Catch Up Time

Well so much for my good intentions to blog more this year.  Where does the time go?  As I haven't written a post since April, here is a quick round of up the last couple few months.

Katy went on a visit to France with school in March.  Although technically this was before my last post so shouldn't really be counted in my catch up, I decided it ought to get a mention.  She tried her hand at archery, and informs me that she really wasn't very good at it but did enjoy feeling like Katniss Everdeen for a little while.

She also visited Mont Saint-Michel which looks like a pretty cool place and is allegedly the inspiration for Diagon Alley.  One of these photos is a bit blurry but I included it so you can see why it looks like something out of Harry Potter.

Coincidentally it was in the news today as it was totally cut off from the mainland by an extreme high tide for the first time since 1879.

The shop is doing well.  Can't believe it's really only seventeen weeks since we opened, it feels like we've been doing it forever sometimes.  Robert is loving it and is getting to know his regulars and becoming involved in Clitheroe life.  We decided early on that we would allow dogs in the shop and now it has become a bit of a thing.  We have an album on our Facebook page of all the dogs that pop in with their humans. There are some cuties in it.

A young girl left her teddy in the shop the other week, and he became a feature on Facebook for a few days until she came back to claim him.  Robert took photos of it around the shop and added captions to them.

Having been in a sweetshop for over 24 hours Teddy was worrying about his weight, but as you can see he's still a perfectly healthy 27 grams 

Katy turned 16 in June and we got a little childish.  A couple of her friends came over the night before and were watching a video and enjoying some snacks.  Robert and I had gone to get a bite to eat and then popped into Tesco for something (I can't remember what), but while we were there we picked up some party poppers and silly string and launched a surprise attack on the girls when we got back.

Katy and the Alices

We had a gluten free cake made for her by our neighbours in the Courtyard in Clitheroe, which went down very well.  Spot the reference:-

As I said, that was on the night before.  On her actual birthday, we went to Windermere for the day.  You may or may not know that Katy is going go college in September to do catering.  Her goal is to become a pastry chef.  She had asked for money for her birthday this year so that she could go to the Lakeland shop to buy baking equipment.  She came out with three bags full of all sorts of things and couldn't wait to get home to start using them.

Of course, when in Windermere you have to take a trip on the lake and feed the swans.

Next in chronological order was mum's 93rd birthday.  What do you get a nearly blind, diabetic, dementia suffering lady who doesn't even really know it's her birthday?  Why a cake of course.  Actually Kirsty provided the cake.  I love this photo.  She didn't manage to blow the candles out on her own because she just couldn't get close enough to the cake

We've become a bit Americanised over here and now at the end of year 11 we have proms.  Don't think we knew proms existed when I was at school (ok maybe a slight exaggeration, I'm not quite that old).  Anyway, Katy's prom was at the beginning of July and we made quite a few preparations.  Of course, the outfit  had to be bought and we really enjoyed shopping for the dress and all the extras.  I had already decided it was probably time for Katy to try wearing contact lenses and prom seemed a good time to debut them.  Bekah came home and helped Katy get ready as she's not yet proficient in the art of doing her hair and makeup and really appreciated her big sister taking time to be here and help.

Prom prep

I know I'm a little bit biased, but I think she looked just beautiful on the night.  Several of the teachers didn't recognise her.

It was a bit of a magical mystery tour for them, as they had to go to school and get on a coach all together, and they weren't told where they were going.  Personally I think this was a good move on the part of the school as then the kids couldn't rock up to the event having already perhaps indulged in a little naughtiness for 16 year olds.  Of course, this did mean they didn't get the chance to really make an entrance with their arrival at the prom, although some of the parents did drop their kids off in what they considered to be a suitable fashion.  There were several parents doing fake coughs and mumbling such words as "pratt" when one young man got dropped off by his dad in a Lamborghini.  Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with expensive cars, but when you're revving your engine and acting like a jerk, then people are going to laugh at you.   Anyway, Katy had a great night at The Pines Hotel in Clayton le Wood near Chorley, and the whole meal was gluten free, so she didn't need a special dinner because she's special needs :).

So that brings us pretty much up to date, apart from the latest news that Bekah is going to be a mummy.  Which I suppose means that I'm going to be a grandma.  Hmm, not sure I like that title.  However, I am very excited about the baby.  She had her twelve week scan today and was given a due date of 4th February, which is my dad's birthday.  It would be nice if it arrived on time.  Since we found out, I've said I think it's going to be a boy.  Robert thinks it will be a girl, so we'll see whose intuition was working properly next year.