Anti Social Media

Enjoy this blast from the past while you're reading. All will become clear...




Over the summer holidays I unplugged. This post about turning off electronic devices and spending summer outdoors struck a chord with a lot of people. It was picked up by Child Psychiatry UK and was also Netmums' Blog of the Week.

We did have a good summer. The boys enjoyed soccer camp. We had days out at Gullivers, the Milton Keynes beach, Pirate Golf, soft play, local parks and friends' houses. We had a jolly week in Hunstanton and spent a very long, very full, weekend at my in laws. We saw my mum too. We celebrated birthdays. We got new shoes. Okay, that last bit wasn't fun, but you get the idea. We were busy. We got plenty of fresh air. I took my book into the garden, not my phone. I only did a tiny bit of work in the evenings.

Now the boys are back at school - Year 2, oh my - I have time to get back to my online life. I'm finding it difficult to come back. That first tweet, that first Facebook update, that first Instagram felt difficult. Does anyone else feel slightly uncomfortable after a social media break? Joining back in is a little daunting.

When I was young, the end of the summer holidays was signified by the arrival of the fair on our village park. My brother and I would watch from our bedroom window as the the waltzer and the dodgems arrived on the backs of brightly painted trucks. We'd shout down to Mum with minute by minute updates. We'd go back to school on the Wednesday and the fair opened that night. We'd go for a look round then, to see what was there. We would usually go properly on the Thursday night, holding a handful of 10 pence pieces. I can smell the onions cooking, see the red, blue, orange, green and yellow flashing light bulbs, feel the force of the rickety rides and hear 'Feels Like I'm in Love' by Kelly Marie, like it's yesterday. We'd come home with our friends, holding a half-dead goldfish, a battered bag of candy floss and a half-eaten toffee apple.

Now the end of summer is marked by a back to school blaze of photographs of children in their too big school jumpers, stood outside front doors. Pinterest is full of autumn crafts, Halloween nonsense, bonfire toffee recipes and Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. And don't get me started on the Ice Bucket Challenge. It's all a bit too look at me in your face for me (apart from the back to school photographs, I love those).

Last year September to December flew by as I fitted in preparing for my family Christmas, with PTA duties and my freelance work. It's a busy time, but I want to enjoy the run up to Christmas this year. I want to have time to decorate the house, make cards, decorations, wreaths and gingerbread houses without feeling like I'm up against it all the time, like it's a chore, a job to get ticked off the endless to do list. Something has to give, and I now know what it is. My online life.

A couple of years ago I wrote a post called What is the Point of Social Media? Revisiting it today I realise that I still feel that way. I'm not that active online, although I can spend hours quietly nosing around blogs and bloggers, news websites and Pinterest. I often feel like this is wasted time, when I could be more productive. Perhaps it's time to keep the laptop closed more often and for longer?

Is is just me? Am I just being anti-social?

Do you have the balance right? I'd love to know how you do it.



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Anti Social Media

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #12 - Gulliver's Land Theme Park

Review

There's a theme park in Milton Keynes, practically on our door step.

Gulliver's Land is almost Lilliputian, compared with it's bigger, noisier, well-known, busier cousins. It may be small, but it is perfectly formed. Still, there are over 70 rides and attractions. That's enough to keep me and my children occupied all day and we got to do everything we wanted.

The park is officially opened at 10.30, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, but you are let in the entrance before then. There is a carousel to get you warmed up, and a cafe with fairly decent coffee too.

Rides

Once inside everyone headed for the new ride, the Twist and Joust. I think there were logistical issues getting people on and off the ride as the queue moved very slowly. I guess there would be teething problems when a new ride opens. This put us off a little and we didn't try the Twist and Joust this time.

There were plenty of other big rides - with tiny queues -  to keep my 5 and 6 year old thrill-seekers happy. They LOVE the log flume and the Python roller coaster. Me, not so much. If it was up to me I'd stick with the gentler rides, like the wonderful, gentle Jungle River ride and the tea cups. I may have closed my eyes and screamed on the big rides, but I am proud that I didn't swear.

