Saturday Night's Alright for Camping.

Today, we watched Alfie's football game, fetched layers pellets for the chooks and Harry paid his birthday money into his new bank account. Before we came home I popped into a couple of charity shops and ended up with this fab baking bowl from Craft...

and the clip top tall jar is the same design as the smaller one I found last year. The jar was £2.50 and the dish £3. Isn't it just great when somebody knows you so well? I had seen the jar but put it down as Jon and the boys were already outside the shop. When I got outside they were all standing in front of the window and I asked what they were hiding and they said nothing? but they moved aside and it was the jar so I went in and bought it! So funny.

When we got home there was some preparation for a mini expedition. Jon had promised to take the boys camping down in our field, weather permitting of course considering the recent downpours we have been having. Well, the sky looked ok so we gathered sleeping bags, breakfast and snack supplies, gas camping stove (for emergencies only), dry wood and fire lighting stuff and anything else that was needed.

We had friends pop round for an hour but the boys were itching to get to the field so they headed off whilst we chatted a bit longer. When we were ready to go we took everything down to the spot Jon had picked and where they had put the tent up earlier in the day.

Alfie sorted out the supplies...

whilst Jon got the fire going...

and Harry was tasked with setting out the sleeping bags.

I took this photo as I left them...

and this is the view they have down to the bottom of the field.

I'm so pleased they were all, and I mean all of them, excited about their little expedition. Jon has a qualification in outdoor pursuits so is able to pass on lots of skills to the boys and help them enjoy outside experiences like this. 

Me? I've had a bubble bath and plan on making myself some food in a little while, drinking a fairly large bottle of Indian beer I have in the fridge and watching some trashy TV and maybe a film; the night in the field was a man thing!

I will be thinking of all my men sleeping out, enjoying stargazing, maybe shooting a rabbit or two and whipping up and eating their breakfast outside tomorrow morning - Alfie is on cook duty. 

Our life here is fab and I love every part of it. It isn't perfect all the time and I never mean to imply that it is but it is what we dreamed of. That the boys and Jon are able to do this tonight, close to home for this first trip, but hopefully the first of many more, makes me very happy and reminds me just how very lucky we are to live where we do and how grateful we should be to have these experiences.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx