1st one of the year

Sooooo........, We've done it, broken the fast and successfully completed our first camp of the year. 4 of the most beautiful days in an even more beautiful campsite in Staffordshire.

After all my going about making sure you can put your tent up on your own and the like, it came to my attention, after the tent was up an I was well on the way to attaching my awning/kitchen/dumping ground that I had never actually done this on my own before (this being a new addition to my considerable camping equipment last year). My tent at the front is much taller than I am and I simply couldn't get the awning over it, so after much swearing and shouting and 'no mummy isn't cross with you, mummy is cross with the tent-ing', I had to admit defeat and ask the very lovely couple camping next to us for a hand. After another 30 minutes we were all camped and ready for our holiday.

This fortunately was the only unexpected problem..... oh apart from forgetting my can opener which resulted in a quick run to the nearest supermarket, problem solved..........(if only Sainsburys did a tall person carry out service to assist you with awnings!)

Anyway, I digress. We spent the first night chatting to our new found camping buddies around the communal campfire......Bliss. By 8:30 my wee one was worn out and was asleep almost as soon has her head hit her pillow. The joys of plenty of fresh air and exercise! I spent the remainder of the evening reading (this is an alien concept for me, to actually pick up a book of my choosing and read it cover to cover, having just completed a degree).

Day 2 was for exploring the surrounding area, we took a stroll down to the farm which runs the campsite, as on their website they advertise a tea room. On arrival we were informed that the tea room was being re-floored but the lady would gladly make us some refreshments to take in the garden, refusing to take a penny for it for the inconvenience. I can honestly say that when she arrived with a huge pot of earl grey, a jug of orange juice, 2 cornettos, a plate of biscuits and some cake I was shocked. I would not in a million years consider sitting in the beautiful gardens of a 17th century manor house, sipping earl grey and eating ice cream, biscuits and cake as an inconvenience at all, but maybe that's just me?

We managed on day 3 and 4 to take full advantage of my National Trust membership having days out at Sudbury hall (with it's museum of childhood.....YAY!!) and Keddleston where parts of the Duchess with Kira Knightly was filmed.

And today sadly we had to return to our every day life. Packed up in record time, with little one in charge of peg collecting as usual. ready for our next camping adventure on the 7th of June.

Things I have learnt this holiday.

1. I can't put my awning up on my own (This will be countered by attaching a weight to the other side of the awning and thrown over the tent. Update on this to follow after initial testing).

2. Double check the essentials: Lamps, torches, air bed pumps,,,,oh and can openers, in case for some reason, which you have no recollection of doing, you have removed them of your camping stuff at some point over the winter.

3. Eccentric campsite owners will give you free stuff if they feel you have been inconvenienced

4. Compost loos do not smell!

5. The real words to twinkle twinkle little stare are indeed.......
                                      " Twinkle twinkle little star
                                        Owl wonder what you are
                                        Up and on the weasel high
                                        Like a Simon in the sky"

6. My daughter cannot look in her own mouth no matter how hard she tries and whatever strange face she pulls.

Now.....................To unpack the car..........Possibly the worst part of camping.............Bye for now