We have a new fridge magnet. It's a photograph of my children enjoying the log flume, and me screaming my head off. No, you're not seeing it.

This is more my style, being chauffeur driven in the Vintage Cars.

It is difficult when you go to a theme park with two young children. There are only a few rides (like the Tug Boat) where you can take them both on with you. Mostly there is space for one adult and one child and nowhere to leave other children. On some of the rides (like the one pictured below), six year old Presley was tall enough to ride alone, with me accompanying five year old Cash in the chariot behind him.

I'd recommend taking one adult per child under 140cm tall. Luckily we were joined today by my friend and her son. We were able to take it in turns to go on everything, with one adult left to hold the bags and watch the children.

The signs indicating who could and who could not go on a ride were excellent and perfectly clear. The staff measured each child and were clearly enforcing the rules. They were vigilant and safety-conscious. This gives you confidence, even though some of the staff looked quite young. Having said that, I am 44. A lot of people look very young to me.

Attractions

As well as the rides for all ages, there are other attractions that the children all enjoyed today. There is a massive ball pond for smaller children, a very good rope climbing frame, as well as traditional adventure playground equipment.

We had fun in the maze.

The small soft play area kept the children occupied while my friend and I sat on a comfy sofa drinking coffee.

Eating

There are many places to eat at Gulliver's. In the food court there is a good choice of food from around the world, including a fresh tasting tuna salad (not sure where in the world it was supposed to be from...). There is also a pizza and pasta restaurant.

Slushies, cold drinks, coffee, crepes and ice creams are sold all around the park and the prices are reasonable.

Presley enjoyed his £2.50 hot dog.

There are plenty of picnic tables and a grassy area at the far end of the park where we spread out our picnic blankets. There are bins galore and Gulliver's have addressed the problem of the wasps that were quite a nuisance when we visited last summer. They have hung fake wasp nests in the trees and we didn't see a wasp all day.


Facilities

The park is pretty well maintained, although the boys were disappointed that three of the four mechanical diggers were out of order. Some areas could do with a lick of paint, but it would seem that there is an ongoing upgrade happening.

The toilets were clean and they were evenly spaced throughout the park.


Want to go to Gulliver's?

There are Gulliver's Land theme parks in Matlock Bath and Warrington, as well as in Milton Keynes. Also in Milton Keynes is a Dinosaur and Farm Park, a Splash Zone, a campsite and a new Nerf Zone. We went to a birthday party in the Nerf Zone last week and all the children there LOVED IT.

For up to date prices and all information check out the Gulliver's website.

You can find also Gulliver's on Twitter and Facebook




Disclosure: I was given free entry for myself and my two children in exchange for this review. I have not been told what to write.




Other reasons to love living in Milton Keynes:

MK International Festival
MK Dons Football Club
The sausage and cider festival
The Stables at Wavendon
Milton Keynes Museum
The wildlife
The well-planned new city
Furzton Lake
The Concrete Cows
The 'Beach'
The green open spaces

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #12 - Gulliver's Land Theme Park

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #11

Milton Keynes International Festival 2014

The IF is a ten day festival of family events, music, comedy, cabaret and food and drink.

I've manged to get to just three events out of hundreds (if you also include the Fringe).

Hurry to Middleton Hall (outside John Lewis) where you'll find this amazing space-age space.

It's a luminarium. Inside you're cocooned; immersed in light, colour and sound.

It's a warm and calming experience. We went as a family and could have stayed for hours. The boys loved it. They had a map each and led us around the 'rooms' where we sat, layed or rolled around.

I also went to Kaffe Matthews: The Lock Shift Songs where you lie on a sonic bed and listen to and feel a journey along the Grand Union Canal from London to Milton Keynes. This was another awesome sensory experience.

