A holiday album

Last year Harry from the USA came to stay with Henry for a few weeks and I documented his adventures on my blog.  A few weeks ago I finally finished the album I had been working on and posted it to Carol S, Harry's Mom.  The other day I heard it had arrived so thought I would show you a few pages of it here.

It comes in a nice protective sleeve case.

During the holiday they also got to spend some time in Exeter with Laura and her gang and had a great time there as well.

Henry certainly misses Harry.  The boys had a fabulous time together, I got to make a new friend and Harry took some souvenirs home with him.

A wagon arrives.

The boys had been excited for days...they had been asking for a wagon 'because everyone else seems to have one' and whilst that is not a reason, they had been very good boys so Mum thought she would get them one as a special treat.

"Guess what?"  Henry asks.

"What?" Harry and Simon ask together.

"I saw a package arrive the other day...I wonder if it is for us?"  Henry replies.  "I saw Mum hide something away.

The wagon is bought out to them and the boys look at it a bit shocked.

"It's a bit big, don't you think"  Simon says.

"Do you think Mum measured wrong" Henry comments..."She did that with my first suitcase!"

"How are we going to pull it?" Harry asks staring at it.

"Well I can lift the handle, but that is about it" Henry demonstrates.

"If we can only get someone to pull it for us, it will probably be okay, don't worry Simon, it will probably turn out okay after all"  Henry reassures Simon while they have a think.

"Why don't we ask Bobby? Harry suggests.

"Oh yes that would be a super idea.  Might stop him moping over Suzi.  He does nothing but send her messages on the computer"  Henry tells them.  "Best not say anything to him about that though, or he may not help.  He is...let's say rather 'sensitive' about it".

The boys manage to convince Bobby to come out to look at the wagon.

"Please Bobby, play with us" They ask imploringly while looking at Bobby with their 'puppy dog eyes'.

"Well okay" Bobby says

"Three cheers for Bobby" The boys shout and cheer!

With the wagon loaded up Henry and Harry help push it to get it started.  Looks like little Alfie has hitched a ride as well.

Once they get it going the boys are able to let go

and walk alongside it.  Harry keeps a close eye on Alfie to make sure he doesn't fall out.

"Let's go over there" Bobby suggests.

They are all quite happy with that idea, Simon leads the way to their favourite play area.

Out come the tools.  Henry starts to saw a piece of wood while the others chat about what they might make.

"Careful Henry, you might need to use two hands if you are sawing some wood to steady it"  Harry suggests.

Harry walks over to Henry and suggests that he might see if he can cut the vine that is in the way with his pliers.  

"I don't think they are going to work on that"  Bobby observes.

Meanwhile no one has observed what Alfie is getting up to!

Suddenly Henry spots Alfie as he swings his leg over the side of the wagon and rushes over to him.

"Hang on a minute there Alfie, let me give you a hand" 

"There you go, that's made it a bit easier, hasn't it" Henry comments as he helps Alfie down out of the wagon.

Alfie sits down with the boys while they have a discussion about what to do next.  Alfie plays with some sticks while looking up at the boys.

"Why don't we pack everything up now and go back inside to watch a video...it is getting a bit chilly out here and I think Mum will have dinner ready soon"  

"That sounds like a good idea...I can go back on the computer and see if Suzi is home yet"  Bobby murmurs to himself, hoping the others don't hear.

Simon helps Alfie back into the wagon.

"Steady on Alfie, you can't get out again yet, wait until we are inside"  Simon holds onto Alfie to keep him from scrambling out while Bobby is pulling the wagon.

"What shall we watch?"

"I don't know. Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"We always watch that.  How about Harry Potter"

"Um, I'm not sure I feel like watching HP"

The boys continue discussing what to watch... 

While Bobby wonders what Suzi has done today...

Giving & Playing

`Having been given the little teddy bear 'Harry' from Harry in the weekend, Henry thought he would give his little Paddington Bear bought down in Devon to Claudius.

"Claudius, I thought you might like a little bear to play with and  cuddle at night"

"Tank you Henry"  Claudius says as Henry hands over Paddington

Henry sits beside Claudius and tells him the story of how he got Paddington Bear in a wonderful Teddy Bear shop full of lots of Teddy Bears looking for homes and how he thought Paddington was just the bear to take home.  Claudius looks very happy with his bear and plays with him while Henry is telling the story.

