Blowy at the beach

As the summer tails off into September and the blustery wind starts to have an autumn feel to it, our thoughts are turning towards whether we can appoint a builder and get extension work started before frozen ground impinges upon our building plans. Sharon has issued our tender document and we await the responses to see just what exactly we can afford on our budget. The warrants are completed and we'd like to do the rear and garage side as a minimum, but it all depends on the cost. There has been a succession of builders through the house in the last week or so as Sharon runs her eye over them, from the "far too cheap to be decent quality" end of the spectrum to the "sounds great but unaffordable" end. It's all about the references, really.

Despite the fierce wind yesterday we threw together a quick picnic lunch and headed to the Secret Beach to meet up with the Eastwoods (Julie, Colin, Charlie and Rosie) who had already pitched their shelter in the bracing breeze. It was too gusty for our windbreak but we had a good time eating, wandering along the wind-strafed beach, clambering over the rocks by the water, throwing stones, finding stones, making paint from powdered stones (Finn especially liked this activity, so thanks to Colin) and climbing the tree by the path down to the beach. Three hours that certainly blew the cobwebs away. We earned our fish and chips from the Chip Inn!

Sharon hosted her Grand a Month dinner on Saturday, spending most of the day cooking and tidying the house. I put away the Lego which has been lying mostly untouched for some months in the playroom. We do need to get better at recycling the toys and will have to keep a lid, literally, on the clutter once the building work starts and we have to cram in to less living space. Late in the afternoon I took the boys and their bikes down to the "grassy bit" behind the building site that was the Fairmile Inn. Rowan wailed for half the trip down the hill that his bike was "too heavy" (depite him pushing it down the hill) but then cemented last week's first attempts at riding without stabilisers by successfully completing a number of test rides down the grassy knoll, managing to steer round to the path a few times too. Angus (with stabilisers) had a couple of dicey moments that I was blamed for, becasue I didn't run and hold him, but he kept at it. Sean and Finn are cycling well now: they just don't get out on their bikes often enough.

Sean started Scouts properly on Friday night and said he felt more grown up after his first evening wearing his new Scout shirt and belt. He needs to grow to fill the shirt! I went up for a talk about next summer's camp, a once every four years opportunity for the Fairmilehead Scouts to go to Kindersteg in Switzerland. Sean is very eager but resigned that he won't get to go on several counts - we feel he's just too young to go away for 2 weeks; only 27 of the Scouts will get to go and it'll be the older ones who'll get priority; it costs £725! But I have to say it did look like a great opportunity.

Secrets aren't safe

Siblings aren't great at keeping secrets from each other. Whether it's their lack of self-awareness (Angus and Rowan) or their bloody-mindedness in getting one up on the others (Finn), they are pretty hopeless. I took Finn and Angus swimming last week after work, to Loanhead, and bought them chips afterwards. "Don't say to anyone you got chips for supper", I cautioned. On our return, in storms Angus. "We got chips!" he immediately bellowed, tomato ketchup smeared across his face and greasy fingers waving in the air. Yesterday, since Sharon was going to a boat club barbecue, taking Sean and Angus, I agreed to Finn's request to go swimming with Rowan. "But don't say anything to your brothers," I warned. Down the stairs stomps Rowan, having fully changed into sun top and trunks. Had he been wearing a snorkel, flippers and a duck-shaped rubber ring, he couldn't have been more obvious! "Why is Rowan wearing his swimming stuff?" queried Angus as I bundled them out the door.

Sharon has enjoyed being back on the water in her few rows so far, although yesterday was rather windy and trying to organise a new crew was testing her patience. Finn also tested her patience on Saturday morning as she took him and Sean on their first 5k, a Park Run along the prom from Crammond. Megan and Freya were running with Gordon, the Barnes being up on a weekend visit. Sean managed his in 36 minutes and didn't stop once, which was a very good effort. Finn was in one of his more negative moods but did eventually complete the course. I met them with the wee two who resumed their swimming lessons on Saturday morning.

