Hooray, dear bloggy friends - I have time to blog again! We've been having a nextremely busy autumn, and I've missed you all. I've been longing to tell you about our special nexcursion! *
Here in Giraffe World we have what are known as Nextra Days. These are special days which some other planets do not have, and one of them is September 31st. We giraffes do so love to visit Planet Earth, and the best time to do so en masse is when we cannot be seen by humans! So it was with great nexcitement that we all piled into the Tours Bus at dawn for our journey through the Secret Portal behind the Intergalactic Cacti. ...
We'd decided to visit a city in the UK called Durham. What a charming historical location! We had the Market Place all to ourselves, and our presence energized a giraphic transformation of some of the features.
Later, we wandered down to the River below the spectacular Cathedral. Some of our party enjoyed rowing giraffe-style while the rest of us watched from the banks. 
At the end of a lovely day we squeezed back through the secret portal, singing and laughing all the way home.
Ah - but not all of us! With typical rebellious neck, our middle child, Necky Becky decided she'd like to spend another day in Durham, without thinking that the 1st of October was not a Nextra Day, and the place would be full of humans! She sneaked off the bus as it slowed down by the Cacti and made her way back through the portal.
*
As soon as we got home Maureen and I noticed her absence. I spent a long night travelling back to Planet Earth, and searched everywhere for Necky Becky, taking care not to be seen by humans. At last I spotted her - she had got into the Town Hall, and was standing defiantly in the window behind some famous Durham County cricketers who were being photographed. (She does like to be in the limelight!)
I managed to take this photo of her, and persuaded her to come back to the bus immediately by promising her she could learn to play cricket. Ah, the trials of giraffe parent-hood ...
(c) Durham Artist Ingrid Sylvestre - Artist, Designer, Illustrator, Author, Songwriter, Speaker and Giraffe Lady.
54 comments:
Aaahhh give Necky Becky a hug from me - she's just like my Ellie who loves doing things she shouldn't (if you check into my blog, you'll see Ellie in Bath during the Jane Austen festival) don't ya just luv these kids ? !!!!
I'll give Necky Becky a hug from you, Jan. She's outside trying to play cricket with some friends at the moment, even though it's drizzling with rain! No doubt they'll all be demanding hot chocolate in a few minutes.
So glad you are back. I missed your adventures in giraffe world. Leave it to children to do what they are not supposed to do. The joys of childhood.
Thank you Choices - it's nice to be missed!
Your pictures are wonderful. Big smiles :)
Thank you Jasmine! I'm honoured that you like them.
Such an enjoyable outing. I loved being a (giraffe-)fly on the wall of the bus and enjoying the jolly singing! Such laughter ringing in your lovely trumpet-ous throats!
Ah, the children. Lucky those of them who have such fathers as...YOU
Aloha from my neck of the isles, Friend!
Comfort Spiral
Aloha, Cloudia! We must pay a visit to your neck of the isles one day - keep a look out for Necktune's Chariot - you'll hear our singing from afar!
Oh,my son thought that his dear GIRAFFE exist only in Medagascar movie or in Animal planet,he is only three.I read out your trip to him and both of us had lot of fun,now he wants to meet Necky Becky !!!!hmmm and he thinks Durham is near to his sister's school.
Glad to see your return to blogging. Love your adventures and I want to know the secret to getting an extra day in here and there. I sure could use soemthing like that some months!
LOL! What a brave little giraffe, to wander off on her own like that! Glad you found her (sorry about the extra trip!)- I'm not surprised she wants to play cricket!
Oh Raph - we live quite near to Durham city - couldn't we have had an inter galactic secret meeting or something? Lovely to have you back blogging again - I have missed you.
Hello Kavita, I have not seen either of those films - I'll have to see if I get them on our intergalactic viewing box here at Necky Knoll House in Giraffe World!
We have a young son too, called Littl' Nicky. He's a lot quieter than Necky Becky! He says 'Hello' to you and your son.
Hello Raph,
All's well that ends well! I imagine the cricketers could have had a big surprise! Durham looked lovely, as always.
I'm glad you love our adventures, PERBS, thank you! I wish we had more Nextra Days too - I could do with at least one a week specially for blogging!!
Necky Becky is certainly very brave, Janet, and very determined too. She's asked (or rather, demanded!) her school to set up a cricket team - it's not a sport we have played before in Giraffe World. Given the forthcoming season, it may well be snow cricket, played from sledges! :)
What a great idea, Weaver! I'll let you know neckst time I'm planning a visit through the Secret Portal behind the Intergalactic Cacti. I could bring Hals too to meet Tess!
Derrick, I think the cricketers had seen her - she had the sense to stand really still, and they must have thought she was part of a window display in the Town Hall!
Kids will be kids :-)
I see I must visit Durham properly. I have just travelled true.
As far as cities go on Planet Earth Durham is fairly low down the pecking order.
In case I visit a giraffe planet, where do you recommend?
We love visiting Durham, RuneE - it is like the hub of a wheel with spokes leading from the lovely centre out to lots of interesting and beautiful places. Look out for us if you visit!
Am I correct in thinking you are referring to hen parties, Mo.stoneskin?
