The Kids, The God Kids and The Big Kids!

The Mount, innit!

The Easter holiday appears to have developed into a tradition where we descend upon the God Children in Cornwall and have around 5 days of nothing but fun, fun, fun, laughter, good food, wine and jollity! This year was no exception, we had the most brilliant time with Jemima, Ferdi, Heather, Lawrence and their dog Daisy in Marazion....

Da Boyz!

Imagine waking up to this view of The Mount everyday....such lucky, lucky people. Due to how life has been the past 7-8 months, we didn't get to see the God Children around Christmas time so this Easter we got to give them some more presents that we couldn't send through the post.

Ferdi enjoying his Scalextric

Now, as pointed out to me by Heather, I really do need to think through the gifts we buy the Kids as it normally involves some sort of building/construction and I, by my own admission, am not a builder/constructer-type person and have a relatively short attention span on such things.....so why, oh WHY I decided that a Scalextric set with lots of fiddly bits and bobs would be a good idea is beyond me (it is of course a God Father's duty to build said gifts for the children!!!), however Jemima and Ferdi loved it which is by far the main thing. Bringing a smile to my God Children's' faces fills my heart with sunshine.

Jemima - beautiful, just like her Mum

Being Easter, there was lots of Chocolate, Eggs and treats involved, most of which I am glad to report, did not end up in my tummy.....a first methinks! On Good Friday we spent the day on the beach in Marazion, playing with Jemima and Ferdi and of course Max and Millie. Max, as you know has been to Cornwall before, but this was the first time for Millie and she behaved admirably, getting on very well with everyone including Daisy, the God Kids dog who she wasn't too impressed with when they visited London last year. 

Millie, Ferdi and my handsome Hubby.....

After a brief discussion, we even decided that, as the 'dog beach' was quite secure, we would try Millie off the lead and see how she went. The first time was a little hit and miss with Millie looking for a way out, however John and I tried again and stood about 100 yards apart and called her to each of us, which went very well indeed...as you can see!!!

What a marvellous girl Millie is!

The majority of the weekend was spent on the beach with the children and the dogs, however we also visited a lovely working farm with attached shop - http://www.trevaskisfarm.co.uk/ This place was full of fabulous food and some delicious Cornish 'Beef' which my Hubby was very impressed with! We also dragged Jemima and Ferdi around a Garden Centre or two....just find a trolley, grab a child and off you go.....has to be done......

Jemima and 'Uncle Dahlia' having FUN!

Easter Sunday was brilliant.....Jemima and Ferdi took us to Trevaylor Woods which they know very well and we set up an Easter Egg Hunt as we walked through the forest....it was idyllic! Eggs were hidden in trees, behind rocks, by the stream, everywhere.....it was marvellous and the looks on the children's faces when they found an egg was simply fantastic to watch along with much gasping and "I can see one, I can see one!". 

Look how many eggs we have!

As well as fun for the children, there were also a few ropes hanging from trees which were really meant for passing kids to swing from, however, yours truly cannot resist a rope hanging from a tree and decided that it was worth a go. I have to say, it was fun for the first 30 seconds and then absolute agony......a grown man shouldn't put himself through such pain in the name of fun and games.....he really shouldn't...

I can't get off!

M & M also had a wonderful time playing in the woods. Max and Daisy ran off here, there and everywhere or chased sticks that were thrown for them. Millie had to stay on the lead but still had lots of fun sniffing about, paddling in the stream and trying to take out any other dogs she saw! Jemima fell completely in love with Max, taking his lead whenever it was safe for her to do so....she (and I suspect he) loved it!

Maximillian and Jemima

We had the BEST time in Cornwall with Jemima, Ferdi, Heather and Lawrence, we always do and we look forward to doing it all again. On Easter Monday we departed Cornwall and headed to Grandma Celia's....

Us and the God Children

Grandma Celia lives in South Somerset and is conveniently situated about 10 minutes from the A303, approximately half way between Marazion and London and so, after just a couple of hours, we arrived for an overnight stay with Millie and Max. Again, Max has been here before but Millie never has, she had quite the Easter holiday!

Throw the stick Grandma!

