viewing (barring one minor ice skating injury and a trip to the first aid tent – poor Emily and Abbie!). 

The day just seemed to top up all our happiness banks in the midst of renewed Covid-chaos winging its way rapidly towards us. Thank you all for simply the best Birthmas… I felt truly blessed after it all. And I’m glad Tanya didn’t really hang as she also cooked me a scrumptious Birthmas dinner, topped off with some lovely chocolate from my lovely girls. Thrice blessed indeed.

Festive skate

My little pair of skaters

My girls :-)

The kids party table

The place to hang Tanya

There she is!

Cousins!

Covid chaos caused a detour to see Glasgow's lights as well

Videoclip: Santa Claus is coming to town

Or you can watch it here