The Barnes girls came round on Friday afternoon and evening for a play and dinner, and Megan stayed over, much to the boys' delight. Sean had earlier proclaimed that "people from abroad and other places, like the Barries and the Kavanaghs and the Barnes are our real friends, more than the people from school" which reflects what a good time they've had over the summer, meeting others and playing amongst themselves, rather than seeking out their peers from school. We do tell them they are fortunate to have each other, but sometimes it can stop them making an effort to make friendships with others that they know through school and other activities, so they have to strike a balance.

Heavy showers have been a feature over the last while and Saturday was no different. Late in the afternoon, with Sharon at her Book Group afternoon tea, after the showers had cleared, I made a picnic tea and drove the boys down to Innerleithen, eventually locating the Golf Club by the river. Despite Angus's vocal dissent, we went for a walk up a forest path and down the deserted golf course, spotting some oystercatchers picking their way along the fairway. Dodging the showers, we drove further up the valley and parked by the river on one of the spots evidently used by wild campers. There we sat in a ring and ate our pasta and chicken sticks, in glorious peace and quiet (if Angus and Rowan would ever stop talking), until the dark clouds crept over the hill and the rain threatened once more. We timed it well! It made a nice change going for a picnic tea instead of a picnic lunch and the view north across the Lothians as we descended from the Lammermuirs was spectacular.

As well as completing some very good "kneeling dives" at Wester Hailes pool yesterday, Rowan also made an improvement on his cycling. He has been moaning, in inimitable Rowan, petted-lip fashion, that he doesn't have a talent (for sport) so we were encouraging him that cycling might be that talent. I put new pedals on the old silver bike and started wheeling him round the back grass, eventually giving him a shove to get him going. He did well on several attempts, travelling a good ten yards and braking to avoid collision with the trees or hedge. The next step is to get him out on a wider expanse of grass so he can go further, but he was pleased with his efforts.

Cheese rolling

The variable weather has continued as spring struggles to make an appearance. The buds and blossom on the trees in the garden are three weeks late at least. The blooms on the camelia bush have appeared however and Tomasa, our hard-working Polish gardener, has returned to start work on the overgrown beds, lawn and hedges.

We had a lazy Saturday as the rain came and went. Marie eventually walked three of the boys to the library and I went out for a cycle with Finn, who did very well using his gears and getting up a few inclines without stopping. It was a bit of an effort for him though - he never strikes me as having a natural base level of fitness like Sean and Rowan who just seem more active. Finn will have more stamina, I suspect. We'll see as they grow up which sports or fitness regimes, if any, they choose to follow.

On Sunday I did the big cooked breakfast thing after an early trip to the supermarket with my little helper, Angus. Sharon was looking askance at the amount of food I set out on the table but there wasn't much left by the time the locusts had visited it. Sean and Rowan managed two rolls each and sausages, bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms soon disappeared from the table. In five or ten years' time I'll have to visit Costco beforehand to get cafe-sized packs of provisions.

Later, after homework and lunch, we packed into the two cars and headed east to Dunbar. The day got steadily greyer and colder but the rain held off, allowing the boys a good play in Lauderdale Park before we walked along towards the harbour. The boys elected to play "Cheese Rolling" by lining up at the top of the grassy bank overlooking the harbour and chasing a golf ball that Sean had found. Many times they did this, with remarkabky few injuries but a lot of grass stains. Angus wasn't quite able to compete but enjoyed the physicality of running and falling, while Rowan's wiriness proved as asset once again as his rapid grabs snatched victory on a number of occasions. Finn came out on top though after more than twenty runs and a lot of wailing from Rowan.

As they rain did begin to spot heavier we drove on to Gifford, to the Goblin Ha', for dinner. Arriving before six we hit that lull after lunch and before dinner when the place is quiet but service isn't that great. I took the big three over to the park for "base jumping", as if the "cheese rolling" hadn't been enough. Cue more wailing from Rowan as tiredness kicked in when I was timing them on a circuit. Dinner was fine, without being spectacular, and we drive home through a lovely evening with two cars full of tired boys.

