Tuesday, 29 June 2010

Another night in casualty




There is something rather tedious about sitting in a busy hospital waiting room. Yet again my eldest son has hurt his foot doing some skateboard trick and according to our paramedic friend over the road needed to get it x-rayed. So here we are once again in A&E.

This is one of those times where I feel totally justified in buying an i Pad. It has so far helped me waste 40 minutes of my evening. I did resist blogging at first as who knows how long we will be here judging by the number of people sitting around me. As time goes by I will resort to playing the waiting room game again.

What's that you ask? That's the game where you look at the other waiting patiently patients and try to work out what is wrong with them and whether it puts them higher up the priority list than you.

Tonight I don't know where to start, there are so many in here. Most are sitting quietly, not making a fuss. Last visit there was a bloke bleeding all over the floor from a particularly nasty looking leg wound, and a young pregnant girl groaning and moaning, although from the reaction of the staff it seemed she was a regular visitor who found the twinges of pregnancy more painful than most. Not a single bleeder or moaner tonight though.

Despite the fact that the waiting room is overflowing, we have now been sent round to another waiting area and have been seen by the triage nurse and had an x-Ray. All within an hour. Just goes to show that what you see isn't always as it seems. We are now waiting for the results and repercussions.

In the past the prospect of a plaster cast was exciting, but now that it would seriously hamper his skateboarding activities and trip to Florida in 6 weeks, he's crossing everything in the hope of tubigrip and a pack of anti inflammatory tablets. Well we will see......

And see we did. Tubigrip check, ibrufen check. Plus a hastily photocopied pamphlet about looking after a sprain, all of which will, by the end of the week be forgotten no doubt.

Of course, being an invalid involves being pampered apparently. A trip to Asda on the way home for a bag of Malteesers, a pack of donuts and a can of Monster to take away the pain and discomfort while wallowing in self pity.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, 28 June 2010

Two Hot Dogs Please




Who says that dogs wearing two coats don't like to sunbathe?

This is my two basking on the scorching patio in what has to be the high 70's or more.

Just like me! Only I'm reading intellectual reports at the same time! Yes you read right - I did say intellectual.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, 26 June 2010

Hippo-croc-a-pig

Sometimes something quite insignificant suddenly has a huge impact on your life. Take the mirror you look into every day while cleaning your teeth for example. It sits there helping you put the brush in the right place, pointing out that your mascara has smudged or continually reminding you that your right eye is slightly lower than your left - Which in my case is more obvious when wearing glasses!

Then one day, someone turns it round and instead of seeing the regular vision of cyclops loveliness you have been accustomed to, you find a stranger staring back at you.




Yes, you are now looking at yourself highly magnified! Not at all pretty at forty something.

I never used mirrors much as a teen/twenty-something. What little make up I wore on the odd occasion could be done without one. Short cropped hair meant no need for anything other than a quick comb if I remembered, and my clothes were nothing but comfortable and that's all that mattered.

Then one day I had turned into the bearded lady with skin like an elephant knee. Pores so deep you could drill for oil and a few extra chins that would be highly impressive on a Komodo dragon.

(Just remembered a cosmetic sales line. When selling firming cream we would get a customer to look down into a mirror and tell them that's what they would look like if they didn't use a particular product!).

Who knew it was actually true!

Now not a day goes by without an encounter with maggie the mirror. Armed with tweezers and various potions and lotions in an attempt to rectify all my imperfections. I can almost see the wrinkles grow millimetre by millimetre. I'm sure I could grow a better beard than my husband given time.

I do that 'thing' with the skin around my ears to tighten up the jowls and laugher (haha) lines and think back to the days when my skin was the right size for my face.

Now I wonder if there comes a time when you know you've lost the battle. A time when you look in the mirror one last time and then resign yourself to throwing on lippy with the hope that it lands in roughly the right part of your face, knowing your clothes are comfortable and that's all that matters anyway and finally accepting that you've lost your elastic along with your marbles.

Oh well, I guess that day isn't too far down the road........
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, 24 June 2010

Superstition

I wonder how many people 'didn't' do something yesterday because they 'did' it before the last two England games and they played badly?

I was made to believe that England's poor performance was down to my £5 Asda T shirt that I wore the last two times. I didnt wear it yesterday and we won - so it must be true!

I know many footballers and performers do things in a certain order or way because of superstition, but I reckon many of us did that yesterday too. Even the commentator after the game said that England's red strip should be worn as their first strip.