A few of my friends from Rock Choir sang on the recording. Again, I could have stayed longer. The bed was extremely comfortable and I really didn't mind sharing with a stranger...

Image credit

Finally, on Monday, Andy and I went to see Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds perform a set in the Stables Spiegeltent at Willen Lake.

The Bad Shepherds play punk songs on folk instruments and they are amazing live. While the banter between the songs was amusing, this trio are seriously good musicians. I was blown away by their versions of 'Down in the Tube Station', 'The Sound of the Suburbs' and 'Once in a Lifetime', among others. I had a lump in my throat listening to 'Ace of Spades', as Ade introduced it by saying that it was Rik's favourite song.

The IF runs until 27th July.

Other reasons to love living in Milton Keynes:

MK Dons Football Club
The sausage and cider festival
The Stables at Wavendon
Milton Keynes Museum
The wildlife
The well-planned new city
Furzton Lake
The Concrete Cows
The 'Beach'
The green open spaces

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #11

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #10

MK Dons Football Club

Yesterday we took the boys to their first live football match, at our local club in Milton Keynes, MK Dons.

Presley, 6, and Cash, 5, have suddenly got into football. They play on a Saturday (and in the garden and at school and any chance they get) and watch as many matches as they can on television and collect football cards. Presley pours over league tables, reads the sport pages in the paper and reads the live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. Our junior Statto can tell you pretty much every scoreline in every match this season, and not just in the Premier League.

The boys follow many football clubs for many reasons. One of the teams we follow is our local team, MK Dons. From controversial beginnings, MK Dons are doing well in SkyBet League One (the equivalent of the old Division 3, if you're as old as me).

We were prompted to visit yesterday by an advert in the local paper about a free family day at the club. We also bought tickets for the match that day, for a bargain £20 for all four of us. Under 12's were free, as they will be with 2014/15 season tickets. I found the website difficult to navigate and ended up buying the wrong tickets. Luckily I phoned the box office and the woman on the phone sorted everything out for me there and then. Two days later the correct tickets arrived. She couldn't have been more helpful.

We also paid £7 to park, as we hadn't been before and wanted to get close to the stadium. The match day programme was £3 (which Presley held throughout the game to see the team listings). We also bought t-shirts for the boys at £5 each. Unfortunately the shop had sold out of replica home shirts in the boys' sizes, which is a shame as the shop were offering to add a free name and number on the back, to collect after the match.

We also paid for the boys to go on rides and bouncy castles, and we had burgers, so we probably had an afternoon out for £50, but what an afternoon. There were many stalls at the family fun day, in aid of both local and national charities and organisations. The boys played Fruit Ninja on a big screen, met Mickey Mouse and Gully Mouse from Gullivers, visited the many stalls giving away lollies, entered tombolas and ate chocolate brownies. There was also free live music. This kept us busy and entertained for a couple of hours.

Walking through the very modern turnstiles into the very modern stadium, I was impressed by how smart it looked. MK Dons is a small club, but thanks to the vision (and cash) of Chairman, Pete Winkleman, it is impressive and professional. The area around the club has been regenerated and is now in the middle of a large retail park, MK1. I have agreed with Andy that the next time he takes the boys to the match while I go shopping...

There is a 'ring of steel' art installation around the stadium to celebrate 40 years of Milton Keynes. n 2012 every school child in Milton Keynes was photographed by the club and their images, tens of thousands of them, form a circle around the interior of the oval stadium. We didn't see Presley and Cash, but I suspect there is a way to find out where they are.

The seats are spacious and comfortable, although the seat numbers aren't that easy to see. We were in the family corner and felt welcomed at every turn. I couldn't get over how family-friendly it was. I didn't hear a single swear word all day. The coffee was okay and the toilets were clean.

As it was the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster there was a minute's silence before the match. 8,877 people stood in respectful silence between the blows of the referee's whistle. This was incredibly moving and completely quiet. I held my son's hand and felt the tears falling down my cheeks.

