Fun in the sun

I seem to have been sunburnt more this year than the whole of last summer so the weather must be reasonable. Last Saturday was warm enough in the morning for Sean and Finn to persuade me to get the paddling pool out. The water was a bit chilly though as Rowan found to his cost when he fell on his back. Most of the afternoon was spent playing in the garden and eating in the shade of the apple tree, despite Finn's regular requests that he go inside and watch telly. After Rowan's nap we piled into the car and drive into town to meet Sharon in Princes St Gardens. She had been doing some clothes shopping in advance of the Monte Carlo trip. Rowan had a great time, trainspotting from the foot of the Playfair Steps, looking down on Waverley Station. On the way home we stopped in to the playpark in Falcon Rd West which was kissed by glorious late afternoon sunshine. The boys ate a picnic hastily procured from Waitrose.

The Sunday forecast wasn't as promising but with Adrian a surprise morning arrival having bussed overnight from London we headed out to North Berwick to meet up with Helen and Fraser and Holly and Louis for (yet another) picnic. We started on the grass area behind the houses by the East Sands. The children had a great time running about in the wide open spaces, the older ones hiding in the long grass and then climbing the little hill which affords a great view back to the town. Next we moved to the beach where there was much digging and burying of feet, searching for shells and then some mandatory rock climbing and paddling. The tide was out so the warmest paddling was to be had in the pools left round isolated rocks. Rowan duly sat down in one. It turned into a cracking day and we were all looking a bit scalded by the time we'd left the beach and had messy ice-creams back in the town. The boys (and Adrian) slept soundly on the drive home. Dinner on the patio roundaed off a fine family day.