Rounders in the Park

The weather forecast for Sunday is not looking good - Heavy rain showers.
We will make a decision at 11am on Sunday as to whether (scuse the pun) the weather will curtail the fun.
Watch this blog for updates.

Hippo Gnu Deer to Ewe

Well, Happy New Year to you all. We had a terrific Christmas with family, friends and lots of silly games - particularly homemade Deal or no Deal. Nanny made a spectacular Christmas dinner, so good I didn't have room for pudding! We spent time with the Glums, more great food and daft games. New Year's Eve we were invited to one of the Four Musketeers' house for a party which turned into a karaoke fest. We left before the shots started to be drunk as we had a beach date set up for New Year's Day. We will be staying next year tho - if invited. (Judging by the hangover reports the next day - it was a monumental party!)

New Year's Day, Nanny, Mr Fink, Little Fink, me, the Glums and Glumdog (fox terrier) went to Worthing in West Sussex. We had dry, crisp weather, a lovely walk up the beach, fish and chips al fresco and lots of beach combing. We finished with tea and sandwiches on the promenade, Mrs Glum brought her little primus stove and had freshly boiled water for the tea. We did get a few odd looks from passers by, we also got lots of people wishing us happy New Year.

Mr Fink is finally loosing the plot. He went to the cupboard to get a tin tuna for dinner, reported that there was none and walked away. I checked and there were 2 tins right at the front of the shelf?????

He pout the water on to boil for pasta, sat down, watched TV for 40 minutes, went back in the kitchen, steam and condensation everywhere. He just turned to me and said, "In 8 years time, I'll be elligible to get insurance from SAGA." Hmm, it shows!

We all wish you a happy and healthy new year. xxx

Buncefield Bash

The Buncefield Bash was a great success. Lots of lovely friends, a beautiful cake (thank you Mrs Glum)and lots of silly games. We played Chubby Bunnies, where you have to place marshmallows in your mouth one at a time and take it in turns to try and say "Chubby Bunnies" coherently. If you can't you are out - oh and you mustn't eat the mallows in between. (Mr Hammer would have won this one I think if the last players hadn't started to go green!)

We also played, Eat the Donut off the Washing line without Using Your Hands. (Greedy Big Mac!)

The chocolate game, (Bambi in the lead along with Loo) was very hard this year.

The indoor fireworks from Mr Fink provided the highlight of the evening, coaxing 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the astounded crowd - mostly when we all suffered smoke inhalation!

The main event of the night was Homer allowing the children to draw on him with felt tip pens. He had it everywhere, on his tum, in his ears, he looked like a gang had graffittied him! The funniest bit was 3when Little Fink was trying to wash his face with a cloth, he was sitting on the floor and every time she rubbed his face, she banged his head on the sideboard! Poor Homer.

Fink Family Revels - Mark I

We had more than 50 friends and family at the first Fink Summer Revels. We had people travel from far and near, Carlisle, Cambridge, Leeds, Hastings, Basingstoke and some from just round the corner. Bambi showed his will to beat Mr Fink in any type of competition by sporting his, "secret weapon" a T-shirt designed to strike fear and respect into Mr Fink's heart! We had picnics, football games, skittles and even a primus stove boiling up water for tea!

We had two huge games of rounders, lots of good natured barracking, distraction, dissent, great batting and fielding. There were some heroic catches and terrific glory shots.

Everyone had a terrific time, chatting, catching up and seeing the babies and young people was a real treat. Thank you Mr Fink for bringing us all together again. Hopefully we'll do it all again soon.

That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. No?

Poor Little Fink, bunged up, sniffing, sneezing, coughing.

"what can I do to help her feel more comfortable?" I thought. "I know, I'll put some Vick's on her chest to help clear her blockages."

So I usher the snot laden child to the bathroom, lift up her jammy top and slather the Vicks all over her chest.

A short while later, she is at the coffee table with her laptop and I note the improvement in her breathing.

"Mummy." she says, little face screwed up against the vapour,

 "I can't see." Ah bless.

Mr Fink now has the dreaded lurgy and was unable to attend the first celebration in the annual calendar of Christmas. Last night it was the gathering of the Fink clan at GWTBO house, this consisted of take away, jokes, fun, babies, Death by Pictionary (terrible amount of cheating from SOME people. One person who will remain nameless, shamelessly whispering "Think Paris" as a clue to the word Eiffel Tower. Shame on you) and lots and lots of laughter.

