At the Mela

We went to the Mela yesterday, when I say 'we', I mean me and the two younger girls. I'd never taken them before, although I'd been several times with dd1 and ds when they were tiny. It hasn't changed much, but I think it has got bigger. It has also changed locations, the first few times I went, it was in Lister Park, but moved a few years ago to Peel Park, which I like because it's within walking distance.

We set off in a good mood and dh gave us a lift to the top of the park. He couldn't go any nearer because one half of Lister Lane was closed. As we walked down to Peel Park some numpty who must have assumed the road closure did not apply to him drove past up. What the numpty hadn't realised, was that the white car behind him came fully equipped with a siren. Note to numpty driver, best not ignore road signs when being followed by an unmarked police car. Oh, how I laughed.

At the park the girls were distinctly unimpressed with the dancers on stage, dd3 was more bothered about going in the playground, and by the fact she had sunscreen in her eye. Not good. Fortunately tissues and cold water sorted the eye and we made our way towards the pond. There was a tent with a single cello playing, and whilst that was beautiful, it didn't hold their interest either. So we walked up the very steep bank to the top of the park where the main action was.

Several stages, a field full of stores, charities and activities. There was plenty to do and see (and buy) up there. We spent a little time looking at the Lord Mayor's Parade tent and spoke to a woman on stilts but soon the girls wanted to be off. It was then we found 'The Hive'. A set of tents with a bee theme. Neither child wanted to learn how to do a waggle dance, nor to make a bee kazoo, but were tempted into planting a couple of seeds and making a flower picture with grains of coloured rice.

Finally I gave in and we went to the 'top playground'. Peel Park has two. The 'top' one is for smaller children and is less busy. The 'bottom' one has more to play on, and far more children in it usually. After that, they went on some sort of enclosed inflatable thing. I think it was supposed to be a pirate ship, but beyond that, I couldn't say.

By this point the crowds were getting to be a bit much for them and it was with cheerful faces that we decided to visit my Grandma who lives close by. All in all not a bad day out.