At half time was the thing I had been looking forward to, the mascot race. Hello Donny and Mooie...

The boys loved the match, and the atmosphere was sporting and good-natured. Unfortunately the result didn't go our way and Crawley won 2:0.

As we left we were handed a free World Cup wall chart (with information about the MK Dons 2014/15 season on the back), another lovely touch. Stewards outside directed the traffic and ensured that we got out of the car park  and on our way home easily.

The women's FA Cup final is being held at Stadium MK on 1st June. The cup was on display yesterday too. 'Citing.

We had a wonderful day at a wonderful local club. COME ON YOU DONS!



Other reasons to love living in Milton Keynes:

The sausage and cider festival
The Stables at Wavendon
Milton Keynes Museum
The wildlife
The well-planned new city
Furzton Lake
The Concrete Cows
The 'Beach'
The green open spaces



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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #10

So I handed the Team Honk Blogger Relay baton to an elephant...

Team MK

I've loved watching, online, as the Team Honk Blogger Relay has made its way around the country, raising thousands of pounds for Sport Relief. Yesterday was the Milton Keynes to Hemel Hempsted leg. I was proud to be part of Team MK.

Two weeks ago we sat in a coffee shop in the shopping centre plotting and scheming. We wanted to do something a bit different and thought about the iconic and the well-known attractions of MK and the surrounding area. We knew we had to include the concrete cows in our plans, they're synonymous with Milton Keynes.

Then we talked about Woburn Safari Park. Claire rang them there and then, told them about the relay and they said YES straight away. They also suggested that the elephant could hold the baton. We'd joked about this before the call and hadn't dared to ask. Oh and we'd need £10m public liability insurance. Details details.

Isn't she beautiful?

An actual elephant holding the baton

Hayley mentioned that she and Gemma could get hold of a unicorn. So we were sorted for cows, elephants and unicorns. The plan was coming together.

On Sunday I met Lizzie and Helen, and their families, who had swum, cycled, run and walked from Cambridge to Milton Keynes. I took the baton and ran around the concrete cows, with my red velvet pants on my head (nice).

Lizzie, Sandy and Helen

On Monday the pants were back on and I ran 4 miles (in 55 minutes, a personal best). I was going to handover to Alyce on her bike, but sadly she couldn't make it, so I hopped in the car and drove to Woburn.

Sweaty Sandy

There's something especially exciting about being in a safari park that isn't open to the public that day. We were introduced to Damini the elephant. We were blown away by her size. I know, I know, elephants are big, but standing next to one makes you realise just how enormous they are. She took the baton. I got trunk slobber on my coat. I love the face I'm pulling in this photograph, a mixture of awe, joy and fear.

Sandy and Damini

Damini also held one of our signs (made by Marissa).

Do as the elephant says...

Hayley and Gemma took the baton and headed off to find their unicorn.

No, it's a real unicorn. As if we'd dress up a horse. Tut tut.


Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us via our Sport Relief page or donated using the text number. There's still plenty of time left to donate, or join in, either en route with the baton or at one of the many Sport Relief events around the country. The Calicos are all running a mile together next month. That should be interesting...

Huge thanks to Katie and the team at Woburn Safari Park. Claire and I will be taking our families in half term because it is an amazing place to visit, and also to give them some business. We talked to the elephant keepers about the park. The elephants are walked for miles daily and allowed to roam free in the woods and have their own private lake to play in. Not a bad life.

*** PLEASE DONATE ***

Thank you.

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So I handed the Team Honk Blogger Relay baton to an elephant...

Team Honk Blogger Relay

Text HONK to 70005 and donate £5 to Sport Relief*

Team Honk is back and it's bigger than ever. Last year was just the beginning. This year over 200 bloggers are going to run, skip, jump, skate, swim, ride and scoot for 3000 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats in the great Team Honk Blogger Relay.

I'm incredibly excited to be part of Team Honk Milton Keynes. On Sunday 2nd February I will collect the baton from Lizzie and Helen after their leg of the relay, as they arrive from Cambridge.