Simon and Harry have just started playing a game of chess.

Having a chess programmer in the family means that there really is no excuse for the boys not to be able to play chess...

Harry thinks about his next move.

I think they are having a lazy morning still in their pyjamas...

The boys go camping.

"Let's make a bivouac shelter to camp in tonight"  

"That sounds like fun"

"We'll need to gather some poles and sticks"

They gather some long poles and start making their shelter by pushing them into the ground at angles.

`'Make sure they are in the ground firmly". 

"Do you think that is good enough?"  Henry asks.

"Sure.  Now we need lots of ferns and brush to cover it up with"  Harry says.

"I don't think we are going to be able to find any of those in the garden"  Henry replies.

"Well perhaps we can use an old cloth or something instead?"   Simon suggests.  "I don't think it is going to rain tonight so we should be okay".

"There, that should do it"

The boys rush off to grab a blanket for the ground and their sleeping bags.

"There, what do you think?"  Harry asks, as he sits back on the sleeping bags looking up at Henry.

"Looks pretty good to me" Henry replies.

Simon seems somewhat distracted.

"What are you thinking about Simon?"  Henry asks.

"Well....we should gather some wood and make a camp fire"  Simon replies.

"Oooh do you think your Mum will let us?  Harry asks

"Yeah, sure..." Henry replies doubtfully.

Simon and Harry make an area for the fire while Henry gathers some firewood.

"There, pretty good don't you think"  Simon and Harry ask Henry as he approaches.  

They seem rather fascinated by the fireplace they have made.

"Does look pretty good"  Henry agrees.

"So what do we need now?"  They boys ask Henry.

"Food of course!" Henry replies.  "As I gathered all the firewood, you two can go and get some food and something to cook it in.  I better check with Mum that we can light our fire"

Simon and Harry go and get some cooking utensils and some food.

Henry checks with Mum about the camp fire and receives very strict instructions about what to do.

Simon & Harry come back armed with some cups, plates, a tin of spaghetti and some bacon, sausage  & eggs.

"You can be cook Harry"  

"Simon you keep an eye on the fire"

Henry collects some more wood while the boys cook the dinner.

"Just in time Henry"  Harry tells Henry as Henry drops the firewood.

"It's time to eat now".  Harry dishes up the dinner and they all tuck in.

A little while later, the dinner is finished and the plates and cups are all sitting in the frying pan waiting to be washed...

Henry is finishing his hot chocolate drink and Harry and Simon seem to be attempting to play with their slinky.

"I think you really need stairs for this to work properly"  Henry comments.

"Nah, it is working"  Simon replies.  "Look"  He lets go of it on the rock they are sitting on and it drops down.

"Well I guess it sort of works"  Harry says.

The boys enjoy sitting in front of the camp fire telling each other stories.

"Don't tell any scary ones"  Henry comments...

"Don't worry Henry, I've got something for you that will keep the nightmares away"  Harry says and he rushes off to get a gift he has been waiting for the right time to give to Henry.

"It is especially for you"  Harry says.

Henry looks surprised while Simon looks on.  Harry hands a cute teddy bear over to Henry.

"Oh, for me?" Henry gasps.  "Thank you so much, I LOVE him".  

Henry gives his new teddy a big hug.  

"I'm going to call him Harry"  Henry tells Harry.  "That way I will always think of you and our holiday together, even after you have gone home"

"Don't worry Henry, I have got a few more weeks with you yet"  Harry reassures Henry.  "Don't forget we can always write or email each other"

With that the boys get into their pyjamas ready for the night.

They enjoy a game of Ludo first.  Henry makes a move. 

"Your turn now Harry"  

Harry makes his move.  "This is good fun isn't it?  He says.

After a while when the game is finished they snuggle down into their sleeping bags for the night.

Harry's Mum Carol made two of the great sleeping bags and pillows especially for Henry and any guest he may have staying with him.  The one in the middle arrived a couple of days ago from a friend in Germany who thought of the boys when she found it.  Wasn't it nice of her to send it over for them?  I am sure Simon is relieved otherwise not sure what he would have slept in!

Henry has his little bear Harry tucked into his sleeping bag with him.

Mum checks on them and makes sure the camp fire has been put out which it has.

"Goodnight boys"  

"Night night"  They chorus together.

They chat for a while, a long while...before they fall asleep.