Mum lives a short stroll from the gorgeous River Yeo, a slow-flowing river full of reeds, moorhens, waterlilies and surrounded by fields and fields of sheep. It was really nice to return and walk where my young feet once ran and played and where I used to go coarse fishing, I believe I developed a small crush on the place after so many years of just 'driving through'. Max and Millie loved it too and had a run around on their leads due to the sheep that surrounded us....the gorgeous weather also helped of course, the entire Easter break being filled with glorious sun. We returned to London on Tuesday afternoon after an absolutely superb Easter break. We're all looking forward to returning to Cornwall and Somerset in the near future.......

The River Yeo....blissfully quiet

This weekend (Sunday) sees us being visited by Bella and Muffin with their dogs Finley and Archie. Max has met both of them before, but again Millie has not. It could well be complete and utter carnage however I am hoping that, like Max, Millie will get on with them very well and they will all have tons of fun running around in the garden terrorising the hens!

Archie, Finley & Maximillian

Photos of the 'carnage' will appear in the next update.........fingers crossed *eek!* Now I'm off to the allotment to join my Man who is planting runner bean seedlings and digging over a bed as I type.....Millie is giving me the look that says "Come on Dad, I want to go NOW!"

Are we going to the allotment now Dad???

A Right Royal Knees Up!

Maximillian Sydney Bruiser and Millicent Hermione Oprah would like to thank HRH William Windsor and 'commoner' Catherine Middleton for giving their Dads the day off tomorrow thus giving them 4 days off in which to play, play, play!

Oh yes she does!

May Kate and 'big' Willy have a long and happy marriage filled with much joy, happiness and love.....just like M & M's Dads!

Spring is Springing

Hasn't this recent sunny weather been absolutely glorious?! It's truly lovely to step out into the garden, particularly when getting home from work, to check out all the growth that is shooting up day by day, watch the hens scratching about for morsels of tastiness while the puppies leap and bounce about the place like ferocious, beastly, spring lambs. I do like a bit of Spring and Spring 2011 is just gorgeous....

Ferocious, beastly, Spring lambs!

The weather has been so good that we decided to take The Girls' winter housing down so that they are out all day while we are at work and they have their portion of the garden and deck in which to potter, scratch, bathe and generally have quite a fabulous life really....oh to be a chicken in Devonshire Road!!!

We appear to be missing a house!!!

The entire process of dismantling the chicken run from start to finish was an hour or so with the Hubby faffing here, faffing there, faffing everywhere. The Girls knew what was going on, Harriet and Ruby definitely know the score and are more than used to this annual ritual, showing little interest in the Hubby until he had finished. Tallulah and Nigella seemed to keep out of harms way until it was all done and they could enjoy the rest of their day uninterrupted.

The Girls are out!

While all of this was going on, Maximillian and Millie were in the garden, sunning themselves or, in Maximillian's case, running around like a bloody lunatic! If he wasn't killing Space Hopper he was flinging himself about trying to catch his Frisbee (not that he's very good at it and most of the time it was hanging around his neck!)...

Space Hopper and Space Cadet!

Millie is most definitely a sun dog, she absolutely, positively loves it. She finds the sunniest spot in the garden, normally in front of the Tree Ferns, she flops down on her bed, gets nice and comfortable and slowly, gently cooks.....and she does it looking absolutely beautiful....because she is!

Millie at Gas Mark 6 ! !

Weekends mean that, as well as pottering in the garden, up the allotment or in the home doing chores, the dogs get to come down to the bedroom first thing in the morning for cuddles and love while us 'Dads' wake up. The dining room door opens and the clatter of 8 little legs gets louder and louder as they near the bedroom before launching themselves on to the bed and then promptly, quickly getting comfy and having a nap with us....Millie with Himself and Maximillian with me... *bliss*

A 'gentle' wake up from M&M ! ! !

Alas, the weather has turned cooler and with it my Fella has got himself a throat infection and a cold and is not well, bless him. He's supping Honey & Lemon Cold/Flu, isn't sleeping particularly well and doesn't look his best to be honest. Send him lots of 'get well' love and hugs.....he's a poorly chap.

Enjoying a Mango Margarita before illness struck!

