So, last weekend was a big one for us. As I think I’ve mentioned, Mr MC has been training 5 days a week for a year (yes really) for a particular karate black belt grading on Sunday. So on Saturday to take his mind off it, we headed up to a family festival in the West Lakes. Glastonbury it isn’t, but it does have some great music, food, a mini Chelsea-type festival and lots of other stuff going on. I hadn’t actually given any thought to family festival chic until that morning and it was grey and overcast so I knew I needed layers and shoes that would be comfortable for a day of walking around on wet grass. I also took the new bag that I’ve just ordered from Next as a beach bag for our holiday. It’s metallic silver straw and huge, as you can see, so there was plenty of room for a picnic, drinks and all the stuff that the boys picked up from the various stalls.
Family Festival Chic
- Jersey biker: White Company (old)
- T-shirt: Oasis
- Relaxed skinny jeans: Next
- Trainers: Superga 2750s
- Necklace: Schoolgatestyle (out of stock)
- Silver straw bag: Next
After a while, miraculously, the sun came out and I found my family festival comfort zone – the champagne tent – although at £10 a glass it wasn’t much comfort especially when our clumsy middle son bounded up and knocked Mr MC’s full glass over – every table around us let out a collective groan of sympathy!
- T-shirt: Oasis
- Relaxed skinny jeans: Next
- Trainers: Superga 2750s
- Necklace: Schoolgatestyle (out of stock)
- Silver straw bag: Next
- Silver belt: Boden (old)
We had a fantastic afternoon lying in the sun and listening to the bands (but not drinking champagne and not thinking about karate).
The karate grading was a full day on Sunday so I stayed at home doing the things that it takes to get 3 boys ready to go back to 3 different schools with the many variations of sports kit required. Mr MC went off feeling very confident having trained so hard for so long and was due back at about 4.30pm. By 6pm when he still wasn’t home I was wondering if he’d gone out with the squad to celebrate when I heard him at the door. We bounded out, wanting to see his face when he came in and it was obvious that something had gone wrong. The only way I can describe how he looked is to say that I haven’t seen him so crestfallen since the day his dad died. This particular grading had meant so much to him and he had only passed 2 of the 3 sections required. To make it worse, they don’t tell you why you haven’t passed so he didn’t have a clue what had gone wrong and had been sure that he was going to go through until his name wasn’t called for the final round. The whole thing is then pretty awful because you can’t leave the dojo until all your team mates have finished so he had to sit and watch and try not to show how he was feeling. It just hadn’t occurred to us that he wouldn’t pass – he’s won so many different competitions recently – I suppose it’s the old thing about pride coming before a fall. We’d even prepared a huge celebration Japanese meal for him which he was going to see as soon as he went into the kitchen.
Fortunately he took it well and still ate it despite feeling more like hara kiri than teriyaki. We also opened the bottle of sake that I’d bought …and then the next one…(it was on offer). Now 2 bottles of sake would never have been a good idea on a school night but especially not when your youngest child has an inset day the next day and you’ve promised to take him to BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH.
Pleasure Beach Chic (!)
I woke up on Monday feeling as if I’d been on all of the rides already. We did have a get out clause that we wouldn’t go if it was raining but the sun was shining agonisingly brightly and, like the bear hunt, we couldn’t go round it – we just had to go through it. So, here I am having just arrived with Mr MC and a crazily excited, bouncing 10 year old. I was hoping they’d just park me there on the bench with my new friends who looked like I was feeling.
- Bomber jacket: Warehouse (out of stock)
- Breton: Boden (past season)
- Scarf: Tu @ Sainsburys – bought when shopping for sake on Sunday for £4 in the sale!
- Relaxed skinny jeans: Next
- Trainers: Superga
- Bag: Cath Kidston (past season)
Ten years ago I went on the Pepsi Max Big One and said I would never do it again so why I thought I should try it with a sake hangover I’ll never know. Much to Mr MC and the small one’s amusement it took me nearly all day to recover – my day definitely wasn’t worth the £30 wristband!
So today I’m very thankful to be sitting quietly at my desk and am blogging when I should be working after taking the whole of half term off. Mr MC has cheered up a bit – I think it was probably really good for the boys to see him try so hard and still fail at something and be so visibly gutted. He doesn’t agree (wanting to be superhero dad) but I think it might help them when they have their own disappointments in the future. Hopefully they’ve learned 2 things this weekend: that life doesn’t always give you what you want and to stay away from sake (or the Pepsi Max – one or the other)!
- Blazer: Whistles
- Striped jumper: Boden (ancient)
- Relaxed skinny jeans: Next
- Silver pumps: Boden (ancient)
- Necklace: Schoolgate style (out of stock)
Thanks for all your comments on the last few posts, do keep in touch, it’s great to be getting to know some of you and also to be hearing from somebody new each time.
