dubberdawson & sons

Kitchen being updated, no time for socialising, the house is.. a mess.

Shall post some pics when we’re finished!

H.

A couple of weekends back the Dawson family went to Legoland, thanks to Nick and his place of employment, Morgan Stanley. It should be added here that we wouldn’t be going to Legoland, ever, if it wasn’t for Nick - the prices are horrendous.

Anyway, like most outings in the UK it’s all about the weather. Sat was forecast to maybe shower late in the day - who are these weather people? It was a cracker all day!

When you think Legoland you think, “What’s so fascinating about a bunch of blocks in one place?” There was a wee few on display..

..but it was all about interactive kiddy rides, train trips, the mini water park and the Tassells bringing enough lunch for 10 .

Judging by the sleeping boys out of the carpark on the way home, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and especially liked the water area, which funnily enough could have got at home under the sprinkler for free! ha ha!

Thanks Nick!

H.

We invited a mere 11 of Shay’s closest friends to his party on the 31 May. We originally set the date for the 24th May as this was a long weekend and we were hoping it would filter some people out. Unfortunately it filtered too many people out and so we had to change the date. In the end 10 of his friends could make it, along with 3 younger siblings and lots of parents. Luckily it was sunny so we could spend the entire afternoon in the garden and we had an absolutely brilliant time. We had bought a cubby house on ebay during the week and after a minor oversight of it not fitting in the car, thanks to Dan we picked it up on the morning of the party.

The party was scheduled for 2:30, and at 1pm I picked up Jane who very kindly came to help out and do some face painting (she was amazing!). People started arriving at 2:31 and basically all the kids were really well behaved and had a great time running around like loonies. The idea for the face painting came from Miles who turned up to our house for lunch one day (obviously with his parents and sister Evie) looking like a tiger. I thought they must be at the age when they love having their face painted. Unfortunately it’s not a 3 yr old thing, it’s a Miles thing. Jane made him into a tiger and off he went. Noone else wanted to do it. Eventually (this is about an hour or so later) Thomas was convinced and Jane had her second customer. After that it was Shay, Jacob and Charlie - all tigers. So we had 5 wee boys running around going “ROAR” to anyone near them. Very amusing. Amy had a butterfly and I had a daisy and Dora on my arm.

I made lots of the food and it all went down well - fairy bread, rice crispies, rocky road, chocolate dipped strawberries (all home made) as well as sausage rolls and cocktail sausages. We played pass the parcel fairly successfully and then sung Happy Birthday to Shay and he blew out the candle on his cake (also made by me!). Ice creams were distributed and once eaten the party started to dissipate. Thomas, Amy, Miles and their families stayed for a sausage sizzle and it was all very relaxing and nice. The kids by this time were plopped in front of the tv leaning on each other struggling to keep their eyes open.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m pretty sure everyone else did too. Although it sounds a bit nightmarish, it was really great fun and so easy with such great friends.

Shay turned a big 3 on Tuesday and we had a great day celebrating it.  He woke up and came into our room with a book before Zac was awake.  “Read a book Mummy” and climbed into our bed.  We had to remind him that it was his birthday.  So we sang him happy birthday and he joined in all excited.  Then we suggested that there might be some presents downstairs for him and his face lit up.  Look at all the presents!!  He was so excited opening them, it was really cool.  He got a scooter, some Bob the Builder pj’s, Bob the Builder undies, a cricket bat and ball from Isabella and Jake, a Wombles dvd and some snap cards from Kath and then he saw the very cool tricycle from Nana & Grandad (bought with money they sent Shay and Zac at Christmas).  It was all very exciting and he was torn between riding the scooter and the tricycle.  All the presents were big hits. 

