A day out in Winchester

I forgot how much I love Winchester until today.  Of course my love for this ancient city was helped by the sun shining and my visit tying in with seeing a very dear friend, but still the market was bustling, the shop windows enticing and the street-side jazz band actually very accomplished.

To ensure Alby had burnt off a bit of steam between sitting in the car and being strapped down in a highchair for lunch, we headed to the Great Hall, which claims to have King Arthur’s Round Table hanging on the wall, for a run about.  Let loose Alby charged up and down the hall, poked the cherub at the foot of the Queen Victoria statue up the nose and had a good try at the sword and crown in the fancy dress box.  After getting under the feet of several other tourists we moved onto the high street and over to Dim T, one of my favourite lunch spots.  There, taking my lunch dates on a trip down memory lane, I filled myself on dim sum whilst Alby stuffed his tummy with prawn crackers.

Ahhhh, prawn cracker....very good. 

Honestly, his love of prawn crackers is really something else.  Having stuffed a fair few in his mouth throughout the meal, even his ice cream pudding didn’t fill him and he passed the time whilst we awaited the cheque twisting in his high chair and reaching out for the crackers at the table behind ours.  Prawn crackers, chicken pancakes, ice cream and prawn crackers – almost as lovely a combination as green bean dipped in yoghurt which he delighted us all with at supper this evening!

From Dim T we headed back down the high street to the other end of town intending to stroll along the river however, I caught sight of a children’s playground and so we quickly diverted so I could knacker little man some more.

Showing no fear Alby was off and away the minute his feet touched the ground.  Wandering off to a climbing frame, he didn’t look back until he needed help getting up the stairs for the slide.  I confess I take this approach completely for granted – it’s only after two different people in the past two days have commented on him being totally non-phased by other children and new environments that I realise not all little ones are like this.  Trouble Monkey is only really trouble if people try to pick him up – leave him to play or get down to his level and throw a ball for him and he’s as happy as punch. 

Alby's hands down favourite part of the playground was the wooden fire engine climbing frame where he sat very happily turning the steering wheel over and over and over and over and over.  The appearance of older children at his side, under his legs or standing over him in hope that they might get a chance in the driving seat were all completely ignored by Alby (well almost, he stroked the hair of the little girl who appeared from under his feet).  Alby was off to fight fire and it seems that's a job he takes most seriously.

Nee naw, nee naw, nee naw

And again, nee naw, nee naw, nee naw

Short lived diversion to the train

Often my plans fall flat on their face but today Alby exhausted himself as I hoped and slept almost the whole way home.  Somewhat annoyingly I was just as exhausted and required caffeine boosting to keep my eyes open, but caffeine is just one of the bonuses about being an adult.  For now, little man is tucked up in bed once again for the night and Percy is snoring on the sofa.  As predicted the return South has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works when it comes to bedtime but it would make me a very naïve mother if I hadn’t anticipated that. The foundation is still there and we’ll reintroduce the final tweaks once home again.