Thermal

As I posted earlier, it was the boys fifth birthday this week. As a treat we picked them up from school on Friday for a ’surprise weekend’. We drove down to Dundee, and stopped off at KFC for their bi-annual junk food treat. This itself was enough of a treat for them, so pleased they were with their chicken burgers and fries, but we had some more up our sleeve. We told them we’d get dessert from the next-door cinema, as they love popcorn, but that we didn’t have enough money for tickets. They were obviously downcast at this, but cheered at the thought of popcorn. As they came away from the counter, clutching their enormous bucket, we produced the (pre-booked) tickets for Flushed Away, a film so good it needs its own post. The gasps of amazement and wide blue eyes on 2 five year old boys made the weekend, and a great time was had by all. As we left the cinema, Patrick said that it was too far to drive home(about 70 miles) what were we going to do? More excitement was to be had at the (again pre-booked) Travelodge - they’re nothing special, but? the boys loved it-staying up late at a hotel is definitely their idea of a great time.

The purpose of this epic overnight trip was revealed the next morning as we took them to the National Air Museum of Scotland. Another perfect 5 year old boys trip (and the 33 yo boy wasn’t complaining!) the boys had the run of the museum, and finished up spending their birthday money in the shop. The smile on Toms face as he came out of the shop swinging his bag of planes was one of total contentment. A picnic on the way back (in car-it’s getting colder now!) topped things off, and the guys are now downstairs watching ‘Robin Hood’ in their pyjamas.

There’s no doubt Steph & I designed the weekend as the sort of thing we’d have loved as kids, but equally, the boys were in clover. I loved all of those things as a child, and it’s strange now doing it as a parent - you’re more concious of great times like these shaping their future memories, and equally for me, being aware that time passes, and this particular moment is gone, but for those memories. I remember days out like this 25 years ago, and how
(rightly) I just viewed it as being another day in a childhood that would last forever. My Dad has been gone 5 years now, and even so childhood is long behind me. But, sometimes, I’d give anything just to go back, for a day, any day.

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 2nd, 2006 at 7:39 pm and is filed under Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.