I know it's all a load of baloney but now I have a dilemma - do I risk wearing my expensive England T Shirt again on Sunday for the Germany game just to prove it?

Can you imagine if we lost? Could I live with the responsibility of getting England knocked out of the 2010 World Cup?

Tuesday, 22 June 2010

At Least it's Sunny!

Already today is proving to be difficult - and it's only lunchtime.
It's all this uncertainty and reluctance to make decisions because no one knows what the future holds here at college.

Three months ago we went into the 90 day consultancy period. We are now at day 87 and the new structure is about to be rolled out in a couple of days. It is now certain that our department is disbanding and those with new roles will be working in other areas of the college, possibly doing something similar but not guaranteed. There are 26 of us here. 4 have out in for voluntary redundancy.

We still have a large apprenticeship programme and several smaller employment programmes to run but don't know who will be running it in the future, nor where it will be run from.

If I retain the role of lecturer I will cartwheel naked around st. James park on the first game of the season. It is likely I could end up as a co-ordinator for a project and on the high end of an administrator scale, but without the holidays and decent pension. But then again I could be made redundant and end up with nothing.

Today I sat in a meeting about the new foundation learning tier being rolled out in post 16 education. Talk about a step backwards. Well three actually. Why do education ministers have to meddle with training? They never give us time to roll out, practice and settle into anything so that it works properly. They allow us to get to the point where we know what works and what doesn't and so we are seeing the benefits and then they come along and bring out something new that was called something else a few years ago.

Everyone here is demotivated, it's not the kind on environment young people want to be in. It's not their fault, they should be entitled to a decent education and training programme, and we want to give them that but at the moment it's like banging your head against a wall with your hands tied behind your back on a one way banana boat to china. (or something like that).

At least it's sunny.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, 19 June 2010

Talk Amongst Yourselves Please.

So sorry but this i Pad of mine is extremely distracting. I keep trying to ignore it but I can't.
Yes I know it's just like a big i Pod Touch, but it's pretty amazing.
Found a great photo editing app. Will tell you more when I have twiddled on with some photos.

Oh and guess who I got s call from the other day? Merinz from NZ Links!
She's here in Blighty and heading my way. Plans for coffee in a week or two.

So bear with me another day or two and I'm sure the novelty will have worn off.........maybe.

Friday, 18 June 2010

Surprise!

Yesterday we dropped off the kids at school etc and set off for a morning at the Metro Centre to have a wander around and a spot of lunch. Once on the A1, hubby asks me if I want to call in at PC World and have another look at the iPad. Immediately I suspect him of conning me into seeing a new 3D TV that he's got is eye on as a future purchase as Curry's is just next door.


So I agree and I stroll over to the Apple display, expecting hubby to follow me. I turn around and spot him deep in conversation with a sales assistant. Whatever, I am too engrossed in checking out the ipad apps to be bothered about him.


"Which do you think is the best? the Wifi or the 3G version?" he asks


Hmmmm


"Probably the 3G cos you'd only regret not having it if you didnt - Why?"


"No reason" - he's having a play around on the ipad next to me.


Hmmmm


I've been with this man for 24 years now, so think I know him pretty well, so I go for it!


"You're going to buy me one??"


"Do you want one?"


This could well be a more stupid question than the most stupid question I've ever asked, and if you know me you will know I'm highly experienced in that!


"Can we afford it?" (there you go - like I really care if we can afford it!)


So the outcome of the day was that we then had to make a mad dash to another store who had just taken a delivery that morning and actually had some for sale.


THEN I had to sit in Frankie and Bennies and have lunch knowing that my baby iPad was sitting in the car boot when I could have been at home ripping the packaging apart.


Unfortunately we never did get to the Metro Centre, and once home I didnt get to play with it until after my evening at college for one reason or another. It's still a work in progress as I get used to it, but I have all my iPhone Apps on there and a couple of new iPad ones.


I'm impressed with the quality of the screen and the apps made for iPad. It's got to be the best way to watch videos. I'm now looking for a new app to edit photos now.


Haven't I got the very bestest husband in the whole wide world?



Wednesday, 16 June 2010

Just a Niggle


You know those niggles you get? The ones that don't go away but revisit you every now and again to remind you that you still haven't done something?


I have one - apart from the one about completing the last two assignments for my degree, and the one about cleaning the oven before the health inspectors close down my kitchen.


