Thomas cook flight to Orlando MCO

Our check in with Thomas Cook didn't quite go as smoothly as I'd liked the food for the flight, extra clothes I'd packed for my son just in case and the book took us over the weight limit for his back pack. Despite saying the food would be eaten for breakfast the check in lady was having non of it. Asking me to remove it. I found it really distressing given the fact that on the sheet in front of her it also stated we had a disabled allowance. But it made no odds. After placing a few more items in to the suitcase and carrying the food in the carrier bag it was in we were allowed to go.

I know it's their job to ensure that the weights are correct but I think what annoyed me the most was the condescending tone. 

 During the 9 hour flight, we saw a lot of sea and beaches off of the coast of England and the US.

The food was served up around 2 hours into the flight and first round of free drinks within an hour and a half. The choices of drinks were tea, coffee, water or orange juice. There was the choice off buying an alcoholic drink which wasn't too expensive.

TJ's meal was served hot with hard bread roll, butter, a dark chocolate pudding.

I was surprised when he ate all the pasta.

After eating his pasta he then ate my sausages and mash potato. These were again served hot with the additional extras. I managed to try some of the sausages and they were very nice. Highly recommend to any flyers.

The movie choice for the basic package wasn't the best as there was a choice of 2 movies. and 4 television shows. Luckily I took my tablet with a few movies and other shows I wanted to watch on.

TJ read and colored in for an hour then re-watched the same movie he'd already watched again. Guess he must've liked Rio. 

View from the plane of Kennedy space centre was spectacular. 

The staff were lovely and couldn't help out any more with TJ then they did.

We sat the last row of the plane on the left hand side and found there was plenty of leg room. So much so TJ colored on the floor beneath the seat for a little while.

The onscreen map we found brilliant as it kept us up to date with time to land and all other flight details such as speed, temperature and distance travelled.

For the price of the flight I was extremely happy and glad I saved the extra pounds for spending on various other treats over the holiday.

The beginning of the holiday starts TODAY!!

After months of planning the holiday started and better yet the boy still doesn't know.

After finishing school and saying bye to everyone (not forgetting the dogs) for our one night away, we were off two suitcases, two backpacks and one teddy bear named Threadbear.

Two hours and 18 minutes we were pulling in the valet parking at Gatwick airport which is a breeze to find and even easier to find a place to park. 

Once parked we emptied the car of any food and bags and headed to the desk to leave the keys and sign the forms. Unknown to me until this point I could've had my car cleaned inside and out for when we returned at a small extra cost. This would've been perfect if I hadn't had it clean the day before we left Poole. 

The check in to the valet took less then five minutes with minimum paperwork to fill in as it had previously been booked.

When staying at the Bloc hotel, and booking valet parking make sure you ask as you can get 10% off the total.

The Bloc Hotel.

 After Walking across the road and the terminal building we were on a roll with two bags each to manage. Finding the hotel entrance was really easy although the signage was a little confusing to begin with as TJ read it as go straight and not up the escalator.

Once at the top of the escalator the Bloc Hotel is on your left.

 The small reception that looked like a small cosy box to two very nice staff, who were very helpful and polite. Whilst one distracted TJ I found the paperwork to check in, and was directed towards the elevators and room. The elevators will only work with the room keys when trying to access different floors which we didn't realise for a few moments. 

Along the corridor and to the end we walked and accessed our room which had a fantastic view of the runways. 

The room was lovely and clean with a double bed fitted in an alcove area, a television built in to the wall at the foot at head height. One of the ceiling lights is along the far wall of the bed which I found to be bright even though it was a purple color.

The bathroom was a wet room which I didn't realise had two different showers. The showers are controlled by the same tap and whilst investigating the taps I managed to get soaked in the process. 

The tablet that is on the wall by the bed controls the lights all around the room and the thermostat.

 

Checking out of the hotel was as easy as ABC gather your things, head down the elevator and drop your key in the box by reception. 

