Week with CUB - Easter 2012

This was Chester city centre the day before Cub arrived home from sunny San Francisco. London was similarly FREEZING but it couldn't have been quite as white as Chester because he managed to turn out for the Mint Green Army while he was in London, catching up with his mates.

It was so totally, brilliantly, amazingly, wonderful to have him home.

Bearing in mind we were all still at work and Cub was permanently running his SF business from his lap top in our lounge, we actually had a lovely week.

Including a quick schneaky peep at the baby elephants of Chester Zoo.

They were all outside in the sun and were very active, giving Hari and Bala Hi Way a nudge and a shove here and there and having fun with the logs. Baby elephants' trunks are just so cute.

We had some of Poppy Beckett's prize winning marmalade which tastes AMAZING!

 I can see why it won Silver Medal in the Artisan Maker World's Original Marmalade Awards

Sheffield Utd were playing away at Prenton Park on Good Friday so we nipped up the M53 to watch the game. I was just keeping my eye on ex Cov City's Michael Doyle, who, it has to be said, had a good game for the Blades. Tranmere were so poor we all wondered how they could possibly be so far up the Division One table.

A deflection resulting in an own goal was the only goal of the game, but Sheffield Utd were much the better side being organised and using the width of the pitch. The pitch though! The pitch was bare and bobbly and totally unpredictable- even these players were struggling at times.

It was one-nil at half time...

...and the bovril flowed.

ONE - NIL!  Husband was happy.

(Meanwhile THE SKY BLUES were battering the mighty Doncaster at the Ricoh, showing our absolute resilience and solidarity after the TEN POINT DEDUCTION OH EM GEEEEE)

Although CUB resisted a pint of Piffle in the Stammy and Pizza was also banned due to Lent 

it was

a lovely week which included 

Two spinning classes

Two of Mumster's epic stews

A Stamford Bridge FishnChips

English BACON BUTTIES

Two adorable baby elephants

A League One football match

A HASTY trip to Manchester

and several midnight phonecalls to the legend...Dave Langer. 

It was just a shame that his journey home was so horrendous. A SIX HOUR delay sitting on a plane on the Heathrow tarmac is not ideal. 

For the record, articles written by Chris are linked below.

Top 5 quantified self apps for entrepreneurs

More and better sleep (haha)

Nike Fuelband and Google Glass

RED NOSE DAY 2013

I love Red Nose Day. 

LOVE LIFE, BE HAPPY, SMILE

We always make a bit of an effort because it only happens once every 2 years which gives us chance to donate to other personal charities - there is always someone doing a marathon, the Great Wall of China, Race for Life etc etc. 

So anyway the Rules are.... look daft, be bright and jolly, wear as much red as possible and NO BLACK.... "schimples" really because most people will have a football shirt/pyjamatop/vest/Christmas hat etc they can sweat in for an hour.

I used a wig from 4 years ago (it probably took 4 years to dry out) so I could donate the price of a new wig. 

RICHARD HENNAHANE PARALYMPIC ARCHER LONDON 2012 gave me his headband which came in very useful. 

I had had my eyes on Husb's red seagulls Hollister boxers for shorts...

...and I schnaffled the SAN FRANCISCO top that Drakey had put in the charity bag for collection, for no other reason but that Cub is out there ("YOU CAN'T THROW THAT OUT NEM!!!")

oh and odd socks. I can't believe I didn't wear my red watch though - oopsieee

Theresa is only small and she has very little legs but she borrowed her granddaughter's tights, HANNAH IS ONLY 7!!!! so knee lifts were amusing =)

Dale and his babes. I had to adorn Dale with flowers because HE CAME IN BLACK! oops

Doesn't Lianne suit her hair like this!!!!!

Going the extra mile... in a RED COAT! (?)

Come on this is a good effort! Even the knee support gets nosed. Well done Denise!

After the hi energy bit I managed to sneak my trainers off. The class were grapevining in the shape of a letter X giving me chance to change into my feet.

Next.... off to Power Plate....I adorned James with more garlands and he joined me on the other plate. I'm still recovering from the battle of the abs and the press ups on a fitball - yeouch!

Dear old Edna had a fright when I walked into her lounge!

I was so, so, so chuffed that the spinners also made an effort. Same rules - look a bit daft, odd socks, inside outs, back to fronts and lots of red BUT SPIN SAFELY!!

Headgear it was then.....

Next .... spikey wig....

Has Andy painted his head?

Yes, he most certainly has!

Spinners arriving and so far looking predominantly RED!  YIPPEEEEE! 

Well done everyone. Thanks for making such a great effort. 

We had an awful lot of fun and I think we all managed to burn some calories too. 

Mothering Sunday with BABY ELEPHANTS!

What a brilliant afternoon Nem and I had at Chester Zoo. We were members of the Zoo for about 12 consecutive years when the children were younger- people joked that the Hollindales LIVED at Chester Zoo... well I have now rejoined so I can go and see the baby elephants whenever I want.... this world famous Zoo is right on our doorstep so nipping in for half an hour will be no problem whatsoever.

I totally don't do black haha

After we had measured ourselves we were ready to visit little Hari and Bala Hi Way,  male and female elephant calves born a couple of months apart. Hari's mum is Sithami. I remember Sithami being born on my 40th birthday.... now she is a mum too, AMAZING!

It was hard to tear ourselves away, they were so entertaining to watch, just learning how to use their little trunks and widdling all over the place.... so, so, so, SOOOOOOOO CUTE.

But there was a whole zoo to see and only a few hours.

We were intrigued by this sign so carried on walking...

A PAINTED DOG!

Spectacled Bear

A very young comparethemarketdotcom.

Baby giraffe was born in October.

We watched Tortie climb the log... he was QUICK!

What a pity this glass was so dirty. Mummy Orang-utan was showing off her baby to us all

...but even they were not as cute as Hari and Bala Hi Way

Lovely, gentle, wonderful, adorable animals.

Thank you for a lovely Mothering Sunday, Drakey :)

It was a good weekend all round because NixenPixen was winning a cross country medal in Thirsk, Cub was having a second article published (see it HERE) and Drakey was living it up with Danny's The Script at the Echo Arena, Liverpool. 

COVENTRY CITY got their ELEVENTH away win, beating their record of ten in 1970 and Bunbury's BETH TWEDDLE who attended Queen's School in Chester WON DANCING ON ICE

...oh....and we have booked our summer holiday. Still got to sort a car out though, grrrrr. 

BUT WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND WHOOPIWOOOOOOOOO!