A quiet week

Aside from lapping up the Olympics and scoring a hole in one, I did get out and about a little during the week, as the weather finally showed an improvement on its below par performance of the rest of the summer. I had a pleasant evening bike ride from Flotterstane car park up past the reservoir and on up past Loganlea reservoir until the track ran out. The light on the hills was beautiful and both bodies of water were flat calm, reflecting the hills and heather beyond. I made a brief attempt along the rougher track towards Balerno but soon came a cropper in a deep rut and staved most of my fingers. Off-road is not for me! I made do with a leisurely descent back to the car park.

I also took a trip to the Melville driving range and got through a pile of washing and folding and putting away of clothes. My initial attempts to order a new PC for Sharon came to naught as my card had been blocked so my plans to re-do the computing set-up in the house were thwarted. Our temperamental V+ box failed to respond once too often the week before last and so we took delivery of a new TiVo box with a new V+ box for the play room and an upgraded broadband and wireless router. All for much the same price!

The drive back from Duns over the hills to Gifford was spectacular and I had a similar tour from Callendar via Fintry and Lennoxtown today, after a peaceful picnic and read of the Sunday papers by the water in the Trossachs' thriving tourist trap. I was up that way as the result of an early start to play golf at Stirling Golf Club in the company of Paul Last and his pal Sam, who signed us on. Again I started well, two over par through eight holes but then fell away to finish with a +16 score of 88. I had about 7 pars and a good few birdie chances but failed to convert any.

These are the things you can do when you're on your own, but I have missed the hubbub of the boys and Sharon about the house. Give me five minutes once they've returned and I'll soon change my mind!

45 today

45 today! For the first time I can recall, or certainly since having children, I'm having to share my birthday with Mothers' Day! It's not quite as bad as Christmas Day but my star has been eclipsed somewhat! 45 isn't good. I'm starting to creak. 50 suddenly seems too close for comfort. The boys are getting bigger, heavier and quicker. When will the inversion point be? When will they be better than me at the things I'm currently better at than them?

I got a couple of books and some chocolates and tickets to see Bill Bailey in November. And new slippers. And I welcomed the new slippers.

In our effort to get the boys more active, we took them and their many bikes and helmets to Braidburn Valley Park. Sean was doing reasonably well and is growing into the bike that was too big for him last year. Finn was very close to cycling properly but unwilling to persevere beyond a few bumps. Rowan was in one of his woe and torment moods, wailing uncontrollably at every slight mishap. Given his usual heedless approach to physical activity, his reluctance to try cycling is baffling. Angus was just content to be plunked on anything that could move and be pushed about, but keeping him steady is back-breaking work.

In the afternoon we headed to Go Outdoors, a massive new outdoors shop in the north of Edinburgh, by Granton. Sean and I went in to try out a few tents, as the rest had fallen asleep in the car (tiredness may have accounted for the cycling histronics in the morning). It was the kind of shop that you could have spent a day in before emerging with things you really don't need so it was just as well Sharon came in to get us as we were about to leave. From there we went to Ocean Terminal. The boys checked that the juggling ball was still there - "juggling ball at Ocean Terminal" sung to the same tune as "Istanbul not Constantinople" is a feature of any Ocean Terminal visit. There is a juggling ball visible from the windows overlooking the Royal Yacht, trapped on a ledge edged with anti-seagull prings and so unlikely to be removed any time soon. It's been there at least 15 months.

After some ice-cream and light shopping (Sharon had her eye on a jacket in Ness) we returned home. I didn't even get a birthday cake, although the boys did sing happy birthday to me in the morning. Angus attempted to reprise it a number of times thereafter.

I enjoyed a bike ride in the evening though, through the fields of the Mortonhall Estate, up Alnwickhill Rd, back across Stanedykehead and through to Braid Road via some hairy (for me) forest tracks. Fortunately I didn't come a cropper but the odd tree root nearly did for me!

