Baby it's cold outside....

A little bit of a catch up post today.  On Tuesday, despite the inclement weather, we headed off to Babbacombe for our annual fill of fake snow and Santa.  We (well, I) thought that we would squeeze in a visit to Bygones too, as it is just around the corner from the model village car park, and I read a good review of it on Julis's blog earlier in the year. 

Bygones was lovely. I really enjoyed it - Oliver was a bit scared of the lifesize models and sound effects and clung onto my coat for the first twenty minutes, but things looked up when we reached the cafe and got to make Christmas cards and crackers for free.  Tres exciting, as you can see.

The model village was a little disappointing for me this year.  Possibly because it was bloody freezing cold, and damp, and grey, and deserted.  Possibly because I take the same photos year after year, but also possibly because I am acutely aware that my time visiting these cutesy places and seeing santa is inextricably linked to Oliver growing older, and I just want to weep with misery at the inevitable loss of childhood times.  Blimey, that's cheered me up none.  Pulling myself swiftly together, and trying to live in the now, it was a great day we had together, and that is precious enough to make me feel joy.

Then we had the annual Home Ed party, a calmer affair than in previoius years, and better for it was the general concensus of opinion. 

And yesterday saw the opening of the RAMM - it has been closed for years - around four, I think, but Oliver and I spent many hours in the museum when he was a toddler and it is great to know it is there again.  I thought it was great - a couple of  things they have done are too bloody stupid for words (like pop a cafe directly underneath a galleried landing where young ruffians and local yobbos can spit in your coffee or drop various bits onto unsuspecting punters down below), and move the iconic Gerald the Giraffe to some crappy pass-through room HE SHOULD BE WHERE HE WAS BEFORE YOU BUREAUCRATIC DIMWITS - POKING HIS HEAD UP THROUGH THE GALLERIED LANDING!!!!!!!!

One of Oliver's friends has given him a Christmas present, which consists of little things of his own which he has gathered together in a box, and giftwrapped.  I think this is both charming, and a brilliant approach to gift-giving.  Upcycling is the way to go.  Oliver has done the same to return the gift, so I hope it will be well received.

And so we roll along into the week before Christmas, and boy - am I glad we have been out and about, and done the trips we wanted to before the kids broke up from school, as I imagine it will be chaos going anywhere next week. 

Laters dudes.