The following day I will see if my couch to 5k training has paid off as I attempt to run the first 5k with the baton, wearing red pants on my head. Also running for Team Honk MK (much faster than me) are Claire from Ministry of Mum and Hayley from Shutterflies. Missy from Missy B and Family will be walking in her wedding dress, and Alyce from Upsy Daisy Baby will be cycling too. It's going to be a day of sweat (definitely) and tears (probably), but hopefully no blood...

What are we doing this for? Team Honk is raising money for Sport Relief.

Here is the Team MK fundraising page. 
Please sponsor us if you can.

No amount is too small as it all adds up and makes a huge difference to those in need in Africa and in the UK.

If the route doesn't come close to where you are, you can still provide social support for Team Honk.


The first ever Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games take place from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd March 2014. The public can join the fun and games by running, swimming or cycling their way to raising cash at over a thousand venues around the country, including the landmark events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

As one of the biggest fundraising events, Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active raise cash and change lives. The money raised by the public is spent by Comic Relief to help transform the lives of some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people both at home in the UK and across the world.


Andy, the boys and I have signed up for the Sport Relief Mile in Milton Keynes. Let's hope it's possible to get round as a family...



Text HONK to 70005 and donate £5 to Sport Relief*

Thank you for your support.

*Costs £5 + std ntwrk msg rate. Ts&Cs sportrelief.com/terms

Team Honk Blogger Relay

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #9

Sausages AND cider?

I bet you ALL wish you lived in Milton Keynes right about now.



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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #9

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #8: The Stables

The Stables at Wavenden in Milton Keynes is my new favourite live music venue.

It was built by Dame Cleo Laine and the late Sir John Dankworth in 1970, in the grounds of their home. It is now run as a charity providing world class music and entertainment. There are also hundreds of educational events held each year. You can learn to play the ukulele or even study songwriting with Beth Nielsen Chapman.

The Jim Marshall Auditorium seats just 398, but attracts a diverse range of artists from Seth Lakeman to Sarah Millican via T'Pau. There is also a second stage hosting even more intimate performances from up and coming artists.

Late last year I saw that Turin Brakes were playing at The Stables. I'd seen them earlier in the year at Esquires in Bedford and wanted to see them again. Andy already had a ticket to see Luke Haines that night so we got a babysitter and I decided to see Turin Brakes on my own. I managed to book a single ticket in the front row.

Everything about my experience of The Stables was fantastic. Stewards ensured the parking was well-organised. Yes, I do realise how middle-aged I sound. All of the staff inside the venue were friendly and helpful too. We were all ushered into our seats ready for the support band. I don't think rockers Strange Empire had ever experienced such a polite, seated, appreciative crowd. I think they enjoyed the experience. We did.

Turin Brakes were amazing, of course. The sound quality was excellent. They played most of one of the best albums of all time, The Optimist LP, as well as tracks from their other albums. They also treated us to some new songs. I can't wait for the new album. They are great musicians. I love them. Me, gush? Never. Okay, just a little bit.

At one point they hopped off the stage and did an acoustic number, like a band of wandering minstrels.

Awesome.

Despite us staying in our seats (we didn't want to get a friendly telling off from the ushers), I hope the band knew we were loving the gig. There were ovations and encores galore at the end.

Dear Turin Brakes,
Please please please please come and play The Stables again soon.
Thanks, Sandy x

In the meantime I shall take my pick from Jane Siberry, Midge Ure, Ricky Ross, Richard Herring, Chas n Dave, 4 Poofs & A Piano, Hazel O'Connor, Sam Lee, Ruby Turner, Gretchen Peters, Elkie Brooks...
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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #8: The Stables

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #7: Milton Keynes Museum

Milton Keynes may be a new city* but it was made up of several existing Buckinghamshire towns and many villages and hamlets. Make no mistake, there is history here. There is plenty to fill a local museum. Milton Keynes encompasses a Roman Road (Watling Street), the Grand Union canal and a Victorian railway line.

