"Boat!"

 It has been a long time since we met up with my Dad, getting on for 18 months!  Everyone seems busy with their own lives and getting to see each other just goes by the by.  So imagine the excitement when I phone Dad and he invites us to his boat for the day!  Sophie was especially excited, and kept on saying how she was going on the boat.  I had my old life jacket from many moons ago, which fitted Sophie perfectly, and she even insisted on wearing it for the car journey there! 

I think it is fair to say whilst the children were very excited, I was rather nervous, taking four children who had not been on a boat before, and one of them being a toddler who is rather headstrong.  I packed full changes of clothes for all of them, and gave them a pep talk too!  Well, if I was nervous, I think Dad was even more nervous, letting four children who had never been on a boat before onto HIS boat! 

The boys all had a go at steering, and Dad explained to Luke and Stuart all the gadgets and dials etc.  This is one serious boat, with GPS, sonar, and many other things I didn't understand!

 Alec's favourite place was the sun-deck!

 It was a lovely day, pootling down the river with the Malvern Hills in the distance, and the rhythm of the engine lulling us. Really relaxing, and took me back to the many weeks spent on the rivers and canals during my childhood.

 Dad's wife, Sue, provided a lovely buffet lunch, complete with jelly and blamange (sp?).  She was especially chuffed that the children ate it! 

 Sophie found it all a bit much in the end, and half way through decided she wasn't going to wear the life jacket any more, and that she wanted to go home!  I was able to get her to sleep in one of the berths, which is what she really needed! 

Ethan and Alec were busy discussing how we could sell the house and live on a boat, which I think means they really, really enjoyed themselves!