A perfect parenting metaphor?

Apparently there is a common reason why people who drown in rivers do so - they get caught between two opposing currents, one going downstream, one going upstream. Now if this ever happens to you the perceived wisdom is that you should let yourself sink to the bottom and let the downstream current carry you away from the rapids before you try to come up for air?!

So there you have it, a perfect metaphor for parenting: sink, so you don't drown! As the Borg in Star Trek would say 'resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!'

As parents of two wonderfully full-time boys(!) we have no choice but to surrender to the madness!

Bottom line: as hard as it is now having two little dictators, when we're 80, sorry when I am 80 (Lisa will be 81!), we're not going to regret our 50 year old sons! I mean, am I going to wish that I played more golf, run more, or played more with the boys? Am I going to wish that I worked more, or spent time with my family?

Where is that white flag?!

Soooooo cool!

Things I've learnt (been reminded of) in the last fourteen days

1. A baby oyster is called a 'spat'.

2. I really love cycling.

3. We've got some crackin' friends.

3. A group of hippopotamuses is called a 'bloat'.

4. I've got a great family.

My Aunt Ann cooks a cracking cooked breakfast (but so does Lisa I add without hesitation to avoid any claims of unfavourable comparison!) while much appreciation heads to my cousins (who we unfortunately only see infrequently) and their spouses/family for the time taken to pop in and to garner some Infacol from 'somewhere' as Daniel threatened to blow!

5. Scotland is one beautiful (if rather wet) country!



It's fair to say that Lisa was hard pushed to tell the difference between summer in Scotland and autumn or winter!





6. Holidaying with two young boys doesn't always feel like a holiday?!

The shepherds cottage in the middle of nowhere would've been cracking if it was just Lisa and I, but when there are four of you in a two roomed 'house', you're all sleeping in one room and one of the four spends a large proportion of his time crying at full throttle (and it wasn't me!) then a time of relaxation is not always readily attainable! That said, it was beautiful and Joshua does look great (courtesy of generous, breakfast cooking Aunt)in his little 'wetsuit'!