Hoo Farm is closed

Hoo Farm is closed

Hoo Farm opens on the 22nd March, for the lambing. I thought it was earlier and sell it to Esme and Bradley... As usual Mummy's right - Daddy's wrong. I don't note a sense of disappointment from them - we are after all on an adventure with Dad. It usually goes wrong. Esme suggests the zoo, too far says I. Bradley? "Quack-quacks." Good idea says I. Esme suggests something about the boats... OK we have a plan for...

Today's Sunday Adventure

We buy two loaves of the cheap bread, some sweets and set off for the park. As both are wearing wellies, we'll be OK in the mud and puddles. We feed the ducks at the usual place, near the bowling ally, where there's a fence and the ducks (really Canada geese) aren't into it. I guess it's late and I see bits of bread already in the water. Me thinks they are full. Soon they tire of trying to force feed these geese and we wander into the skittle ally. Thence to the skating. I tell Esme that the people clasping on the side can't do it very good as we watch nests of them slowly move around the rink. Such puzzles her for a while. She wonders if the ones in the middle, who do it fast, can do it well. We both agree that that is probably the case. And what a wonderful sunny afternoon it is. Off to the big park!

We start off on the big slide. But Bradley is pushing in and Esme's being cheated on. The queue at the top is about a dozen deep. And Bradley takes ages to go down. Minutes seem like hours, I call to him to lie back and he moves slightly faster, paddling his way with his feet. We move to the smaller one, where the photo's taken.

On to the obstacle course. Esme can climb the ladder with ease now. Only been just before Christmas I has helping her up. She hides under the 'turret' in a little cubbyhole. And calls for me to find her. We move onto the shops. I have orders to buy new shoes for Bradley. Esme wants some too. We get trainers. Bradley's as good as gold with the Clarks lady. Me too, she's lovely. He trundles off to test them out, just as the lady says and checks them in the mirror too, going up on his tippy-toes a few times, tries jumping like a frog, and a horsey gallop back. I think he likes them. Everybody agrees they're nice. Which Bradley seems to keep muttering every now and then. "Hmmm. Niiiiice."

And end up in the play area. Great idea amongst the Telford shops. We spend an hour in there as I relax. I call Amanda... Another two hours till I'm relieved of duty. What to do now?

We go off to throw stones in the trout lake I know, and pop in to the pub on the way back. I know we're welcome in here - I first brought Esme on this trip when she was two. Before Bradley was born. Then just after. Then when he was one - just walking. Esme and I have a conversation about it, she remembers when she first came in, the owner's 10 yr boy brought down some of his toys for her to play with, and the staff brought out some pub quiz type games. Interesting that she remembers these things, I should ask her more about what she remembers.

On the way out, the land lady does something in the back with the horse, so we go down to see.

Esme's been concerned about foxes all day. On the way to our abortive mission to Hoo Farm, I mentioned that foxes were at Hoo farm, and she said, "and wolves." No they're at the zoo." I explain that foxes don't eat us all up, and other differences, like they eat chickens and small birds, definitely not people.

The landlady sorts out the ducks and chickens at the back, putting them in their coop for the night. Esme asks why. And the day comes full circle. Foxes.