The Caravilla Experience

So where was I? Oh yes, we were just about to head to the caravilla for our inaugural trip. Just to put you in the picture, prior to that, I'd had the most head spinningly, busy week, so by the Saturday, (our proposed day of departure), I took one look at the driving rain, and another at all that needed to be done before we left, and descended swiftly into the blackest of moods.
In all honesty, at that moment, the only thing that would have pleased me, would have been waving the whole troop off, double bolting the doors behind them, and bedding down in blissful solitude with the remote, Hello magazine and lots of chocolate. (Did I mention I was PMTed as well?) As that was clearly 50 shades of pure fantasy, (without even the faintest whiff of Mr Grey), I grudgingly got stuck into the packing.
Much later, after final orders for the toilet, (When did you go last? Go and try anyway.), indulging in my usual OCD checking frenzies, (Did I lock the door/unplug my hairdryer/turn off the computer?), and somehow squeezing in that extra box of cereals, we were good to go. It may have been many hours after our ETD, but excitement was in the air and even the relentless rain didn't dampen spirits...(Nah,that came later!)

I would actually!

Hopes and expectations were high- I REALLY wanted it to be a good first week. I wanted to be able to  reassure each other, that spending all the money on the caravilla had been the right thing to do. 'Sure where would you get it? And isn't it fabulous? And aren't we lucky!' I suppose in the back of my mind, I knew that I was the weakest link. I knew that the kids would love it regardless, and that Loverboy had spent all his childhood summers in caravans, while I had only one horrendous experience to draw from, which had left lingering, unwanted doubts in my mind, as to whether I was cut out for it at all! I wanted very much to embrace it, but in order to do that, I had to just jump right in there for a good old stretch, and see how it went. Oh, I could talk the talk about caravillas till the cows came home, but could I walk the walk? And if I couldn't, would I learn to? Or just suck it up and get on with it? For years and years on end?
I'll be honest though, it was a tough start. It rained relentlessly for the first few days. This actually meant, that it had rained relentlessly every single time we'd been up so far, and when I read in the paper en route, that it was going to rain for for several decades at least, I felt a big knot in my stomach that definitely wasn't eager anticipation.
Don't get me wrong- one doesn't go to Donegal for the weather. I know this. And that suits me just fine, because I'm not a hot weather kinda gal. I'm blessed with a bluey, white complexion that prickles, freckles, swells and burns in the sun. Blessed, I tell you. But three days of driving rain was wearing thin, with all seven of us inside, and the TV not working properly yet.
I'd also made several glaring errors on my packing front, the most serious of which was overpacking excessively on the heels/jewellry/ floaty scarves front, and drastically under packing, in the sensible footwear/ knickers front. Under packing, as in none whatsoever... at all. What was I thinking!? An emergency knicker-buying trip to Letterkenny was immediately scheduled, but I still had to make do with my leopard print platform wedges as my only 'covered in' shoes.
Then to top it all off nicely, having been feeling rundown and generally exhausted for several days, the most grotesque monstrosity of a coldsore appeared on my lip, right in time for my birthday. It was the  icing on the cake, so to speak... Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, very gradually and hardly without my noticing,things began to improve. The rain stopped (mostly!), and we had a few beautiful days. (We actually needed sun cream, only I forgot it and the kids got roasted).

My new Wellibobs!

Little by little, I began to feel better, the kids made lots of friends, we walked the beach, barbequed and drank wine. I learned how to work the washing machines, we decided to put a deck on after all, my numerous sandals got worn and my mum and dad came to visit. Then his mum and dad came to visit, we ate 99s, I'd a lovely birthday lunch with friends, we started watching 'Game of Thrones', and I ordered wellibobs (thanks Johan!). I'd breakfast in bed, we ate enormous picnics, the kids went crabbing, we had a lunchdate alone, and then on our last night, we congratulated each other on buying the caravilla. 'Sure where would you get it? And isnt it fabulous? And aren't we lucky?'
 My goodness-It was such a relief to feel like that, and if truth be told, when it came to it, I didn't want to come home ...and now I can't wait to get up there again!  Note to self- next time though, I'll be ditching the wedges for wellibobs, and remembering to pack the knickers!

