Another Busy Day

We just seem to be running out of hours at the moment.  The schools' orienteering event at Knottingley today was very short on helpers so we offered our services and combined the trip with a visit to Mary for a cuppa and choccy biccies. 

Thankfully much of Storm Freya had gone through although it was still very breezy on the school playing field as we struggled to fix the tent!  There was something of a lull and time for Tony's sausage rolls and a shared cup of tea from the flask then suddenly we were surrounded by enthusiastic youngsters.  I was introduced to Howard, the teddy bear and very special mascot of one school.  I learned that he was wearing his sports gear today, but he also had a school uniform and an outfit for when he attended Forest School.  Howard had just returned from a trip to Tanzania where he left his cousin with the twinned school there.  His cousin was given an African name meaning Hope.  Howard was obviously a much loved bear.  I rather liked his mini training shoes.

Then we were off and it was pretty manic for the next ninety minutes.  Half way through, I asked one very small girl if she and her partner just had one control left to find.  She looked at me very seriously and said, 'We have had a bit of a dilemma I'm afraid....'  I didn't get the explanation as the other half of her team arrived and she was flying off across the field in the wake of her partner.

As suddenly as the starting whistle went, we were finished and rolling in the tape and dismantling the tent and heading home, just as the sky darkened and it began to rain.  We stopped off in Otley for bird food and shopping, and took the decision to get fish and chips as neither of us had the energy left for cooking.

So this is a quick blip out of the bedroom window, zooming in on our village centre, before bathtime and a very welcome cup of tea (and a piece of Tony's apple pie) and Only Connect on the tv.