This was a lot less stressful then any other hotel I've stayed in the night before. Next time I go away I'm definitely booking to stay again.  

Weymouth sea life centre

Having visited the sea life centre in Weymouth over 7 years ago. I expected the place to be really run down and not as much fish as there actually were.

 When going into the park there is a restaurant on the left and a few other attractions in which you can visit.Car parking is not free and costs from 80p upwards depending on how much time and how busy the sealife centre is so allow for plenty of time.

I was surprised as it was looking a little shabby but all the areas were in the process of being remodeled and new playgrounds being built within the grounds.

The route in which the booklet helps guide you through the different areas was a little dated as was the park but that didn't stop us having a fun experience throughout the 2 hours we were there.  

 Whilst looking around at the mixture of sea creatures its clear to see that the tanks are kept clean at all times and that the fish are cared for a great deal.

My favourite tanks are  the urchins, sea horses and the lion fish. Whether its because I used to keep these myself makes for happy memories.

There is a restaurant on site but as I wanted vegetables we ventured off in the car on a 5 minute drive which was recommend by a local.

The food at the harvester was very filling and was priced well. 

The service was not the best but it was busy, and I expected the service to be a little slower then the normal. I didnt get to take any photos of the meal although I wish I had as it was lovely, but by the time it had been served up I was starving and couldn't wait any longer. 

Motissfont - national trust

Our trip this weekend took us an hour and a half to find. With the sat nav guiding us to the front door of Mottisfont.
Mottisfont is part of the National trust and can be found just outside Romsey in Hampshire.

The grounds are lovely with a secret garden hidden behind walls, a fast flowing river hidden far beyond the fields that belong to Mottisfont.
The breathtaking scenery as far as the eye can see is beautiful.

Bearing in mind that Saturday had been non stop rain all day and night, we still decided to venture to the grounds.

When walking in the grounds the first thing we saw was a young boy around the age of 12 covered head to toe in mud. He said he'd slipped over playing tag with his friends in one of the play area's.

Taking the dogs along the path next to the stream we came across a wooden play area that was surrounded by mud. This had to of been where the young boy had fallen. The trail was arranged in a circular pattern with various obstacles to scale and balance along, which would've been great fun for TJ if it hadn't of been so wet and slippery. Within five minutes he'd had enough of doing the splits on numerous obstacles.

The next stop was where the river splits and causes an over flow point. Now this area is fantastic for the kids. There's an area that feeds of so the kids can pump the water into a trough with different levels. Each level has a barrier which can be raised to allow water to pass through.

The river falls across a smooth stone based area in which if anyone is feeling brave can walk across before it approaches the small waterfall area.

Continuing around the grounds there is an old fishing Hut which has been perfectly preserved with decorations for the keenest of fishermen/women. The stables which is also where the bathrooms are located and a restaurant. Although the price are a little expensive it's no different to any other national trust site.

The main house has 3 different levels which can be accessed via different areas. Ground floor can be accessed through the side of the building. Around the at the maids entrance towards the back you can find a small door which leads upstairs to the first floor.
Ive not visited the second floor but have been told it is trickier to find as you need to ask a staff member to visit it because of the very small staircase. Here you can find an alligator in the bath tub. (A former member of the household once kept one in the tub, and so the tradition is kept going with this stuffed reptile).

One Day Holiday Challenge

Over the Summer holiday I was set the challenge by a Ocean Finance to stick to a strict budget of £100 for a day out or days out. This was named the 'One Day Holiday.' The reason the challenge has been set is to help show that its not needed to spend a fortune to have a great day out.

With the money I originally intended to go to Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. I filled my car up with fuel, brought snacks and hit the road. By the time we got to the balloon fiesta the hot air balloons had already taken off and landed so that scuffled our plans for the day.

The view from the road.

After taking a few moments and a google search for what points of interests were nearby we ended up heading to Bristol Zoo.