Mine is to write my life story.


It's not that it's particularly fascinating or anything, although I think it's been pretty eventful, it's because as I get older I really wish my grandparents and parents had done this for me and my family. You only really know them for the later part of their lives. As a child you don't remember or appreciate what they did as much as you do when older, but by then so much has passed and all you get to know is their last few decades, not the exciting youthful times they had while growing up.


My grandad started to write about his childhood, in a notebook a few years before he died. He showed it to my aunty who told me it was hysterical reading about the things he got up to in the village. Unfortunately we couldnt find it when we had to clear out his things. Perhaps it will turn up one day.


So maybe its just more procrastination to avoid finishing my assignments, but I'm going to start with a new blog about my life in the 1980's, as I left school and decided what to do with my life - this decade was particularly exciting for me as it includes joining the Navy, a war a death and a wedding, plus memories of some of my closest friends.


I'm thinking I want to physically write it down with pen and paper, making it more personal for future readers, but maybe doing it by blog or something makes it more interesting and easier?


I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions from you lot, especially if you have already done something similar.


Oh and I'll let you know when I get the new blog up and running if you're interested.


Monday, 14 June 2010

Sixty One Days

It may be a little earlier than previous years but it's now 14 months since we last wriggled our toes in Floridian sand and I'm really, really ready for a proper holiday, not one of those weeks off at home spent cleaning and pottering around that I've had recently.

A holiday that includes several, nay dozens of trips to my favourite supermarket. Yes, I know you Americans have your own thoughts but we just don't have places like this over here - well not near us anyway. I mean you can buy almost everything in there. I love our first trip, usually at 3am the first morning 'cos you can't sleep and what better to do than go and buy your sunscreen, water, fruit, sandals, bulk supply of paracetamol (hell you can buy them by the bucket in there, none of this silly 2 packs of 16 only thing!) and spare set of tyres or gutting knife if you need one and leave with the beaming smile of a happy to serve checkout girl. (cough)


I'm already planning at least one trip to the Fossil Outlet shop for a handbag or two. I have one I bought a couple of years ago for £65 and saw a very similar one in the Fossil shop in the Metro Centre for £250!!! and you all know you can never have too many handbags!



Once we experienced the luxury of Lowes at Universal, no visit would be the same without a few nights at one of the three hotels, preferrably The Hard Rock Hotel. I just love the music and rock memorabilia. Also the fact that your room key serves as a fast track for the rides at Universal Studios makes it well worth the money. Oh and the pool isn't deep so no risk of Alexander drowning when he jumps in the deep end.
Last year we ate at a Logans Roadhouse. For some reason we had never been in there before, preferring Black Angus or Outback for our steaks. What a treat! The food was delicious although beware the peanuts, they easily spoil an English appetite. I did however have a bit of an OCD issue with the disposal of peanut shells. It went against the grain to just 'chuck' them on the floor.



Ahhhh, mmmmm.....Ghiardelli's hot chocolate fudge sundae, imagine a warm sunny evening on the verandah overlooking the lake at Disney Marketplace. Wrought iron tables with parasols, children chasing bubbles and "It's a Small World" playing in the distance. Heavenly!


This one is to retain my sanity. The Vans Skate Park in Festival Bay Mall. We can hopefully leave the boys there for an hour or two while we go shopping or have a meal alone. Jordan is old enough to supervise Alexander and they have to wear helmet and pads. They have both already decided they want to go every day, and although it's very tempting, I feel that's a little excessive. (or maybe not)
There are lots of other things on our itinerary but as usual we will just see what we feel like when we awake every day. This will be our 17th trip so rushing out to theme parks isn't a priority anymore. Off to count how many sleeps, haircuts and bin days there are until we go....!




Sunday, 13 June 2010

Sigh!


Ok so let's keep this in perspective


Last night more than one mistake was made.


First the 'technical fault' for those of us watching on HD TV that meant we watched a half time advert instead of Gerrards goal kind of put a damper on it from the outset. It was the first goal and rather than leap up and dance around the room, we had a moment of "WTF" and then "NO WAY". as we watched the replays in a more subdued manner.


Second , THAT goal. No-one can possibly feel as bad about it as Green himself so get over it. Shit happens, it's what happens next that's important. Leave the guy alone.


