Thursday, October 25, 2007

Half Term

How quickly this week has passed. A trip to the grandparents at the seaside coincided with a couple of gorgeous autumn days. I love the beach in summer as much as the next person, but there's something great about enjoying it in the low sun all wrapped up.


Granny (the expert) led the boys in a crabbing adventure -six in total! Apparently crabs love bacon - I never knew that.
We staked personal claims on our favourite beach huts.



And had earnest conversations on the true meanings of signs.



Luckily it was too chilly for the nudists, or Mark would have been asking them all about it too. Seven years of parenting and I still find myself fumbling for answers to so many of his questions. Actually, perhaps I'm getting worse.

So what have your kids stumped you with recently?

21 comments:

Mrs Moog said...

I love the beach off season far more than in summer. The cold sea air really blows the cobwebs away.
My two are going easy on the questions at the moment but I'm having to contend with them using fake 'swear' words ie. substituting a bad word with one that sounds very much like it - usually when I'm just within earshot.
I've just had to do the stern don't do it ever again talk!!
Love 'em!!

Megan said...

Those are all great photos, but that one in the wellies by the water is super! I guess it's a sign of the times we live in, but Alex recently asked me, "Mama, how does Google know everything?" Uh...ask Papa...

Anonymous said...

I was asked this morning over pancakes (gold medal please) by No 2, 5yrs old, "mum, do you always believe me?"

ehm....

Do I say no and ruin him for life or do I say yes and open the way for some major lies coming my way?

We were distracted by No 3 and I avoided the issue...

Children are scary.

dottycookie said...

We're at the seaside too - great fun, but cooold.

I'm trying to think of something specific they've asked recently but to be honest they leave me lost for words much of the time! Little one just asks "Why?" to everything I say - over and over and over ...

Anonymous said...

Oh I love going to the beach in the off season too! Something about the crisp clean air. So refreshing.

My son {who is 5} has been asking me about meat... like, chicken, is it really a chicken? How? What's a hot dog made of? oh man, tough tough tough!

Ragged Roses said...

I love the beach in the winter! Having a teenager around the place, means it's my turn to come up with embarassing questions for her - easy pickings!!!
Kim x

Anonymous said...

Having been present at her sister's homebirth, not to mention alive to witness that pregnancy, Lola is very aware of the ins and outs of how babies grow and are born. The details of conception were a bit more ambiguous though until about a year ago when as we were putting on our coats to leave for school she abruptly asked, "Mama, how are babies made?" I began to answer with what had, up to that point, been my usual schpeal (...it takes something from a man and something from a woman...a sufficient explanation...up to that point...) when Lola interrupted me with, "But Mama, how does the baby get IN the mama's belly???" I can't say that the question stumped me. I'm perfectly well aware of how a baby gets in a mama's belly what with being 37 and having housed two babies myself. It just wasn't something I was expecting to be asked at 8:15 in the morning. My response, for those who are wondering, was "Lola, I would love to discuss that with you but it's going to take a little longer than the five minutes we have before we need to leave." Promptly after dropping her off, I high-tailed it to the library to find an appropriate book on the matter. If anyone needs suggestions, I now have a few.

Lala said...

Hi Ali!!! You take the most beautiful pictures!!! Love the shot of the WELLIES!!!

Hmmmmmm... over here on this side of the pond we don't refer to is as "naturism"... LOL... but we do point and stare (and laugh)... was on a Long Island beach walking and looked up and WOWZA... got an eyeful!

Lala :o)

Louise said...

Lovely photos Ali! Lucinda is my question asker. How does this work? Why does that happen? What's that for? I'd love to know what's going on in her head sometimes!

Anonymous said...

My kids are grown so they've not stumped me with anything. However, I can share another tidbit that crabs like to eat--fried chicken. Weird, but true.

tess said...

we love the beach in winter too, and you chose a great beach hut. Children huh - recently my brothers cat died, and our children were very fond of it we went round to partake in the burial, and to say goodbye. but first my son wanted to know how "how do you know she is dead"? always questions!

Bev and Ollie "O" said...

Which beach is this? I am from Herne Bay and it looks near there, maybe Hampton or Whitstable?
I think my Grandad or Dad might have told me that crabs like bacon. Did you eat the crabs after? mmmmm

Anonymous said...

Over breakfast (pre 7 am) Joe asked how does a roller coaster stay on the track when it is upside down. Tony (genius husband) just said 'centrifugal force' and that was the end of the conversation!

Anonymous said...

that sign is so British. Looks like fun.

Unknown said...

I used to go crabbing in Walberswick (Suffolk) when I was small. The national Crabbing competition is there every year, and you can even get T-Shirts with 'I caught Crabs in Walberswick' on (well, you used to be able to, I am presuming people have cottoned on to the double meaning these days!) The best way to catch a crab is a nice bit of string with a fat bit of bacon rind tied on - they just can't resist!

I just re-read that and realised I am full of totaly useless information. hahaha!!!

pinkgreen said...

I wish I'd known about the bacon this summer - we didn't get a single bite when we went crab fishing in Lyme Regis. I love the beach in Winter too - I like having it to ourselves and wrapping up warm.
I am reading 'What Katy Did' to Grace at bedtime, and I had forgotten that there is a bit about Katy and Aunt Izzie putting presents in the stockings. I am still waiting for the questions about why Santa didn't do it. It's only a matter of time.
Cathy X

pixiegenne said...

that sign is great. charlie recently asked jane "why do you think homer (from the simpsons) is so mean to bart?"

feather nester said...

Who doesn't love bacon?!? The beach looks beautiful, especially from here in the desert where I am sooooo ready for the weather to cool down, but we're still at 88, yuk!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness!!! I'd stake my life you were in Tankerton - I'd know that sign (and remember explaining it to Aimee..ahem!) and that beach anywhere as its the home of our much loved Beach Hut which was sadly sold pre-Singapore move...

I can't tell you how much I miss going there and what a joy it was to think of you guys down there enjoying a beautiful October day on my favourite english beach.

Last time we went there to clear out the hut, husband gave me a beautiful eternity ring whilst we sat on the beach with the kids running around us on a chilly spring morning. Then we went to Whitstable and had fish and chips for tea, wonderful stuff! It really was a day to remember - oh gosh i'm crying and england seems soooo far away now!

Enjoy the last couple of days of half-term - its the big xmas stretch coming up now. Brace yourselves ladies!!!!

Joanna said...

that looks so lovely really beautiful. I was asked the other day how gravity works?????

Di said...

I too love the off season on the beach - of course in Scotland 363 days a year = the off season!! I don't think any british childhood is complete without wellington boots so that photo makes me smile a lot!! Gone are the days of plain black wellies!!