Ruby Wedding Celebrations

On 12th November we celebrated four decades of wedded bliss with a family party at The Captain's Club in Christchurch where we booked a table for Sunday lunch.

Fantastic views, the food amazing and the service and staff very welcoming, friendly and attentive.  Cannot praise this place enough.

No-one seems to know who dreamed up the year-by-year gift register that matches particular materials to wedding anniversaries but the list has been around for more than a century and 40 years = ruby.   What a wonderful idea, Phil gave me a gorgeous diamond and ruby ring.  Well 40 years is pretty impressive and on this 40th wedding anniversary I would do it all over again.  Here's to the next 40 years!!

                                                    Another fabulous delicious cake by Gemma

                      And the secret to wedded bliss.  At least two vacations every year!!!!

Birthday fun

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland might have been written way back in 1865 (by Lewis Carroll) but that little girl Alice who falls down the rabbit hole into a fantasy world is still very much loved today.  While it is always being re-imagined into newer and more modern ways, the basic elements from the original novel still apply.  From the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and the March Hare they are all still loved and I am sure many a little child or even some adults are bound to have an Alice in Wonderland party at least once in their lifetime.  Chloe's 5th birthday was her first Alice party (and mine!).
So.............

Get ready for the likes of a somnolent Dormouse in a Teapot, a rude and middle-happy Mat-Hatted host, a mischievous Cheshire Cat with a knack for invisibility; a bloodthirsty battle-axe of a queen (guess who that was), and, of course, Alice, a sensible, inquisitive young girl with a penchant for order and a distaste of rudeness.

Prepare yourself for a delicious journey down the rabbit hole and back, where you'll encounter treats that aren't always what they seem, along with savouries and sweets so good they may make you see things or, perhaps, even grow to 2 miles high.

Venture through the camera lens with me to see Chloe's beautiful party, but watch out for the Mad Hatter, a tetchy queen and whatever you do, don't talk to any cats.

Will you, won't you, join the party.  Craziness, excitement and imagination running wild and the Mad Hatter was delightfully 'mad'.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOE.

and this fabulous, wonderland cake was made by Caroline (cookies by Gemma).  Excellent and strangely enough this cat disappeared very quickly!!!!

Christmas cooking with Nanna and Grandad

Chloe came to stay over October half term.  After shopping in the supermarket (a treat because Mummy doesn't do this - she internets) Chloe put on her Christmas apron, grabbed a stool and joined us in the kitchen to make the Christmas pudding and Christmas cake.  I can see a budding cook.

We took a beloved, traditional recipe and made it together.

Children gain so much from cooking - science, maths, reading skills (perhaps next year) patience, small motor skills and the confidence achieved from accomplishing a task.

We all made a wish as we stirred the Christmas Pudding for a happy and healthy year to come.

Baking together can be a special experience.  She was so proud of the results.  With all the love that went into the measuring and stirring I am sure they will taste wonderful at Christmas.  Hope so.

And after all the cooking it was off to the beach and Adventure Wonderland with Emmie and Jamie to let off steam!!!!!!

Autumn Fun at Kingston Lacy

Kingston Lacy is a lovely house, sumptuously , set in extensive and manicured grounds.  The Victorian Mr. Bankes visited Egypt when tomb robbers had been plundering pyramids for years and selling off the goods.  He bought many incredible items and sent them to this house.

Should you seek wilderness areas, they are here aplenty from woodland walks to open meadows.  Feel in need of something more formal?  Try the Japanese Garden.  (Although you will only be allowed to peer at it from outside the fence).  This Autumn the Japanese garden and Acer walk was lovely as the leaves change.

Love classical statuary and Egyptian obelisks.  Look no further than the lawns in front of the house.  There is also a ha-ha here.

  The kitchen gardens are oddly situated as far from the house as possible.

We didn't venture into the house on this visit preferring the grounds with the children - which are immaculately kept.

Jamie and Chloe love running around on the big lawn and visiting the vegetable garden for a play (unfortunately, Jamie's favourite tractors have been replaced by bees and ladybirds.  Hopefully, they will return).

Jamie and Chloe then headed to the leaf bunting workshop, where they made leaf crowns, did seed art and lots of colouring.

There are also hidden play areas in the woods for "adventures" and you can even build a den.

This is a fantastic National Trust property, the result of the largest donation the Trust has even received.  Ralph Bankes donated the house, it's contents and thousands of Acres of land including the outstanding Studland peninsular.  Thank you.  Kingston Lacy is a lovely place for adults and children of all ages.

The stables, naturally, have been converted into a café.  A great place for an ice cream at the end of the visit.

What a pleasant place to spend a day enjoying the fresh air and imaging yourself to be one of the gentry.