We had a day out to Kipling’s country home, Bateman’s in Burwash, recently and it was another great National Trust visit. 

After the usual argument in the car park about where the entrance was and why we were not walking there immediately, we explored the grounds and the wider countryside as it was a bright autumnal day. On our way round we picked up a disgruntled chicken and explored the water mill where our toddler insisted on only going the wrong way up and down the entry and exit stairs. Trekking through fields, we ended up following what we thought was a dried up stream but in actual fact was more likely an old sewage outlet, where one of the kids found some rusty old piping that they were devastated that they couldn’t bring home. The crisp October colours gave a great backdrop to the toddler tantrum of the day:

Screams from the top of the field. 
Me: What’s the matter?

Husband – He’s having a meltdown because I won’t let him tie my shoelaces together.
We’ll go to the house next time…