Dreaming away the blues

A disturbed night full of coughing, I hope I haven't got my traditional winter chest infection this early in the year.

At going home time we invited Erin round to try out Box 8. On the way we were trapped by some elderly ladies representing Lymphoma charities who sucked us in with their tales of possible prizes if we guessed the correct number of balloons in the car. I'm sure we'll expect a phone call either way. On seeing the box we filled the air with laughter and foam as we ran around like lunatics. We tried out every bit of it and drove away the enemy aircraft with a barrage of ack-ack, and then drew on the front and collected corks to adorn the spacious interior. Jof has bought lights so the eyes and teeth light up from inside and there are internal ladders (well, step-boxes) to reach the mezzanine level and roof garden with armed pill-boxes.

The Dracula coffins are good to get in and spy on people through the 40mm cannons but it's all a bit near the light fitting and we both nearly got burnt ears or electrocuted or something.

At her going home time Erin exhibited splendid procrastination skills and delaying tactics but Bud was wise to this and shot us repeatedly in the face with a water squirter he uses for the cacti.

All of a sudden it was gymnastics time. After a quick pork pie (as you do) we got there and there was a new teacher because one of them is having a baby which would probably get lost in the foam pit anyway. On his run he rescued a small girl from a tree which is becoming a habit. After gym we visited yet another new park.

This is one we saw from a bus last week and is called Tipton House Park in the delightful leafy suburb of Somerstown.

There were many dead cans and bottles, abandoned coats and half-bikes and lots of bits of carpet, for some reason. Inside the swingpark itself which was in shadow from the high-rise council blocks surrounding it, some unaccompanied kids fought while we investigated. It was quite good with some decent climbing frames and some swings that nearly touched the ground. It's got an extra-long slide and some bouncy walkways and burnt patches. I quite liked it and nearly did a whole circuit of the square frame - it'd be good for playing the bark chips are hot lava.