We survived!

And we had fun – and so, I think, did Babybel. apart from an unplanned close encounter with West Berkshire Fire and Rescue.

No, we didn’t set Cheese Minor Mansion on fire – we just happened to arrive on the canal towpath at the time as two fire engines, coming to put out a fire on a narrow boat – and Babybel found it all very noisy and ‘a little bit scary’.

She prefers her activities quiet, preferably involving animals she can pet. Or ‘milk’.

Lily the cow at Manor Farm was the biggest hit.

Thanks to everyone who made recommendations for visits – we didn’t manage to follow them up this time, but they are on the list for the future.

Gran and ‘Grangrad’ are, of course, totally knackered. Looking after an active 2 year old is the best cure I’ve found for insomnia.

You forget what it’s like – not only the physical activity but the constant flow of questions. We’ve moved from ‘What's that?’ to ‘What’s he doing?’ – shortly to be followed, I suspect, by the dreaded ‘Why?’.

Today’s parents do have it easier in one respect than we did, however.

They’ve got CBeebies.