This weekend we take Millie back to the vet for her ongoing Puppy Passport requirements....only 5 months to go and it's all done. At Easter we're taking the Puppies to Cornwall to visit the God Kids, then to Somerset to visit Grandma Celia. The 'Royal Wedding Weekend' sees us in Cheshire visiting Nana Joyce's house....it's all go, go, go! ! !

Spring has sprung!

Bonjour Mon Petit Chou-Fleurs!

Spring has finally sprung, the allotment is now, at last, being tended to, seeds are being sown, tubers are being planted, beds are being dug and the puppies are, as always, being naughty little scamps of the naughty little scamp sort! As I write, Mr. McEllis Snr is dans le jardin, moving plants he shouldn't be moving, pruning plants he shouldn't be pruning and generally being just as much of a naughty scamp as his naughty little scamp puppies! However, to say that I am completely and utterly in love with all three naughty scamps would be an understatement, they bring me so much joy, happiness and love (apart from when the Husband is being a bolshy git!) that sometimes I could just burst - and not just from eating too many Liquorice Allsorts but that's another story.....Ooh, I want sweeties now!

Daddy, I taught I taw a Putty-tat!

A year ago last New Year's Eve we lit lanterns in the depths of France, south-west of Paris with our dear friends Sharon and Nick and on said lanterns we wrote ourselves a promise each. The promises were that within 5 years of that lantern launching into the crisp, French wintery sky we would have our own piece of France, "La Maison de McEllis". Of course, these promises were made before Max & Millie were in our lives, but coincidentally they were made a couple of months after their births - we were definitely meant to have these two little'uns. We are looking at finding a little place in or near Le Dorat, almost directly south of Paris, outside Limoges and very close to McEllis Snr's sister, the barking mad but lovely Pol (Sybil) and her loverrrrrrr, Col (Basil), where they have their own little B&B business (Fawlty Towers!). Click here to have a butcher's http://www.maisonlapeyriere.com/

Un petit chien is going to France!

So, to enable both Max & Millie to join us on holidays in the French countryside, we needed to organise their 'puppy passports'. Max's passport process was started almost as soon as we got him, however they're not cheap to say the least and so Millie's application has only just begun, hence her visit to the vet last week for her first jab and rabies blood test. Millie returns in a couple of weeks for further jabs/tests - the entire process takes approximately 6 months. While we were at the vet Max had his annual booster jab and both were extremely well behaved for a change!

I want this one!

Previously I've mentioned the issue with the local park/Rec and the ongoing discussions about it being turned into yet more cemetery. Well, those discussions are still ongoing, however now that the clocks have gone forward it doesn't shut until 7pm ish which means that the 'Kids' now get a good run around the cemetery and park, something they (and us) really enjoy. Let's hope the Council listen to reason and we don't lose a very valuable piece of green space in South East London. Petition signatures are being collected here http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savehonoroakparkrec and we would welcome any contributions from you lovely people... :-)

The 'Kids' enjoying the park

Thanks to our friend, Neil, the puppies have now entered the 21st Century and have their own 'QR Code'. For those of you that don't know what it is (I didn't have a clue quite honestly!!!), a QR Code is a matrix bar code and is readable by dedicated QR bar code and camera phone bar code apps.....yes, I thought it a bit of a mouthful and a tad gobbledy-gook too! If you have a bar code app on your phone, just zap the image below and it will take you to THIS blog.....how fantastically cool and fab is that?!?!?! Please pass it around to anyone you think may be interested and most importantly, THANKS Neil!

M&M's QR Code - scan it and be amazed!

This afternoon we took Max & Millie to meet the gorgeous Kirsty aka Minje (Princess Minjeeta).....so-called because of a rather fun but messy Bollywood Party we once held at our previous residence in Marmora Road almost 8 years ago. Mr McEllis Snr was Smarmy Swarmi and I was Delhi Belly....it was a night to be remembered and I wish I could remember it but I can't because I got so absolutely, dreadfully, awfully, embarrassingly drunk that I passed out and was 'hungover' for 3 days! The last words I uttered were a stumbling, mumbling, "I can't feel my legs"....the smell of Pimms is a permanent reminder of the evening to this day!

Millie, Minje & Max...

