Dog days

These pics (only just unearthed from my camera) are from a fantastic day out in Cardiff at the very end of the summer holidays. A and I went to visit my friend Anna and her daughter N, leaving our other boys at home. We caught the train, which always makes it feel like a proper adventure, and headed west. A and N have known each other all their lives and we meet up a couple of times a year. I love the way young children are quite happy to pick up where they left off and carry on with a friendship - much the same as their mums, in fact.

Anthony Browne is a firm favourite in our household. His books are intricately illustrated, sophisticatedly told tales, often dark but always utterly thrilling. An exhibition of his illustrations - Through the Magic Mirror - has travelled from the North West to Cardiff, and the kids loved dressing up in red duffel coats (as in the rather frightening 'Into the Forest'), posing with the gorilla in a cage, and crawling through The Tunnel. No photography was allowed - oops, but I can't think why not - and those legs you see through the tunnel belong to an officious security guard who tailed me as I flouted the rules. The show has now finished but, as it's touring, it may pop up elsewhere and I'd recommend a visit if so.

We also went to Parc Play, a cut above the usual soft-play type place. Instead, climbing walls, sand pits, astroturf and zip wires make up this industrial unit near the station - kids absolutely love it. A great, late summer day indeed. Feels a long time ago now that we're here at the beginning of October. Today was chilly enough to warrant gloves, I reckon. Winter's well and truly on its way...