Farewell Gordon and thanks for the food!

Well the Prime Minister was back in County again last week (No surprise visits to the in-laws! - See previous posts). Whoever would have thought the Government of the day, given all thats going on in the world, could have had such a boring conference. Apart from a couple of security "scares", including two males who were invited back to the station after causing concern to officers (turns out they were "mentally undressing the officers", in their words), absolutely zilch happened. The biggest march was only 1,500 (ironically on the Sunday, before the main conference started), out of the remaining organised marches, the biggest, estimated at approx 200, could only muster 21 .. literally more officers than protestors, as the national press picked up on. At least we had the protests in Burma to keep us entertained on Sky News ... bet they wouldn't have taken the Shaolin Monks on! (Going to see them in November with Noel if he's bought the tickets http://www.wheeloflife.co.uk/ ). Bring back the 16,000 plus that showed up for the Countryside Alliance march in '99 (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/459328.stm ) or the samller but more entertaining "Kill the Bill" march of a few years previous! All the same, it was nice to get up on the Monday morning to hear the rain pelting aginst the window and think, "thank goodness I'm not stood out on a point this year", been there, done that! The great thing about conference is that its the only time that officers and staff actually get fed for free whilst at work. As we were trialling the new Special Events Conrol room at HQ (Government funded for the 2012 Olympic Sailing ... lets hope it still works), we headed up to the Countryman pub for breakfast each day, and the night turn went there for evening meals ... anything off the menu apparently, kerching! So thank you Gordon for centrally funding breakfast for a week!
Upon return, Tamisa has headed off to work to catch up on her shifts (Weymouth last night, Swanage for tonight and tomorrow). By some strange coincidence, Rebecca decided to vomit once or twice during the night ... how I was wishing she had a number one crew cut last night ... so much easier for getting it out of the hair at 0130 in the morning. So far so good tonight!
Other than conference not a vast amount has changed. I finally got the kitchen tiles and the B and Q order for kitchen doors and end panels arrived ... well everything except the doors, 15 of them. Spike has been contacted and will be working his magic in the next few weeks ... that will be the last room finished, must be time to sell!
Mum and Dad popped down for a visit a few weeks ago and chose a decent week for weather, other than that very little has changed, chucks are still laying, but the tortoises appear to be slowing for the winter already ... can't blame them.
Must catch up on some kip so no photos this time!

Thanks for reading ...catch up soon

Its stopped raining!

Piccies ... The team set off on their adventure from Lulworth ... the view from the top looking towards Durdle Door (note the war time landing craft ... they still practice here!) ... Noel with Alanna and Ted (Alanna was kind enough to take a bald baby to help Noel's hair ego) ... Spot the police drivers leaving the pits ... the four budding Formula One drivers, Gary, Ian, me and Rob!

It's been a funny old few weeks ... probably due to the fact that its been dry ... albeit cloudy. Good times were had by all, including the chickens, who were glad that they could see their feet again through the mud and mire!
Lots of catching up has been achieved, now there's a first!

Tamisa's Uncle Patrick managed a quick pop in before his long trip back to Oz (yes Mary - Jo did make it back, and we assume Patrick has done the same), Alanna keeps asking if we can go to see him (and MC in the States), but the prospect of, "Are we nearly there yet", for several thousand miles just doesn't appeal. We could try drugging the kids but look what happened to the 2007 Portugese hide and seek champion, Madeline McCann, when her parents tried it!

Our good friends Noel and Sarah and their boy Edward were down our way for a few days last week based at a camp site near the Cerne Giant (which now has a Purple appendage( http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/image_galleries/cerne_giant_vandalism_gallery.shtml)... and a friend in the form of a giant Homer Simpson in the field next to it (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6901543.stm). They did give in and spend a night at our place (inside, they didn't bring their tent!) to allow us to consume copious amonts of alcohol, including the long overdue Champers to celebrate the boy's promotions. They have started looking at houses down this part, and can afford three fifths of sod all based on their house value in Plymouth ... best you get saving boy!

We managed a few outings with them ... Putlake Farm, near Swanage was a big hit with the kids until Alanna managed to run into some vaguely innocent child and whack her face on the said childs head. We also met me old mate Clives friend Alfie, who runs it and has promised some black on Clive at some stage. (Have a look at http://www.putlakefarm.co.uk/). Following this outing we shoved the girls and older kids on the Swanage Railway steam train on a one way ticket and Noel and I met them at the other end to allow Becca bit of a sleep in the car.

The following day we all went for a bit of a light walk from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door over the soding great hill. In fairness to Alanna she walked the whole way there and most of the way back. Becca coped quite well in the back pack and Ted managed to walk a reasonable way before demanding a ride on Noels shoulders. After all that effort we had a picnic on the beach at Lulworth Cove. Dry, but windy and cold ... come on its England!

The following day I invited myself along to Monkey World (yes twice in 16 years) with Noel, Sarah and Ted, whilst Tamisa slept having worked the previous night. The monkeys seemed to have fun, but Ted ran out of steam just after lunch and never got to go on the big play area!

That night we were treated to camp cooking (and not the sort you would find in Brighton) and a show of Ted's Italian footballing skills, which consisted of him throwing himself on the floor, whenever Alanna was running faster than him. In fairness to him Noel didn't need to get the magic sponge out to make him better. A great evening to round off their stay.

Saturday saw us head East to Moors Valley country park, which was great apart from the traffic ... caught all the grockels (holiday makers) heading home in the morning on the A31, and then my beloved colleagues had closed it on the way home due to a fatal accident ... so selfish crashing on a Saturday! Moors Valley was a big hit with Alanna, lots of play areas, a miniture steam train ride and lots of cycling (had to take the new bike out for a spin ... Alanna on the cross bar ... Becca hoping for the best in the rear seat ... and Tamisa bimbling alongside with a small backpack on! We will definately head back when the roads are a bit quieter. (http://www.moors-valley.co.uk/)

Sunday was a bit quieter as Tamisa was working 12-midnight, so I took the girls on a cycle around the "play parks of Dorchester", and even let them off to play now and then ... and yes, it was still dry!

Monday (today) saw the long awaited fathers day carting experience! 4 out of 5 made it (which we take as meaning the four attendees will have to go back to keep Mark company at some stage). Surprisingly there was little testosterone on the track ... there was lots, and it made the boys carts go spinning! Ian was the clear winner in the first race after I sent some kid flying onto the grass (teach him to try and overtake a novice!) and Rob and Gary were trying to find their feet. The second race found myself as the clear winner, pursued by Rob. In fairness this was due to Ian spinning on the first corner and Gary assuming the carts performed like the amazing Dorset Police response diesels ... although his late response to the biggest and most obvious corner on the track, leaving him spinning, left it open for me to pick my way through the carnage with a huge smile on my face and allowed me to chuckle my way around the course in pole position. I think it would be fair to say that Lewis Hamilton as nothing to fear from our efforts, but some of the 10-12 year olds who were flying past us might make an impact (if people like me stopped pushing them onto the grass and into the crash barriers anyway)

Tomorrow is catch up in the garden day ... and the fireplace people are coming to replace part of the limestone, which has cracked (come on, it only taken them a year!) I am cringing at the potential mess already (a Tamisa earache related moan I suppose). Alanna is back at school on Thursday, for four mornings a week, and all the usual activities start back up again, yippee! My folks are down again for four days from Thursday, so looking forward to that. At some stage I guess I will have to head back to work (yes I have been back since my last post!) ... in time for conference ... yippee again!

Thanks for reading ... don't forget you can post a comment!