My favourite comments of the night were....Woogie talking about a hirsute GWTBO, "Grandad wasn't born, he was knitted!" and Blitzen (Doner's girlfriend) when playing Pictionary trying to guess a US President, "Is it John Bush?" (But she more than made up for not knowing him name with her enthusiasm and air punches when her team were doing well!

The babies were beautiful and full of beans and everyone had a brilliant time. Thank you.

You know you've had a party when...

...you're eating onion bahjiis and sausage rolls for breakfast!

The Buncefield Bash was a terrific success. Everyone brought a little bit of something to eat and drink (tea cake, chili, trifle, nibbles, booze). Everyone joined in with all the games, the cereal packet game is now considered 'old hat' by the children. The 'jelly baby in the flour game' claimed Marsha and Bambino as it's first two victims and the 'eat the chocolate with the gloves on game' was played fiercely by Bag Mac and Bambi - with MUCH cheating by both. Unfortunately we didn't get time to learn Big Mac's 'toilet roll game' perhaps next year. The children were well behaved and had great fun too, dressing up, karaokeing and playing buzz.

Mr Fink's legendary indoor fireworks were the stars of the show, we were all warned to stand well back and as ever, no one could believe their eyes at the roman candles firing out of the Buncefield cake!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and laughed all evening. Thank you all for taking the trouble to come (Mr & Mrs Fogg travelled down from York to be here) and making the evening what it was, another wonderful night of fun with the people I care most about. Thank you all. It would be nothing without all of you. xxx

Half Term in the Western Lakes of Cumbria

Wastwater looking towards Wasdale Head with Yewbarrow, Great Gable and Lingmell (Sca Fell and Sca Fell Pike are hidden behind Lingmell).

What a week! Let's go away for half term I said. What about Cumbria Big Mac said. I've got a caravan you can stay in, Aunty Joan said. And so begins such adventures! You've got to be spontaneous - otherwise what is the point?

Saturday

Little Fink and I wave bye bye to Mr Fink and pick up Big Mac (watch this space for a name update in the future?!) and AbuDhabi, along with the fourteen blankets, twelve bags and assorted Tupperware. We head North through broken bridges on the M6 and terrible rain, the like of which I haven't seen in years. Big Mac and I play a modified version of the Yellow Car Game (due to my 'flu jab', I can't be punched all the way to Cumbria!). Every time a yellow car comes into view, Big Mac and I squawk, "KA" in the stylee of Micheal Palin's 'Ken' in a "Fish Called Wanda" with his hands tied and chips up his nose. The standing water on the motorway was dreadful and the rain and spray was everywhere. We made it off the M6 (J36) onto the A590. the rain was still bombing down and the wind must have been gale force (found out later that it was the worst October weather in living memory. 1000 fell runners and hikers were starting a 2-day, 2-marathon hike across the fells as we were travelling, 700 of them went missing on the fells overnight due to the terrible weather). As we passed the Lakeland and Haverthwaite Railway, there is a short length of dual carriage way, I got into position to overtake a slower moving vehicle and started to accelerate past. (Big Mac was texting on her phone) BLAM I hit a massive puddle of water, it hit the windscreen and made the wipers stand still. Big Mac looked up from her phone, saw a wall of water only previously seen on the log flume at Chessington and swore. (Boy, can she swear). It seemed like 2-3 minutes before the wipers kicked in and we realised we weren't dead. Everything was where it was before we hit the water and life continued. Big Mac was a little shaken but only for a short time. We arrived in Haverigg about 6 hours (280 miles) after we set off. We saw Aunty Joan (static caravan owner) and Aunty Mary and various other Fink rellies. We settled in and I buggered off to a family party that was being held in the next village. the weather was still totally terrible and I stayed till 11.30pm - my dad (shouty granddad) was there and was very embarrassed to buy me a drink when I kept asking for a mug of tea!

Sunday

Went out for a bit of an explore, the rain had stopped but the wind was unbelievable, so strong. We walked along Haverigg beach towards Silecroft, it felt wonderful to be out in the sea air, we saw some cocklers then went for a walk along the sea wall. We got about a third of the way along then the kids moaned like hell so we came back! After lunch we drove out to Silecroft beach, just up the coast. The wind was so strong that it could turn your eyelids inside out! We got there just in time to see shire horses and Clydesdales being ridden through the surf and up the beach towards us. I was beside myself - so powerful - so majestic. Beautiful. Against the backdrop of the fells they looked stunning. (brought a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat.)

