Categories: uncategorized
Date: 31 July 2003 10:26:02
My God daughter is 3 today - bless her. She's moved from the terrible twos into the troublesome threes (not much difference except that the tantrums are louder and longer).
We celebrated yesterday because her mother is busy packing for the family holiday at the moment (thank goodness the grandmother has come to stay is all I can say). Packing for moving house hasn't even begun yet - that will be another story.
Anyway 10 kids and 6 adults went to the butterfly house at Syon Park. It's very hot in there - but lots of beautiful butterflies to see. They do land on you from time to time - so lots of good photo oportunities.
On to see less pleasant creatures such a spiders and millipedes and cockroaches. The children were allowed to hold the millipede (about 1 ft long and 1 inch wide, black and very ugly) and stroke a tarantula. I kept my distance, ferrying children back to where they were behind glass when they go frightened. We all liked the Thai water dragon - he (or she?) had character.
As the weather stayed dry and sunny we set up the picnic under a tree. Organised chaos ruled as we tried to prevent children standing on what they should be eating.
Towards the end of the meal we got joined by a group of adolsecent ducks. However children being children they ran at them and scared them off (for which they got told off thank goodness). It was up to me to try and get them back so we could feed them. I never knew that ducks liked scotch eggs and mini sausages but it seems they'll eat whatever's going. I even had them eating from my fingers which amused the children.
So then it was birthday cake time - in the shape of a butterfly. The ducks had got bored by then and had waddled back to their pond with full tummies. But they soon came back for birthday cake crumbs!
So now there are a few plump ducks ready stuffed...
Peking duck and pancakes anybody?