Village playgrounds, A&E and mending willow tunnels

I am feeling optimistic this evening.

This might have something to do with a relatively successful Easter holidays (if we ignore that trip to A&E... ).  It may also be the fact that it's 8.30pm, the kids are all in bed and there's a chilled bottle of beer in my hand.  But no, the real reason for my buoyant mood is the village playground.

After a couple of tricky weeks in which I got very angry about orange play sand and our beautiful willow tunnel was vandalised, I can at last feel more positive about the project.

Firstly, my sophisticated tactic of being bloody stubborn appears to have worked and this week the 20 tonnes of Jordan-coloured sand (the woman, not the country) was removed and replaced by a material closer in skin tone to Nicole Kidman or the ginger one in Girls Aloud.  This has meant we've finally been able to place our tree trunks at the centre of the sand area to act as an 'au naturale' climbing frame.

Secondly, we had a surprisingly successful 'village working party' last weekend in which about 50 of our local number volunteered to do some serious labouring.  This included digging over the heavy clay and adding 15 cubic metres of spent mushroom compost to create the first two planted areas around the children's playground.  Best of all, a handful of parents and children helped me to re-weave the willow tunnel to the point where it looks almost as good as the day it was created.

There's nothing to say that the vandalism won't happen again - I'm an optimist, not a fantasist - but I believe it has to help that so many children were down helping to mend the damage and create the space. Then again, that might be the chilled beer talking and I could simply be confusing my life with an 'against the odds' ITV1 drama.

In case you're wondering, Julie Walters is playing me.

Comments

[Helen]

I think Victoria Wood would play me - I have often been told that I remind people of her but I'm not sure this is a compliment and I am hoping it is my sense of humour they are referring to.

Good for you to stick to your guns re the orange sand - stubboness often works and I think you are right if the kids have helped repair the vandalism then maybe it might prevent ithappening again

[jenny @ Let the children play]

I love the big logs in the sandpit - I wish I'd had this link a few days ago when I did my post on sandpits - it would have been perfect! Would you mind if I link to you in the future?

[Scented Sweetpeas]

Congrats it looks like a fab looking park - love the sand.

[elizabethm]

It looks fab and I love willow tunnels and want one here, if it would grow. Where did you get your willow from and how did you make the tunnel? Maybe too big a couple of questions for a blog comment but would love to know!

[Dawn/LittleGreenFingers]

Helen - I have seen your glamorous headshots and I would have thought Isabella Rosellini was a better call. Having said that, your in-depth knowledge of gas lamps screams Victoria Wood - or possibly Adam Hart-Davis...

Jenny - Having just visited you v. interesting blog I would be delighted!

SS - It does have a certain Bahamas-feel to it doens't it? I shall be taking down a fruit based cocktail for future visits, complete with miniature umbrella.

Elizabeth - it was actually built for us by Windrush Willow - and a very marvellous job they did too - but they also do kits and I have to say, having rebuilt it very nearly this weekend, I would now feel quietly confident on the DIY option.

[Country Gate]

I can recommend the DIY option as long as you have help to begin with from someone who's done it before. Will eventually get round to putting pic of ours up on blog. On the who'd play me in a biopic line......Dawn French in her Vicar of Dibley mode.

[JamesA-S]

"Village Working Party"
Three words to chill all but the most Linda Snelly amongst us.
Sounds as if you have done rather well marshalling/coercing/blackmailing the populace.
I told you that telephoto lens would come in useful one day.
Tree trunk climbing frame is very clever.

Currently I am being played by Norman Wisdom and Basil Rathbone.

[Dawn/LittleGreenFingers]

CG - is that purely based on love of chocolate?

James - you can't have two - it's cheating. Plus they're both dead, which would make the biopic rather static. And, if you are going in the 'dead' direction, surely David Niven would get first dibs.

[JamesA-S]

Excuse me.
I would have you know that Sir Norman Wisdom is still among us...

[Dawn/LittleGreenFingers]

Well, OK, you might be right, but I reckon he must be at least 122 by now and is probably battery operated so I'm still not sure he's up for 'James the Hat - the 3 Men Went to Mow Years'

[Commercial Playgrounds]

Bravo..really a playground one of its kind. Good work.