Random June

clowning around in the bachelor pad

 I get nervous every time she goes up this huge monster slide

A bit of an update on life in general.  At the beginning of this month we ran out of the pull-ups that we brought with us (there are more coming on the boat, but no sign of the boat at this point...).  So, toilet training in full, as diapers (or 'nappies' as they are known here) are super expensive and come in small quantity packs.   About two weeks later, we got a poop in the potty, and boy was that awesome.  I had been promising her a cupcake as soon as she went poop in the potty, but wouldn't you know it the cupcake fad has not quite hit Newbury?

celebratory cupcake

So, the next day we made it over to a grocery store that had fancy cupcakes and ate that in the park.  Well, Zoe ate the frosting (purple!) and I ate the cake bit (lemon).  We've even been doing car trips sans pull-ups on and that's been going very well.  I imagine we could have done the toilet training earlier, but with the move I just didn't want to address it.  Now (knock on wood) it looks like we may not even need those two packs of pull-ups that are on the boat!

staring longingly at the toddler equipment

at least the bumblebee isn't locked up

 We go Victoria Park pretty much every day, and many days we also go to Goldwell Park.  The video above is from Victoria Park, which has just gotten in some new play equipment.  The big kid's section is all open, and the toddler section is only partially open.  Green grass everywhere, though, of course.  A few days ago I apparently spun Zoe a bit to hard on one of the equipment pieces, and she ended up puking on her rain jacket.  Oops.  Lesson learned.  

just a swing

Baby may go on more of the equipment than Z does

she goes everywhere with us, though usually without her clothes on

the smaller swings at Goldwell

the baby swings at Goldwell (which Baby gets to ride in)

Yesterday we did get the keys to the house, but as I said no sign of the boat yet.  We're still moving into the house tomorrow, though, with the previously mentioned goods from Ikea.  Kyle and I purchased a mattress to plop down on the floor.  It will certainly be an empty house for a few weeks.  Thank heavens for the nice weather! I think I'm most looking forward to the toys and the books.  We have been on an insane repeat of Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy over and over and over again, with Zoe even requiring a change of names to 'Zoe' and 'Zoe's little brother' (no - no news! she's just hooked on the idea of a brother, apparently). We can't check out books from the library until we get a bill at the new address, which will be a lifesaver.

Wait, some famous playwright worked there?

 

 Another weekend another real ale festival!  This time in wonderful Stratford-upon-Avon, at the race course.  Now that we're members, we've got to support the cause! We parked in town and took a long walk out to the race course.  When the race courses aren't being used for racing, it seems sometimes they are used for free-for-all camping; there were probably 30 or so camper vans, tents, caravans, etc.  Conveniently, the main stands also had pay-showers, which may have had something to do with it. We did not take advantage of those.  We did, however, sample the ale, had a few ploughman's, and horsed around (you didn't think I was going to pass that one up, did you?) in the windy weather.  It sure is windy on this island!

our own little race horse, leaving her new bear in the dust

Wait, Shakespeare lived here? No way!

beer - yummm

Afterwards, some ice cream back in town

ice cream - yummm

 before heading on to a local butterfly zoo.

cocoons are dirty

 

Did we forget anything?

not much wiggle room in there

Today, we went to Ikea.  We're going to be leaving our temporary bachelor pad soon and moving into the house, but that's going to all happen before our boat shipment arrives.  It would seem there are a few delays, either with the boat or customs, we're not sure which at this point.  But, the lease is running out on this furnished apartment.  So, earlier this week we purchased a mattress for Kyle and I, and today it was to Ikea to buy a few other necessaries to tide us over for a week or two.

there's room for three people to sit in there somewhere

See, just a few necessities.  A bed and mattress for Zoe, ironing board, small table, dishes, pans, pillows, sheets, towels, utensils.  And who knows what else.  It sure is packed in there, no?  Kyle's a master at Tetris.

Father's Day Sunday 2011

 For actual Father's Day, we headed out to Hungerford to attempt a typical English country walk.  While we ended up just walking around a cow field, it was still fairly fun. Up close and personal with the local wildlife, heh?

thatched roof - they still exist!

 And then, a stop at a pub.  Surprise! 

 But, it does have a playground!

Father's Day Saturday 2011

Though Father's Day was technically Sunday, Zoe helped Kyle open up his present a day early. 

guess who picked out the Peppa Pig wrapping paper?

Because, we had a beer festival to get to in Salisbury! For father's day, Kyle received membership to CAMRA, which is a UK political action committee of sorts to encourage people to patronize local ales.  Right up our alley, no?
On the way, we stopped in Stonehenge. The summer solstice was actually this morning, and I would have loved to go to that, but all for the better - sort of cloudy and rainy today.  But, there were still thousands of people there today, Tuesday.  It's one of the few days where they take down the ropes and actually let you walk around and touch the stones.  Plus, I think it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there with all sorts of people who really believe in the stones.   

Can you hear me, stones?

super fun running in the wind

being silly with Dad

I swear I was there too!

family photo

 Next, we were off to the real business of the day - the beer festival in an old church in Salisbury.  While it had been crazy windy at Stonehenge, it was on and off rainy just a half hour away.  This old church is now primarily an entertainment venue - there was an art exhibit in one of the side aisles with the beer festival in the main hall.  Bands were playing inside, and there was a small cafe as well.  During the sunny bits we escaped outside to run around. 

not so sure about this...

 Zoe has taken to picking up sticks and naming them Lola and Sophie

 Afterwards, we walked through the town to come upon Salisbury Cathedral.  It has been quite a popular topic in some pretty famous paintings.  And it really is amazing - though the steeple is huge, it's located in this courtyard enclosed by your typical English townhouses/old city buildings from the 1400s/1500s/1600s/etc.  So, it's a bit of a surprise walking up to it.  It also contains a copy of the Magna Carta, though we were running out of Zoe patience, so didn't catch it this time around.  I'm sure we'll be back.

recognize anyone?

father and daughter

Donnington Castle

really tiny Zoe and Kyle

We are lucky enough to have a 14th c. castle ruin within walking distance of our new home. Rumor has it some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales may even have been written on the grounds! 
We're going to try to pattern our weekends into one day of travel/ spending money elsewhere (i.e. Windsor yesterday), and the next day a bit more local (Donnington today!).  It was a bit rainy, so we didn't stay long, but it sure was neat to see.  Apparently on a clear day you can see for miles which quite makes sense for a castle location (and probably a reason why the castle held out so long during the English civil war!).

Windsor castle

inside the castle - check out those gardens!

 Saturday we visited Windsor Castle which is only about an hour's drive away. We were lucky to have absolutely gorgeous weather.  The Queen wasn't in, so no sightings, but the grounds are absolutely beautiful.  The chapel was closed for an event, but as the ticket is good for a year we'll be back!

outside the castle after watching a royal band randomly march by

Zoe took our picture!