The main exhibits in Milton Keynes Museum relate to farming, transport and life in Victorian and Edwardian times. There is also a fantastic new communication exhibit where all of the telephones are connected and in working order. There's even a police call box, but sadly it's not bigger on the inside.

Presley, 5, and Cash, 4, loved the Victorian school

They also enjoyed making some toast over an open fire with the enthusiastic museum guides

We all enjoyed exhibits we could touch

I was glad some things were behind glass

The museum is situated on a farm and the exhibits are in both the farm house and outbuildings. There is plenty of room for children to run around outside and the obligatory tea room and shop. We spent a happy half-day there and will be going back.



*Milton Keynes is not officially a city, but MKers MKites residents of MK call it a city. So there.


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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #7: Milton Keynes Museum

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #6

Woodpecker:

Whaddya mean you can't see a woodpecker? Tsk.

Extreme close up:

See? Woodpecker!

It's not all concrete here in Milton Keynes, you know.


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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #6

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #5

Milton Keynes is a new city. It was carefully planned.

My next-door neighbour moved to our village in the 1960's, when - quite literally - Milton Keynes was all fields. She loves telling the tale of the time a bull showed up in her garden and the police thought she had been on the gin.

She is a bit of a hoarder and recently gave me the information pack she received from the Milton Keynes Development Corporation in 1972.

You know what? They succeeded.

Milton Keynes is beautifully laid out. The grid system of roads and roundabouts means the traffic flows easily. Navigation is straightforward and alongside every road are trees. There are thousands of trees to obscure the new housing estates. There are woods and parks and lakes and canals and hedgerows. There are 270km of redways, safe paths that crisscross the city for walkers and cyclists.

The detailed plans in the information pack were accompanied by an artist's impression.

This must have frightened the life out of the existing residents!

Can you spot David Blaine in the ice block? How prophetic.

Thank goodness the giant Dalek is just a figment of someone's fevered imagination. It's a shame about the slide though...


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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #5

Advanced Squirrel Spotting

There are three squirrels in this photograph. Can you spot them all?

Aw, go on, humour me.

We've been on almost constant squirrel watch for weeks now.

The boys found some oak trees at nursery and - quite literally - filled their boots and pockets with acorns on a daily basis for about a month. They came home from nursery and spent twenty minutes filling Tupperware pots. We then deposited the acorns under the ash tree in our garden.

Then we waited. Soon enough, a squirrel arrived. He must have thought all his birthdays had come at once. He then spent all day every day squirrelling the acorns away. I expect we'll find plenty of sapling oaks popping up next year as a result.

Our squirrel friend had the run of the garden for a few weeks and then another squirrel turned up and then another. He now has to share his nuts. There's a lot of squirrelly shouting.

So now we have three squirrels to watch. This week they all appeared together, at the same time. I caught them on camera. I won't make Wildlife Photographer of the Year, but I'm still proud.

They stayed still long enough for me to zoom in on each of them.

Why yes, of course you can see the close-ups. I thought you'd never ask.

There was one of the side fence:

One on the bird box:

And finally, one on the first branch up on the left:

Advanced Squirrel Spotting

Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #4

There are more than twenty parks in Milton Keynes. One of them is at Furzton Lake.

We took the boys there recently. They enjoyed feeding the ducks and the geese:

We loved the Triple Star Head sculpture by Paul Neagu:

When we were looking for a house in Milton Keynes, we wondered what it would be like to live at Furzton. Homes with a lake view come at a hefty premium. As we walked round the lake though, we thought that the residents must get fed up with people walking, running and cycling past their back gardens.

We were proud of the boys as they walked most of the 2.2km around the lake. We only had to carry them on the final stretch. We rewarded ourselves with a treat from the ice-cream van. Lovely.

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Reasons to Love Living in Milton Keynes #4