Autumn

Since the manic business of September, we have managed to calm down a bit and had a more relaxing October. This is what we have been up to:

Enjoying the autumnal weather.

Thea and I have been particularly confused by the lack of Nathaniel during the day. But it has meant that we've been able to do some good wandering without the need to be constantly going somewhere!

Nathaniel and I have managed a couple of "walks" on our own as well. (Nathaniel still doesn't really consent to walk anywhere!) Well, if you don't count Ernest, our newest dragon.

Playing outside in the sun.

Appreciating our favourite vegetables.

The glee that occured when the sweetcorn was spotted in the veg box was indescribable! And when I called to say that it was time to prepare them, I have never seen two children appear so quickly!

Painting.

You can take the boy out of Steiner, but you can't take Steiner out of the boy!

Making the most of all weathers on the moor.

Sunday

Not a bad day, today! We started with coffee and cookies with friends while we watched other friends (the crazy ones), run the York marathon.

Then straight on to the sailing club for Vision day. We all worked out how to rig them and sail them and then sailed them around.

Except for me and Ian. We persuaded an innocent bystander to mind our children and took the RS200 for a spin. Very nice indeed. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that we could still actually sail with each other and was much easier than sailing with other people!

The kids got stuck into important things immediately. Cooking;

and disappearing!

Then we scampered home to find Uncle James, some stuff from IKEA, and innovative drawing techniques.....

New toys

In honour of the warmth and sun (the last this year?), we cycled down to the sailing club today.

New toys awaited us when we arrived:

The marvellous committee had successfully persuaded Sport England to give us some serious money and bought two RS Visions with it. (Yes, I know you would have bought something more interesting, Father, but they will be useful for the training course)

Everyone got involved in the game of rigging them, apart from Nathaniel who prefers things that are a bit more old school.

And then they were out on the water.

They're actually not that bad! Handle like slugs, but the spinnaker's fun, and we get to play with a gnav (look it up!).

Nathaniel carefully and successfully helmed the safety round a course and avoided other boats, buoys, ducks etc, and then derigged M's oppy for her.

Thea wasn't impressed with any boats and asked, tearfully, to be taken "back the jetty, please" when we took her for a spin in the safety boat. She found better things to do....