Yes not surprisingly I brought too much stuff with us.  The lifestyle, the walking, and the weather over here really don’t require the array of outfits that I packed.  The need for 2 pairs of ballet flats completely obviated by consistently soggy ground and puddles.  Remind me next year folks to just bring jeans, a couple of t-shirts and a couple of sweaters – it’s all I’ve really worn.  Not that I’m complaining but it would have been nice to be able to wear a jacket other than my Patagonia Nano in June!  Well in fact I did yesterday and made a HUGE error in judgement but more on that in a moment!

On Monday we ventured off to Skipton.  Now don’t ask me why my family has always had an affinity with West Yorkshire but ever since I can remember we have been having family day trips to the lovely town of Skipton.  It’s just far enough to feel like a ‘proper day out’ and yet not too far where it feels you’re not home till dark – though that would be tough here right now – completely WEIRD that the sun is not setting till at least 10pm and rising at a ridiculously early hour.  My brother and his family joined us and we set off in convoy.

Now Skipton is a huge draw for me due to the fabulous fish and chips that it has to offer, so after a walk around the market we headed to Bizzie Lizzie’s for lunch.  Thankfully both children seem to have embraced this British institution too, though sadly remain skeptical about mushy peas.

Hugh overjoyed at the prospect of fish and chips.  Me in my Boden must have jumper in quail egg and Breton long sleeved top.  Boden’s sale will start soon but they have 40% off select styles now – take advantage if you have your eye on something it may not be there in the sale!

On then to Bolton Abbey.  This ruin has to be set in some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain.  It is idyllic and you can walk along the river through wild garlic, blue bells and foxgloves – just gorgeous – even with 2 very tired children.  I never thought I’d be the Mum urging them on and telling them the car park is ‘just around the corner’ around every corner:)

Aggressive ducks who enjoyed Hugh’s peanut butter sandwiches!

The rock climbing got a little too adventurous for me!

Poser.

At the Strid with Grandad.

Bolton Abbey is also very dear to my heart as when MM and I were trying to select a venue for our non-religious but still white wedding we landed on the Devonshire Arms – the perfect place – a bit posh but fairly unpretentious (if you don’t count the helicopter pad) – so I got to show the children yet again where Mum and Dad got married, and a few years later my sister and her husband.

Yesterday we ventured off out again, this time Chester Zoo.  Chester Zoo has changed dramatically since I was little – it’s a fabulous zoo, well looked after, clean, and large with tonnes of great animals to see.  The weather was glorious as we packed the car up in Bury – in fact I nearly put my shorts on and I got to wear my Wayfarers for the first time here!

Waiting to go – I’m in my Gap black skinnies, AllSaints Bonny Cuban boots, H&M linen long sleeved top and my Ray-Ban Wayfarers.

All Mini Bodened up:)

Now Chester Zoo isn’t that far away from Bury – we’re still in the North West of England anyway, but boy those skies darkened as we got closer to our destination.  It turned out to be that rain, very specific to the North West, that I like to call a fine, consistent, wet rain, wet as in drenched.  This is where my error in clothing was spectacular – my poor Boden leather jacket:(  The rest of my very sensible family were all prepared in their Gore-Tex waterproof jackets…not me – I didn’t get the memo.  Thankfully there seemed to be a coach load of Scousers wearing far more inappropriate attire than me – they were more fun to watch than the animals:)

I asked them to smile.

Wet, wet, wet.

The dinosaur exhibit – Hugh was far more interested in the inanimate, extinct animals.

The spitting dinosaur – couldn’t tell really due to the rain.

Awww – new baby tigers:)

Today we’re taking it easy.  My sister and her boys are coming over, I’m going for a run, and then I’m off out with an old school friend tonight.  I can’t wait to catch up – I saw her briefly last year, but really it’s been almost 20 years since and 7 children (she has 5!) since we had a night out together.  I bet neither one of us has changed too much.

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