The extraordinarily talented Kirsty is putting on two plays at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival, both of which will be previewed in London in late July. One is a story about Strippers, called (I think) "Dances for Wolves" (forgive me Kirsty if I got that wrong!) and the other is called "On The Bench" about the world of the Premier Football League but with a twist. We all had a super afternoon at Kirsty's gaff, chatting, eating cucumber sarnies and chocolate cake and having a right good natter......we all agreed that we really don't see enough of each other! We walked to Kirsty's and back again with the Muttlies, which is about an hour each way. As I type, they're both flaked out on the sofa, cuddled up together, gently snoring.

McKenna does hardcore....seen on the way to Lewisham!

Today is also Mother's Day - as we walked to Lewisham this afternoon the streets were festooned with bouquet upon bouquet of pink arrangements outside Flower Shops, all waiting to be snapped up by eager, excited children and forgetful boyfriends, Husbands, Fathers and the like. I called my lovely Mum this morning and thankfully she had received the flowers I sent her, I just wish we could have spent the day with her, however we'll see her next month for a day or two after having seen the God Kids.

To Our Mums

As you know, we lost the gorgeous Mrs. Joyce Ellis earlier this year and so today had an odd feel to it almost as if we needed to avoid it but at the same time confront it head on if that makes any sense at all. I felt almost guilty calling my Mum and didn't really want John to hear me in case I upset him. Bizarre I know, but I didn't want to appear insensitive to the day and it's implication. And so, tonight we cracked open a bottle of Champers in honour of Mums here, there and everywhere, whether with us or dearly departed - Mums, we love you.

Touring, Toucans & Tequila!

Hola Señoras y Señors!

He & Me swimming in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

12 days in Mexico has gone just like that, I can't quite believe how quickly we're home when you consider that we booked the holiday nearly 7 months ago and waiting for it to arrive felt like an eternity. However, the wait was most definitely worth it, what a holiday it was. Actually strike that, what an Adventure we had!!! Now I know what you're thinking, that this is the 'dog blog' and should be about M&M. I will be mentioning the 'Little Darlings' briefly but please allow me this self indulgence to share with you our adventure, the nature, the sights, the beauty that is the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

Almost there....somewhere over the Bahamas!

We flew British Airways into Cancun and we were immediately met and transferred to the resort of Playa del Carmen (PDC), approximately one hour south by car. PDC is a place that would appear to be all about the beach and naff souvenir shops, with not much else going for it. Yes, the beach is beautiful, the sea is a dazzling turquoise blue as is the sky, but for me it felt a little soulless, geared up more to the mighty dollar than anything else. Thankfully, our little hotel (Playa del Karma) was off the beaten track, set back a couple of blocks from the main strip. It was a lovely base for our 3 days there, nothing amazing but not a bad place either....function over form if you like.

Our room at Playa del Karma

As I said, there's not really much to do in PDC apart from the beach or the tourist hell of shop upon shop upon shop of souvenirs (mini sombreros and maracas anyone?). Over breakfast one morning at the Blue Parrot Café (FAB beach front breakfasts!!!) I noticed in one of our guide books that there was an Aviary at the other end of town, the Xaman-Ha Aviary, which looked and sounded (according to the book!) like a good place for us birders to visit. It took us some time and a small amount of my epidermis (I ALWAYS get sun burn) to find it. Talk about disappointed!!!! 

Relief from the scorching sun in the walk-through aviary

The cost was approximately $20 each which works out more per head than London Zoo, but it was a fraction of the size, taking around 20 minutes to view the entire place. There was only one walk through aviary and the majority of the other birds in there were wild, having been attracted by the free fish...mostly egrets and herons, although we were both happy to find a Roseate Spoonbill and White Ibis which almost made up for the extortionate price, but not quite!

A wild Roseate Spoonbill in Xaman-Ha Aviary

From PDC we got on a coach and headed for the town of Tulum, about one hour away down the main coastal road. We had booked in at the Posada 06 Hotel, which again was situated away from the main strip. In fact, our taxi driver couldn't even find it and needed to ask for directions! When we arrived in Tulum I wasn't the most enthused of people I have to admit, it was a little 'basic' on the surface, being more of a true dusty, hot Mexico as opposed to a tourist destination and I wondered what we had done. 

