The playmobil pieces are no longer asleep on the keyboard

Two of our grandchildren ( and their parents ) have spent the last week with us. It was warm and sunny for the first two hours of their trip, and the last 5 hours. The week inbetween was wet, grey and cold. However, as I managed to take photos during the brief breaks in the cloud, maybe, in about 5 years, their memories of the holiday will be of sunny skies.

We managed to do quite a bit, despite the weather……and I am sure the children enjoyed themselves. As always, following the example of our great friends in Arizona, Jane and Lee, we hope to have created some memories for them. I also hope  that their parents, at least, felt that it was a change…and they had a bit of a rest from work.

We visited the Sigean safari park

 

Liam particularly liked this photo of the zebra's backsides.....and was delighted when our car was stopped by a real zebra crossing........5 or 6 zebras blocked the road, while they crossed.

and Narbonne Plage

 

 

We had the beach to ourselves....but then, it was very cold.

 

 

and Gruissan.....a bar, where Liam discovered his pin ball skills, and  climbed the tower with granddad.

 

 

The playground in Caunes

A vide grenier in Conques

Finding a Power ranger for 1 euro may have been the hi light of the day

Carcassonne ...where we avoided buying plastic swords and shields,

 

Liam swam in the pool…with a little help from dad at one point

 

 

and Izzie wanted to play with the water too....despite it only being 18 degrees c.

 

Izzie climed the steps on the slide and went down it by herself

 

The 3 bears house was visited by Goldilocks and Liam did some art work for the walls

 

this porridge was too hot....and daddy bear's spoon was a bit big too

 

 

hang on a minute....the 3 bears are at home....Goldilocks has made friends with them

 

We played draughts…..Liam now understands the rules…..and beat me twice…..aggghhhh.

 

 

The piano took a hammering

Playing bingo with yet another bargain buy from the vide grenier

 

Liam and Grandad surveying the landscape, just before leaving for the airport.

 

Is this the way things are going to be from now on ?.....Izzie, in charge, doing the driving....we will have to wait and see.

 

Now….all is quiet again. No Liam yelling “ Nana, where are you ?” everytime  I go to the bathroom. No Izzie saying “ Yeah, yeah, yeah” to almost everything....especially anything to eat.

I have mopped the floor a few times, moved the bucket loads of toys to the hallway, ready to go back upstairs into the children’s bedroom and wiped the finger marks off the windows. The playmobil pieces are no longer asleep on the keyboard.

 

They’ll be back in about 7 weeks, with our other children and 2 more grandchildren…..and it will be brilliant again.