Camp's not to be sneezed at
Vanessa went camping last weekend as part of the cubs' district camp (as a volunteer helper, not one of the kids!)
You just know they're going to be a series of ups and downs, extreme weather and mishaps.
I've often wondered how the Mediterranean branch of the Scouts manages with little rain and predictable, and delightful, weather.
Very well, I imagine.
As it is, she had to take a ridiculous amount of pills, potions and changes of clothing for every occasion.
It started with a trip to the chemist – her hay fever's started to run amok – and when she went to put up the tents on Thursday, found out that the entire campsite was surrounded by rapeseed oil fields in full bloom.
The there was the insect repellent (it's next to a river), sun tan cream, after-sun lotion, etc, etc.
And clothes-wise, everything from swimming costumes to waterproofs!
She arrived back on the doorstep early on Sunday evening, absolutely drenched to the skin.
In true British tradition, it had been so hot on Saturday that they'd all gone for a swim in the river.
And ironically, they all ended up just as soaking on Sunday – thanks to a prolonged downpour.
Well, at least it wasn't torrential rain all the time like last year – where one of the leaders had to resort to wearing carrier bags in between her socks and walking boots in a vain attempt to stop trenchfoot!
Nick is a master of the backhanded compliment.
One of my friends has just become a gran, which I find frightening enough in itself.
Mind, there are three whole years between us (oh my God, that's just a terrifying matter of months).
Nick loves her to bits, especially because she has had a succession of cars he deeply approves of and she doesn't tell him to shut up when he rabbits on about the shape of axles and the most efficient wheel nuts to use, etc.
When I told him she'd become a gran, he said: "That's impossible! She looks much younger than you!"
Actually, forget the backhanded compliment. I think I was on the wrong end of an insult.
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Print this page- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
