Canoeing on the Lea River

Over a week ago, on the Sunday, CBC and I had made plans with his brother to fulfil our Olympic water-based ambitions.  

So duly, on Sunday afternoon, we headed to the Olympic park to go to Moo canoes aboard the Milk Float to hire some Canoes for a few hours.

The Milk Float is a narrow boat which doubles up as a bar and eatery as well as hiring canoes.

On top of the Narrow boat, it is covered with fake grass, deck chairs and bunting so you can relax in the sun. CBC and I arrived first, so we snagged ice-creams.

Our partners in crime arrived...

We spotted the Boat's cat!

And looked out at the pretty views..

Cat began to wash its bum as they do when you watch them.

Next, we went to fetch our canoes and made our way along the Lee River until we reached the pub, the Princess of Wales in Stoke Newington where we moored up and had some lunch.

That's why they are called Moo Canoes...

The Princess of Wales was rather popular.

I dressed for the occasion and wore my Seaman's cap adored with pin badges.

I regretted wearing CBC's waterproof coat as the sun was out.

The other members of the party partook of beer.

I ordered some curly fries with pulled pork and sour cream and the veggies ordered these lentil and beetroot burgers which I ended up eating some of.

The bar had some really fun decor such as Books wallpaper, these fun typography tiles and

A fox lampshade!

Soon we realised that we would have to return back along the river as we had a deadline for returning the canoes.

I've never canoed on a river with narrow boats before (or stonking great craft like this), so I was rather disconcerted by this one arriving.  That said, I have sea-kayaked with a dirty great Ladrolinja ferry behind me in Croatia which I recall was terrifying so maybe not so bad! They have right of way so you always need to go to their right. As they were already on the right, we just stayed still...

But we had to sit in the mire...

I made sure I had my camera on me on the return journey as it spent the way there in the waterproof bucket. The journey continued pleasantly along the river and we zoomed ahead of our companions!

There were many vessels along our journey which we ogled with great interest.

Ahoy there!

We passed under several bridges.

Passed yet more narrow boats.

Many examples of of intriguing graffiti pervade the area.  These robotic owl twins seemed to fix us with beady eyes as we passed.

I enjoyed the Silmarillion- a Tolkien fan no doubt!

We loved Boaty McBoatface the second!

More graffiti adorned the underside of this bridge. I was intrigued by EdwineGums!

I'll choose to ignore the addition to the sign!

There seem to be lots of teeth in the graffiti!!!

A serpent with a Santa hat? Why not?

And here we saw the Olympic Stadium as we reached the Milk Float again.

The runners-up in the race!

After we'd returned our canoes and I'd removed my aqua shoes and donned my gold Toms shoes, I looked for CBC and found Red Riding Hood on the bench.

Next, we headed to the Crate Brewery for a drink and some food (in some people's cases) where we saw the next lot of Grafitti artists in action.

The Kashmiri Dhal pizza was really tasty although I only had one slice to try it as I was still full of curly fries. I honestly don't know where those boys put their food!

There was the finished Graffiti after we had eaten.

Next, we headed to the Olympic Aquatic Centre where we had booked for a 7pm swim.

The pool looked really big and exciting. Whilst we were there, there were some Team Life Guard competitions going on in the other half of the pool.

Unfortunately, I discovered I had left my swimming costume somewhere and ended up buying a Speedo one from the shop which I wasn't best pleased about. Idiot!
The swim was good but we all could taste Dhal pizza as we were doing it- not the best choice before swimming. The lanes are divided according to speed but I couldn't seem to find one to match me. Dead slow was too slow, but the next lane was too fast! Alas.

As we walked back through the park to reach our car, I glimpsed the Doctor Whoesque  Toclafane again above our heads

FYI, if you are interested, Moo Canoes are quite expensive and cost £50 for 4 hours each.  The Olympic swim session cost £5.  I enjoyed the canoeing but I did think it was rather overpriced. Nonetheless, I am glad we did it, seized our last bit of Summer sunshine and got out there and got active!

Have you done either of these activities?

xx

Watercolour challenge

I am linking up to Tahdah Tuesday with the lovely Lakota!

I have talked about going to France but haven't posted photos yet - it always takes me so long to select, upload and rotate photos, that I always put it off for a couple of days, doing a bit at a time! Anyway, one family holiday activity that CBC's family have introduced me to is 'Watercolour challenge'.  The family went to France (Avignon maybe?) when CBC was little and they went into a French supermarket and bought a couple of sets of kiddie-water colours (you know, nothing special or swanky) and then the kids and J (Mum) found a picturesque spot to sit and they all painted the view.  Then, they got WOMOTM to judge which was the best one (sadly, CBC lost, despite having a charming, very good painting due to the fact he developed a penchant for the pink paint and painted several pink cars into the scene).

Fastforward 20 years or so to rural idyllic location in central France and we had Watercolour challenge with grownup CBC, Monkeygirl, J and respective other halves (me and S) painting the house or garden.


It was late afternoon on the Wednesday, pre-excursion to the Monsegur night market.  We each took our kiddie watercolour set and piece of art paper, lovingly purchased in the Carrefour supermarket and took a space in the garden.

It was a decidedly peaceful afternoon and as we sat there, trying to make muted earthly shades from the lurid pallette of colours by muddying them with black, the wind rustled the leaves on the tree, the hummingbird hawk moths buzzed around contentedly, the sun cast a glow over endeavours and all was right with the world.

