Sunday 26 May 2013

Hadrian and the Wall

Today is Hay's second birthday and the anniversary of last year's blog party (the first one, in 2011, was to celebrate the building of the Great Wall, and I'm going to have to take a picture of it soon for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about).

So, this afternoon, the family turned out in force for Hay's birthday party. We had Gus with us, because I stayed over at his house last night after babysitting him and Zerlina, and suggested bringing him back with me.  He came to a very informal cafĂ© church meeting first, where he was able to play with Toni and Freddie, both a little older than him and we made a paper windmill, then came back here for lunch. The presents I'd ordered arrived on Friday, so we wrapped and took them and we all had a brilliant afternoon.  Hay, I'm pleased to say, is turning out to be mischievous - you should have seen the grin on his face when he caught me with his water pistol.  It reminded me of my children's young days when, if the weather was really hot, we'd put on swimsuits, each take a sponge and a bucket of water and have water fights on the lawn.  It had to be so hot that it was a pleasure to be hit by a sodden sponge, of course.  Dora and Dilly both thought it was a brilliant idea and suggested reinstating the game, next time it's a hot weekend.  Um, a slight problem there ... but I'm up for it, weather permitting.  Actually, it was a lovely day today and very warm in their sheltered garden.

Tomorrow, we're out to lunch and have arranged for a friend to come and dog-sit.  Ooh, the responsibility of being a pet owner...


7 comments:

Unknown said...

I seem to remember that ballooons filled with water can be quite fun at water parties, also bicycle pumps; but as you say, the weather has to be v. warm. 1976 was a good year for it. There'd probably be a local water authority prohibition on it now!

Z said...

Last year was the first time in decades when there was a hosepipe ban here. It brought on the floods, of course. I don't suppose they'd begrudge us a few buckets of water - no hosepipes or sprinklers, of course!

nick said...

Water fights on the lawn? That's a pleasure I never enjoyed as a child. Maybe because we only had a small garden and most of that was taken up by fruit bushes.

Z said...

According to the girls, it's never too late! Do you have a garden now?

Roses said...

Water games in hot weather is brilliant.

You're never too old for paddling pools!

x

nick said...

We have quite a large garden. Now where did we put the bucket and sponge?

Z said...

If I can lead just a few people astray, my life's work is done...