The Polar Express from Weardale

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Tonight we drove up to Weardale to experience the Polar Express. Our departure was at 7:30pm so we got there just in time to enjoy hotdogs, burgers and chips and a nice warm coffee before boarding at around 7:30.

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The experience was truly incredible – right from the moment we stepped on the platform and the conductors shouted “ALL ABOARD”. The chefs were ready and were performing their hot chocolate delivery dance from the moment the train set off and they kept us entertained the whole time we were onboard.

We are so pleased that we took the boys up for this experience because it was really, really good.

The commemorative mugs that we received will remind us of the trip for many months to come.

Thankfully the boys have slept nicely in the car on the way home and with the exception J40 of the M1 being closed (no notice given – well 50 yards) the journey home was quick and easy.

Now just a few hours sleep and we are off again – this time to London Town for a couple of nights….

Daddy has taken a big step in mobile communications – 3

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After careful thought, Daddy has taken a pretty big step and bought a 12 month contract with 3. It is a sim only deal and costs just £15 a month for unlimited (and tether able) data, 2000 minute of calls and 5000 texts a month. The winning combo was the unlimited data that can be tethered to other devices AND the fact that the phone can be used in many countries (US being the key one) and the fact that the existing allowances are all available to be used while there at no extra cost. Yes, that’s right, daddy can use his phone for unlimited data in the UK AND US as well as for 2000 minutes a month in the UK or US (so long as calling UK numbers of course).

There is clearly some issue over whether the 3 network is suitable for voice calls although is well known as being a very good data network.

Let’s wait to see if he begins to complain about the network in the coming weeks.

Hopefully, it will be fab and in which case we will look to fear Mummy’s over as well. £42 to £15 a month is a winning price 🙂

Raymond Briggs Father Christmas at the Leeds Playhouse

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We met up with some of the kids in Olly’s class at school for lunch at Pizza Express near the Corn Exchange in Leeds for lunch and then head over to the 14:30 show.

It lasted around an hour and was a fantastic play. Really well put on with just three actors. FC was very good – a great mix of FC with a slightly grumpy old man – really brought out a terrific character. The sound effect lady was brilliant – she did everything from the tick tock of the clock to FC sitting on the toilet – strangely the Rust boys found this the most funny of all – ‘plop’.

The only complaint would be that we were all sat on uncomfortable wooden (covered with cheap thin carpet) steps – when we got up at the end of the show, our behinds had lost much of their sensation 🙁

Overall a great show that the kids loved.