Zoo with Nino and Alana photoshoot

Thursday was a trip to the zoo with Nino. I bought an annual pass so we can go anytime. Nino loves the dinosaur trail. We took a little picnic and had a lovely couple of hours there. 

Today I took a few photos of Alana. She's growing so fast. Little cutie pie she is. 

Beach time with Nino

I'm going to try my best to write here at least once a week, so here goes. I took Nino to watch the Starlings last week and he was more interested in collecting shells. I parked the car on a side street and we got the tram to North pier. The conductress gave Nino his own ticket in a little folder which was so nice of her (he also got one on the way back  minus the folder) 

It was a lovely, mild evening but the sun had disappeared once we got there. We still enjoyed ourselves though. I love this time of year when there are almost no holidaymakers. I'm very grateful that people still like to visit Blackpool, but I do love the peace and quiet and having the beach almost to ourselves. Nino had fun collecting shells while I watched the starlings. They're really starting to build up now. More and more of them are coming in to roost. By the end of February there will be thousands of them, then by March they'll disappear again until about October. I took a few photos and a couple of videos of the evening.

I spent a lovely half an hour holding Alana just before taking Nino to the beach. She gave me the most beautiful smile. How did I get so lucky to have two such gorgeous Grandchildren when I thought I'd never have any? Love them both so much ♥

Today I crocheted Alana a little hat with some left over wool. I can't wait to see her in it. 

Whilst sorting through my boxes in the loft I came across a few poems that I wrote years ago. They're not brilliant, but I'm writing them all in a book to leave to my Grandchildren. I like to think they'll read them one day in the distant future and think of me :) I did have one published about 20 years ago in a book titled Out of This Word. It's called Son and it was about my brother's adoption. It was part fact/part fiction and I got top marks for it when I entered it for my English GCSE in later life..

'Till next time :) 

Nino Time

Today I spent the morning in the loft sorting more boxes out. I'm such a hoarder! I have cards from the births of my 3 kids up to their teens. Clothes, shoes and all sorts of things that I kept for them over the past 40 odd years. I'm putting them in plastic containers for them and when I'm gone they can do what they want with them. I just can't bear to part with their things after keeping them for so long. 

I had a little tea break and sat in my rocking chair for a few minutes looking out at my garden (my happy place). While I was there a pair of Blue Tits and a pair of Great Tits came to the feeder. They've been coming for a while now, and every so often both pairs check out the nest boxes. Looking hopeful for this year's nesting season. I managed to get a bit of video of both pairs. There's also a beautiful pair of Blackbirds coming every day, and I caught the male eating bits of an apple that I threw out yesterday. 

Mario came round with Nino for a couple of hours. Nino ended up staying so we played shops, then I took him on the tram to the pier to watch the starlings come in to roost. Not so many of them just yet, but soon there will be thousands of them. It was bitterly cold so we didn't stay long. He wanted to go on the comedy carpet, so I took a photo of him with my favourite Morecambe and Wise saying, Bring me Sunshine. It began to rain soon after I took the photo, so we got the tram back to my car then I took him home. He wanted to come back with me but it's hard work when I have Aniello poorly. At least the swelling in Aniello's knee has gone down and he's managing to walk now. He even came downstairs for the first time in 4 days. 

Love this photo of my little Ruby Roo lying by the radiator with the sun just lighting half of her face ♥

I'm now all cosy in bed writing this and I'm going to catch up on a fabulous series called Stay Close. It stars one of my favourite actors, James Nesbitt, and parts of it were filmed in Blackpool. It's really good so far. That's all for now...