Posada 06 Hotel in Tulum

However, I am happy to be wrong when I am and wrong I was. Tulum is a marvellous place to base yourself for adventures out of town, including Mayan ruins, Cenotés, the beach and bird watching. While we were here we arranged an entire day visiting the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with a great company called Mexico Kan Tours (http://www.mexicokantours.com/lang-en/tulum-tours/sian-kaan-adventure.html) and had ourselves an adventure. 

Mr. John "Jacques Cousteau" McEllis

We saw Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Loggerhead Turtle and various birds, however for me there were two negatives. Number 1 - I've never, ever snorkelled before and when it came to going in I was more than a little nervous. The water was quite choppy and so visibility wasn't 100%. Every time I submerged my face I panicked, my mask kept steaming up and I just didn't "get it". Number 2 - what with the 'floundering about' and panicking, my wedding ring slipped off and sank to the bottom of the Caribbean Coral Reef we were floating over.....the Mayan Gods truly received a sacrifice from me. Once out of the water and back in the boat, the compulsion to sob at the loss of my most precious possession was too much.

Bottle-nosed Dolphins

On the trip we were joined by one other couple, Susan and Brian from Minneapolis - who were a scream! We were very happy to meet up with them the following day to go swimming in Casa Cenoté, experience a tropical thunderstorm while snorkelling over Green Turtles (Susan and I stayed on the beach!) and drinking too much Corona Beer!!! We will definitely be keeping in touch with them.....they were a proper laugh and jolly good fun! 

Casa Cenoté - truly amazing!

The day after the trip, and before meeting up with Susan and Brian again, we arranged to go early morning bird watching at some Mayan ruins called Muyil. We were picked up by a young man called Juan Antonio and driven to the ruins. On the way we saw many birds, my Husband excitedly screaming "TOUCAN!" from the back of the car will be a 'forever memory'. The ruins are smaller than others in the area but the birding is magnificent. We saw Hummingbirds, more Toucans, Trogons and many more.....a place I would have loved to have returned to, but alas we didn't have the time. On the return journey we stopped off at a beautiful, milky-turquoise lagoon and dipped our toes in for some much needed relief from the heat.

Hummingbird & Chicks at Muyil (possibly the best bird picture I have EVER taken!!!)

We left Tulum the following day, boarding another coach to take us back to PDC and ultimately the ferry to the island of Cozumel, which lies in the Caribbean Sea around 11 miles from the mainland. It's also where the huge cruise ships stop off and offload thousands upon thousands of passengers, for snorkelling at the huge coral reef and also, once again, shop upon shop upon shop of souvenirs!

The ferry from PDC to Cozumel

We pre-booked two different hotels on Cozumel, the first on the far west of the island called Ventanas Al Mar, which is very secluded and quiet in its isolation....just what we needed after a few busy days in PDC and Tulum. It was a nice hotel, however not really worth the price we paid and because of its location it was pretty much cut off if you didn't hire a car (we didn't!). This meant we had no evening meal and no way to get one as the hotel didn't provide dinner. Thankfully, the hotel manager and her husband, Lupita - think Margarita Pracatan and you're not far wrong and Gary who liked to blow on his Conch....I kid you not, drove us to the east side of the island so we could buy a 'balcony picnic' and we spent the night watching the waves and the stars while eating and drinking.....bliss!

The balcony view from our room in Ventanas Al Mar

The following morning we did a bit of snorkelling (half drowning myself and having a tantrum about it basically) before heading to the east side of Cozumel to a lovely little hotel not far from the airport. When we arrived at Casita de Maya we were truly happy, such a cute little hotel, lovely rooms, pool and an owner that would and could do anything for you should you so wish.....and he had a dog called Trixie who was cute, cute, CUTE! Jokingly, I decided that Trixie (before I realised she was a girl!) was Max's great-great-great Granddad, Chimichanga Nacho Tortilla, what with his Mexican heritage....I can't think why Trixie reminded me of Max!

Chimichanga Nacho Tortilla aka Trixie!!!

