Home alone

 Once in a blue moon MBAOSPW escapes from Rock HQ for a short break with Supergrandma and yours truly is left home alone with the boys and critters. Well what could possibly go wrong. Nothing. So once the chores were done, critters fed, Mork and Mindy watered

 and Amanda and Carole likewise there were choices ahead.

 Choice A clear a ton of horse gifts from the lane, or....

 go the adventure playground with the boys. Naturally the adventure playground won and the horse pooh took care of itself. In other words lay in wait, growing.

 Once rope bridges were conquered and spiral slides tamed we headed back to the ranch to make pizzas and drink beer, or if you were not old enough to appreciate one of Kent's finest then diet pop followed by ice creams and a marathon session of Tom and Jerry cartoons. .

 Morning role call saw RRMk2 sat on the patio in the early light of dawn doing maths from a book he bought from his own pocket money. Weird kid.

 First breakfast cleared off the plates we set off to Willow Rise and had a science lesson. This involved launching model rockets 1000ft into the air.

 Next lesson was Physical Education, which entailed closing the distance between us and the rocket that was now slowly descending to earth by parachute.

 Now we had Botany, sorting out flora from foreign objects (rockets)

 Then geography, finding our way back to the launch site.

 Final lesson was Trust, where older apprentice placed his trust in younger RRMk2 not to press the launch button while he was at the business end of a rocket motor.

 Having lost both missiles we returned to base only to find the first one crashed into the yard. No one mention the dent in the roof of MBAOSPW's car, it probably wasn't us. Ahem.

 A quick scoff of munchies, all healthy, we headed off for a walk in the river. Yes you read right , today instead of walking along or over, we went in.

 Has to be said Mrs Bear is the sensible one and stayed on the dry side

 and there were a few fly bitey beasties, this one lost the battle to drain me of life.

 We had a great time

 RRMk2 was sensible and wore a wet suit so didn't suffer like the rest of us.

 I think they enjoyed the walk.

 Both survived unscathed, not even a fly bite, seems I'm the only flavour they like.

 The great outdoors.

 Half way back RRMk2 had a malfunction and slowed right down, source of the lack of forward motion was a cut foot and after carrying him for half a mile yours truly caved in and let the apprentice run home and fetch the ambulance, which might look like a go kart but for today it was an ambulance which we used to push the broken one home.

 Showered and repaired we kicked back and watched the sun set over the hills while cooking our dinner on an open fire which yours truly showed them how to light with a flint.

 An unexpected guest at the camp fire feast was Benjy, the apprentice's pony who forgot equines don't eat meat and tried desperately to get hold of a hot dog.

In actual fact he could have scoffed the apprentices as he has gone veggie.