Smoking Kills

With the new smoking laws coming into force in NI on 30th April (hurraa!!!) and , while we have no smoking in the Cornerstone, the porch is a haven to the nicotine addicted adolescence. But with the porch being more than 50% walled, we can now bann smoking there. The little darlings will have to hide this from there parents elsewhere.
We have given fair warning, with notice going out last night. Some of the boys were not too sure.

Smokey boy:Why are you starting it on 30th April?
Me: Because that is when the law comes in.
SB: No, it comes in on 31st April.
M: There aren't 31 days in April.
SB: There are in a leap year.
M: [THUD, THUD, THUD]

Fun-packed week

Tuesday: We just pottered about Ballymoney, had a cuppa in the Clock Tower and bought some planting stuff. Nioce and relaxing.

Wednesday: We went to Lesliehill open farm. A nice quaint farm that caters to children. Charlotte enjoyed the sand pit, the petting bit (rabbits, chicks and rodent things), poney ride and the lamb and calf. Katherine enjoyed her socks (they were nice). The petting bit was weird. With no staff to supervise, some of the kids were nearly juggling baby rabbits. Charlotte enjioyed her first poney ride, and spent the rest of the day smiling.

Thursday: we went bowling. Charlotet insisted in using a pink ball, and scored 115. Her first game. Later we went to barrys. It was soo busy. Julie and Charlotte rode on the carousel, while Katherine was hypmotised to sleep while watching them go round.

Friday: Portrush again, but most of the day was spent on the East Strand. Great weather. We had the suntent up and a picnic. It was great just to relax. The sea was cool, the sand hot and the wind kept everything else even . After a few hours we went to the paddling pool at teh arcadia, and washed our feet.

Life on mars

We will discover that sam is actually an escaped patient from 1973 who has take on the identity of The real Sam Tyler, who is from the future. Of course by th etime you read this we will know, and my idea will sound stupid.

We had a trip yesterday to HamiltonsBawn to see my mum. She is in good form, but a bit unsteady on her legs. I took her down to the corner shop, and what I found made me think I was in 1973. They were selling golliwoggs. I had one as a child, but I would never dream of buying the girls one, mainly because of the racist undertones. These should of gone out with the Black and White Minstrel Show and Jim Davidsons 'Chalky' jokes. In '70s Northern Ireland to see someone who hadn't a pasty white skin was very unusual, but now we cannot claim this iognorance, especially when there is such a strong NF feeling amongst some groups in Northern Ireland.

During the afternoon we took a trip to the Palace Stables Heritage Centre in Armagh while mum slept. They were haveing a back in time day, not to 1973, but the early 1800's. We were there in time to see a duel with pistolds. It was very entertaining and educational. No one got killed.

Charlotte and Katherine, of course, enjoyed the play park the best.

This week

Apart from the momentus couple of weeks on both Northern Ireland politics and football, it has been a long coupple of weeks.

Julie had her birthday, with her man made cake and a lovely meal at Charlies. It's Charlotes favorite restraurant. She had been there once before and headed for her usual table. She was very funny there. When the waiter took our plates away, Charlotte made sure he knew to takle hers away by franticly pointing to her plate. You had to be there.

I was off on tuesday and spent most of it in the garden, and found a mutant rubarb plant under my black plastic weed deterant device. The girls have been enjoying this lovely weather, being in the garden. I am just waiting for the first person to say that the warm weather is due to glbal warming. It's just politically correctness gone mad!

Work was quiet. We had to cancel a trip. Just noone about. This happens when you gat the good weather and lighter nights. It was nice only having a few in during the day, and gave us time to just play and chat with them. Two of the boys came in on Wednesday afternoon, soaking wet. They had been jumping in the river with there clotes on. You cannot beat that for entertainment.