Third, the shots that 'should' have gone in but went wide or over the top. Isn't that just a 'shit happens' thing too but for some reason is never as big a deal as a goalie making a mistake. Not every player on that team played his socks off. I'm not going to get on my soapbox because frankly I just like to watch a game, I'm no expert, but there were some players on that team that in my opinion could have done a lot better.


Fourth, and most importantly, I should have ordered beef fried rice last night instead of beef in ginger and pineapple with boiled rice. I fancied a change but found it a little too 'gingery'. I should know by now not to experiment with my food on nights like last night.


So let's just get on with today and plan a little better for Friday!

Saturday, 12 June 2010

Bizzy Bizzy


Don't suppose there is anyone in the world who doesnt know that there is a big football tournament going on at the moment - so I won't bleat on about it. (Hi Dan!)

BUT, because of the aforesaid event, it means making some adjustments to my Saturday because the usual 8 hours normally allocated to chores and shopping and other necessaries is now just 4, maybe 6 at a push if I forfeit the lunchtime match between Korea and Greece.

Here is what has to be achieved in just 4 hours
  • 3 loads of washing & hanging out.

  • 1 Little Dude hair cut (he was told to get it cut yesterday at school cos it's touching his collar)

  • 1 meeting for coffee with an old friend (most important task!)

  • 1 reasonable walk for the dogs

  • 1 trip to the bottle bank (the box has already overflowed into three carrier bags!)

  • 1 shopping trip for food (apparently we have nothing a 17 year old wants to eat in this house)

  • Quick hoover and dust (if I get around to it)

What do you reckon? S'pose if I got off the sofa and laptop I might get most of it done!

Thursday, 10 June 2010

Happy Birthday Girls!

Five years ago Momma Chelsey gave birth to a litter of six gorgeous Elkhound babies. They all went off to various homes except one little girl, Freya, who was waiting to be collected by some people from Scotland except Grandma had a funny feeling about them and didnt want Freya to go there. Grandma sent Freya's photo to another family nearby who she knew would love to have her and who had just lost their old Elkhound Spookie.

The nice lady came and took Freya home with her to live with her family and Loki, a boy Elkhound. Freya loved Loki and the family and was happy to be there. One day while out in the fields, Loki got the scent of something and ran off. He didnt realise that roads were dangerous and got badly hurt, so badly that the nice lady had to say goodbye to him and let him go to Rainbow Bridge. She cried a lot but Freya sat next to her for a long time until she seemed less sad.

Then one day the nice lady came home with another girl Elkhound that Grandma had asked her to look after. The new girl 's owner was ill and couldn't look after her any more. Grandma knew that Freya would be lonely without Loki. The new girl walkked into the house, a little scared and uncertain. She needed a good brush and was a bit fat but very pretty. Freya went for a sniff and realised that she knew that smell. It was the same as her own. The new girl was her sister, her sister Keesha. What a surprise!

Today is your 5th Birthday. Special birthday tea and lots cuddles for my beautful girls.
No dogs allowed on the sofa

Freya waiting for the postman



Keesha doesn't 'do' floors!



Tuesday, 8 June 2010

OK, I admit it. I WANT One!!!!

Back in February, when my iPhone 3G contract ran out I briefly toyed with the idea of being patient and sensible and prepared to wait until the new iPhone came out a few months down the line. I toyed with the idea for oh, all of a nano second, but then like a child in a toy shop went and got the best deal I could on a 3GS.

"You know you'll want one when the new one comes out" he said. "No, this will do me just fine, and there will be an upgrade for most of the features anyway" I replied smugly.

Today I saw it. It's beautiful, and shiny and sexy and new and, and, and, and....................I don't have one!

"I knew you'd want one" he said smugly.

Now how do I convince him that his HTC Magic needs an upgrade to an iPhone 3GS??? All that new technology would be wasted on him wouldn't it?

Sunday, 6 June 2010

Campsite Capers

Friday afternoon - Robin Hood Caravan Park, Slingsby, Yorkshire.


We arrived at the caravan park in a reasonable time having sat in a few traffic jams on the A1 in the heat of a humid June day. Had hubby ignored my instructions to take the A1 rather than pay to use the Tyne Tunnel we wouldn't have had to and would have arrived a lot earlier than we did! Well even I'm not perfect you know!

Anyway, we chose our pitch, up the top of the field across from the impressive play area with a bit of space around us and unloaded the tent from the slightly over crowded car. We may need to buy a roof box or something if we are planning to stay longer than a couple of nights in future.

