Sunday Special!

For your extra viewing pleasure on this sunny (at least in Belfast) Sunday, a bonus blog post full of pure fun.

First, when we were at the Westbrook Beetling Mill (blog post coming later this week), we got to walk right alongside a sheep pasture.  To be honest, everywhere we go we are right alongside a sheep pasture.  On this instance, we were just on the otherside of a thin wire fence.  As we walked along, more and more of the herd were coming to check us out and they were LOUD.  I think you can see in the video, but to be sure, they were charging the edge of the fence and it was an amazing sight (and sound!) to witness an entire pasture of sheep and lambs gather towards us and essentially yell at us. Not sure if they thought we had food or they were being protective of the lambs, but either way it was quite an experience.

Second, ever had spiral potato crisps? (local language lesson: what we refer to in America as "chips" are called "crisps", here, "chips" are a type of french fry. though I was at a restaurant the other day where I was served "fries" and my friend was served "chips"...one was skinny fries and the other wedges, but I don't remember which is which anyway!) ok, so spiral potato crisps...strange stuff.  They were not thin and crispy, more like a fried noodle texture (looks like a noodle too of course).  Not my favorite, but when on a long car ride in the country, one must make do with the snacks that show up in the car!  We also had flat flavored water thinking it would be a twist on a spritzer. It tasted like flat sprite...why were we surprised?!

The Zombification of Zev

If you had asked my kids what they were most looking forward to on our travels they would have answered, without hesitation, the unlimited screen time on an approximately 10 hour flight.  This should have been a sign, a warning, a teachable moment for us.  Instead, we told them of the other "perks" of business class travel.  The lay flat beds, the near constant food (which contrary to one's thought is actually quite good), and generally just a bit more comfort.  They did quite enjoy the ice cream sundaes! But Zev was really quite intent on getting every last moment of the screen time available at his fingertips.  Despite being tucked into a cozy bed (evidence below) and told multiple times by me (and the flight attendant!) to get some rest, he persevered to watch screen time the ENTIRE flight (except the last 5 minutes of taxiing when, naturally, he fell dead asleep. Behold, the many phases of Zev the Zombie.

Zev all tucked in for bed

Zev Zombie 1 - just after landing and before passing out

Zev Zombie 2 - waiting for our boarding passes

Not pictured is Zev trying to walk through Schipol airport, barely able to carry his own weight, let alone his backpack.  I wish I also had a picture of Zev in the airport lounge, he was sitting up with his legs crossed, resting his chin in his palm.  He was not like this for lack of a comfy place to curl up; he just fell asleep too quickly to get positioned otherwise. We then had a connecting flight into Belfast.

Zev Zombie 3 - waiting to board our flight to Belfast

Zev Zombie 4 - on the 1.25 hour flight

At first Zev was very proud of his accomplishment - in that 8-year-old kind of way (ha - I surely showed you silly grown ups)!  As we forced him off the plane (remember he fell asleep as we taxied to the gate) and he was whining and crying and really wretched, he experienced the first moments of regret.  I empathized - we've all been there - it's miserable.  Everything hurts, you're nauseous, and hungry, and tired, and weak.  You inevitably have a headache.  As Zev tried to shuffle through the airport, he said "ughhhh it feels like I'm dying!" (it was very whiny, shouty, pathetic).  I said "yep, pretty much, but you'll get over it in a bit"  And maybe next time, there will be a little less screen time and a little more sleeping on his travels.

PS - Ariana watched lots of screen time AND she slept for 5 hours (and ate a sundae and had a marvelous time)