Monday 23 February 2009

Half term? Blink and you'll miss it!

Half term has simply galloped past on furious hooves.

We did so many things it felt like a month, not a week. We began with a trip to our favourite beach at Newport which, according to the Observer last year is "the new Rock". (No it isn't! Stay away!) The beach was beautiful and virtually empty, as usual. We climbed all over its lovely rocky bits and then warmed up with hot chocolate and homemade chocolate chip cookies in the car park.

Mother-in-law joined us on Wednesday so her visit was preceded by a little cleaning and hurried building of the new spare room bed.

Thursday saw us wandering round the lovely shops in Narberth and on Friday we celebrated Brian's birthday with fish and chips at Something's Cooking in Letterston, which serves the best fish and chips in the world.

Saturday found us hiking to the top of Foel Eryr, one of the Preseli hills. I'd love to say it's the tallest, but I'm not sure! It's 1,500 feet (468m) and the wind was fairly bracing at the top. There's an impressive Bronze Age burial mound near the summit and an observation point on the very top which helpfully points out things you can see on clear days, including the Wicklow Hills over in Ireland (but not on Saturday). In the picture I'm pointing towards ChrisH's house to the north.

We hurtled back down again. It's a lovely path, dry underfoot even at this time of year, with smooth grass peppered with tiny hoof prints. Going up is easy and is a fairly steady climb interrupted by big cushiony steps in the peaty ground. Coming back down again is enormous fun as you can run and jump off all the steps if you are either H7 or R5 - or me trying to keep up with the pair of them.

Sunday saw us as part of about 300 Brownies at Folly Farm to celebrate Thinking Day. H7 was joined by her friend and fellow Brownie G7. Myself, Brian, MIL, R5 and a large picnic went along for good measure. It was cold, but sunny, which did not deter the three smallest demanding ice creams while the adults huddled around big cups of cappuccino.

On the way home we saw a hedgehog walking across the road. That might not be such a major event for some, but we have lived in this part of Pembrokeshire for 24 years now and that's the first one I have seen here. It did the modern hedgehog thing and walked briskly across the road instead of rolling up into a prickly ball. For a week that also saw Darwin's 200th birthday being marked, it seemed appropriate.

12 comments:

  1. I love Newport, we have a friend who lets us stay in a cottage there. I love Letterston and for the same reason as you - the best fish and chips in the world! You live in such a lovely area Mags, I'm glad you had good weather for half term and could go to all those special places.

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  2. Fab, look at your pink girls! Sounds like a great week, and bless the hedgehog, we hardly see any around here (too many badgers) so the dight of one is a real red letter day.

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  3. You can actually see our house, not from that point, but from quite a few of the high peaks! Eeek to the new Rock! No thank you, we don't want that! Happy belated birthday to Brian.

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  4. What a lovely description of half-term. All too soon these sweet girls will be gown and flown from home and how wonderful that you have these days recorded in words and photos. Thankyou for sharing,

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  5. Sorry, can't spell tonight: "grown and flown" is what I meant to say.

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  6. Wasn't it just a great half term Mags? Sometimes they just can't live up to the expectation, but even the weather obliged this time. Lovely post xx

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  7. The children will remember their half term with such fondness. Love their outfits in the photograph.

    CJxx

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  8. I love to read about your outings with your children. Your at that time of life when every minute could be filled with jaunts and projects and intense questions. It sounds as though you're enjoying it to the fullest - it passes so quickly, but every minute is an investment in the memory bank!

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  9. What a great half term that sounds. Ours whizzed away and it didnt even have children in it! I love the picture on the top of the hill.

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  10. What lovely half-term memories for you all. Even the weather was a bit warmer too. I can remember a route-march walk up over the Prescelis to the blue stones, and that was summer and it was fairly "brisk" then! Hope that Newport stays as it is and we don't get all the worst of the Hooray Henries down there . . .

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  11. mm Letterstone fish n chips we love them. Half term did we have one? It was a blur here too! Did you go to the deli in Narbeth?? Yummy

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  12. Gosh you were busy and very energetic. I've never seen a hedgehog here either x

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I am sorry to have to add word verification thing again but I keep getting spammed.