We stayed at Casita de Maya for 2 nights and took advantage of the great drowning, I mean snorkelling opportunities in the area, as well as getting some more bird watching in (Hummingbird on a nest right outside the hotel door!!!!!) and finding some dam fine restaurants off the beaten track, rather than putting ourselves through the hell that was the sea front with its thousands of ferry passengers and such delights as Señor Frogs and Wet Wendy's (don't ask!)....and let's not forget those shops!

Casita de Maya - a little gem!

From here, we had nothing booked as we deliberately left the last couple of nights of the holiday blank so that when we got to Mexico we could decide where we liked best and return if at all possible. And so it was that we jumped on the 7am ferry back to PDC and then hopped on another coach returning to Tulum (the coaches in Mexico have free wi-fi by the way....result!) and then skipped with glee to our next place of residence. We enlisted the help of the guys at Mexico Kan and they managed to get us booked into the Coco Hotel Eco Chic Cabañas right on Tulum beach. Having left Cozumel at 7am, we were happily lazing in a hammock by 11am...

We were very happy to be back at Tulum

It was such a change from the rest of the holiday, to be right on the beach, hammocks at the ready, Pelicans and Frigatebirds flying overhead. It is a beautiful, restful place and was the tonic with which we wanted to end our time in Mexico, just wandering up and down the beach, playing in the surf or off bird-watching. Returning to Tulum also gave us the opportunity to meet up once more with the fabulous Susan and Brian and discuss the Mayans and their special needs Corn on the Cobs.....a long story which I would gladly relate for the small price of a Mango Margarita!

His Lordship relaxes

When we were originally in Tulum we didn't get round to visiting the Mayan Ruins, having only had time for the small Muyil Ruins visit for some top bird watching. So, with camera and sun cream in hand, off we tottered. Taxis are incredibly cheap (unless you get ripped off by some f**ker in Cozumel like we did!) and so for the price of a bag of potatoes in Sainsburys we were driven to the ruins. Upon reaching the entrance my fella spotted what can only be described as a swampy dump, but not just any swampy dump, it was a swampy dump brimming with birds....and he says he has bad eye sight! I think we spent more time in the 'dump' than we did in the ruins, but we did see more Hummingbirds, an Ovenbird (they really do build a clay 'oven' in which to incubate their eggs) and lots of Iguanas.

A small part of Tulum Ruins

The remaining time we had in Tulum was spent relaxing, enjoying the beach, the sun, Margaritas, birding and just having some time out. It's definitely what my man needed after the hell that was the last 7 months or so. I wasn't really aware of how much I needed it too, my priority being Himself, but need it we both most certainly did. Mexico, the part we went to anyway, was truly wonderful, a marvellous place.

Coco Eco Chic Cabañas, Tulum Beach

I kept being reminded of Kerala in southern India, the people have the same happy, smiling attitude to life, they're helpful, they have a sense of humour and yes there's poverty, but it's a "happy poor", one I would be happy to embrace, having seen it for myself (just leave me with broadband, my iPhone, the puppies and hens and my Hubby and I'll be happy!). Should you have the time or the inclination and wish to peruse a couple of hundred pictures from the holiday, please click this link to view them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25748879@N05/sets/72157626210039068/

Day of the Dead skulls in a Tulum gift shop

While we were away, the Girls and Max & Millie were being ably looked after by Aunty Angela, one of Mr. McEllis's colleagues. Angela was plied with mucho chocolate and alcohol to 'ease the pain' while we were away, and do a grand job she did. I have to admit that I did send the odd message under the guise of 'Are you ok Angela?', but which was more along the lines of 'Are my babies ok???'. 

The lovely Angela

The pups were both extremely happy to see us, although at first I think Millie forgot who we were and took about 15 minutes to 'warm up' before her little behind started wagging furiously. Max was as Max is and was absolutely apoplectic to see his Dads again, the best welcome home in the world.

I missed you Daddy (notice Millie on the left, completely not bothered!!!)

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the short, potted version of our trip to marvellous Mexico. We both hope, one day, to return to the country, not only to revisit favourites bits, but to experience more, to see other birds (we saw around 50-60 species - there are around 500!!!), more Mayan ruins and the wonderful, chilli/chocolate-infused culture......oh, and to definitely drink more Mango Margaritas!!!

Adios!