Bristol Zoo

Once at Bristol Zoo it felt like we were the only people there. We weren't, but it was very quiet till about lunchtime and then the crowds were flocking in. 

TJ and I started looking at the lion area, to begin with we didn't see the lions until we got to the second half of the enclosure. Once at the glass the lion was at the front of the enclosure observing all the people passing by and watching them closely.

So close to this one amazing animal.

 The next animal we went through the enclosure and looked at the flamingo's. 

Tj commented on the color of their wings and body as they were such a brilliant pink.

On to the Gorilla enclosure. Again it was amazing to be so close to these beautiful and powerful primates. When we arrived at the enclosure they had just been let back into the house for their breakfast. It was amazing to see the 32st Silverback Gorilla picking at bugs and what looked like large nuts off of the floor.

The Gorilla house has recently had £1 million over haul and the fantastic 180 degree views.

The penguin enclosure was beautiful, its been a long time since I've been up close to one but this little one definitely stole the thunder from all the rest. I named him Dudley although that's not his official zoo name. 

He was such a lovely character and even poked his beak through the cage allowing me to stroke his head and bill. I don't recommend doing this to anyone as they can have a nasty nip.

The above animals were just a select few in the zoo. Every enclosure was well kept and well looked after. 

The shots below are a select few of some animals within the zoo that I found interesting and one which I've not seen before.

This seal was yelling and posed for a photo!

A very rare TJ turtle 

Another rare human Joey

Little Passports - Japan

This month TJ received a letter from Japan with his Little Passports subscription. 

This month the parcel included:

A letter 
Postcard 
Sushi eraser 
Origami paper and instruction
Activities booklet 
Japan sticker for the passport
 Luggage tag 

Once opened TJ was raring to stick his stickers on his suitcase, filling in the activities sheet and practicing his origami skills.

Whilst TJ read the letter and postcard out loud I tried to make something with the origami, lets just say I made a massive mess with the paper and ended up making a small ball similar to the size of a ping pong ball. 

Looking at photo's is hard ...

Today I was looking through an old facebook account whilst Tj was sat next to me and I came across a photo of my oldest girl -scoobydoo. Tj immediately says look mom there's your baby girl which instantly started me blubbing. She was my world and my biggest fan as well as my confidant 8 years ago. I had Tj and she had a stroke, I couldn't cry when I put her to rest nor could I be sad. She meant everything to me and me so happy. She taught me how to love.

Yes I realise she was only a dog but growing up and having a few things happen to me. She helped every day she was there always wanting to be at my side through good times or bad times.

Memories can be cruel at times don't you think?

Do you ever get those days where your talking about someone and you had good memories about them?

Well I was chatting with an old friend from college today about an ex that I was like he was family from the word go. He was the guy that I wanted to protect, the guy I would've done anything for.

Well I decided to do a little facebook stalking today after reminiscing about the past and I really wish I hadn't. I was already feeling down this morning, after seeing his photos and pictures on their with a puppy of the dog that I wanted and pictures of him and his partner. I now feel miserable.
I wish I hadn't looked but I'm glad he's happy - kind of.

Since seeing this guy I have not dated anyone. It's now been nearly 2 years since we split up and I'm still on the look out for my gentleman.
I'm not rushing due to past relationships and how they acted.
I want to find that guy that holds the door, the chair. The guy that will be there for me no matter what.

I miss the ex and what he stood for.
Maybe one day I'll find a guy that can make me happy again.

For now I'll just think of happy times, oh and think about my next trip to the USA and what plans I can make whilst away. 

TJ received his Little passports letter.

This morning TJ received his second little passports letter through the post, the only other time I've seen him so excited to see post come through was when he was getting ready to open a Disney parcel. I love seeing this look of excitement in his eyes.

