I spent the morning working while S1 took CJ out. By the time they got home I was feeling guilty about it, so I took CJ out for a treat.

We went for a walk across in the fields and forest. I normally let him choose the path at any turning we come to, but when we got to the gate at the end he choose something he’s never done before, he choose the little wooden gate that leaves the country estate.

Luckily for him, I know where that gate goes. Next thing he knew, we were standing on the beach.

There was melt down and mutiny when I took his shoes off. He refused to stand on the sand and scrambled back up me to be carried.

That was until I showed him he could throw stones into the rising waves. Or the fun of jumping back from big waves on the rising tide.

In no time, he was collecting shells and digging holes.

Eventually he asked if we could go home to Mum, which caught me by surprise a bit, so we set off home.

Halfway home I realised why he had asked, he was feeling pretty heavy on my shoulders as he was becoming a dead weight. I took him off my shoulders and carried him… within a few minutes he was sound asleep.

I carried him home, wondering how exactly he’s managed to grow so big and yet stay so cute.

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Olympus trip 35, Tri-X at 400 ASA developed in D76 (9.75min @ 1+1 20deg)