Half term began last Thursday and continues all this week. On Friday I met up with three other mums and their kids from school and we had a great day at Bedgebury Pinetum, a huge forest with walking and cycle trails and loads of brilliant climbing frames and obstacle courses. I took my two alongwith Darcie and Scarlett. As with any car trip containing more than one child, a loud singalong CD was the order of the day. Once at Bedgebury, the kids charged about, screamed, fought, laughed and played on huge swings, obstacle courses and ropes things while the mums gossiped and had a laugh. The weather was pretty dire, cold and grey, but it was a really fun day. As I lassoed 4 tired, muddy children back into the car, I noted how much flatter the back tyre was looking than when we left Hastings. Rob had spotted it the day before and advised me to inflate it on my way out, but with all the noise and chaos of the 4 kids, I completely forgot.
As I drove out of Bedbebury, bound for the nearest garage, I scraped the curb edge with my semi-inflated tyre and the whole thing came down. U-turn to Bedgebury where a kind young man from the bike hire shop offered to help (literally he was a 19-year-old with baggy jeans you, and have never felt more like a middle aged drone). As soon as he got the Jack out however he discovered it was broken. Arrrgggghh. Luckily his car was parked right next to mine and using his Jack, he had the wheel off and my spare on in 10 minutes. The kids were brilliant, waiting patiently on a picnic table nearby in the cold. 
On Saturday, Dom, formerly of Melbourne, then of Richmond, then Hastings, now of Sydney's northern beaches, arrived for breakfast. Dom and his wife Cathy had become very close friends in our first year in Hastings, but set off for Sydney in August of last year in search of a change. It was brilliant to see him and find out how Sydney had been coping without us.
An hour after Dom left The Iveys arrived from Wimbledon. After a quick lunch we spent a lovely cold but sunny afternoon in nearby St Helen's Woods, seeing how much mud it was possible to get on wellies before walking them back into the house. As it turns out, a lot. Fire lit, games and white wine and pink Champers out. Get in.
Sunday morning was all about the seafront, the funfair and a quick drink in the pub before a long lunch, red wine and newspapers before the Iveys drove away from Hastings once more. Hooray for the Iveys.
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