Not the Royal Wedding

While the country was watching and waiting to see the dress a Royal Bride would be wearing yesterday, I was gently cruising down the Shropshire Union Canal in a Day Boat for 10 people without a TV, radio or even a reliable mobile signal.

It wasn't a deliberate attempt to avoid the nuptials. In fact as soon as we got back home I was straight on BBC iPlayer to see for myself a) if Kate looked like a proper princess b) the kiss and c) (oh dear!) Will's bald spot. The reason for the whole canal thing was that it was my birthday weekend and this was how I chose to celebrate - my lovely family, plenty of good food and drink and a slightly unusual setting.

We went for a little bit of a pirate theme for fun - an idea that my three year old totally embraced.

I wasn't at all sure how I would cope with the baby boy given that he has now perfected his hundred mile an hour crawl technique, but he loved being on the boat and with lots of people to keep an eye on him and give him attention, he had a brilliant time.

Ivy brought her guitar along so we had a good sing song at the front of the boat while the boys took on the serious task of steering us along the waterway through narrow bridges and past other boaters.

I had an an absolutely lovely day - my merriment enhanced by pink champagne, strawberries and an award winning chocolate torte.

We saw lots of herons along the way. I love to see herons in a natural environment (less impressed by them when they are stealing the fish from my garden pond). I really wanted to get a photo or some video footage of one of these magnificent avian creatures but I was always too slow. When someone pointed out that there was a beautiful specimen sitting very still on the side of the canal just ahead I grabbed my camera bag. A perfect opportunity. But it was sitting VERY still. So still that I thought it had to be a plastic one that someone had placed there. False alarm. Then it moved. Ever so slightly. Or was that my imagination. (I was working my way through the best part of a whole bottle of pink champagne!) Realisation that it was indeed made of flesh and feathers, followed by a mad panic trying to get the camera out of the bag and ready resulted in another botched attempt to photograph my subject as it took flight and glided teasingly right over our heads. I guess I am not destined to be a wildlife photographer!

Wildlife photography + champagne, not a good mix!

My girls were hoping that our trip along the canal might provide some good locations for the music video they are making to accompany an original song they recorded recently. Much the same as when they were at the jumble sale trying to find the clothes they needed to bring Liberty's artistic vision to life, every time they wished for something, a perfect location would present itself. They got some footage shot as the rest of us looked on with bemused interest. I really hope that they achieved something useable because it would make a unique memento of the day.

It is always very special for me having all my family together - four fantastic grown up young ladies, two  amazing boyfriends who fit in so well with all the madness, one crazy little three year old, a beautiful baby boy whose personality is emerging daily and of course my husband who makes all things possible. I couldn't ask for more.

My wonderful children