Lock Down Sports Day

School sports day for 2020 was very different from previous years due to the Covid-19 lock down. It was pretty much cloak and dagger type of event held behind closed doors. The kids lost out on the usual pre-sports day PE training sessions, the parade lap with their class banner, competing in front of the proud parents and ultimately aiming for those podium spots. 

2020 marks the first sports day I have not been able to go and see and the kids didn't really know what events they were doing until the day. They were simply told to wear their PE kit to school as they would be doing the Sports Day during their PE lesson. So both Brandon and Holly did this, I have no idea what events they did or where the finished - but they both came home with certificates for participating (no medals this year).

1st Paddle Boarding of 2020

As the lock down restrictions slowly get relaxed we finally managed to get out on the paddle boards and canoes for the first time in 2020. Normally we manage to start around April time, so its pretty shocking that it has taken to June to get out for the first time. Mind you what a day we picked, 31 degrees outside so absolutely scorching and needless to say the kids spent more time in the water to keep cool than what they did on the paddle boards and inside the canoes.

Today we took a slightly different route by going from our usual bridge in Boreham but then instead of going up river to Papermill Lock, we went down river heading towards the city center until we got to the next lock. It was an absolutely beautiful day afternoon out on the water, but I have never seen it so busy before. There was so many canoes and paddle boards out on the river along with groups of people just chilling on the riverside with BBQ's and beers!

Holly wanted to try a single seater canoe on her own for the first time and she gave it a good crack. She hasn't quite got full control and found it pretty hard after a while. So in the end I tied her canoe on to the back of mine and gave her a tow along the river.

Holly's first time trying to canoe solo.

A little nudge by Dad to get her back on track.

Me and H took the canoes and the boys took their paddle boards.

After a quick cooling dip in the water, Brandon pulls himself back on to his board.

I think they spent more time in the water to keep cool.

Me and my clan heading down river. Love this picture.

We went from Boreham to this lock down river which was packed with loads of people out enjoying the sun and the river.

Holly gracefully sliding in to the river.

After watching the boys jumping from the side of the lock, Holly was brave enough to give it a crack. Absolutely fearless.

And splash down.

Joshua walking on water!

Brandon leaping off of the lock walls.

Not sure what pose Brandon is pulling here?

Despite not having swimming classes for 5 months I was pleased to see Holly could still swim. 

Nice to have these bad boys out on the river again.

All rafted up for a family picture (minus Tina who walked along the river bank).

Love these three and being able to give them days out like today. Makes life worth living to see them having fun in the great outdoors.

Fathers Day Weekend

I have just had a fantastic Fathers Day weekend with my family. We have been out and about exploring more parts of Wickford on our bikes and even convinced Tina to rider her bike. So for the first time ever all 5 of us were out on our bikes at the same time. We discovered that a local park which is about a 1/3 of a mile from our house has been excavated to create loads of interlinking ponds. They have added a trail path around all the ponds and built some meadow mounds which can be cycled over. The kids absolutely love it here.

For Fathers day I got a new cushion for the sofa, some rum, a Toblerone and a really cool Range Rover Evoque wireless mouse. There a slight bit of irony in the mouse given that in 7 days time I will be made redundant from a job which I have been predominantly working on Jaguar / Land Rover products for the last 15 years or so. For Fathers Day dinner we treated ourselves to a KFC which was the first of 2020 due to the Covid lock down. It's not my top choice for a Fathers Day meal but given that we haven't had a McDonalds or KFC in probably 6 months, it was very nice indeed.

We also took our first trip in to Basildon Town Center since February as the shops have started to re-open and the kids were absolutely desperate for some new clothes. They have all outgrown their underwear and socks, and Joshua badly needed some t-shirts and shorts. It was kind of weird having to queue at every shop and having to social distance, but to be fair it was alright and we got everything we needed in good time and even treated ourselves to a rare Starbucks.

These are the new interlinking lakes/ponds which we discovered by a nearby park.

Nice new gravel path to travel between the lakes.

Beautiful meadow mounds for mountain biking over.

Brandon on the meadow dirt trail.

And anything her bog brothers can do, Holly can do.

This was a picture from earlier in the week when Holly thought it would be a good "challenge" for her to put pink and purple lipstick on me!!!!

Just a normal picture of the 4 of us in Basildon Town Center - the first time since lock down started in February. It was so nice to get out shopping and get some much needed clothes for the kids.