We giraffes love visiting Durham because there is such a variety of human historical and cultural interest and the city is set in the midst of wonderful and diverse countryside.
A giraffe planet to recommend? Ours of course! You would be most welcome - let us know if you find a portal and we will prepare a Gleeful & Greedy feast for you and an itinerary of Giraffe World Tours!
Life does have a way of getting too busy sometimes......just glad to see that you had a great Nextra Day.
One of our daughters was always straying off and got lost once. It's a horrible feeling until you find them again, and then you want to spank them for causing so much trouble and worry! Glad you all had such a lovely day out - it was well deserved after such a busy time.
I believe your invisibility cast a shadow in front of me..can that be?
Little Necky Becky..and those cute guys? How old did you say she is?
This post is nextra nice!
Rosemary, thank you - it was indeed a great Nextra Day! We are always very busy, but it's all tasks we love to do, which we're very glad about!
Heather, I think Necky Becky gets it from me - I used to disappear, but my parents always knew where to find me - nose pressed against the window of the bakers' shop! Some things don't change - I got lost at Willow's ball and somehow found myself at the dessert table. :)
Thank you Lyn - glad you think the post is nextra nice!
I never thought to look if I cast a shadow on Nextra Days! I will remember to look neckst time.
As always, I find myself enchanted as I enter your world here.
Children are just what they are. I had the same impulsive streak to go off on my own. Very fortunate nothing untoward happened to me or Necky Becky. Extra days sound like fun!
Thank you Tom! If you can find a secret portal, call in at Necky Knoll House for a cup of tea and some Giraffitude cake with us!
Barbara, I remember you telling me about your adventure when you went all the way to your Grandmother's on your own!
Nextra Days are always great fun!
What a fabulous trip. And you were in the UK! I'm so glad you loved it!
Greetings from London.
Thank you Cuban in London. We certainly enjoyed our trip to Durham and will be visiting again - there are more Nextra Days coming soon!
What a fantastic journey and nexperience for you all!
Your rowboat put me in mind of one of the great Viking ships of old.
Thank heavens you found Necky Becky! That reminded me of a similar story where a young child got lost when his parents' backs were turned and when they found Him, he was in a very different sort of limelight.
Thank you for sharing your journey. Next time can you visit us in Canada? (And don't forget the custard slices from your restaurant!)
Thank you Poetikat. Glad you enjoyed our nexciting journey! We will certainly try and travel to Canada - with a neckload of custard slices!
I've missed giraffe world - :))
A sense of adventure is to be encouraged in the young, but maybe not when it causes such a long return journey. I'd love to canoe in Durham that way. Do you think I could borrow one when I'm next there?
Thank you Jeane - it's good to be blogging again, I've missed you and all my other bloggy friends!
Madame DeFarge, you may well be able to borrow a giraffe canoe when you're neckst in Durham - I think the place to enquire would be at the Rowing Club. (We took ours back to Giraffe World with us).
Welcome back to the blog-o-sphere. I always love the tales of your world. I hope you enjoyed your trip. Sounds like Becky enjoyed it very much too :) I wish we had reverse Nextra days. Seeing your world would be great :-P
Thank you Lauren! Reverse Nextra Days sound fun - I could wait with the bus at the Secret Intergalactic Cacti and drive all my bloggy friends over to Necky Knoll House for a hearty breakfast of porridge, banana fritters and girafflewaffles. Then we'd have a great day touring our world, ending with supper at the Gleeful & Greedy Restaurant!!
I think giraffe's could be quite lethal cricket players.
Neck before wicket!
Sweet illustrations, everybody likes giraffes.
Did you carry her cut-out all the way to Durham? That's dedication.
I also saw the bookmarks in the post below, how gorgeous and a good reminder to read...
Neck before wicket! Love it :)) Necky Becky is lethal whichever sport she plays, Kayla Coo!
Thank you Clarity - I'm glad to hear that everybody likes giraffes!
I've just visited your wonderful blog - most inspiring and beautiful.
Ooh, road trip through the Secret Portal! :D
LOL, love Necky Becky! Looks like you had a fantastic time ... where will you go next?
Necky Becky says hi, Olivia!
Where will we go neckst? We've got a bus-ride through our Giraffe World Mountains coming up. With regard to nexcursions through the Secret Portal - we'll have a family meeting here to talk about it - I wonder where would be a good place to go?
Sounds like you all had great fun!
We did, Crafty Green Poet! And we're planning another trip soon :)
Thank you so much for your beautiful comments, I like it best when people can empathise and understand.
Awaiting your next family nexcursion.
Clarity, your post was such an affirmation of the things I fervently believe in.
Our next family nexcursion will be soon!
Well, what a fantastic trip you all had, no wonder you were excited. Naughty Necky Becky staying behind, I hope you weren't too hard on her though. She looks great behind those cricketers. I've never been to Durham so you've travelled from another universe to a town I haven't visited! I must go, it looks fun, especially the river. Good to see you back.
We really enjoyed our visit to Durham BT - I'd highly recommend it! As you say, the River is beautiful, and all those historic buildings - wonderful!
I wonder where we'll go neckst!
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