Monday

We went to Wastwater. Oh wow, how beautiful. So many colours. After numerous photos we drove to the end of the lake, stopping only for Big Mac to harangue a local National Trust chap to find out where he had hidden Sca Fell and Sca Fell Pike, we popped into the Wasdale Head Inn, home of the 'Biggest Liar' competition. Wasdale is known for "The highest mountain, (Sca Fell Pike), the deepest lake, (Wastwater), the smallest church, (St Olaf's at the foot of the fell) and the biggest liar (competition at the pub). after our repast we went for a walk, we were looking for a waterfall for Big Mac to photograph. We made our way through a farm and over some boggy ground towards a raging river (Lingmell Beck). As we approached the bridge, Big Mac said, "Oh dear, that sheep appears to be caught in the fence." Famous last words. Understatement of the year.

I looked up the steep fell and saw in the distance a greyish white blog standing close to a wire fence half-way up a mountain. "It will be fine, come on, let's find this waterfall." I said.

"We can't leave it up there, I'll phone the farmer." Anyway. We have the two things you need to alert the farmer that his sheep is stuck, the number and a signal, so up the fell we went.

We asked the children to wait at the bottom, in case the sheep was in a bad way and it upset them. (No matter that it was upsetting me though!) We got up there on adrenaline. I broke 2 nails just trying to push the sheep back up the fell to relieve the pressure on it's garroted leg. It had tried to jump the wire fence and it's back leg had caught the top wire, twisted it over the top with it's hoof and become snared. The harder it pulled, the faster it was caught. Big Mac and I swapped places, she pushed (it was like having a baby all over again) and I squeezed the wire. Eventually she pushed it's hoof through the wire and it was free. we let it go and it hobbled across the fell on three legs. I recon it must have had the worst case of pins and needles in the world! Anyhoo, we named the ungrateful sheep Nelson (in honour of Nelson Mandela who was also freed) and addressed the fright of just how high and steep we were. The kids were obviously concerned for our welfare as they 'spelunked' rocks into the river with worry! NOT. We made it down slowly and without incident. We continued out search for the waterfall - found it! and headed back. then I slipped on a rock and fell in a bog. Bugger. Sore right shin, no permanent damage - that will bruise up nicely and I'll have a war wound to show - i thought).

Tuesday

Big mac and i woke with matching aches and pains, damn you Nelson!

I smelled a funny smell in the sitting room area and realised the rug had travelled too near the gas fire. Big mac and I pulled it back. I checked the hot bit of the rug for damage....then ran into the kitchen screaming...the carpet had melted onto my fingers. what a way to wake up. No lasting damage, thankfully. (still no bruise on my leg either). We went up Corney Fell to see Nanny (metal detecting) and Shouty Granddad (digging holes) at Aunty Una's house. we also saw Aunty Hannah (collecting twigs for a Halloween broomstick) while we were there!

Later we walked along Haverigg beach to watch the sunset, then Big Mac realised we were standing on a dark beach at night, with no torches! Doh.

Wednesday

We visited the Ravenglass narrow gauge railway also know locally as Lal Ratty, which runs to Eskdale. We then decided to head to Coniston. the most direct route would have been over Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass (the steepest roads in Britain) which I declined to travel due to lack of fuel, freezing temperatures and mist on the fells. We took the A roads and arrived in one piece. Consiton was beautiful, shame it was a little misty and wet. We checked out Hawkshead and Tarn Haws - again beautiful colours.

Thursday

We tidied up the van, had a mooch round Millom and looked forward to coming home to our loved ones who had been enjoying snow while we were away!

Friday

We drove home via the butchers at Bootle (Big Mac bought 5 feet of sausage) and the pie shop at Millom (I bought 4 meat and tater pies YUM). It took about 7 hours and we were shattered!

A brilliant time had by all with lots of adventures. Thank you Big Mac, AbuDhabi and Little Fink - I had a ball.

Oh what a night.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR FINK!!

and a big thank you to all those that accepted our birthday party challenge of turning up in the loudest shirt! There were 2 prizes, one went to Mr Emm (Mrs Emm also made a valiant effort) seen here on the left and the other went to Marsha who spent all morning designing and colouring in her own 'Owl & the pussycat' shirt.

We had a wonderful time with family and friends surrounding and supporting us. we couldn't be happier than when in the bosom of our clan!

All hail to the chili, lemon drizzle cake, samosa, salmon sandwich, smoked trout, birthday cake, quiche, beer, wine providing lot of you, we couldn't have done it with out you and would not have wanted to. A big thank you to Ched and Doris for all their help and for providing the weather!

Mr Fink is now 40 and getting Wii Fit! he also wants to thank everyone for his gifts - he wasn't expecting any and loved every one!

I'm off now to give him a thrashing at cow racing and tennis. xxxxx