I managed TWO kids on my own today. Oh yes, parenting Queen.
Well, one of them went swimming at 3.30, but still.
For the last part of the day I took the boy to Peter Pans, which is a little arcade fairground on Ryde seafront. It’s been there for as long as I can remember. It changes every year, but it’s still the same at heart.
A recent addition is a crazy golf course! The boy is the most dreadful cheat I’ve ever seen (and I am a dreadful cheat if I think I can get away with it)
His idea of golf is to push the ball around until it plops in the hole and then pull an arbitrary number out of the air for his score. I still kicked his ass mind – one over par!
After we played that I had the delight of watching him plough stones.
Kids are weird.
After that I felt it was time to introduce the boy to a long held family tradition.
2P MACHINES!!!
Omg, I LOVE a 2p machine. I could quite happily spend hours feeding the damn things in the hope a little toy might tip off the edge. I had a brilliant afternoon in Rhyl about 10 years ago when I won about 15 Man U keyrings *happy sigh*
I remember back when I was little Mum used to take us in the arcades and she used to shunt the machines with her bum to knock the coins off so we could play. This tactic ended when they put an alarm on the machines and we had to leg it out the arcade quick smart when they went off.
Maybe that’s where the glamour and danger of the bright lights of the 2p machine comes from?! Or I’m just a loser. That’s entirely possible too.
He wasn’t actually that interested in helping me win a plastic C3PO. I had to keep giving him quids to waste on grabber machines and basketball while I frantically fed the machine. I was determined!
You will be mine! And was. I am now the proud owner of a crappy little C3PO that isn’t even the right colour. Hurrah!
Off camping tomorrow…wish me luck!
Come on, who doesn’t love plastic crap? I would have done the same, I’m almost positive!! I am afraid I manage two by myself EVERY BLOODY DAY (when not at work) but they are still young enough to be content with Go Jetters on a loop, rather than crazy golf. Hats off to you – I think NG, NC and I might well be fighting over the C3POs in a couple of years’ time… #chucklemums
I LOVE 2p machines! When we used to go bowling for kid’s birthday parties we were always way more interested in the 2p machines. We used to try your mum’s technique to get started as our parents wouldn’t give it us money to play on them. To be fair they had forked out for bowling… Glad you had a fun day. #Chucklemums
Haha the joy of parenting in the summer! Congratulations on your little prize lol. Good luck with camping. I can’t think of anything worst but you will rock girl! #chucklemums
We LOVE the 2p machines! You can spend a fiver and literally have an hour’s fun! I get a bit obsessed trying to win crap keyrings that I don’t even want too!! #chucklemums
The *silver* C3P0 is probably actually a one of a kind and is in fact worth thousands (whack it on Ebay). My Mum used to ass-hump the 2p machines too – what is that! Thank god for the new fangled alarms! Good luck with the camping – I always find it’s (bad joke alert) *intense*. #chucklemums
Wow!! Didn’t know those 2p machines existed!! Have never seen any that cheap here in Oz. Looks awesome. Hope the camping goes well. #chucklemums
I have no patience with kids and mini golf – I want to win dammit! their cheating winds me up and I’m likely to storm off in a strop (true story). But the 2p machines……. they can do wrong in my eyes! #chucklemums
2p machines ARE the seaside!! The little pots to carry your coins about in, the little change booths to get your hands on more…cannot wait for our beach trip!
I loved those machines! We used to use them on Weston-Super-Mare Pier until, as you say, they fitted them with alarms! You never normally win on them without a bum shove! Have fun camping 🙂 Alison x #chucklemums
That gravel digging machine looks awesome! Our little one would love that!! I used to love the horse racing machine where you picked one to bet on! Good times!! #chucklemums