          Inside today's parcel came from Brazil 

• a letter
•  a couple of stickers
•  an amethyst stone
•  a post card
• quiz pages ( for use with the map)

After inspecting each piece and reading through the letter twice TJ cracked on with the questions.

bringing the map down off the wall and placing it on the table. The first thing TJ asks is how do you unscramble letters.

Taking his time to work out the puzzles he soon finished, and worked out where our little friends were going next to eat.

 Each month is a new country and we love to research a little bit more then what we receive in the little passports package.

Next month is Japan.

Old photo's

I was recently looking through a history book of where I live in Poole, to see what information there is about my family when I came across this old photo.
The 2 young boys at the back are my dad and uncle, in the pushchair is another uncle. The boy at the front nobody seems to recollect who he is and it doesn't say any name in the book either.
In the same book my dad has a monkey that used to be down Poole town on his shoulder. My Dad dislikes monkeys for what reason I'm not sure but he definitely doesn't dislike them in this photo.

So here is my question to you.
Have you ever been surprised by photos that have been published of family members that you've not seen before?

Stewarts garden centre - Wimborne

Going to Stewarts Garden centre is soon becoming a holiday favourite trip for an hour or two in the last few weeks running up to Christmas. 

With festive decorations around the shop, two live reindeer and a Santa's grotto. It's very popular with children and adults to visit.

 TJ unfortunately this year has decided he doesn't want his picture taken with a santa look a like and is waiting to catch the real santa Christmas eve.  

On display is this fantastic restored vw camper with elves and santa dotted around inside and out. An electric Thomas the tank engine which children or adults alike can push a button to make it go around the vw camper on its track.

Christmas decorations are throughout the shop and although slightly higher priced then some shops it's peaceful and relaxed atmosphere create a lovely shopping experience.

When visiting the tea shop, a pot of tea for two was plenty - we managed six cups out of the two pots that were provided.

We choose to sit next to the back door although a slight draft coming from people going in and out the door it was the best seats. The reindeer were just outside the door playing and tossing the straw across their paddock area hunting for food, which TJ found hilarious. 

Viva las vegas!

After a long and very stressful 2 weeks I'm finally off to Las Vegas.
The trip to the airport and check in went really quickly as for the plane journey 10 hours without much leg room (and I'm short) and the middle seat of three.
Have to hand it to virgin staff they were lovely throughout the flight. Very friendly, helpful and up for a quick talk whenever they could.
The inflight programmes were very good and it just so happened the book I've been reading the last few months was one of the inflight movies. So of course I finished my book off and watched the movie. Every second of the movie had me enthralled. And I fell in love again with the main rodeo rider. The movie by the way was "the last ride".
The flight continued and I watched "Spy" which while I found Jason Statham to be hilarious the rest of the movie wasn't that good.
On the descent to Las Vegas airport the sights of the Grand Canyon were fenominal and I could see it out of both windows. The views definitely made up for the boredom on the flight.

Painting a room.... or 2!

This week I have been determined to paint my hallway and living room.
So far so good I'm the living room. As for the hallway I'm on the 4th coat of white paint still trying to cover up that dark dank magnolia!
We decided to paint it white to lighten up the thin corridor and add white accessories in time. It's definitely a lot brighter but until the carpets are down we won't be able to tell how much difference there will be ..... roll on Saturday.

Saying goodbye.....

Saying good bye to loved ones is never easy. In my case last night I had to say goodbye to my 13 yr old lab cross springer.
When you wake up to find her shaking in pain in the corner of the room, and every time you go near her she moves away. It's the sudden thought that her time on this planet is up.

At 5.25pm last night my oldest girl was put out of her pain by the vet. After a hard decision of whether to operate or not I decided it would not be fair on her.

Have you had to make this hard decision before?
It's the worst part of owning an animal. It's the hardest part of owning an animal.

In the end I, myself know I made the right decision and no matter how hard a choice I know now she's pain free.

So to the vet I would like to say a big thank you for being respectful and patient.