Tyntesfield

Helen, Emma and I visited Tyntesfield last Wednesday. We got there at 11am and our ticket allowed us into the house at 12.15pm. We spent the time up until then having a look at the plush chapel and having a picnic.

Here's Emma in her new car seat. The old one was fiddly and we needed a spare for Leila's car. Emma seems to like her new one.

We had an amazing view for our picnic. Emma sat strapped onto my lap and had a mixture of mashed carrot & potato and sandwiches.

I forgot to pack a beaker but she managed very well with drinking from the bottle.

Here's Helen & Emma stood in front of what looks like an old summer house next to the main house.

When our time finally came to go into the house, Emma had to be carried as we couldn't take a pushchair in. She got very wriggly, very loud, and when put down, very fast! Helen continued the tour alone while Emma & I had a look around the gardens.

Afterwards, Helen had an introductory drum lesson with Steve Wilson in Clevedon that I'd organised as a birthday present. It went well.

After a long sleep, Emma had a long play on her slide, then a rather unsuccesful meal. Bath time was fun though as we played peek-a-boo by hiding in the bath then jumping up.

Helen's Big Three-Oh!

We now have a bed time routine with Emma between 6 & 7pm which normally guarantees sleep before 7.30pm. An important part is "In The Night Garden" on CBeebies. Emma occasionally stands on her bus to watch it. Helen and I are both addicts too. Emma particularly enjoys the Titifer's song.

We've seemed to be so busy of late! August was a wonderful month when we got a bit of sun and were invited to three wonderful weddings. The last, Holly and Olly's wedding fell on Helen's 30th birthday. We started the day with some present opening.

Here's Helen mystified at what could be inside the layers of wrapping. Turned out to be some very attractive silver earrings from Lin and Mike. Thank you!

I managed to get rid of Helen's first present of the morning before she even saw it. Tigger had very thoughtfully disembowelled a mouse on our living room carpet. Luckily I (David) was on breakfast duty with Emma so managed to scrape up the mess before the birthday girl bounced down the stairs!

Leila, Rob, Becky and Rob came for a brunch at 11. I'd cooked a full English breakfast which was eaten up to the last black pudding! Emma engaged in some car surfing afterwards. Leila & Rob babysat for us while we went to the wedding in Tetbury. It was Emma's first ever night away from home and no problems were reported.

The hotel in Tetbury was beautiful and Holly and Olly made a handsome couple. The management of the wedding was first class too with lots of entertainments laid on including dance instruction in the evening.



We sat on a table comprising of lots of my old friends from Nottingham Uni. I hadn't seen Lydia & Andrew for about 8 years. So lovely to meet their little son Isaac who was 3 months old.

The next day we hosted a party to celebrate Helen's birthday properly! There was a mixture of our new Clevedon friends (mostly with babies), family and it was great to see Mike, John, Rowan and Maddie coming a long way to join in too. With so many babies coming, Emma thought the party was for her! She had lots of fun showing off her slide and dashing about.

John and Rowan's Maddie is just on the verge of walking now. She showed off her strength and balance by pushing Emma around the garden on her bus. They had some excellent games of peek-a-boo upstairs, and a rather unsuccessful bath. Emma enjoys her water a little hotter than Maddie is used to!

Cousin Mark and Stacey get married!

Mark and Stacey got married on the 18th August in Peterborough. We were delighted to be invited and made a long weekend of it, leaving on Friday night and staying in a Travelodge on the Friday night and in the Marriott where the wedding took place on the Saturday. The Travelodge came a very distant second! They had put Emma's travel cot into some lady's room. Retrieving it earned the night porter and earful and left us standing sheepishly in the corridor holding a bewildered Emma at 10pm. Emma then refused to sleep in the cot and finally gave in to sleep around midnight in our bed, lying diagonally!

Once in the Marriott, the whole day went very well. The photos below come from mine and Mum's new camera. For a brilliant collection, visit Mark's brother-in-law, Chris' photos at his website. http://www.ccj.me.uk/chris/family/theblackburns/msbwedding/

I was videoing the service but managed to take some shots of the couple signing the register with their bridesmaids and best man & ushers.

Here are some pictures from outside in the garden after the ceremony.

My cousin Chrissie is expecting a baby!

Here are Jasper, Claudia & Peter all dressed up smartly!

Emma got lots of cousin love from Rosie! We shared a table with Duncan, Heather and their daughter, Eliza. She was 3 months older than Emma and was very good with her speaking. She could say the names of all the animals in her book!

Emma had a party pack from the married couple with lots of toys to keep her amused.


There was a lake full of enormous fish in the grounds.

Here are Mark and Stacey about to cut the cake.

In this picture is Mark's mum, Anne and Granny B as well as some of Stacey's relatives.

Here's Enid enjoying herself.


This is Emma helping to roll up the carpet.

We all had some fun on the dance floor, especially Rosie!

Then the Clan Shallcross enlisted the help of the key bearing Best Man, Will to ransack the bridal suite.

Whilst not completely ransacked, there may have been a penis shaped towel arrangement, the odd inflated condom and a fire extinguisher tucked up in the bed. Sorry Stacey!

My favourite moment was when Chrissie spotted us returning, giggling and full of mischief and said "Oh dear, it's a bad crew, up to no good!"

The evening continued with some inhalation of helium and then a rather late sit around having more drinks .

Helen thinks she may have chased Best Man Will around the car park persuading him to text a lady he had been chatting up. At one point a few chairs and Uncle Dave fell over in a wrestling match. Generally, a good night then!

Many thanks to Mark and Stacey, and everyone involved in organising such a wonderful wedding!