We took Zac to nursery and dropped Haydn at the train station and then we went home and had the biggest bowl of coco pops for breakfast ever while watching the Wombles (or Rum Balls as he calls it).  After that Shay and I spent the entire day at Chessington World of Adventures.  It was the coolest day ever.  There was so much to see and do and it really catered for his age group well.  We started off at the monkeys and birds part, then we saw otters, rabbits, pigs, wallabies and emus before going to the children’s zoo part where we patted goats and sheep (the fluffy chickens ran away).  After that we went on the sky train that goes around the park.  Then we went on the carousel and then Shay drove a truck around a track and then we went on the train again and then the carousel again and then the flying elephants.  Then we had lunch and went on the train again and then Shay drove a car around a track and then we went on the carousel two more times.  Eventually I managed to convince him to come and see the lions and tigers.  We spent ages watching the tigers as there was a Mummy tiger, Daddy tiger and a Shay tiger and a Zaccy tiger!!  The two cubs were very cute.  There was a lady filming them next to us (”she’s got a big camera Mummy”) who suggested Shay could do the voice over for her film.  She liked the “look, they’re playing cuddles” comment when the two cubs were wrestling.  Eventually I dragged him away from the tigers to go and see the gorillas (”I think he’s sitting on a toilet”) and then we went to the aquarium - sharks, sting rays, anemones, starfish, lots of Nemos and Dorys and million of fish to look at.   Shay was treated to a hand puppet shark that we named Bruce.  It keeps biting my finger off though. 

We had dinner there and then went to pick up Zaccy (after one more trip on the train) at which point Shay fell straight to sleep.  We got to nursery and he told everyone what he’d done which came out as some very strange babble

“I drove a car, and went on a train 4 times, 3 times at the front, and went on the flying elephants and there was a Shay tiger and a Zaccy tiger, and Nemos…

On the way home from nursery we went to the pet shop and bought a new goldfish (one of ours had died) and then went home to play on the scooter and trike.  When Haydn came home he got the run down on the day too.  It was a huge success and on Wednesday morning Shay decided he didn’t want to go to nursery, he wanted to go to Chessington again. 

He loves his trike and scooter too and has to ride his scooter everywhere - even from the toilet to the bath which is about 2 scooter lengths away.  We have a couple of parcels to pick up from the post office so I think he’s a very spoilt and lucky little boy.  I like the fact though that at age 3 he had no idea that on your birthday you get presents.  I can’t imagine it will be the same next year.  On Monday night when we said it was his birthday tomorrow, he said “yeah, I get cake and all my friends can come to my party”.  Actually he still hasn’t had cake for his birthday as I’ll make one tonight for him to take to nursery tomorrow.  I don’t think he’s remembered that though - a few too many other things to distract him.

Photos to be posted tonight

K

Sat morning saw me up and early ready for a big day of manual labour.

You might think that doesn’t sound like fun, but au contraire.. there was machinery involved! I’d hired a small tiller/cultivator to dig up the back yard before our NEW LAWN was laid and had to get to the Tool Hire place for the 8am opening, to be home in time for the skip to be dropped off and a wee delivery of 30sqm of rolled gold & top soil. Busy, busy..

After befriending Chris the South African neighbour from 3x doors down, I managed to borrow his wheelbarrow and get some last minute rolled-lawn tips before more labour arrived in Jane & Erick. Together we cleared up the child friendly (lie) garden path made up of “Purple Slate Scree”, all the remaining rocks and the odd bit of rubbish which may hinder the machinery doing it’s thing.

By this time it was lunch, Shay went for a 2x hour snooze and Kerryn & Jane took Zac for a walk in the pushchair (he doesn’t do ’sleep’) leaving Erick & I to start up the cultivator and create a small paddock feel to the back of our house. At one time I felt I should be spreading wheat or something the soil looked that good. We finished it off by raking it as level as possible eagerly awaiting the rolled gold.

This was the easy part of the past week, rolling the actual lawn out. Perfectionism and a sharp trimmer required, we all had a go with it all done in about an hour and looked pretty good if you ask me. Watch this space though, summer in the UK might last for all of another week so we’ll see how it looks and lives soon enough.

Thanks to Jane & Erick for their help!

Thanks also to my wife for paying for it from her Cath Kidson fund. Bummer, there’s nothing left now..

H.

I did a stupid thing last night.  I met Andrew at Waterloo as he’s staying with us for two nights while in London.  While I was waiting for him I went and had a browse at the magazines in WH Smith (like Whitcoulls).  I found a magazine I wanted to buy so I went up to the counter and bought it.  The book I’m currently reading however I put on the counter while getting my wallet out and walked away without it.  So this morning I had to go into a bookshop and say to them “I’ve left a book here, have you seen it?”. 

Strangely though they didn’t have it.  I went to the shelves to see if any of their books had an Aunty Pam bookmark in it but unfortunately I am now not only without the book I’m halfway through reading, but also without the bookmark Aunty Pam made for me.

I wonder if she’ll read this and make me another?

K

Finally it seems as though it has arrived.  I’m sure it will be short lived but so far we had a really nice Saturday and then just two weeks later - an entire long weekend has been sunny.  It’s Tuesday after bank holiday and I haven’t worn a jacket to work!!!  Zaccy and Shay have gone off to nursery in their crocs (it’s still ok for small children to wear them) and shorts.

We are absolutely loving our house and the boys are loving having outside space.  The first really sunny day was Holly’s birthday party so the boys and I walked down the street to it.  She had a bouncy castle and lots of toys, ice cream, party food and friends from nursery.  She’s in Shay’s class in nursery and Shay still says ‘let’s go to Holly’s party’ two weeks later.  The focus is shifting slowly to his party in 3 weeks time though. 

This weekend was really cool.  On Saturday morning we went and bought a run for Stewie and then we went to B&Q and bought a barbeque, a spade and secateurs.  Ex-colleagues of Haydn’s came over for an afternoon bbq and we sat outside all afternoon.  The boys really enjoyed themselves and we had a really lovely time.  I think the couple left a bit dazed by Zaccy who has absolutely no fear, runs (it’s an amusing style) everywhere and likes to dip his potatoes in dirt before eating them (I managed to stop that before they reached his mouth).  They’re expecting their first child in October and I suspect left our house thinking one child would be quite sufficient. 

On Saturday night Christine kindly babysat while Haydn and I went out in Wimbledon to meet Kath and her new man.  We approve, he’s very nice.

On Sunday we went to the pool and then played in the park a bit, before heading home for lunch.  We played in the garden all afternoon and then had another bbq for dinner.  Yesterday Haydn had to work but was home by 3.  I spent the morning playing in the garden, Shay spent it trying to make it more Shay-friendly, and Zac just ran around causing chaos.  Zac whacked Shay on the head with a golf club twice so Shay decided that perhaps their toy golf set wasn’t very good and he put it out of the way.  The Easterbrooks came round and we played in the garden all afternoon again (there’s a pattern here somewhere).  Shay and Miles got a bit sick of the outdoors and ended up eventually playing lego together inside.  They played really well together which was pretty cute.  As we were saying goodbye to them, Holly and her Mum walked past and they came in to see Stewart.  Zac stole Holly’s balloon off her and then popped it by trying to lie on it.  Shay invited Holly into his room to play trains.  She accepted but wasn’t too keen on spinning round and round on his chair at 500 miles per hour with him.  She liked jumping on his bed with him until Zac climbed on too, that’s when she climed off again.  I think she’s quite sensible.  Her balloon had a picture of a princess on it.  I asked if it was Sleeping Beauty.  Apparently it was Aurora and that’s Sleeping Beauty’s name.  I didn’t know Sleeping Beauty had a name.  Mind you, I bet I’m more knowledgable on the Thomas the Tank Engine characters than Holly’s Mum.

While all the playing was going on Haydn and I also found time to get very snap-happy with our new secateurs.  What was a low-maintenance garden is on its way to being more child friendly and with veges in it.  We’ll update you with pictures as we go but here is the starting point - the picture from the real estate agents.

Last week the usual Citi rockin posse’ headed to Brixton Academy to see one of my favourite bands, the heavily bearded Black Crowes in action.

We arrived just before 8pm, grabbed a quick beer and they then came on!  What.. no ‘Special Guests’?

