Let's go to the Waterfoot.

In August Ben got to go to Giles Quay in County Louth, he got two new sets of table and chairs and he got a wee trip to the Antrim Coast.  Here he is dandering down onto Waterfoot beach cool as you like.










A few days earlier and Ben and Marguerite are having breakfast at 8.00am out in the front garden.  It's Weetabix for Ben and a cup of tea for Marguerite.











When Marguerite managed to drag Ben back indoors (once he's out he's hard to get back in!) he hooked up with his best buddies Max and Jeff Green.











Ben is growing more and more generous as each day goes by, which is good news for Jeff Green here as he scoops some of Ben's banana.   Check out the big open space behind Jeff Green there.  That space has been useful for many things over the last three months ..... playing football, hula-hooping, dancing .... you name it.  But that was all about to change today.  Why?








Well because the long awaited night boat from Cairo finally arrived with the new table and chairs.  Michael is good at this kind of thing ...... wait Michael's good at everything .......... so he was invited along to help out.  And before you could say, 'stick the kettle on' ............









....... Michael, Ben and Jude were throwing the table together like nobodies business!  Look at Ben here ...... Michael reckons Ben did more today than Jude did.  Actually  .... ehhhh .... actually....... he might be right!










Soon enough Ben was being strapped into his special raised seat and ......













..... there he was ..... parked at the new table. 

So what does the table look like?












Pretty darn nifty indeed!  It's 'Gothic' style with three variations of chairs, the arm chairs at either end, the three seats along the far side and the super cool bench along the near side of this pic.






   
  



  

A couple of days later and Marguerite and Ben are heading off with Marguerite's friend Pauline to ....












....... Giles Quay in County Louth.

Marguerite and Jude had met Pauline at the Kaiser Chiefs gig at the West Belfast Festival the previous weekend and so Pauline invited Marguerite and Ben down (Jude got to have a relaxing Saturday night to himself).

It was a trip to the coast but remember it is Ireland so Ben brought his coat anyway and lucky he did! 












'Where are we going now?  

Marguerite didn't take too many pics of this weekend because the camera was playing up so you'll have to take my word for it that they had a fantastic weekend's craic with Pauline.









Here is Ben one morning all ready for school with his cool school bag on.














Recently Ben figured out how to open the post box.  He got a hold of the key and within minutes ........












......... bingo, he had it opened!















He has also figured out how to climb up onto the back window of the Mazda!

So yes he's figuring things out but every now and again Ben does something that is just amazing.  All kids must do this but for Marguerite and Jude it is just magic witnessing Ben do random brilliant things.  Like what?  








So today Ben and Jude popped out into the garden. Ben started pointing at the slide which normally sits tucked away in the back of the garden (behind that big green bush back right). So Jude leant down, touched the grass and said, 'No Ben, you can't play on the slide down there because the grass is wet and cold'.  Wiuth these instructions ringing in Ben's ears Jude left him there and went inside. 






After 10 minutes Jude went out to check on Ben. This was the scene.  Ben had walked down the garden and pulled the slide up (quite a distance) onto the stoned area so he could play there instead. Obviously he had listened and understood - he was going to play well away from that dreaded wet and cold grass (check the trail left behind).  Brilliant!








Now Ben has spotted his Mama's coo new wind chimer.  When in Martha's Vineyard Marguerite fell in love with wind chimers.  Everywhere you walked over there the wind chimers would be making this nice peaceful sound in the distance and she always said she would get one for the new house.  And so she did!  After lots of debate it was decided to stick it just where Ben is pointing there.






Off he marches with the wind chimer!














Ben picking his first Blackberry in the back garden.














That's Jude all geared up and ready to hit the road with his rejuvenated bike.  So Jude used to like a bit of cycling and indeed he had completed two Bordertrek cycles (200 miles over two days through 6 counties).  However with being in America his bike had not been touched since 2008!









Ben helped his Dada check his new gears and new tyres ........... and now he was ready to go.












Marguerite Jnr and Marguerite Snr picking Blackberries.













Oh yeah ...... the trip to the Antrim Coast.  The Antrim coast is a nice area of county Antrim just north of Belfast. 












A drive up the Antrim coast on a sunny day is hard to beat and today was a real nice day indeed.        












The Giro D'Italia cycle race had travelled along this beautiful road and Jude was surprised to see this permanent reminder of that day ......... hold on ......... let's zoom in the camera .....











....... now that's better.  Looks like yer man has just parked his bike and started doing a spot of fishing.  That's cool.












The scenery was pretty spectacular all the way up the road. 













Finally they pulled in Ben was like a child on Christmas morning as he gripped his fishing rod. 













Nice hat Ben.  














'Waterfoot ....... this is my kinda place', Ben may have been thinking .....













.......... as he made his way clutching his kite ....

















..... down to the beach.













Marguerite quickly got set up .........















 

..... and marked out a nice spot with a blanket.


  
 

Now son, isn't this great', said Marguerite to Ben as they looked out over the beach.
















Ben and Marguewrite just loved this place.















A trip to the beach always means bringing the kite and Marguerite had it flying in no time at all.













Ben has just tipped his toes into the water and realised that it's a tad on the chilly side and turned to run away.












Meanwhile daredevil Marguerite is kicking water about the place. 














Soon Ben getting his feet well and truly wet ......














....... as he is being pulled in and out of the water.













     
And before long he was well soaked.














He could have stayed there all day he was having so much fun.

It's been a while since Marguerite made one of these wee moat thingys on the beach but she was doing well today.

Just how many things can you do on the beach ...... fly the kite, mess about in the water, build moat thingys and .....








..... play football.  Ben will play football anywhere! 













Eventually it was time to go but Ben was not buying it at all.  He wanted to stay there forever!













But after a few moments of public debate about the matter Marguerite pulled rank and just lifted Ben and off they went. Moments like this are hilarious.  Ben gets on like the big lad and then Marguerite just lifts him and away they go.  Hehehe!   









Did I say the Antrim coast was beautiful?  Yeah, well after Waterfoot they made their way up through Cushendall and .....












....... Cushendun.  Cushendun is a lovely wee spot indeed.  This was the chosen location for dinner.













Thankfully the restaurant had a really nice outdoor seated area .....













....... with a play area for the little kids and ....















....... the bigger kids!















Marguerite and Ben having fun.















Colouring in time!














  
This would be a nice family pic if Jude was not soooooo engrossed in thon colouring in lark!

After dinner a wee trip to the quay were the boats were docked was cut short for two reasons.  1. Ben decided he wanted to get on that blue boat there about 8 feet out from the edge, and ......










2. It began to lash with rain.  Ben was again lifted and carried as Jude sprinted to the car. 

So the wee trip up the Antrim coast ended there ......... and off they headed home to Glenavy.