WoodClan

The holiday is coming

Bentley Copse: campsite 9
Originally uploaded by jaywood_uk

I spent last weekend away with the scouts at Bentley Copse where we spent time in all types of weather. It was great and the scouts seemed to have a good time doing many activities including Archery and Shooting.

I always enjoy camping out, I must say that I prefer it sunny, but you cannot have everything!

It has taken me until today to really recover from the weekend, it was strange that I was the first one up each day and had to set the fire myself and not one of the scouts. But at least they did the cooking!

Next weekend however, Linda, the boys and I are all off to France for a few weeks. I can already tell that I am going to need a week to recover from this as well.

We are driving down to the South of France, to a place called Argeles. Linda and I are being brave (or maybe stupid) by deciding to drive down in one day. Thats close to 12 hours of driving, hopefully the boys will sleep most of it, but i have learnt that they do not always do what we would like or expect!

The planning is going well, we have a route of sorts going down the middle of France and we have booked the EuroTunnel. The car is having a service on Monday and hopefully that will not throw up any unexpected issues.

All we need to do really is pack and I need to go and buy a roof box :-( they might look bloody stupid, but we cannot fit everything in otherwise... we could always leave the kids behind with the cats, but I doubt they would enjoy it that much.

Well back to planning and stuff. 11 days to go and counting

Bad luck comes in three's

Well this week has been interesting, what with the credit crunch, petrol prices and Gordon Brown telling us that we should stop buying food, the last thing i needed before our holiday is extra expenses.

No such luck for me; First our washing machine's control board blew up. Luckily, it did not burn down the house and I was able to find a replacement part online at a 50% discount on what was quoted by the manufacturers.

Secondly, Our computer decided to not recognize the keyboard, mouse or monitor - typical... well another expense as it's needed for work.

Today however our front door no longer opens. Now I agree that is better than not closing, however it really is a bit much!

I feel like I should just smack my head against a brick wall. This week Gordon Brown, the PM and ex-chancellor said that we should cut back on the amount of food we throw away in an attempt to combat spiraling energy and food costs.

Well Thanks Gordo, I didn't notice that my food bills have increased by close to 10% in the last month or two - I must have also missed the fact that my petrol costs are going up daily. He suggesting that i should cut back on the luxuries in life like food and water is a bit much when its his government that got us in this situation in the first place.

Don't worry Gordo, the rate things are going, i wont have any food wastage soon, due to the fact i wont be able to afford any food in the first place.

MPs have voted to keep their £24,000 second home - well thats more than a lot of people have to live on in total and they have the balls to say we should stop wasting food. How about stop taxing us into the stone age and start running the country.

A great day out for boys of all ages

Waiting for the off...
Originally uploaded by jaywood_uk

Three generations of Wood's went on Sunday to Great Cockcrow Railway in Chertsey, Surrey.

Oskar loves trains and anything mechanical really, so on Sunday we went to have a look at the miniature railway and have a couple of journeys. GCR was originally established at Greywood House in Walton-on-Thames in 1946. In 1968 they re-opened in Hardwick Lane, Chertsey.

Compared to other days/afternoons out, it is cheap as chips. £4.50 for a double journey for adults and £4 for kids. This gives you two journeys on different routes (red & green) and it takes about an hour and a half.

Some photos of the day can be found here: Great Cockcrow Railway

For any kids old and young I can recommend it! I bought Oskar a DVD about Cockcrow which cost £12.50 (more than I would normally pay, even for a Hollywood film, but then again I am a cheapskate) which he has already watched 6 or 7 times. Linda I'm sure is getting bored with it already!

Playing the weekend away

The little cubs having tea & biscuits
Originally uploaded by jaywood_uk

The weekend is never long enough.

I thought that when I was a kid and I also think it now I am a parent. Working in London and living out in the sticks means a 1.5 hour commute each way into the the office. This generally means that I leave within minutes of Oskar and Tomas getting up and don't get back until they are in bed a sleeping.

That being said I have been known to spend the odd 5 minutes here and there sitting in their respective rooms having some "us" time.

At the weekend however it is a different matter. The cubs both like walking and playing about, which suits me down to the ground. So each weekend we go for a walk at Virginia Water lake to feed the ducks, see the ruins or walk to the Polo ground. It is one of the best things to happen to me each week.

Just look at the photo in this post. That is what being a dad is about. Sod the commute into London, Sod not always being able to put them to bed. At weekends i get to spend time with Oskar and Tomas and as shown here - they seem to enjoy themselves.

More importantly though, my heart melts each and every time.

Holiday planning

As the summer approaches so do the thoughts of our upcoming summer holiday, in-fact more so when its pouring with rain like now.

We are holidaying in the South of France this year and we are driving down so we can avoid the hell that is airports with children.

In general both Oskar and Tomas are great, but last year we had a 4 hour delay which really did knock the will to live out of us, so this year we are taking our destiny in our own hands and driving 800 odd miles from Calais to Argeles-Sur-Mer.

We had a number of options first was all night driving to the south of France or take a pleasant drive down for a couple of days taking in the sights. Well to be honest neither really appealed to me, i would much prefer to be there in a couple of hours, but what i do not want to think about is two screaming boys, bored out of their minds wanting to be in the pool, beach, grass rather than in a hot car in the middle of July.

Who can blame them?

So we have decided to drive from the afternoon we arrive in Calais and stop south of Paris to feed and water the little cubs, then back on the road for another 7 odd hours.

This is because of our next question mark - Should we find the quickest route (which will involve the tolled french motorway system) or use the free National road system.

Well, if i have to drive and can avoid as many drivers as possible (i don't care if they are french, English, German or American - i hate other drivers!) then i will do it.

It will work out at about £60, but i think it is well worth the money.

Well now i just have to work out the route i know its south, but i couldn't tell what roads I should go one. When i know i'm sure a map will appear!

Oskar's first day

Cheeky grin - about to go to pre-school
Originally uploaded by jaywood_uk

Well there have been tears today at the Wood family household.

It was Oskar's first day at Pre-School. They are just down the road so Oskar, Mummy and Tomas can walk to it each morning.

Oskar cried when Linda left, which did not help Linda cope with the separation issues she has and Linda cried when she got back home. But that is what I am doing at home today, to support Linda and she is doing very well!

But all that said Oskar looks very cute in his uniform (all of one t-shirt!)

So all in all, we are waiting to go and pick him up at lunch time, then on Thursday it will all happen again, but this time I hope without the tears.