Deej, Deej’s mate Sam and myself have seen them once or five times before, but Robin hadn’t so he was in for a ’southern’ treat.

Billed as a One Night Only show of their new album Warpaint, all advertising had them playing the whole album from start to finish.  We were very sceptical but as this was their only UK show, funnier things have happened.

This they didn’t do but they did play 5x of the better songs off Warpaint (best being ‘Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution’) and the rest were a fantastic variety of old rockin beats like ‘Remedy‘, ‘Jealous Again’, ‘Sting Me’, ‘My Morning Song’ (my personal favourite), ‘Wiser Time’ and ‘By Your Side’.

At one stage as ‘Thorn In My Pride’ started, Deej went got a beer I think, came back, I went to the loo, came back, the song shifted into a instrumental rendition and about 20 minutes later Chris Robinson kicked the original song back in to finish.  Brilliant.  We’d forgotten Thorn had even started!

The show finished just before 11pm. One hell of a 3 hour gig, by far the best I’ve seen this year and the best Black Crowes show of the lot.

We now have to wait another year or 2 for them to come to these shores again.  Boo.

NB. Pringo, this is for you HERE.  I recorded a 2x minute Luther Dickinson solo on ‘Wiser Time’.

H.

I took the boys to nursery this morning which meant Haydn rode Isabell to the station for the first time.  Yesterday he walked to the station but missed a train so had to wait 10 minutes for the next one.  Today he got to the station earlier and had to wait 15 minutes for a train.

We got Zac’s first report card yesterday.  There is a quote I will remind him of when he’s about 13 (or probably a lot earlier too)

“When asked to tidy up Zac responds well by shouting in excitement.  He will collect all the toys and looks at the picture at the front of the boxes to make sure the toys go into the right boxes.  If you ask Zac to get something he will do it straight away with a big smile and clap his hands.  Zac loves to take part in anything that is happening in the room and is very helpful.

Well we’ve now been in our house a week. Shay got very excited when he got up and went into the lounge - “look there’s space”. We’re not unpacked or anything like that but we had moved some boxes so we could walk into the lounge and sit down. It’s quite a breakthrough.
A friend of my boss’ came over on Saturday morning. He’s a builder and is going to quote us on boarding up our loft so we can store stuff up there. He also brought my boss’s old bike over that she’s giving us. It was her birthday on Thursday and her husband bought her a new bike. She has named her new bike Anabel and said I had to look after her old bike as it might feel unwanted. I asked what its name was. Never been named. So I christened her the obvious Isabell.
Didn’t do a great deal on Saturday afternoon but we did go hunting for some paint I want (unsuccessfully) and then to Homebase (like Bunnings, and Haydn’s new favourite shop). Fi and Lukas came over at 6 for takeaways. First of all Lukas and Haydn moved the dishwasher into it’s space. This of course did require another trip to Homebase but at least we could finally use our new dishwasher - sooo exciting. They bought us amazing house warming presents - our first tomato plant!!, a pepper plant, a chilli plant and some herbs and lavendar as well as a bottle of wine.
Haydn and Lukas went to our local Wok ‘n’ Fish shop to get dinner (this time without a sidetrip to Homebase - as far as I’m aware anyway). It’s actually a great little shop. We assumed the worse when we saw it (our Wimbledon snobbery coming into play) but then saw how busy it was on a Saturday night so decided to try it. We finally opened the bottle of champagne Jane bought us but we were too sick to drink with her, watched cheesy television (Britain’s Got Talent - and a lot of untalented people too) and had a thoroughly enjoyable night.
Sunday morning we went swimming for the first time in about a month. The boys enjoyed it and had a great time. Haydn and Shay spent the day assembling the boys’ chest of drawers and in the afternoon our new washing machine arrived. Hooray we can have clean clothes again.
Dinner on Sunday night and then the boys went to bed at the same time, Shay telling Zac “it’s bedtime now” and off they went. My boys are such angels!! Possibly because Shay was trying to make up for making ‘cups of tea’ in the bath and then tipping them out onto the floor while I was getting Zac in his pj’s.