As Joshua is not at school until September he has been nagging us to let him dye his hair. We finally gave in as we figured he isn't at school, can't see nay of his friends, so lets let him get it out of his system. 

He opted to go for the purple Minion look.

My World. Fathers Day with my growing babies and Joshua's finished hair.

And odd choice for Fathers Day dinner, but after 6 months a KFC was very welcome indeed.

One of Holly's favourite foods is Melon and at school she made this absolutely fab Fathers Day card for me.

Inside had this beautiful poem which read:

Sometimes your beard is scratchy,

Sometimes your feet might smell,

You might even hog the bathroom,

And tell bad jokes as well.

But even with these reasons,

I'm really glad to say.....

To me, you are a Super Dad,

In every single way!

And with the irony of losing my jobs as a Program and Account Manager on JLR products, my lovely new Range Rover Evoque wireless mouse!

Joshua's Home Schooling - Home Economics

Joshua is still having to 100% home school and that means he has to do home economics at home as well. Tina tends to help him with the home ec and I tend to help him more with his science and maths etc. Anyway this week for his home economics Joshua had to make butterfly cup cakes which I haven't had in absolutely donkeys years. I have to say he did an amazing job and the tasted real good.

Joshua's home economics home schooling cupcakes.

Cycle Ride in Maldon

Last weekend we took another lock down outdoor excursion to Maldon Promenade. It was kind of weird seeing all the parks and play areas closed off due to Covid, yet still surprisingly very busy still. We spent a good few hours there having a cycle around and getting an ice cream and some chips. They have a nice little BMX track at the back of the park which the kids really enjoyed playing on, although all of them were getting a bit hot and sweaty as it was a very sunny day.

Brandon on the Maldon BMX track.

Holly was super brave and handled the whole BMX track on her own. How she didn't have a fall is beyond me.

Another shot of Brandon.

Holly on the start of the big drop at the start of the track.

Leaning in to the banked corners.

Brandon standing on his bike around the track.

Joshua trying to get some air time, the front wheel is up.

Brandon setting off on the start hill.

Whilst all the play areas were closed, the sand pit was still open for the kids to play in.

Plenty of wildlife out on the lake.

Taking some shade for some chips and ice cream.

I wonder how much longer we will be seeing signs like this on children's play areas.

Maldon on a beautiful sunny day.

Brandon cycling along the promenade.

The 3 kids by the statue at the end of the promenade. Tina was back in the shade of a gazebo waiting for us as her toe was still hurting!

Wickford WW1 Propeller Memorial

I am almost embarrassed to say that I have lived in Wickford for 20 years and never visited a couple of World War 1 memorials that lie within about 1.5 miles from our house. Well as today was such a nice sunny day we decided to explore the fields of the nearby Dolly's Farm to see if we could seek out the two memorials which we had heard of.

The walk was quite slow as Tina had stubbed her toe earlier in the day (probably broken) and was trailing behind - there and back took us about an hour and 15 mins. Enroute Holly started panicking as we had to cross the outskirts of a field where there was some clay pigeon shooting taking place and she thought she was going to get shot.

But we eventually found the first memorial stone and then ventured on further to eventually find the famous propeller memorial. After a bit of research it found out that two British airmen were killed when they had been sent up to find a lone German aircraft heading towards London on the night of March 7th 1918. Capt. Stroud was sent from Rochford and the second man, Capt. Alexander Bruce Kynoch, set off from Stow Maries. They collided with one another over Shotgate, probably because of bad weather conditions, and were killed, their planes coming down in a field on Dollyman’s Farm. Stroud belonged to the 61st Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), formerly the Royal Engineers. Kynoch was a member of the 37th squadron of the RFC, formerly the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.  Stroud was flying SE 5a B679, Kynoch – BE 12 C3208.

Anyway it was a lovely little walk with the family on a gorgeous day, we all learnt something new and got some exercise in the process. Me more than others as Holly got tired legs and needed a piigy back most of the way home!

Exploring the fields of Dolly's farm in search for the WW1 memorials of Shotgate.

Tina trailing behind with her sore toe.

My ladies.

 The first memorial we found reads “This spot is sacred to the memory of Capt. Henry Clifford Stroud, RFC and RE. Killed in action at midnight 7th March 1918”.

In memory of Kynoch and Stroud.

The famous propeller memorial adorned with flowers probably still left over from VE day.

Nice to see some reefs and poppies on the memorial.

Nice to teach the kids something about Wickford and WW1 whilst getting some exercise.

Close up of the propeller on Stroud's memorial.