Monday 23 June 2008

Going someplace soon

We book a week's holiday in a caravan in Cornwall. This is OK, except that I want to go to Devon, Tiger wants to go to Dorset, Shark wants to go anywhere there is sea, and Squirrel doesn't care because she is lying on the sofa, ill. I argue that Jol is in Devon where I could have some quality chat. Tiger says there is a stegosaurus hiding in the Dorset rocks, and it may still growl. She would quite like to find it. Shark says she wants to get her hands on some dolphins, and Squirrel is making a funny hhhfffflll noise.

Anyway, none of the arguments matter because Dig has won. We're going to Cornwall. I say it will rain. I console myself that having the Atlantic tipped on our heads is better than what will happen in late July when floods of schooled kids will be washing over all the UK, sending holiday prices for their beleaguered parents shooting skywards. Look carefully at the stars because in August you can see the pound signs entering the stratosphere. You don't have to wonder much why the Grit and Dig family home educate when you witness the rocketing cost of a school holiday caravan, and one in North Wales at that. We home educate because we are mean.

Anyway, apart from serving the objectives of escaping UK holiday August, and doing home educational stuff on communications, the Atlantic Ocean and rain, a caravan holiday in Cornwall will also be about working together as a family.

On this last point I am not absolutely sure. I watched the TV programme about triplets on Channel 4 and the point about the relentless competition over everything is spot on. We have had rotas here about who walks through a door first. Can you believe that! The arguments got so bad over first-place access to the front door that it routinely ended in a brawl and fisticuffs at the threshold, kids rolling around on the floor yelling and screaming, daddy Dig shouting threats about never going through doors ever again, and mummy Grit stepping over three small screaming bodies in tears wondering at which point life had become a prison sentence.

So what better than a trip to a caravan in Cornwall in the rain. The first challenge to test the family mettle, is the six hour drive to get there. This will probably will feel like a six hour drive through the pit of hell. Please don't suggest a DVD.

We leave on Saturday. Who knows. We could all work very well together as a family and learn a lot about rain. Or the children may all kill each other by Monday. And we may be divorced by Tuesday.

7 comments:

Suburbia said...

Cornwall is wonderful and there's loads to do in the rain. Trust me we have experienced it several times!! However the weather will be beautiful next week and the beach perfect and there may even be dolphins, or at least basking sharks to see.
Try Gwithian beach for beauty and surfing. Priests cove for pretend dragon eggs! Glendurgan garden for a great maze to get lost in. Most of all though try the bakeries for scrummy pasties! You can tell, I'm already there with you!

Good luck and I hope you have a great time :-)

Lynn said...

Have a great week,hope squirrel gets better quickly and can enjoy the whole bonding, working as a team thingy;-)) xx

the mother of this lot said...

Having done Cornwall with five kids, I'm hoping for the first option but betting on the latter.

Good luck!

Kitty said...

Cornwall ... *sigh* ... I haven't been since I was a child. I don't envy you the 6 hour drive with smalls in the back, but I do envy you the destination. Surely for at least ONE of those evenings, Dig could babysit whilst you wander down to the sea for some 'you' time?

Have a lovely time. x

Grit said...

thank you for these tips suburbia, i shall be scrutinising the map immediately.

yes lynn, we are a team! go team go! i could be a cheerleader.

oh dear motl, i am doomed... but thank you for the luck; we may need it.

hi kitty! it is only the thought of the destination keeping me going!

sharon said...

We had a couple of holidays in Cornwall/Devon when the boys were young and it is just so lovely there. Took the older one out of school for a week so we could miss the crowds. Loads of things to do and see. Some of them are even free. And, yes, we had rainy days too. I'm sure you'll all enjoy it, especially if you can do what Kitty suggests and have a tiny bit of time to yourself. Also spent time there when I was young and fancy free but that is another story altogether, all I will say is 'stay away from the scrumpy'!

Bridget said...

This post made me laugh. We have five children under 10, we can't live in a four-bedroomed house with them, yet we regularly go away together in our caravan, swearing never to do it again... until the next time. Best of luck!