Summer has finally arrived.....for now at least! Yesterday while Dave was busy working and at choir practice, I took the kids into Kendal to go to a new festival, Cyclefest. As the name suggests it was all about cycling!! We had a good wander around, Eilidh had her face painted, and they both had a go at some unusual bikes (trikes, penny farthings, folding bikes, bikes with saddles that go up and down etc....) They had other things going on there,such as making a belt from inner tubes, various craft stalls, bike jumble, bike powered bubble blowers ...... It was very hot and we were quite glad to walk back to the car along the shady river footpath.
After church today, we headed off to Lake Windermere with our BBQ and swimsuits (the kids, not me!!) and have spent a lovely lazy afternoon in the beutiful sunshine. Eilidh and Ben have spent most of their time in the water and were really happy to see their little friend Jewel for a while as she lives down by the lake. They had a great time playing on her trampoline which Ben loves. We have actually managed to get them a proper trampoline off Freecycle the other day, which they don't yet know about, so I can't wait to get it up and see their faces!!! They have been desperate to have one for a while now so it will be great, just need to get a net for it!!


The fields opposite us are covered in buttercups and wild flowers at the moment. We went for a wander up onto Cunswick Fell (the fell behind our house) the other day and it was lovely wading through knee high grass and flowers to get there! The kids decided to 'lose' themselves in it and kept running on ahead and flopping down so they couldn't be seen (not quite so funny when I saw the state of their clothes!!)

We've done quite a bit of walking lately and yesterday we met up with some of Dave's family for a walk up to Lanty's Tarn. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we walked up to the tarn and then stopped for our picnic and a sit down. It actually didn't seem to be half as tiring as I remember it last time so I must be getting a little bit fitter!! It's a beautiful place and it's where Dave's dads ashes were scattered so a special place too.


















































Unfortunately our car broke down on the way back although we managed to eventually drive it home after the breakdown people had been. They reckon it's the starter motor so we didn't dare stop it to get fuel on the way home and were running on fumes for most of the way!! We had just picked up a really cheap car the day beforewhich will be cheaper to run and insure so the Toyota is definately going now! We just have to get it fixed (again!) before selling it...I hate cars!

It has been a lovely sunny day here but Ben woke up feeling sick and then promptly was! He has spent most of the day being sick, lying on the couch or snuggling up in our bed, not like him at all. He seems to be a lot better now, must have been one of these horrible 24 hr bugs, so hopefully by tomorrow he will actually feel like eating something. We have been busy trying to make the garden a bit neater today, Dave has strimmed the grass, cut the hedges, logged up some wood and dug some more out of the back and I don't seem to have done much!! (except cook meals, run around clearing up after sicky Ben, cuddling up to keep him happy, face-painting Eilidh to keep her happy..........) We even had our first meal out in the garden for this year...lovely!

We had a long walk yesterday with two little friends, Geocaching (of course!!) We went from our house over the field, up the hill and round a big bridleway across from us!! There were a few scrambles and climbs up to get caches down and the sun was shining all day.....lovely. We were all exhausted when we got home and had to make gallons of banana milkshake to refresh the tired troops!!
All this walking must be doing something....6.5 pounds lost this week, over 1.5 stone altogether...woohoo!!!

This week we have had friends round, we've been to friends houses for the day and we have done more Geocaches!! Well..... and a bit more in between. We had a lovely walk up some woods in Staveley with rope swings, big trees to climb and lots of nooks and crannies to build dens in, so definately one to go back to in better weather!









Today we went off to Shap to drop off some stuff at our favourite charity shop, managed to get six new plates for 40p! an outfit for Eilidh and some books, videos and toys for about £2.50...fantastic, the best charity shop in the world!! After having our lunch we then headed off to find more geocaches around Shap. The first one was near a big stone in the middle of a field...










then we went further down the road and went off to find two more on Shap Fell.It was VERY windy and boggy but it was a beautiful walk down a lovely river, over bridges, up crags and through some pine woods.












We were hoping to get a couple more done but after getting out of the car and nearly going flying we decided it was just a bit too windy so they will be saved for another day. The kids are really enjoying doing these walks as there is an incentive at the end (little things to swap!) and we are discovering some lovely new places we probably wouldn't think of going to otherwise. Yes, we are addicted!!

On Saturday we had our maiden voyage in our little dinghy! We decided to play it safe and take it down to one of the main launch points to se if it sank!! Well, it didn't so we togged up in life jackets and went roaring off down the lake to see our friends at Millerground. Well it didn't quite roar but we did get there quite safely if a little wet!! The kids played with their friend while we chatted and had a cup of coffee and then we headed back again. A successful first voyage!

Yesterday Dave went off to church while I took the kids down to the next village to do a car boot sale. We managed to make a bit of pocket money and get rid of a load of bulky camping stuff so it was good. The kids had their own little stall and they sold some of their cuddly toys, they were really happy as they made a couple of pounds each. Ben then insisted he was going off to buy me something but he was persuaded to take it home and save it instead...bless him!!

Last night Ben was screeching, wriggling, shouting and doing acrobatics in his sleep so he didn't sleep well (and neither did I!!) Needless to say he was shattered this morning so after being up for a couple of hours he crawled into bed with Dave (who was having a lie in) and fell back to sleep. It was pouring outside so we thought it was going to be a boring day indoors.......not for long!!
Ben woke up, got up and we all decide to get dressed in full waterproofs, brave the horrible weather and go on a Lake cruise (with our discount residents cards!) and then on to find our first easy Geocache. These are little hidden boxes which you get co-ordinates for from the internet (www.geocaching.com) and then you have to go and find them with your handy GPS unit! The kids love it because you can take little toys and swap/trade them with ones other people have left before. We've done a few with friends before but we are now doing them on our own and there is loads all over the world to find!!!

We had a great day, very wet but at least it was a quiet bank holiday on the lake!! We all enjoyed ourselves and found the hidden treasure quite easily so on to the next one!!!

We've had some lovely sunshine and horrible rain up here. We've spent a bit more time down on our new 'secret' beach and on Sunday we went for a play and BBQ there. It was a bit chilly but that didn't stop the kids, they put on their wet suits and off they went. We met a really nice family who live down in an old Ferrymans cottage just on the shore so the kids had a new friend to play with while Dave helped her dad fix his outboard and I chatted and drank coffee with her mum!! The house they live in is a National Trust property and the only way down to it is by foot from the main road through the little woods....very jealous!! They are right on the lakeside and next to our 'secret' beach with fantastic views.


















Yesterday was miserable so we ended up at the indoor play area for a couple of hours, it's the only time I can actually sit down, do nothing and read trashy magazines for any length of time...bliss!