Bless me LJ for I have sinned. It has been seven days since my last update.
There is plenty of stuff to report. In fact there was last week too before I got mired in the mess that was the mad contraception=abortion insanity in the US.
We spent a chunk of last week with my MIL and family and friends in Dublin. BB has got to the 'tiring' stage for holidays. He is insatiably curious and adventurous and totally unconcerned with potential hazards. IE. he is a toddler! Well done BB! You are graduating. I think that much of the so-called Terrible Twos is not toddler malice but more their combination of super high energy levels and their burning urge to investigate EVERYTHING in deadly combination with their limited communication skills and blithe, living-in-the-present inability to be swayed by such concepts as 'it will break' 'it will bite' 'you will hurt it' or even 'it will kill you'.
It was a less than relaxing break really with that aspect factored in but we did stuff nonetheless. DD and Mr Wol spent a very pleasant time at the Urban Beach (I kept BB away from that delight as I didn't really want him to fall into George's Dock). It wasn't Paris Plage but fun and not too busy. We rode the LUAS - a must for DD - and went to various parks and also braved the crowds at the aZoo.
I do have to put in a word for how immeasurably improved Dublin Zoo is. Back in the 1980s it was a bit grim, short of space, a dumping ground for insane circus animals and really, really short of cash. The place is hardly recognizable now and they are still improving. The first thing that strikes you is the planting. Forests of amazing plants line all the routes which means that you never quite know what is coming round the next corner - fun - and even when it is busy with summer crowds it is not massively noisy as the hedges absorbs kiddie squeals a treat. The place is nearly double the size. There are baby animals everywhere - always a good sign. The cages and enclosures are full of interesting things for the animals to do and they all have places to get away from the public gaze if they want (with the possible exception of the sea lions - they seem to be stuck out in public) and some of the cages are so full of plants you have to really look HARD to spot the animals who are busy hunting aphids and spiders and other fun things. It is worlds apart from what it used to be and although some of the visitor amenities could do with a revamp (especially some of the newer bits which do not seem to be weathering very well at all) I am still well impressed.
DD is off at Fota camp this week - which does not seem as good as the Dublin Zoo camp - next year! so I am revelling in my comparative freedom. Holidays are rapidly running out! WOW!
We spent a chunk of last week with my MIL and family and friends in Dublin. BB has got to the 'tiring' stage for holidays. He is insatiably curious and adventurous and totally unconcerned with potential hazards. IE. he is a toddler! Well done BB! You are graduating. I think that much of the so-called Terrible Twos is not toddler malice but more their combination of super high energy levels and their burning urge to investigate EVERYTHING in deadly combination with their limited communication skills and blithe, living-in-the-present inability to be swayed by such concepts as 'it will break' 'it will bite' 'you will hurt it' or even 'it will kill you'.
It was a less than relaxing break really with that aspect factored in but we did stuff nonetheless. DD and Mr Wol spent a very pleasant time at the Urban Beach (I kept BB away from that delight as I didn't really want him to fall into George's Dock). It wasn't Paris Plage but fun and not too busy. We rode the LUAS - a must for DD - and went to various parks and also braved the crowds at the aZoo.
I do have to put in a word for how immeasurably improved Dublin Zoo is. Back in the 1980s it was a bit grim, short of space, a dumping ground for insane circus animals and really, really short of cash. The place is hardly recognizable now and they are still improving. The first thing that strikes you is the planting. Forests of amazing plants line all the routes which means that you never quite know what is coming round the next corner - fun - and even when it is busy with summer crowds it is not massively noisy as the hedges absorbs kiddie squeals a treat. The place is nearly double the size. There are baby animals everywhere - always a good sign. The cages and enclosures are full of interesting things for the animals to do and they all have places to get away from the public gaze if they want (with the possible exception of the sea lions - they seem to be stuck out in public) and some of the cages are so full of plants you have to really look HARD to spot the animals who are busy hunting aphids and spiders and other fun things. It is worlds apart from what it used to be and although some of the visitor amenities could do with a revamp (especially some of the newer bits which do not seem to be weathering very well at all) I am still well impressed.
DD is off at Fota camp this week - which does not seem as good as the Dublin Zoo camp - next year! so I am revelling in my comparative freedom. Holidays are rapidly running out! WOW!