Despite the practice run in the neighbours garden we took almost two hours to erect it. A few harsh words were muttered as we put in poles and did the pin and ring thing. Eventually we had it up and could start to sort out the inside. There are three bedrooms but we just put up two and used the third as a storage area with a door so we could get a very welcome through draught. Once the carpet was down, the beds blown up (must remind hubby to make sure the pin is in the release hole so the air actually stays in the airbed next time!) we got out the cool box and had a beer.

See how spacious the tent is? This is from the front door showing Little Dudes room and the back door/storage area (and a towel for some reason)

I was well chuffed with my home from home but spent the weekend making a list of little things I needed to bring or buy before the next trip - like a tray and better cool box.

After a couple of hours chilling out in the sunshine, watching kids play and other more competent tent erectors put up tents of all shapes and sizes we went out for a bar meal at The Blacksmiths at a village a few miles down the road, although we were forced to endure a constant barrage of whining from Little Dude who just wanted to go back to the park and play with the other kids.

We were all pretty tired by 10pm and so one by one went on the expedition to the toilet/shower block which was some distance from the tent field - and seemed even further away at 2am in the morning when surprised by a cat leaping from the shadows infront of you! (add a port-a-loo to the list). Fortunately, it began to rain at 10.15 forcing all the kids back into their tents therefore making life a lot easier for weary parents.

Now I'm a good sleeper, I do wake easily when I need to - like when one of the kids/dogs starts to puke in the night, however there is something rather unusual about lying in bed listening to a complete stranger snoring three tents away. It's like playing 'I'll name that noise in..... seconds'. Is that someone walking a dog or a fox sniffing around the door? I only found out what one of the noises was the next morning when I noticed the VW camper van. The sliding door opening and closing during the night had me demented trying to work out what it was. The poor family with the baby with colic I sympathised with - although I'd have took him out in the car after the first few minutes rather than keep the whole site awake. Gentle rain seems torrential when falling on a tent and why do you need the toilet more through the night when you know there is a good 5 mins walk to the block? ( Add ear plugs to the list)

Anyway, we awoke early (about 3am initially) to the sound of a milion birds, sheep and horses and after a quick breakfast of Jam sandwiches and mugs of coffee decided to head off to....

Eden Camp, Malton


Had to take a picture of this - makes you proud and not so different to how I looked although we had white tops to our caps.

We first visited Eden Camp about 14 years ago with Big Dude when he was just 2 or 3 years old and really enjoyed it. It is even bigger now and has lots of memorabilia from the First World War and other conflicts since. It's a great day out and very reasonable considering the amount of information and exhibits there are.

Little Dude enjoyed the huts with exhibits showing what life was like back then, particularly the inside of a German U-Boat and the Blitz. Unfortunately seven year olds aren't interested in all the written stuff so we didn't get time to see everything, but did spend time looking at The Falklands War section which brought back a lot of emotions and memories having been in the Navy at the time and seeing many friends go off to war along with all our squadron helicopters. Funny how 25 years seemed like yesterday for a while.




Here is Little Dude beside one of the tanks on display.

He was a little disappointed that the shop didn't sell toy guns though and had to settle for a plastic jeep.









These are some of the 28 blocks open to visitors, each with it's own theme. The place is spotless and even has 'smells' to make some of the exhibits more realistic.





After Camp Eden we decided to drive up to Whitby, somewhere we have wanted to go but never been. Unfortunately it seemed that there was a 60's festival on nearby and half the country had also decided to visit Whitby too. Eventually we found a car park space and set off for some Fish n Chips. On the way to the chippy we passed the 'Dracula Experience'. The only experience was one of throwing £7 down the drain. It took us all of 5 minutes to 'experience' a slightly scary, dark walk through a small terraced house. I did jump once as a hand came out but no-one else did, not even Little Dude!



One of the views of Whitby harbour. There was a huge queue at one of the Fish and Chip shops on the quayside so we 'assumed' that it was the best of them (as you would), however, our local chippy was just as good so I think it was one of the English 'sheep' things, like when we see a queue we have to join it! and stupidly we did. Or rather hubby did while Little Dude and I went into the amusements armed with a dish of 2p coins.







and this is what we did, for the whole 40 minutes hubby was in the queue!


Baaaaaaa!


But after a long day out we went back to camp, opened a bottle of wine and sat out in the sun again until the early evening when the Burger Van arrived and we ate supper in a field listening to groups chatting, kids running around playing games, climbing, getting filthy and having a lot of fun - there wasn't a bored child in sight.



