That was summer, this is autumn

I have officially given up apologising for my inability to get a regular blog thing going on, I'm doing my best, but it just means now that there is a certain lack of regularity, but my heart is most definitely still in  it! So here is what we have all been up to since July. The whole summer was a blur of parties, holidays, days out, making, enjoying the sunshine, camping and playing. I thought I might be coming back to college for a rest, but I actually have the timetable from hell, so no rest for the wicked! This year's boys and girls are all very nice, I always miss the previous year's but this lot seem to be OK, so I'll keep'em! It was so nice to see so many  ex-students over the summer and I really hope that those who just left stay in touch - I shall be stalking Siobhan on her new blog for sure, to be honest I was having a bit of a panic about how I was going to cope this year without her fashion know-how! Have a look yourselves, it is bound to be awesome - she is irritating like that..... http://siobhanlc.wordpress.com/.

I wish them all the best of luck with their new endeavours and look forward to hearing what going on!

So back to me, as I say it was a busy and brilliant summer, here are the highlights......

Tony at Thedden had a significant birthday and we all danced our hearts out - some people got to stay up VERY late!

Pottery cake and jars of lights

Noah got a chicken! her name is Charlotte, she lays the most amazing double-yolker eggs and Noah loves her, he also loves an egg, so she was always going to go down well!! She lives with Sue and Roger along with Goldie, Jet and jack (go figure).

Talking of Sue, I turned fashion stylist and photographer and took these pics of the clothes she sells for her - she sells at the Packhouse near Farnham if you are interested!! I err won't be giving up my day job......!

We had our first family holiday camping in Pembrokeshire - it was awesome, I LOVE camping and it was so brilliant to see that Noah loved it too - we splashed out and bought a (massive) new tent, a proper blow up matress - ha! Goodbye Thermarest. we took duvets and pillows and board games and stuff and had the most amazing weather, well apart from the scary wind and rain which resulted in a torn tension system and a snapped tent pole.... but well, that's what you get in Wales! Noah of course had no clue what the consequences could be so was just thrilled by the tent shifting about all over the place!! Fortunately the tent stayed up and the camping went on! We were just outside St Davids and had the most AMAZING full English at the Sound Cafe every morning! The best beach was called Druidstone Haven and we spent hours searching for treasures and looking in rock pools, just like I did as a kid! The added bonus was eating at the Druidstone hotel just above, a place truly lost in time, but awesome lunches and afternoon teas were consumed by all - Noah getting quite into the swing of things!! I want to stay there one day - look it up, it's a gem! http://www.druidstone.co.uk/

So we played on the beach, ate lovely food, slept under (torn) canvas and hung out as proper family on our first holiday, oh, and we watched Ivan (Mr bicknell) climb.....!

Oh yeah, we had the most INCREDIBLE boat trip with the RNLI - It was fast and a bit scary, but to watch the seals frolic and bask around us was pretty cool - Noah only asked to get off once....!

Beach treasures

Late night competition under canvas

As you can see there were some heavy duty words going down...........!

Milk Al fresco in the special tiger chair from Granny!

Much more interested in being wrapped up in a towel on the beach than splashing about in the sea!

Our tent - look we have a cool box and everything!

Crabbing

Eating at the Druidstone hotel

Hidden eco house

Lampshades continue to rule - I cannot even imagine how many I have made now!

It seems that not everyone who shops at Waitrose is polite and terribly pleasant - I wouldn't mind about this note that I found on my car windscreen - but look how far away I was from the bloody line - all I can say is that he, and I assume it was a he, must have been a really fat git!!!

Aldi opened - yay affordable veggies - and with added extras!

Anniversary number 8 - already!

Wellington country park - a really fun day out for little ones - well, unless a dinosaur tries to eat you - ha, serves him right for being so cocky in the first place!!

And then the most amazing thing happened - I went on holiday ON MY OWN - no boys (who of course I missed terribly!) - just me and my bestie, Bex, it's been a while! Mallorca Port Soller - I cannot recommend it to you highly enough, an awesome, peaceful and beautiful place to spend a whole week of sunning ourselves and drinking far too many alcoholic beverages!

The seafood

The gin

The spa

The sunbathing - yep, almost (the Germans of course) the first on the beach everyday!

The tram into town

The chance to actually read - check out the brown legs - the first time I have had brown legs in about 4 years!!

I read this - you should too!!

The scrummy restaurants - this is Ran de Mer - we also ate at Agapanto and Hotel Marina - all worth splashing out on!

The annual Camp Thedden event - although it looks warm and sunny it was the coldest August night on record apparently!

Yes, we did the ice bucket challenge - some of us more elaborately than others.... 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=845592465464683

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=843823795641550

Back to Marwell - this time the animals came out to play!

Noah and I have gotten into baking

Mary berry cheese straws

Nigel Slater's Blackberry friands - not so good the first time.....

Better the next!

The Alresford show - Noah very brave about going on the carousel all. By. Himself!

Back to school! I am queen of the lunches - sadly this is not going to be a waistline saver...

The management did the ice bucket challenge - hmmmm, no ice though...

New class of 2014

Back into the drawing

Jade is this year's new intern - pic to come later and she is in charge at the moment of inspiring the 2nd year students -  wasp first - she has done good I think....

Tools for the fist years

I went to see rock of ages with my gym buddies and oh look - Noel from Hearsay was the lead! The nutter on the right is Juliet - queen of the classes, the other sad Muppet is obviously me!

Printing, printing, printing......

Making, making, making