Thursday 14 April 2011

Largs jaunt

It's the Easter holidays. I can't believe it's a year since we were in Mallorca. The boys keep asking when we are going back. Rowan especially seems to have fond memories. This year it's rather less exotic - Largs. Once again the Wilsons kindly offered their house while they're away so we took the chance to nip through to the west coast for a few days. Unfortunately the great weather broke and we had a rather wild and windy time, none more so than when we battled the short distance on foot to the swimming pool, now part of the rather bizarre Vikingar attraction. Given that the Vikings never actually occupied Largs, and merely landed to recover ships, men and cargo that had run aground in a storm in 1263 (see more here) Largs has made good mileage out of its tenuous Viking connection.

We enjoyed a good lunch in Nardini's, preferring Tony Macaroni's restaurant at the rear to the rather busy cafe to the front. Needless to say the boys tucked into their ice-creams, apart from Rowan, who has declared that he doesn't really like ice-cream. It can't be a sensitive teeth issue because he likes ice-lollies. The boys had great fun playing on the scooters belonging to the Wilson children. There was one with gammy wheels though which inevitably led to squabbles over whose turn it was to get the good ones. On a walk back from the playpark at the Broomfields I had to stagger the turns so that two were scooting and one was walking.

After a good few years I finally had a round of putting on the Mackerston putting green with one of my own children. It was a mainstay of any trip to Largs: a round of putting with Dad and maybe Uncle Hugh if the Bairds were down too. I was explaining to Sean how there were four sets of 18 holes. The white was preferred, as it was the outermost circuit and therefore the longest. More bang for your putt! The blue was the inner one and therefore the shortest. The other circuits had red and yellow pins. It's not quite in the condition it used to be in but it was still enjoyable playing Sean nonetheless.

Sharon kept up her running regime with a run out to the Pencil whereas I contented myself with walks, reacquainting myself with some of Largs' back streets. Finn finally lost his first big top tooth after much wobbling and a helping yank from Sharon. So he's looking ever more the cheeky wee boy . We were delighted that James and May were able to drop in for a brief visit on their way back from a hospital appointment for James at Inverclyde. He's much better than he was last year. He'll be 86 this midsummer. May has given up the bowls as she was finding they just weren't rolling as far as they used to! It was good to see them both and they were obviously pleased to see the boys, James especially as he sees the continuation of the Wallace line.

Sharon took the big three up to Greenock to the cinema. It was Rowan's big screen debut and he passed the test without howling that it was too loud and dark and all the other complaints Sean and Finn made on their first visits to theatres and cinemas. They went to see Hop! which the boys seemed to enjoy but Sharon rated as pretty poor. Apart from that Sharon and I enjoyed some peace and quiet, reading books and looking out to Cumbrae at the ever changing seascape. Weather apart, it was a good few days.

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