Operation Tramp

We've committed the cardinal sin of parenting by applying ourselves not so equally to our boys birthdays. Whereas LL's was almost upon us, even before we'd remembered to buy the poor wee mite a card (whilst completely forgetting to take BB to get his brother a card!), the stops are being well and truly pulled for the big'un.

So here's the problem: We have a trampoline (which incidentally takes loads up to 22 stone, so even MPLST can bounce on it) for his birthday, but want to a) keep it as a surprise whilst b) digging a pit and erecting it. Not only that, but c) the bloody playframe, which weighs well over half a ton is parked on the optimum spot.

Here's the solution, or at least part of it.....use and abuse your friends, relatives and drop hints to toddler group mummies who will then readily volunteer their husbands. The plan was to part break the playframe, then carry......yes carry, it to it's new home at theother end of the garden. On arrival, not a single one of them thought it was do-able! Done in 40 mins though.....we're not very bright, but we can lift heavy things.

There was no way were were dismantling that. It took MPLST and I about 19 hours to build over 3 days, with the same two little lumps clambering all over it, just like that. So well done us.

Part two was to get a man with a digger. Really, I wanted to do this myself, but common sense prevailed. BB thinks the drains are leaking and we need to fix them, hence the big hole.

You've got to love the innocence of children. He thinks that the frame is part of the structure to keep the hole whole so to speak. We've got a week to finish this without him suspecting it's a trampoline. Should be interesting, especially as MPLST is away offshore for half of the remaining time. No pressure then dad!