Piggyback

Ooh-errr, Missus!

We walked to Woolacombe to have a gander at the national sandcastle-building competition today and came across this bit of how's yer father going on on the path. (I tried to take photos of the sandcastle building but people kept getting in the way and I knew that Richard was stressed looking after a dog who didn't understand why he couldn't help with the digging, so I gave up)

Because of the size difference, Tess assumed this was a mummy beetle giving a baby beetle a ride and wasn't at all phased (or interested!) when I said I thought it was more likely they were a male and a female mating, although she thought it was odd that the female was bigger. I said any female with any sense will mate with someone smaller than themselves, but she'd stopped listening by then. The poor female beetle was trying to walk away and the male was hanging on for dear life. Nature is brutal!

I was totally thrilled that Gemma agreed to come with us and even gave Tess a piggyback home across the beach. I can feel the time when our family will splinter getting closer all the time and I want to glue us all back together but I know it's already too late and the older two are (rightly) looking forward to their lives without us and spending as much time as possible apart from us already.

When you have young kids people tell you they grow up fast and you don't get it.

They grow up fast!

Richard's having a CT scan first thing tomorrow (to make sure he still has a brain) and has to be at the hospital by 8.30am. He seems pretty unbothered about the whole thing but is annoyed he can't have breakfast.

Could have done with a nice distracting drama on TV tonight but there's sod all on.

(and I didn't even mention the weather!)

:o)