Remember

Inspired by Mimi128's series on memorials and monuments,I went to visit the the War memorial in Greenhead Park.

The memorial, designed by Sir Charles Nicholson, was opened in 1924 to an enormous crowd. It dominates the main path through the park from Trinity Street, and I was surprised to find the gate open as it had been closed off to the public for many years following vandalism. Greenhead Park itself has recently been given a huge facelift; it is now closed at dusk (which has cleaned it up no end) - and the lake has been re-opened. We lived very near when the kids were babies, and I spent endless hours in that park. My son learned to ride a bike there, we used to go on the little steam train, ride the ponies, spend an eternity poking sticks into the old water fountain, paddle and eat a lot of ice-cream. I even made a very good friend there when we both used to push our new babies around with that dazed expression new mothers have. Today I took my new baby there, and discovered that taking photos with a dog in tow is not easy! But at least I didn't have to push her on the swing.

Other Lizzie news, she can now jump into the back of my car - woo hoo. But then she peed in the car, and tried to jump over the back seat (understandably) to escape the pee. She got stuck and I had to lift her questionably smelling hind quarters over the head rests. We went to the vet and she has a clean bill of health - apart from a slightly dry coat so I have to shampoo her. Mr kagsy came back from Marbella and immediately departed for Paris, so I will await his return to assist with the dog bathing. He's done sod all so far!

Finally, quote of the day from my son yesterday " we get shouted at for getting pasta sauce on the wall by the bin, yet the dog craps on the carpet and gets a cuddle". He's got a point. (By the way, it was all my fault, (the dog's peccadillo, not the kids') due to going distracted and busy and not taking her out for a long enough comfort break. So apart from the carpet and the boot of the car, all is well.


PS - please excuse me if I am quiet today, I have just got a quote to add my son (who is 17 this week) onto my car insurance policy and I am going to need to lie down in a darkened room for a while.