![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Motley Crewe
Jan. 3rd, 2009 04:31 pmWell we got back from Crewe yesterday and it feels like we've been away for ages. It was as much as a holiday as a few days in Crewe can be I guess. Still, we got out and about so we weren't stuck in the house. We got there at about 4 o'clock on Monday and we opened our presents which turned out to be a good haul really. Bethany gets the award for the best though I think. She got hers from Poland when she went in November and bought us a cuddly gingerbread man (now named Bobski), a gingerbread man mug and some yummy Polish fudge. Tasty. She was telling us about the apple juice there that's flavoured with mint. As it's Crewe, my Dad could go to the Polish supermarket and so he got some for us to try. It smells like toothpaste but tastes ok surprisingly. Jonathan got me a mini Henry hoover too which is pretty good. James has taken a liking to the scarf my parents gave him too as well as the book they got so I think he was quite pleased.
James always moans that I never take him anywhere in Crewe when we visit (because it's crap obviously) so this time round I vowed to make an effort. So in the evening we went to Lac Thai which I've wanted to go to for ages. It turned out to be a good choice, especially as the shared starter came in a fancy bowl that had a bird made out of vegetables in it. Now that's service. They do a good curry as it turns out. James seemed to think it was really funny that his pudding was called Choc Ole due to the missing accent. Small things...etc. It was very tasty. James was facing Nantwich Road too which, as you can imagine is a treat, so our meal was occassionally filled with either, 'Christ, look at that fatty', or 'What the hell is she wearing?!' which made for a good time.
On Tuesday we headed ot Chester Zoo. I wanted to take James ever since I went in August as it's the best zoo I've been too. Zoos are still good in the winter although it was so incredibly cold that it was difficult to take many photos as A) you didn't want to take your gloves off and B) whenever you went into a warm area the lens fogged up! There were also a few animals that were indoors that we couldn't see such as the cheetah but this was counteracted by the fact that we saw all of the red pandas and both spectecled bears. In all our years of going to zoos whenever there's a bear or red panda we never get to see it so it was worthwhile. I've mentioned before that my pet hate at zoos is parents telling their kids wrong information. Well I mentioned to James during the day that I was impressed that the parents I'd heard so far had been very accurate with the information. Straight after this I heard one father say that the capybara was 'a giant hamster'. Yeah, just like the okapi is 'like a horse' I suppose'.
However, a good day was had by all. Chester Zoo is notable as you nearly always get to see the reptiles there which can often be hidden at other zoos, so that was great. And the orangutans were in a sociable mood. One had a baby and kept coming up to the windows. Beautiful. I did feel a little sorry for the flamingoes. Apparently they're rarely kept inside except when it's bitterly cold. Well due to the 0C temperature their lake was frozen so they were packed inside. Loads of them! The elephants fare better in the cold. I was talking to the keeper about them. Apparently the little ones still go swimming in winter. Nuts. Oh, and I must mention the two month old baby rhino they have. I hesitate to call him cute as after 20 million years of evolution and survival I think that exotic animals command a little more respect but still, he was adorable, and very energetic. A joy to watch. Oh, and they had a winter fare with ice skating which made the enterance look pretty good.
We got back in good time and Jonathan's girlfriend was round a little later so we ended up playing on the Wii. I got to play on the Wii Fit one day too. I don't make New Year's resolutions but this year I would like to get a little fit but I don't really want to leave the house to do it (!) so a Wii Fit would be good for me! Especially as I learned my weight because of it. Hmm. I'm not sure whether it's good or not to be honest.
Wednesday featured a trip into the town centre. Glad to see that the Christmas tree with lights thrown at is still there, although I do have to say that the extra four trees they've added with it do look quite good. On the other hand I'm gutted that the awful lights above Martyn Dawes are no more. I have to say that I didn't do well in the sales although I might have been put off by the really loud Big Issue woman. I did get my parent's birthday presents though so all was not lost. New Year's Eve Evening was spent playing the Here and Now Edition of Monopoly and watching the fireworks on the TV. The London celebrations do look better now the wheels theres. Without it we got the dire on at the Millennium.
New Years Day we did nothing really. My Dad cooked us all a nice meal though and we played two games of Cluedo and one of Pictionary Mania in the afternoon. Good stuff. We also watched Jonathan Creek in the afternoon. I love that show and pretty much everything David Renwick does so two hours of Alan Davies was good news!
Then yesterday we packed and then visited Nanna Connie and Nanna Oakes. I do worry about Nanna Connie. She getting more and omre confused. I know she's 94 but I think sometimes with elderly relatives it gets to the point where they're not who they know you are so I find visiting them quite hard really. My other Grandma's fine though, even with the brick being thrown through her window. Again. My Dad's side of my family is still as mad as ever. And the drug-addled cousin fiasco continues, which is not something that my Grandma should be putting up with. When he got out of Strangeways earlier in the year he stayed with her and has got a flat since, which has been burnt out now. I mean, for God's sake. And there are kids involved too so it's very messy. Although as my Grandma says, nothing shocks her now.