It was only when we realised that we'd have to get to the nightmarket sharpish that finally the artists laid down their weapons and compared paintings.

(Clockwise from top-left:  CBC, J, S, MG)

 (and K)

(since I forgot to get a shot of me painting, I took one after.  Ignore the barbecue...)

Upon our return, I e-mailed WOMOTM and the other siblings and respective other halves who were not there to cast their judgement over our masterpieces.  It was a lovely exchange of e-mails, that for all of us competitors, now back at work, could remember the restful, serene afternoon of painting.

So..... cast your vote.  Which one do you think deserves to win and why?  

Watercolour challenge is a great activity and I strongly recommend it to anyone with kids or even a group of adults on holiday together!  We left the paints and remaining paperpad in a drawer for any future guests to the house to try the challenge with instructions in the guest book)

Christmas activities and quizzes for you with love from Kezzie x 2: Meanings connected to numbers

Hello all!  Hope you liked my Christmas tube quiz day one.  If you missed it- check here for a quiz connected to London's tube map.

Today's fun family activity is connected to numbers with meanings!   Take for example:

100 L on a C

Hmmm, 100 has lots of different associations. BUT 100 L on a C

Well, actually translated it is:

100 Legs on a centipede.

(technically, according to Wiki this is not so but I'm sure like me, you all believe the myth!)

So here is the rest of the quiz.

The number quiz round

Think historically, think mathematically, think cultural references- decipher what the letters mean in order for the phrase to make sense!


e.g. 4 C B in the T D of C = 4 calling birds in the twelve days of Christmas.


Or 100 C in a M = 100 centimetres in a metre

Clue:


10 G B H on the W


21: K to the D


24 B B in a P


12 D of C


100 D C= B P of W


1066 B of H


12 L of H


7 D S


7 W of the A W


52 C in a D of C


6 D of S


5 G R in the T D of C


1001 A N


366 D in a L Y


11 P in a F T


1760 Y in a M


14 P in a S


10 Y in a D


5 S on a P


13 in a B D

I have it as a Word document. Just leave me your e-mail address in the comments box if you want a copy of it (and the answers). I'll post the answers at a later date .

If you are unlucky enough to be stuck at work during the festive period with not much to do, also could be a good e-mail to send to friends!

Hope you enjoy it!  Let me know what you think (and that includes you random person who was searching for a polka dot dress on google!)
 
Wearing: Emma Watson for People Tree dress, M&S Sequin jeans, Shooting stars handkerchief (worn as scarf) and shooting stars cinema handbag both Cath Kidston.  Shoes- Tescos.  (Lost for a year and then found in the electric cupboard where the electric metre and all the fuses are!  Bizarre what one does to hide mess when trying to avoid the wrath of one's mother regarding said mess!)

Christmas activities and quizzes for you with love from Kezzie x 1: Tube map quiz

Hello there mi hearties!  Apologies for the Blog silence- this is due to lots of Christmas activities including packing, travelling to Northumberland and Northumberland activities thus far!  I'm having a lovely time so far including having painted a ceramic bowl at a Pottery workshop (5 hours we were there- FIVE!!!!) this morning!

As part of our Christmas celebrations up here, we have all agreed up here to provide a round for a big quiz.  I adore all the quizzes and games you can play with family at Christmas- it is the part of me that is still a child, that loves innocent, harmless fun!    Therefore, as my Christmas present to you (amongst others!)  I thought I'd upload my quizzes so you can share these with your family, if you like quizzes and fun interactive activities.
You can have a prize for each round (lucky dip?  Box of sweets?) or an overall prize.

Today's quiz is the DOWN THE TUBE quiz based on London's Underground.

If you would like to have a go at doing this quiz- you can download the London Underground Tube map from here  (useful to have a go at if you are considering coming to London- familiarise yourself with our illustrious train system!).  You could also do your own version based on your own train system. 

Disclaimer: SOME of these are made up by me (the bad ones like the Channel island one!)  some were ones I obtained in a quiz night some time ago so thank you to whoeever thought these up and I am sorry I can't acknowledge you directly.

I have it as a Word document.  Just leave me your e-mail address in the comments box if you want a copy of it (and the answers).  I'll post the answers at a later date .

If you are unlucky enough to be stuck at work during the festive period with not much to do, also could be a good e-mail to send to friends!

All the answers to the following riddles are the names of London Underground Tube stations.

CLUE:



An angry monarch


Make ‘em sick


Monks with dirty hands


Ecological vicars


Richard Whittington’s des. Res


Charred quercus robur.


Dorian’s domain?


Cockney rabbit ‘ole


Woof woof


Created a valley


A mound of dyslexic mosquitos


She was not amused.


A place to Live and Let Die!


Would you find a branch of Lloyds Bank here?


Babar and Balmoral


Could this be where the chief executioner lives?


Catches a rabbit by a stream


Alpine Dwelling


A university with a big top


Elliptical


Flockwatcher’s flora


Chelsea’s home by a stream


A lucky number of nuns


Where you cultivate calcium carbonate


An ancient thoroughfare


A description of the enormity of this station


Gabriel?


Doctor Foster practices here


Is this station falling down?


Oriental pig


TV school


Patella’s lair


A Scottish thoroughfare


Chopped he, a smaller channel island?


Bigger than?


A just cutting?


Trumpeting New York thoroughfare


A big house for a tea party?


Famous ursine visitor?


The home of capitalism’s swine?

 
ENJOY and let me know what you think!
 

Merry Christmas from the Gentle Shepherd of the South East!