Summer Adventures

I've been a bit quiet the past couple of weeks, but for a very good reason.

I've been back in Exeter for a fortnight volunteering on a camp for young carers called Summer Adventures. It's run by a society I was heavily involved in at university and offers carers age 7-15 the opportunity to have a crucial break from their home duties for a week of their school holidays. You can read more about the camp here. This year over 60 children joined us over the two weeks, all of whom had a fantastic time, which is of course the main thing!

As a bonus, I had a brilliant time too.

Summer Adventures taught me a lot about young carers and dealing with children and teenagers. It was great to get to know them over the week they were with us and learn about their lives and what they enjoy doing. I also learned a lot about myself, including that I'm a lot more competitive than I ever thought, and that I can actually be brave and challenge myself when I want to! I also made loads of new friends (who might be reading this, so hello if you are!!)

It also gave me the opportunity to do some reeeeeeally fun stuff around Exeter and Devon that I didn't have the chance to do (or never thought of doing!) when I was at uni.

Week 1 was with the younger children. One day, we headed to the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth.

I love donkeys. I don't know why, I have just grown up as a bit of a fan. So this was a very good day out.

I mean, I got to get a selfie with a donkey. Happy days.

There was also an obstacle course for the kids to do where they led a donkey round carrying things on their head and throwing beanbags into hoops etc.

I wanted a go at that! (I won... obvs)

One day each week we headed to Heatree, which is an outdoor activities centre up on Dartmoor. The drive up there consisted of playing eye spy and singing Frozen songs while looking out over the moors. So far so good.

I was planning, on the first visit, to take it easy for the afternoon and look after the bags etc. But as soon as I got there, the child inside me wanted to play.

Which meant I ended up doing this

Another thing I learned on SA is that balance is not my strong point. So, on the low ropes course we did that afternoon I definitely struggled a lot more than any of the kids. They laughed. I fell. Repeat. I've returned home covered in bruises. 

I also felt that sliding down a tunnel in a stream was a great idea.

...And then I got pushed into a bog by my dear friends...

It was a big bog. It swallowed up one of the girl's shoes never to be seen again. 

Fortunately I made it out alive; smelly, soaked and smiley.

On week 2's visit back to Heatree we did high ropes, which I don't have any photos of, but based on my proven failures on the low ropes I was very, very scared. But I gave it a go, walked (with jelly legs) along a beam 25m in the air, and clung onto it for dear life when the instructor told me to let go. 

A solid effort, I thought. 

The afternoon activity was raft building. I was adamant I would not be going in the lake.

The (dashing) outfit I was given didn't seem to promise anything, though.

We were proud of our raft and were happily bobbing along in the lake

Until we were attacked by pirates (of course that was going to happen....)

The outcome?

 I think my face says it all.

Continuing with the getting absolutely splashed and soaked theme, we also went canoeing at Exeter quay one day (during which I successfully managed to look like an over excited child)

And headed to Splashdown waterpark in Paignton

Source

There is a slide there nicknamed the death slide. It is basically a vertical drop and yes, you do feel like you're going to die (I did anyway).

But again, I survived, and kept smiling.

So, a few things to take from this.

If you're in Devon, give some of these places a go. You will have a lot of fun.

If you get chance to volunteer with children, do it. The child hiding inside you would be very, very happy you did, and I'm sure the children you'd work with would be too.

And give everything a go.

XX

Baking Bonanza

Last week I went to a friend’s house for the afternoon. We have a mutual love of baking, and after her living abroad for a year, it was about time we got the ingredients out and got cracking.

A quick flick through my Hummingbird book (again!) and we had decided – we would bake two different types of cupcake – Eton Mess, and Cookies & Cream (the smaller versions of this)

The Eton Mess cupcakes are, as you’d probably expect, a simple vanilla sponge. The mixture seemed very runny compared to most recipes, so if you go on to make these, be aware that (somehow) that is absolutely fine – the cakes still tasted great.

