Today I turned 43 and the plan for my birthday was a trip to the seaside. Everything was sorted out ready last night and put in to the boot of the car but when we got up this morning it looked as though we were in for a day of rain. I checked the weather forecast for where we were heading and it had given rain there too. We wanted to go somewhere with some shelter from the weather and we decided on Monkey Forest thinking that the trees would keep us relatively dry. Plus it was somewhere we had never been before and it got Little L's vote.
Monkey Forest is home to Barbary macaque monkeys which roam freely through woodland. There were information boards dotted throughout as well as guides all along the pathways ready to explain why the monkeys were acting a certain way and to answer any questions.
At the moment they have seven babies which were drawing a lot of attention. We were told not to get too close to these because if the mother felt threatened the male boss monkey in the group would jump to their defense.
A group which acted like a gang of unruly teenagers also drew a crowd with their tree swinging and play fighting antics.
Even though it was quite busy it wasn't overcrowded and there was no jostling for a spot to see a monkey. The admission price wasn't bad either especially when I've compared it to other places to visit as a family. We would certainly go again.
On the way home we nipped into Dagfields which is an antiques and craft centre. I've been coming here for years when it was nowhere near the size it is now and you could pet piglets and lambs in a barn. Now this was a bit of a gamble where Little L was concerned as she had never been anywhere like this before, she would either love it or hate it. We knew Caleb would like it because he has been into vintage shops with us before and loves them.
Little L fell in love with everything from the minute she walked into the place from horse brasses to bundles of Brooke Bond tea cards. This kid had 2 whole pounds burning a hole in her pocket. All I heard from her was .. wow .. woah .. look at this ..
and this was one of her 'look what I just found ' moments.
Caleb couldn't stop laughing at the style of old house telephones but he was drawn to carnival glass which he says is 'well cool' and old kitchen utensils of all things. Both Caleb and myself were in our element looking at all the old cameras ( I love old analogue cameras ) Typewriters were a magnet to them both.
We didn't buy anything but Little L came away with a toy motorbike and helicopter. Seems we have another little magpie on our hands. I'll probably see two out of my three children on an episode of Hoarders one day.
Oh, I almost forgot .. there was no rain where we went today even though it was forecast but where we live it rained all day. Maybe we should have chanced the seaside after all, I don't know. What I have noticed lately is that I seem to be getting a tad obsessed with looking at weather forecasts when we plan to go anywhere. Maybe its something that comes with age.