Later we lay in bed once again listening to the goings on around us - including the snoring man!

This morning was overcast but still warm although the forecast was for rain. We decided to get ready straight away and take the tent down so it didnt get wet. We almost did it. Rain started as we packed the last bits away. Plans to stop off at the Lavender Farm went out the window, so we set off back up the A19 and a big fry up at the A19 Cafe.

We thoroughly enjoyed our two days at Robin Hood, and will definitely be back. Even the hassles of erecting a large tent didnt put us off. If it wasn't for the World Cup we might have booked up somewhere local for a weekend. Still, we have the Scouts Family Camp to look forward to in July! Yay!

Saturday, 5 June 2010

Glorious Sunset

Tonight the sunset is beautiful. Red Sky at night and all that...... So maybe the heavy rain forecast for tomorrow won't happen.
I love this camping lark!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Helmsley,United Kingdom

Friday, 4 June 2010

VOTED THE BEST PARTY ENGLAND SONG 2010! ( We are the England Fans) - BLA...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux5qfj1wveI&hl=en_GB&fs=1]

Should I Take Wellies?


This afternoon we will pack up the car and head off down the A1 to Yorkshire to start our new adventure - camping!



Yes, I know that Sundays forecast is pretty grim, heavy rain and thunderstorms, but today and tomorrow are suppose to be scorchers, and you know what English weather is like, totally unreliable. So I'm ignoring the fact that we may have to bail out the tent, pack it up in pouring rain and then find somewhere big enough to dry it out once home again. But that's camping eh?

Hubby is at work until lunchtime and Little Dude will go to the childminders so he's out of the way while I get things sorted and packed up. There is nothing that stresses me out more than a 7 year old helper, unhelpfully moving things that have been put somewhere on purpose.

Big Dude was at a barbeque last night and stayed over but has instructions be home early so I can give him his list of 'to do's' and 'to don'ts' while we are away. Like remembering to get up early and let the dogs out for a wee!

Then I will have my usual strop about being rushed out the door before having time to check we have everything. I can't help it. I have to check my list because if anything gets left behind it will undoubtedly be MY fault.

Now, is there anything else I need?
Bottle opener - check,
cool box - check,
beer - check,
England flags on car ('cos it's nearly World Cup time and we do stupid things like that!) - check



There we are, ready to rumble............see you soon.................




Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Into the Unknown

So, following on from the last but one post, I have an update.

The five man tent we bought at the weekend went back and was replaced by this beast! A six man tent with loadsa space and three bedrooms. It's a little like a tardis. You walk through the porch into 'the dome'. You could host a small wedding in there. Think St Pauls!

It was on special offer and we decided that if we were going camping we would do it in style - and it has a carpet too! We are now thinking of not just the UK, but France!

Tonight we took it over the road to practice erecting it seeing as last time we tried to put up an awning for the first time we ended up being the evenings entertainment for the rest of the caravan park!

The neighbours are away still and their lovely grassy lawn was just big enough to pitch the beast. According to the reviews, about an hour was a rough guide for first timers. Armed with instructions about coloured rods and a big hammer we got started.

First the footprint ( a bloody big one at that). Lemon squeezy.
Then the tent itself including a selection of rods and pegs and a few other 'bits' that we were certain would explain themselves once we got the that bit.

All was going well - and then we hit a brick wall 40 mins in. We had to follow the 'ring and pin' system that is common to tents of the flexible rod type. Ah, yes, ring and pin. What the hell does that mean?? We had a look on the internet, every camper in the whole world knew about this, except us.

Now both being qualified aircraft engineers, we usually feel competent with 'technical' stuff. Could we work it out? One rod, one ring one pin - seemples?

At this point, camping began to wear thin. We both imagined being the laughing stock of a whole campsite again, stumped by a couple of bits of metal.

By this time we were well over an hour and I was more interested in what to have for tea than the bloody tent. Finally, I had a eurika moment. I worked it out all by myself. It was seeemples. Once we established what to do we finished off assembling the exterior, and then packed it all away again ready for the weekend. At least once the outside is up we can hide away inside and work out how to do the bedroom bits without being so obviously 'the newbies'.

Hoping to book up tomorrow, somewhere in North Yorkshire, we fancy a trip to Eden Camp.

Watch this space.