Once baked and cooled, you cut a small hole out of the sponge and fill with chopped up strawberries, then place the sponge back onto the top ready to top.

They are topped with a custard type icing and strawberries. The recipe also suggests adding crumbled up meringue, too. We tried to make one of those… but unfortunately it didn’t really work!

Still, the cakes tasted lovely and went down well with our families!

I have to admit though, the Cookies & Cream cupcakes definitely won hands down.

They have a chocolate sponge, and we put small pieces of Maryland chocolate chip cookies into the mixture.

Once cooked, we put a buttercream style icing on top (which we added vanilla extract to) and decorated with crumbled up Oreos.

Heaven.

The icing on both was, again, pretty runny, so in the future I’d probably add more icing sugar, but with a fork (or some sticky fingers) both cakes were very very yummy.

We were pleased with ourselves.

And my Mum even said the Cookies & Cream cupcakes were “possibly the best things she’d ever tasted”.

High praise indeed!

Rufford Park

Recently, my Granny and I went for a day out to Rufford Park, just north of Nottingham. We’ve been going 

since I was young, and now occasionally go for a wander round the lake and a catch up.

Unfortunately after this heatwave we picked a day where it was quite cloudy, but a nice breeze meant it wasn’t so hot we couldn’t enjoy the walk.

Rufford is home to an old Abbey and there are re-enactments and craft fairs throughout the year.

It's also home to a lot of geese...

But the lake is what we normally go for; it’s a nice hour long amble where you can watch the ducks and geese and admire the view.

And after working up an appetite may I recommend the Saville Restaurant which offers a three meat carvery for a very good price… I don’t have a photo of this because my gravy was dripping all over the place and I was making a bit of a mess, but if you imagine a roast, and double the size, you can probably imagine the plate in front of me.

I was stuffed!

                                              

Annie's Burger Shack

On Thursday, myself and a couple of friends went to Annie’s Burger Shack in Nottingham. I’d received good news about a new job during the day and this seemed like a good way to celebrate. We’ve been meaning to go for a while and finally managed to get a date which suited, and a table.

 It was well worth the wait.

Annie’s started off as a burger kitchen in a pub, but in the past year or so has developed into a popular restaurant in the old Lace Market area of town. It’s now a two storey affair, selling burgers on the ground floor, and the basement is a bar. The perfect night.

We started off with a strawberry milkshake as we waited for a table.

They split the restaurant in half; one half is bookable, the other is for people dropping in. We tried to book a few days before and were told it was fully booked, and so arrived an hour before we wanted to eat in order to ensure we got a table. It wasn’t too busy so we didn’t have to wait that long, but it was a week day evening. Big groups and weekends I’d certainly recommend booking in advance if you can.

It was fine though… we needed plenty of time to give the menu our full attention and decide which burger we wanted. There are thirty options… THIRTY. And each one is available for vegetarians or vegans as well as meat.

It’s a big decision.

It ranges from the classic cheeseburger to some pretty surreal ones. I was tempted by The Gringo, a burger with a tortilla basket on top full of spicy rice, refried beans and salsa, but figured I’d NEVER finish it! There’s even a Sunday Dinner burger, complete with roast chicken, stuffing, roast potatoes and a Yorkshire pud. I love burgers, I love Sunday dinners… I just couldn’t quite imagine them together drenched in gravy! 

Maybe next time…

Emma ordered The Jamie Blackmore, which comes with BBQ’d pulled pork, salsa and Red Leicester.

Claire went for the Delta; cheese, olives, onion rings, jalapenos, and added bacon…

I stayed pretty safe and ordered the Reggie, which is served with cheese & bacon and a crispy hash brown in between those and the patty.

I wasn’t disappointed. It was delicious. Served with curly fries (you can choose from a range of sides), I’m not sure any burger I’ve had before competes. It was huge, but it was delicious.

A bottle of cider later I plodded on home, full, but very happy.

We’re planning our next trip to Annie’s already.