Friday Quick Takes

• This week, I discovered Funky Monkeys and what a place it is! (For you lucky ones who don't need to know, FM is a franchise of indoor playgrounds for children.) Now, while it could certainly be regarded as a primary coloured hell on earth, and NO ONE in their right mind would go there sans children, it does have its bonuses. Luke loves it- he gets to socialize, play, climb and fall down, while I get to drink endless coffees and catch up on my emails, without feeling guilty. (I'm not altogether sold on the background playlist though- 'I'm sexy and I know it ' seemed a tad inappropriate for the under fives. Where's the Wiggles when you need them??) I also had a bit of a 'moment', on discovering Luke, hungrily licking the (stolen) Philadelphia off someone else's bagel. By the time I'd clocked him, it was too late and he was nonchalantly sporting a white ring of evidence all over his face. I was faced with a dilemma- prise it from him and risk a two year old's earsplitting wrath, thereby drawing unwanted attention to ourselves, or keep my head low and hope the rightful owners were finished eating. (Okay, I totally did the latter, and as luck would have it, they were just leaving, which is just as well because I couldn't have returned the gnawed, soggy mess anyway!)                                                                                                                                            
•  I also had a little run in with a pillar this week. Late as usual for a school pickup, I was half way up our lane, when I met a tractor and trailer coming down. To put you in the picture, depending on where one meets another vehicle on the narrow lane, someone always has to reverse, and as I was closest to a driveway, it was me. So off I went, and (I'm just gonna be modest here), expertly reversed down the lane into our neighbour's driveway. In fact, I was in the process of mentally congratulating myself, when I went a teensy bit too far and knocked our tow bar into a red brick pillar, denting the bricks at the bottom. Crap crap crap! Needless to say, Loverboy was NOT thrilled. (I mean I sucked it up and all, but the way he went on, you'd think I did this all the time! But that little bust up with the hedge was AGES ago AND it was -20 at the time, FFS). The funny thing was, when I 'fessed up to our lovely neighbour, and after he'd established that I hadn't reversed over his dog, he laughed and asked if I was looking for things to write about on my blog... You know that moment when you realize that actual, real people read the nonsense that you write...yes that!                                                                                                             
• Welllllll, I succumbed and bought 'Fifty shades of Grey', just to find out what all the fuss is about. Marian Keyes, (did I possibly already mention that she follows me in on Twitter!?), called it 'Fifty Shades of Shite' which I'll admit put me off a bit. All I know is, the main character is called Christian and it all gets very bold and dirty, but Peeps, I was weaned on my Granny's Jackie Collins collection, so how bad (or good?) can it be? If you've read it, do share...                             
•  I can't BELIEVE the weather is this awful for June. I mean, even by Irish standards this is dire. It's also slightly unsettling, when we've just spent a fortune on a 'caravilla' (Thank you Ursula! I SO prefer this to 'mobile home'). The upshot is, that we won't be going anywhere hot for DECADES...now, THAT'S depressing! But,the good news is, it's Friday, it's wine time later and I've got Christian Grey to keep me company. Happy Friday loveliesxxx

Quick Takes

• Anna's exams finish today. At last. This year, for first time, she's been grappling with revision timetables and end of year tests. We've been trying to walk the line of taking them seriously...but not too seriously. She is only first year after all. Of course, it's been beautiful exam weather for much of it, but she finishes today in the pouring rain. Typical!

• Jude has observed her workload over the last months, with a mild but detached interest at what lies ahead for him next year. But Mummy, sure that's AGES away yet. God help us all.  

•  Spotted this on Rory's bag yesterday and had to show you. It's the little proof picture from Cormac's Communion photos. He rescued it from the recycling bin and with cardboard, string and staples made this for his schoolbag. Sure you couldn't help but love him!

• We got a new sandpit this week, and as sandpits go, it kicks ass. The wooden cover folds back to make little seats on each side. Here's a snap taken earlier in the week, before all this torrential  rain. An entire day spent digging, designing, building, rebuilding, moat making, eating... and did I mention they were out there ALL DAY. So it would be fair to say, that we're ALL diggin' the new sandpit. (Pun totally intended!) 

                                                               

• I'm off now because Loverboy and myself are away on Caravan hunt 2.0 today-THIS time with slightly revised numbers and expectations. (Him, not me, obv.). My theory, and bear with me 'cos it's a sound one, is that unless it's comfortable, (by my standards), and warm (double glazing and central heating a MUST), I'm not gonna want to go up there. FFS, that's the Atlantic ocean just over that sand dune, and let's be honest here, NOBODY goes to Donegal for the weather!  (Which isn't to say I don't love it, cos I do, but Babes, a fleece just ain't gonna cut it.) So wish me luck, and hopefully next time I'll have all kinds of exciting caravan news to tell you!  (Did I say caravan? You KNOW I meant mobile home! ) Happy Friday my lovelies!!