Peppa Pig World – derrickjknight

Louisa, Errol, Jessica and Imogen and I made an early start as Errol drove us to Ocknell camping and caravan site near Fritham, so they could investigate the facilities. They have bought a tent and intend to start camping. We went out along Roger Penney Way, where I thought we might see donkeys, cattle, and even pigs, to complement the ponies. We did see a few, but more were to come.

The nearest we got to pigs were the Peppa Pig brochures which the girls studied avidly as their parents sought information at the site’s reception office. They had, of course enjoyed a trip to Peppa Pig World with Jackie and me on 3rd November last year.

On our return, I suggested a drive through Fritham, where we were treated to prolonged close-ups of both donkeys and cattle who were in no hurry as they ambled up the road. There can be no more ungainly gait than that of hoofed animals on tarmac. Even the new calves show signs of their parents’ awkwardness. The donkeys showed us their rear views. The cattle ambled towards us aiming, no doubt, for their sheds at the junction leading to The Royal Oak. When we turned back after coming to the end of the road, they had clearly been in no hurry, so we had to follow their rears as well. On Stoney Cross Plain there were a number of forest pony foals to be seen.

It was not yet 10 a.m. when we returned to the Lodge. We had already had one diversionary trip to stop Jessica and Imogen from waking Eleanor’s household. Eleanor is ten years old and my granddaughters were itching for her to join them in the den. But the curtains were drawn in her flat and it was Sunday morning. I therefore stood in for the young lady until our very early lunch, necessitated by the family’s long journey back to Nottingham.

The den is within the spreading limbs of an enormous rhododendron which provide an excellent climbing frame. Paving of various materials, some of which have been decorated with charcoal from a bonfire; a little fabricated gate; a patch in which carrots are being grown; a set of wind chimes; various plaster ornaments on a bird-feeder; and a wooden seat straddling the almost horizontal branches, are all features of this creation. With immaculate timing Eleanor came in to view just at the point of lunch. As quick as a flash the girls were off to join her. Imogen took her cucumber-filled crusty roll off with her, and returned a few minutes later for earth to be scraped off the filling. Naturally she was given fresh ingredients.

This evening I received a photograph from Errol that he had taken yesterday. Strangely enough, I was walking in the wrong direction (I am indebted to Becky for this interpretation of the picture, which is more apt than my original).

We were also grateful to Errol for providing the drinks that went with our evening meal tonight. Jackie drank a can of Stella he had left in the fridge, and I finished a bottle of a French wine he had bought at the village shop. This beverage trips off the tongue as well as it slid onto it. It is Lazy Lizard Shiraz 2011. We ate oven fish and chips followed by Jackie’s rice pudding and Sainsbury’s profiteroles.

Last night, bang on time, at 9.50 p.m. two sleeping children were decanted from their car and carried upstairs to the spare room at The Firs. This was a very impressive piece of Satnav prediction for the journey of Louisa and Errol from Nottingham. Apart from one brief interlude around 2.00 a.m. Jessica and Imogen slept soundly until 5.30 when Louisa entertained them until after 7. Despite the intercom to their parents bedroom, it happened to be me who heard Imogen call for her mother. She had lost her Bobby, her soft toy she cannot sleep without. The girls were sharing a large double bed, and somehow Bobby had found himself on the other side of Jessica. When Jessica discovered him, all was well, and uninterrupted sleep resumed.

In the morning it was good to see that we had scored with the cereals we chose for the children. Imogen normally doesn’t eat cereal, but she tucked into two bowlfuls. The parents went off for a day on their own, and Elizabeth cared for the two girls for the rest of the morning whilst Jackie and I went into Winchester to collect the keys for our new Minstead flat.

Louisa and Errol’s two daughters are a real pleasure to entertain. Both are sweet natured, never complain, and are undemanding. So, when Jackie and I took them off for the afternoon to Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park, off the M27 at junction 2, we knew we would all have an enjoyable time, which we did. Whilst our charges were interested in the rides, they got easily as much pleasure from rolling down an artificial hill, and, Imogen especially, from the cartoon’s model figures distributed around the park. We missed the penguins’ feeding time, but found them interesting anyway. The feature we did not miss, and the highlight of the afternoon, was the half hour when real live Peppa and George Pig emerged from their house and entertained the throngs grasping at the railings which protected them from being overrun by eager children and their camera-wielding carers. Jackie, who held Imogen up so she could see properly, could not prise her away from this feature for at least fifteen minutes, and then only after the child had succeeded in shaking George’s hand.

The rides all required an adult to be accompanying a child under eight. This, unfortunately, meant Jackie and I had to join the girls in the balloon ride.

We ate lunch from one of the fast food outlets that are plentiful in the grounds. The children enjoyed chicken nuggets, Jackie approved of her spicy bean burger, and I managed to eat my bland Rio Grande cheeseburger; all with chips. I drank water and the children had apple juice. The girls each had a pencil which needed sharpening in their set meal box. Jackie just happened to have a pencil sharpener in her handbag. so she sharpened the pencils, but expressed some puzzlement as to why the pencils had not been eaten. Whilst I guarded our belongings Jackie took the girls off to a stall where they each won a soft toy doughnut. Somehow or other these doughnuts ended up on Peppa and George’s heads in the schoolroom. Jackie observed that, although in Paulton’s Park before entering Peppa Pig World, one could buy hot dogs (presumably containing pork), such victuals were not available in the outlets in the porcine area. This seemed only fair, really.

We had a trip to the Peppa Pig toyshop, which was in grave danger of competing with the brassrubbing session with Matthew and Becky described on 17th October. When Jessica chose Peppa Pig’s Teddy, I was quite happy with that. Imogen then chose two smaller characters. Which meant Jessica had to have something else. So Imogen grasped another, which was a larger one, George’s dinosaur in fact……… and so on, not ad infinitum, because I drew the line at four. I’ve learned a little bit about drawing lines in the intervening years since that trip to St. James’ Church.

The last half hour or so of the trip took place in the indoor soft play area, the best part of which was the long slides which were perfect for shooting down alongside your recently acquired soft toys, each of which had to make the descent in turn.

We then met Louisa and Errol at Castle Malwood Lodge and impressed them both with our new abode while their two daughters played with the Pig family on the sitting room floor. Back at The Firs Mum and Danni and Andy joined us for a roast lamb meal prepared jointly by Jackie, Elizabeth and Danni. Apple pie, tarte tatin, and bread and butter pudding, were the desserts on offer. Red and white wines, Stella, and cider, were imbibed. Before the meal we were entertained by fireworks provided by Danni and Errol. Louisa said this was the first year they had been able to have fireworks without a child being very frightened. A fun evening was had by all.

A glimpse into the chidren’s bedroom revealed that they had gone to bed with the entire Pig family.

Tag: Peppa Pig World

Cheers, Errol

Peppa Pig