So much taller than a Smurf.

This week we went to the Bristol balloon fiesta to share a picnic and some lovely, loud, noisy hours together in the fresh air . The fiesta takes place each year at Ashton Court, a fine, large park just over the Clifton Suspension bridge (and a mansion house and park since the 11th C).

I was pleased to spend a Friday afternoon off with H and J before they go to see their dad for two weeks of summer holidays. These last weeks Hazzman has stretched from a little chap into a right old gangly beanpole. It is good to see and I can empathise entirely as this happened to me and I lost all coordination (which is yet to return 28 years later). Harry will be taller than his lovely mum (see stripy knee) within 12 months - a cause of imminent delight to any young man heading towards 15, and a source of much future head patting for her (only the cat will be shorter if he hangs on beyond 19) .

Lots and lots and lots of balloons on show but to our slight disappointment, on our evening most were of the conventional type - none in the shape of spoons, yoghurt pots, saucepans or motorbiking minions :-(

I liked the Smurf one and this video reminded me how quickly Hazzman has out-smurfed his former self of but a few weeks ago, shooting up to stretchy gangliness.  Tall and growing he may be, but larking about under the picnic blanket and hoovering up Doritos were still high on the list - delightful stuff.

In a moment of shared boys' humour we both speculated as to A-Gas on the ballon shown here - did the A stand for Arse, and was that the source of the fast rising?

Hazzman: grow up but don't grow up , gooning about is a life skill :-)