Stop noying me

Rowan is a bit poorly at the moment. He had a good week last week, attending Duncan's birthday party but he hasn't been eating well the last few days and has lacked his usual boundless energy. He has been quick to tears and was sick at the breakfast table this morning. I got the bowl in front of him just in time. He perked up after that to remonstrate with Sean: "Stop noying me. I am sick."

An indicator of Rowan's lack of energy was his preference to mostly walk with his scooter around the park at Newtongrange yesterday afternoon. Sean continued to improve on his bike, even managing to start himself and keep going, although his steering and braking need work. He managed to ride into a chain link fence and nick his wrist which prompted squeals audible 80 yards away. Finn was impressing too on his balance bike and looks close to being able to try the real thing soon. We need to get Sean a bigger bike for his birthday.

Angus is still a delight with lots of smiles and plenty of yowling chat when he gets your attention. Unfortunately he hasn't cracked the night sleeps despite taking 7-8oz of milk at midnight. More often than not he wakes between 5 and 6am with the occasional bonus of a post-6am wake-up. He now shimmies on his back, emerging from his baby-gym on to the carpet if left for a few minutes.

The garden has been mostly overlooked this summer and is very overgrown. I tackled the front hedge and trees yesterday so that at least looks a bit neater. I could have done with the practical advice of a house guest we had last week. Joachim, a German living in Canada and a friend of a brother of one of Sharon's team, was staying with us prior to an interview with the Forestry Commission. We could do with a policy for controlling our woodland as the "dwarf conifers" we inherited when we moved in eight years ago have grown up to be large, unwelcome surly teenagers. As in the garden, so in the house...

The plums are hanging off the tree so it looks as though we need to start up the compote and jam-making assembly lines.

Sing lasagne to the king

Rowan is very quick to pick up a tune. I was getting him ready for bed this evening and he was singing "dum dum dum-dum, bam bam bam-bam" which I recognised as "Lonely Boy", one of the songs on his "list" on the iPod. Sharon said they'd heard it on the radio earlier today. However, he topped that two days ago with "sing lasagne, sing lasagne, sing lasagne to the king of kings!" Sean and Finn had been singing the correct version but he hadn't quite picked it up right! He's currently sporting a black eye from a collision at nursery. Given the speed and recklessness with which he rattles about the house he is forever rapping his head off door jambs, balustrades and the like. He gave the other two a run for their money at the Ratho soft play on Saturday afternoon.

Sharon took Finn out on his "date" on Saturday morning, to spend some time with him before he starts school this week. He chose to go swimming so they went to Bonnyrigg for a splash about then Sharon took him into Edinburgh for a tapas lunch at Cafe Andaluz. He was very much in his element and enjoyed calamari and prawns. They then went to get him some new shoes. When asked what he enjoyed most about his date he told Sharon it was getting to be with her on his own. We underestimate what it means to Finn to get that focus rather than be lumped in with his brothers all the time. No doubt it manifests itself in attention-seeking behaviour at times. Sadly, the opportunities to get one on one time with each of the boys is limited and it's often easier or more convenient for one of us to take them all away while the other gets on with some jobs. At least Finn enjoyed his date with his Mammy.

Sean finally got past the tears and tantrums yesterday evening - "I'll never be able to do this!" - and rode his bike, without stabilisers, 100 yards in Braidburn Valley park. I admit I was getting a bit fed up with his wailings as he kept careering off the path in comic/pathetic style, crashing into long grass and blaming Rowan for wandering in front of his hapless steering efforts, but he was delighted with himself when he finally got a long cycle in without coming to grief. Well done Sean. I won't admit it to you but you'll find out when you read this years later, but I was probably about 12 before I could go a bike, mainly because I never really had the opportunity.

Sharon has mostly recovered from her stay in hospital but is still feeling a little under the weather and, sadly for her, still doesn't have much of an appetite. But we have both been delighted with Angus, who, the last two nights, has slept through from midnight until after 7am. We know he can do it now, so any night feeds will be discouraged from now on.