It's nice to be back I have to say as it seems like we've been away for ages but I did have a good time. Sometimes I miss being in a busy house although I do love where I live. We have'nt done much since. We watched Bugsy Malone today which I enjoyed. It could have be a horrendous Mini-Pops type affair if the kids weren't so good. I liked it. The songs aren't always that memorable but it was funny and quite convincing as a 30s type affair.
James always moans that I never take him anywhere in Crewe when we visit (because it's crap obviously) so this time round I vowed to make an effort. So in the evening we went to Lac Thai which I've wanted to go to for ages. It turned out to be a good choice, especially as the shared starter came in a fancy bowl that had a bird made out of vegetables in it. Now that's service. They do a good curry as it turns out. James seemed to think it was really funny that his pudding was called Choc Ole due to the missing accent. Small things...etc. It was very tasty. James was facing Nantwich Road too which, as you can imagine is a treat, so our meal was occassionally filled with either, 'Christ, look at that fatty', or 'What the hell is she wearing?!' which made for a good time.
On Tuesday we headed ot Chester Zoo. I wanted to take James ever since I went in August as it's the best zoo I've been too. Zoos are still good in the winter although it was so incredibly cold that it was difficult to take many photos as A) you didn't want to take your gloves off and B) whenever you went into a warm area the lens fogged up! There were also a few animals that were indoors that we couldn't see such as the cheetah but this was counteracted by the fact that we saw all of the red pandas and both spectecled bears. In all our years of going to zoos whenever there's a bear or red panda we never get to see it so it was worthwhile. I've mentioned before that my pet hate at zoos is parents telling their kids wrong information. Well I mentioned to James during the day that I was impressed that the parents I'd heard so far had been very accurate with the information. Straight after this I heard one father say that the capybara was 'a giant hamster'. Yeah, just like the okapi is 'like a horse' I suppose'.
However, a good day was had by all. Chester Zoo is notable as you nearly always get to see the reptiles there which can often be hidden at other zoos, so that was great. And the orangutans were in a sociable mood. One had a baby and kept coming up to the windows. Beautiful. I did feel a little sorry for the flamingoes. Apparently they're rarely kept inside except when it's bitterly cold. Well due to the 0C temperature their lake was frozen so they were packed inside. Loads of them! The elephants fare better in the cold. I was talking to the keeper about them. Apparently the little ones still go swimming in winter. Nuts. Oh, and I must mention the two month old baby rhino they have. I hesitate to call him cute as after 20 million years of evolution and survival I think that exotic animals command a little more respect but still, he was adorable, and very energetic. A joy to watch. Oh, and they had a winter fare with ice skating which made the enterance look pretty good.
We got back in good time and Jonathan's girlfriend was round a little later so we ended up playing on the Wii. I got to play on the Wii Fit one day too. I don't make New Year's resolutions but this year I would like to get a little fit but I don't really want to leave the house to do it (!) so a Wii Fit would be good for me! Especially as I learned my weight because of it. Hmm. I'm not sure whether it's good or not to be honest.
Wednesday featured a trip into the town centre. Glad to see that the Christmas tree with lights thrown at is still there, although I do have to say that the extra four trees they've added with it do look quite good. On the other hand I'm gutted that the awful lights above Martyn Dawes are no more. I have to say that I didn't do well in the sales although I might have been put off by the really loud Big Issue woman. I did get my parent's birthday presents though so all was not lost. New Year's Eve Evening was spent playing the Here and Now Edition of Monopoly and watching the fireworks on the TV. The London celebrations do look better now the wheels theres. Without it we got the dire on at the Millennium.
New Years Day we did nothing really. My Dad cooked us all a nice meal though and we played two games of Cluedo and one of Pictionary Mania in the afternoon. Good stuff. We also watched Jonathan Creek in the afternoon. I love that show and pretty much everything David Renwick does so two hours of Alan Davies was good news!
Then yesterday we packed and then visited Nanna Connie and Nanna Oakes. I do worry about Nanna Connie. She getting more and omre confused. I know she's 94 but I think sometimes with elderly relatives it gets to the point where they're not who they know you are so I find visiting them quite hard really. My other Grandma's fine though, even with the brick being thrown through her window. Again. My Dad's side of my family is still as mad as ever. And the drug-addled cousin fiasco continues, which is not something that my Grandma should be putting up with. When he got out of Strangeways earlier in the year he stayed with her and has got a flat since, which has been burnt out now. I mean, for God's sake. And there are kids involved too so it's very messy. Although as my Grandma says, nothing shocks her now.
It's nice to be back I have to say as it seems like we've been away for ages but I did have a good time. Sometimes I miss being in a busy house although I do love where I live. We have'nt done much since. We watched Bugsy Malone today which I enjoyed. It could have be a horrendous Mini-Pops type affair if the kids weren't so good. I liked it. The songs aren't always that memorable but it was funny and quite convincing as a 30s type affair.
