WE had a great school holiday trip to Chessington World of Adventures this week, thanks to Nectar points. It's so easy, you just turn up, choose your tickets and swipe your Nectar loyalty card for free entry.
Having said that, it's not really 'free', is it? I've obviously spent far too much money in The Chimes in Uxbridge to have accumulated enough points for Chessington tickets.
While at the World of Adventures, I was laughing with my friend, recounting how Alex had managed to get his leg stuck in the railings at a ride at Legoland last year.
Not 10 minutes later I was laughing on the other side of my face. Yes, you've guessed it, Alex managed to get a part of his body jammed somewhere it shouldn't be.
His elbow was stuck tight in the bars of the Seastorm ride. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. No matter what we did, we couldn't release his arm and you know how it is, the more you push and pull, the more swollen it gets.
Eventually a kind mum in the growing crowd watching the events unfold passed me a bottle of spray sun cream, which lubricated his arm enough to release it.
The rest of our visit passed hitch-free and we had a brilliant time. I think on our next theme park visit, I will cover Alex in greasy sun cream before we leave home to avoid any potential disasters!
Fortunately we had a relatively drama-free visit to see High School Musical at the Hammersmith Apollo last week. I took Alex and his friend Elliot to see the stage show of the popular film musical.
Alex has been practising his moves and learning the songs all week and couldn't wait to see it for real.
Hearing the songs with a live band was just amazing - the boys sang their hearts out for the whole show. The only (very minor) disappointment was that there was not enough basketball action - Alex's words not mine!
He also thought that Ms Darbus had been on a diet.
Letitia Dean, who played Sharon Watts in EastEnders, was perfect casting in the role of the drama teacher and hammed it up with all her might. She's really slim now and looks great but not if you're six years old and expecting to see a more rotund person in the role.
The most show-stopping spectacle of the night was the amazing finale. Unfortunately Alex missed the best part of this.
As it was pouring with rain outside, I asked the boys to get their coats on before we left. By the time Alex managed to pop his head out of his cagoule, he'd missed the pyrotechnics and special effects and all he saw were a few glittery ribbons passing his face and falling to the floor!
It didn't spoil it though. The evening was really magical and the show well worth seeing.
Cathy recommends:
Summer classes for pre-schoolers
Amanda's Action Kids
If the weather is good, why not catch an Amanda's Action Kids class in Ravenscourt Park, Paddenswick Road, Hammersmith every Wednesday at 4.15pm?
It only takes half an hour to get there and they have a wonderful child-friendly café there too.
Amanda runs superb music and movement classes that are just as much fun for the adults as they are for the babies and children. They are most suitable for the under-fives.
Classes are held in other parts of London. See www.www.amandasactionkids.co.uk.
Musical Mayhem
This is a music class that runs in Eastcote and Hillingdon and offers a lively unstructured mixture of instruments, bubbles, singing and dancing.
You don't need to book. Just turn up on Fridays at St Thomas Moore Old Church Hall, Field End Road, Eastcote, or at Long Lane Meeting Hall, in Long Lane, Hillingdon, on Tuesdays.
The one-hour classes start at 10am at both venues. Siblings are welcome. [25cf] Musical Mayhem also helps with private parties. See www.musicalmayhem.co.uk
