Hotdog Island and lake swimming

The Bates clan off on a wobbly adventure
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I've realised that Jont and I are both writing this blog but it seems like it's one person. Until we sort out how to differentiate through the software just assume that if the commentary is wildly sarcastic & bordering on rude then it's not me. Nuff said.

After camping we met Amy, Adam & Max back at their family's cottage for a weekend of luxury after camping. Plus a lend of the washing machine. As before they showed us a fantastic time; we drank more red wine than was strictly good for us, ate great steaks, and let the kids bridge the 4 year age gap with Duplo.

I can't breathe!

Adam being brave
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The weather continues to blaze hot, on Saturday we (the Bates clan) took Adam's dad's canoe out for a paddle to a small island (called by the Goddard family 'Hotdog Island' as that's what they cooked there). It was great fun (my arms and back are still in agony though - weren't those boys paddling AT ALL?) and wonderfully peaceful.

The next day was boiling and after being very sensible and doing washing and packing all morning we all decided to leap into the lake for a swim in the afternoon - which was fer-eeezing. I got in first via the steps (cold enough but in stages); Jont & Adam did it the old fashioned (macho)way and took a flying leap in. I thought that Jont was hamming it up for the kids when he swam around afterwards, whispering through chattering teeth "I can't breathe, I can't breathe!" and we all laughed - but turned out he couldn't. Luckily he remembered before the joke grew stale. It was a good afternoon.