After Jo went out this morning, Susannah, Noah and I played hide-and-seek; followed by drawing at (and, in Noah's case, on) the dining-room table (don't tell his mother...); and a stroll to the park to feed the geese on the duck-pond, visit the swings (Susannah insisting that she wanted to go on the "big girls' swings, not the baby ones" - and find the new dragon sculpture; then on to the shops for a couple of newspapers and a packet of Rich Tea biscuits (come on - before you make any derogatory comments along the lines of, "typical dad's shopping," in my defence I am a dad!); and back home for melted cheese on toast for lunch. And we just managed to miss the rain.
After lunch, we watched the opening match of the 2005 Six Nations' Championship (alright kids, now it's daddy's turn) in an attempt to continue my children's rites-of-passage into the perennially painful existence of being a Scotland rugby fan, which is their birth-right (and responsibility) through their father's side. Which almost back-fired. For seventy-four minutes, Scotland (who lost to all five other nations in 2004) led France (who beat all five other nations in 2004), in Paris. Only after a Scottish try was controversially disallowed by the line-judge did France finally draw level, and go on to score again just 90 seconds from full time, to win 16-9. But it will be the French team who are licking their wounds tonight.
Then Jo got home, and decided she'd like to watch England play Wales. And Wales won, 11-9, in Cardiff. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! (My grandpa was Welsh.) Today has been so close to perfect.
did you find the dragon sculpture??
ReplyDeleteif so can you tell me where it is!?
The dragon sculpture (I didn't realise at the time that paying homage would lead to the dragon slaying St George later that day...) is located near to the Hillsborough disaster memorial gates that mark the entrance into the woodland garden. (Of course, the garden itself, along with the Walled Garden, are closed for the winter months...) There's a sign saying the dragon is friendly, doesn't breathe fire, come and visit it - but mind you don't step on the spring flowers poking through the soil. well, that takes daintier feet than mine, susie's in wellies, and Noah in a buggy!
ReplyDeletelol.... im pretty sure thats slap bang next to work...
ReplyDeletekinda as you walk past the swings is it the entrance nearest leppings lane tram stop (with the absolutely delectable potato shop)?
either way it gives me an excuse to walk through the park on the way to work tomorrow and spend a while in thought contemplating before heading off to do school pickups...
Nah - it's not the Leppings Lane entrance. If you're at the playground, facing Hillsborough, you can take a path to your left, towards the duck-pond; a path straight-ahead, towards the Hillsborough shops; or a path to your right, towards an entrance on Middlewood Road. Shunning all other temptations, take the path to your right - but before you exit the park, there's another path off to your left, leading up to the gardens (facing the back of the Library, and the deserted Coach House). And in the little 'V' shape between the paths, "[t]here be dragons" (well, one dragon at any rate).
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about the potato place, though...
ended up being stolen for coffee this morning anyhow so got a lift to work... tomorrow though as im on pickups again i will get to work and walk all the way through the park... im kinda in charge at the moment which is an interesting position to be in so could use the quiet time!
ReplyDeleteand yes.. the potato shop is AMAZING! i thoroughly recommend the cottage cheese and pineapple or the chilli cheese.