Failure is the Key to Success

We went into the guest services this morning and reported the heating problem. Then we crossed the road to Jardin Des Sports, where the kids had their pre-booked activity later today. Again, like most of the other facilities here, it was noticably smaller than its counterpart at Elveden. The kids went and played outside in one of the children’s play areas before went went across to the adventure golf where we played 9 holes.

We had lunch at the Pancake House. We had a table outside as it was looking nice, but part of the way through I thought we were going to have to change table as it looked as if it was imminently going to start raining.

Continue reading » Sherwood Forest Center Parcs 2008 pt 3

Tags:Center Parcs,Huckleberry's,Sherwood Forest

I saw this on Minz’s Cre8Buzz blog today and had to join in:

Q1: What is your first name and what does it mean?
A: Ian – Gaelic form of Johannes, from the Hebrew meaning ‘the Lord is gracious’.

Q2: What is your last name and what does it mean?
A: Hedges. The Hedges surname is one that is ‘locative’, derived from location of abode.

Q3: How old are you?
A: 40.

Q4: Where do you live?
A: Bedfordshire, England.

Q5: Any Hobbies?
A: Photography, Reading, Computers.

Q6: What colour socks are you wearing?
A: Black.

Q7: Club or Bar?
A: Neither.

Q8: What time did you get up this morning?
A: 6:15am.

Q9: When is your birthday?
A: 7th July.

Q10:What is your favourite TV show?
A: Dr Who.

Continue reading » 100 things about me

Tags:100 things

I bought a Ridgeback Melody bike for my daughter off Ebay a few weeks ago. It was collection only, but was located almost where my brother lives, so he collected it for me. Last weekend my brother and family came up to visit and he brought the bike with him. The Melody comes in a bright pink, so it is the perfect colour for my daughter. The Ridgeback bikes for kids are great, they are well designed for little hands and little people.

She hasn’t really had the confidence that she could ride without stabilisers, so we told her that she could only have the pink bike when she was riding without stabilisers. This proved to be the added incentive necessary. This morning I took the stabilisers off her bike and she was out on our patio, scooting it back and forth to get her balance, then before we knew it she was trying to pedal; there is only really room for a couple of rotations, but she was trying.

This afternoon, we took the bikes out to Marston Vale again. Her bike went out without the stabilisers, they were in a bag in case we had to put them back on. I rode off ahead with my son, while Jo stayed with our daughter. Initially we waited for them to catch up, but then we just went off ahead and did a lap in about 30 minutes. When we caught up with them, they had stopped, but Jo said she was doing well. With that she rode of and instead of the couple of pedals that I expected before she stopped, she pedaled and pedaled and pedaled. She went about 100 yards before she decided to stop….. wow, brilliant. We went on to finish the circuit and waited at the car for them. To see her ride down the path and round the corner towards the car was great.

When we got home, I set the saddle and handlebar height on the Ridgeback and then she was out there on the patio, scooting and pedaling it back and forth.

Tags:no stabilisers,ridgeback melody

Well it’s now Christmas Day in New Zealand and Australia, so here’s a little tune:

If you get a moment, checkout Evel‘s alternative 12 days of Christmas.

1st Day

2nd Day

3rd Day

4th Day

5th Day

6th Day

7th Day

8th Day

9th Day

10th Day

11th Day

You’ll have to look for the 12th day when it’s posted.

Have a great day.

Tags:christmas,six white boomers

That is the title of this post, which should by all rights have been written yesterday.

Following the Music Centre Concert on Saturday morning, the kids went back with Jo’s Mum and Dad to stay overnight. This left us on our own, so we went kids free shopping in the afternoon.

Then in the evening we were picked up by some friends and all went to the Friends of Dunstable Music Centre Christmas meal. It was held at at The Old Farm Inn in Tottenhoe again, the same venue as last year. Some of the group are regulars there, singing and playing music on Monday nights. There were 13 of us in total, there should have been 14, but one of our friends dislocated his knee while carrying an amp out at the end of the concert.

Continue reading » Sore Head

Tags:christmas meal

Yesterday afternoon I went to my first Christmas meal of this season. I can’t say first of the year, because that goes to our work’s meal in January. Unlike the last couple of year’s, when we have been bowling, work arranged a meal for us yesterday. On arrival, we chose Christmas presents at random out of a bag. On opening mine, I got a Homer Simpson Soap-on-a-Rope. I didn’t know you could still get soap-on-a-rope. Others got socks, deodorant, chocolates, nuts and bodywash. Hmm, I could have got better, I could have got worse.

Needless to say, we ordered what we were going to eat some time ago and couldn’t remember when the hotel staff were bringing the food around. Luckily the organiser had the original list. I had:

• Apple and Parsnip soup.
• Roast Turkey, potatoes, sausage, stuffing, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and of course sprouts.
• Christmas Pudding.

I hadn’t had apple and parsnip soup before, but it was really nice, although the parsnip was the dominant taste. The sprouts had a rock-like texture to them; I’m sure they had seen boiling water at some time. All in all a good meal though.

Tags:christmas meal,soap on a rope