Pirates, bees and clowns (oh my!)

Now on holidays. We arn't heading anywhere, but delighting in our local delights.

Charlotte and Julie went on a pirate cruse on Saturday morning. Seemed to consist of a lot of dressing up and looking for treasure. They both had good fun.

Monday we were at W5, an educational place with lots of fun stuff. It is mainly toys to play with with some science thrown in, and a lot of adults playing with them. We did have a dander to the custom house square to see the fountains.

Today we went to the Early Learning Centre in Ballymena for their craft time, and then a picnic in the Peoples Park. That is where the bee comes in, right on Katherine's lip and does that sting thing. So a quick trip to A&E, and by that time Katherine had forgotten all about it and was wondering why these strange people were wanting to see in her mouth. Back at home again for some face painting. I have never actually painted any ones face before, but i think I did a reasonable job with Charlotte. When she did my face, it was a work of art, yea, a Picasso.

Spoilers included

So there I was, minding my own business, reading Harry Potter and the what-you-ma-call-it between caring for customers in the coffee shop, when a teenage girl jumped up and squealed 'I've read that' at no one in particular while pointing at my direction, and then proceeded to tell everyone who could still hear after the squeal, the names of the characters who had died in the book. Thanks a lot. Really, really, selfish thing to do. I never told anyone that Darth Vader was Luke's Dad.

Starship Troopers

In my little quest to read books that they turned into films (there by making the film more famous than the book) I read Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinein. The film was a special effects block buster with not much of a story. The book, as always in these things, is different.
Written from the point of view of one trooper, you get what amounts to an explanation of why solders fight. Not why they choose to fight particular battles, that is up to the politicians, but what keeps them in the battles. The writing style never lets you get emotionally attached to the characters except for Johnny Rico. You follow his reasons for joining, why he didn't quit in basis training and his reactions to the boardness, and the loss of friends.
Really liked it and the different view of war than a lot of films portray around the time of publishing (1959). War portrayed as death, not glory.

Now I have finished this one I will move on to the next novel, which makes Charlotte worried about why her Daddy is reading about a Hairy Potty.

Caravaning

We had a chance to do a few days of caravaning, so we did. we booked into Carnfunnock outside Larne ( I don't think I have ever gone away to a holiday in the same county I live in).

Staying in a caravan is something that grows on you. We had a few wet days, but it was still fun. Things you should know about staying in a touring caravan:-

• The ground sheet does not necessarily stay dry. We found that out a few minutes into our stay. The awning is a great ides, basically doubling the area you have inside, but it was wet under foot for us.


• You will use the loo in the caravan, no matter what. I went last thing at night in the toilet block, having drunk nothing for hours, but as soon as I got into the sleeping bag, i needed a pee.


• Caravaners are the friendliest people you will meet. We never met a grumpy person at the site (including staff). One guy I spoke to said that it is the most relaxing holiday he does. Of course that is after the awning is put up ( a lot of shouting and words I had to look up).

The girls really enjoyed it. It was the first time Katherine was able to look out the window, and the nosy girl did that a lot. Charlotte loved playing outside either in the play park with Rachel, kicking a ball in the green. We went to Ballygally beach, which Charlotte loved to bits.

So here are a few pics.