Sunday is our typical walk day, and the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the toddler was tantruming… Etc etc so today we stayed at home.. Except we used the garden and our brand spanking new BBQ!

Hell! It was hard work… All that waiting, salad prepping, Pimms drinking, I’m a ball of tiredness this evening. But, it’s the most fun we have had in a long time.

I know the family BBQ is meant to be a staple pastime, but until now we hadn’t made the most of our garden. We have a large deck which overlooks the fields and a smaller lawn area which is beautiful, but deadly…. Seriously there’s a shear drop onto the hedge below and, until this weekend, we were unsure what to do… We had this new shiny toy… Re hot death trap and a six foot drop

Out came the playpen, to bridge the gap. The children wouldn’t be able to use the garden but they could spend the day on the deck… Luckily that’s where the outside tap is. After eating, playing, snail taming (more on that later) we had a water fight…. Yes all of us! Playing catch with water balloons on a belly full of piri piri pork and burgers, we had a whale of a time. It’s days like this that make me all reflective. Who says we are not cool parents (eh H?)

Here are some observations though

Garden furniture:

We have none, well, one plastic chair (that we had to wrestle Aragog in the shed for) and a rusty old table, which I covered in a table cloth. But jeez, how expensive is your basic table and chairs set??? Last year I ordered one on Amazon…. It arrived and we collapsed into giggles… It was a kids set… So, this year I’m attempting the pallet upcycle…. Oh yes I am…. I’ve pinned it

Garden toys

You see it on all the summer pictures, children prancing about in giant paddling pools with a Wendy house and supersoakers…. We (had) a tiny ring but Aragog saw to it that we will never touch it again… It’s at the back of the shed, with his babies…. But turns out, you don’t need all that stuff, the tent for our playroom served as shade, a skipping rope…. One cosy coupe… Strike that, we need two… Two cosy coupes for the love of god we need two….it turns out, playing petrol pump attendant, while your brother Flintstones around the decking is not a cool, fun job…. A job which leads to tears and screams… A job that ends in someone getting hurt. And, if you’re wondering…. It’s not a role that can be appeased with ice poles.

Nature teaches life lessons

Today Harriet became a mother (of sorts) she took under her wing a snail, Barbara by name, slimy by nature. She protected Barbara from younger children, children who insisted she needed ‘more food’ while hurling dandelions at her and burying her under a mountain of leaves. She stroked her shell and talked in hushed tones. I was reminded of the Dick-King-Smith novel from my childhood….SOPHIE’S SNAIL?

Now I know what you’re thinking, my sub heading does spell impending doom…. But hold on to your shells, Barbara lives… But H did learn something…

After playing with her newly acquired friend for a good thirty mins she announced

‘I’m going to have to let her go….. I can’t protect her forever, it’s just too much responsibility’

…………

Straight face, eyebrow raised emoji and a knowing nod.

Happy Sunday people!!