Happy 2nd Birthday Lola...

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Today is Lola's 2nd birthday.  She was a bit non-plussed by the fact but we made a fuss of her regardless with a new toy, treats and plenty of cuddles I was barred from selling out Amazon of dog toys like I did for her first birthday.

Jordan appeared at our chalet just after 8am with breakfast of toasted pancakes and poached eggs for David, curtesy of Ally (none for me, they knew I'd still be thinking of getting up at that time :-))  Hope he doesn't start expecting such service when he gets home.   I fear disappointment looms if he does!  :-))

After breakfast it was time for the zip wire!

Alan, David, Jordan and Andrew all had a go.  Ally got all the gear on and hooked up but as soon as they began hoisting her up and she felt her feet leave the platform she decided this wasn't her cup of tea at all and screamed to get down politely declined to go any further.

The rest of them loved it although their euphoria was slightly marred by the cloud of midges waiting to feast on them at the end of the wire.  Jungle Formula was used everyday thereafter!

After lunch it was time for Alan's favourite...the King Swing (Alan's first go in 2016)

Ally and Andrew had already announced their decision not to take part, although Andrew had all the gear on just incase he changed his mind.

Up first was Tony, son of our friends Eileen and Michael who are also here this week.  Tony is fearless and wanted to swing from full height from the get go!

Alan and Jordan were up next.  It amazes me how still Alan sits to let the instructors get all the equipment on him and get him positioned properly.  It takes about 20-25 minutes and normally he wouldn't have the patience for such faffing, so his tolerance of it is a good indicator of how much he want to do it!

They started with a half height swing...whoosh...before moving onto a full height swing...WHOOSH!!!!!... with poor Jordan being heard to exclaim, in a rather panicked fashion, oooooooh this is High!!!!!!!!  :-)))

5...4...3...2...1... release!  Woooo hoooo!  Alan in his element.

It was at this point the Andrew said he'd decided he wasn't going to do it and I reassured him that was absolutely fine.  He didn't have to do anything if he didn't want to.

Fast forward 10 minutes and the instructor had persuaded him to get hooked up to the swing with David, and he would just give it a gentle push manually.  After a few gentle swings he got off and again I could have cried at seeing his self esteem rise.  He was so proud of himself for trying, as were we.  I couldn't tell him enough how proud we are of him for not only trying all the activities, but doing brilliantly!  What a star!  Conquering his fears in style! :-))

David was signed up for at least a half height go on the swing so the instructor asked Tony if he wanted another go (yes!) so he joined David.  It was only as the electric pulley was hoisting them into position that David realised that Tony would not be content with half height measures, and they were heading for a full height swing.  I had also realised this and was breathless laughing at the look on David's face as the swing got higher and higher!  To be fair he managed not to scream like teenage girl at a One Direction concert!  :-))

After all that excitement they guys headed out for a drive then on to the pub again for dinner.

Back at our chalet Eileen and Michael joined us for dinner with me making the starter and dessert and Eileen bringing the main course.  Had a lovely evening catching up with them.

Andrew arrived back just before midnight hyper because they'd been playing Monopoly and him and Ally had ganged up on poor Jordan (lending each other money and selling property to each other) till they bankrupted him!

It's a tough world out there!  :-))