Sometimes, the best memories are unplanned.
It started with a splash, literally. A full-blown water pistol battle broke out between Luke and Rose in the park across from our house. Soaked and squealing, they chased each other under the early summer sun, turning the quiet playground into their personal battleground. After drying off and calming down (barely), it was time for a quick dinner: a simple plate of rice and corn on the cob, eaten with the kind of urgency only excited kids can muster.
Then came the magic words:
“Shoes on. In the car. We’re off on a LEGO mission.”
Three seats filled; Darren driving, Luke and Rose still buzzing in the back, and we were off. Destination? Citywest. The promise? A treasure trove of LEGO sets waiting to join the growing collection at Redmond’s Forge. They bargained hard – wanting money for 2019 LEGO to spend on 2025’s Comics. A good trade – Luke’s Minecraft collection really started when he 3 in 2021. This haul will plug a huge gap in the museum and his LEGO Minecraft world.
Then more fuel. A sneaky drive-thru at McDonald’s Citywest, the secret McDonald’s – Happy Meals all round. Nuggets, chips, and giggles. A familiar ritual that somehow never gets old.
Then, with the sun hanging low in the sky, we took the long way home – on purpose, Rose wanted to see cows as we had already passed by horses and sheep.
We wound through Brittas, passed the towering slopes of Kippure, and climbed up towards the Sally Gap. As the world turned golden, the hum of the engine was met by silence in the back seats. Not because they were asleep, not yet, but because they were mesmerised. By the view, the adventure, and the new LEGO sets nestled between their feet.
By the time we reached Lough Tay, the chatter slowed. The energy finally wore off. Two tired heads drooped. By 10pm, both Luke and Rose had dozed off, cradled by the winding roads and the soft bounce of boxes marked Star Wars, Minecraft, and Marvel. Dreams, no doubt, filled with Endermen, Iron Man, Boba Fett, and Redstone Golems, and maybe a runaway Hulkbuster. In turn, I lifted them both out of the car, carried them up the stairs and laid them on their beds while they slept soundly.
The haul was impressive; 26 brilliant sets, and a whopping 15kg of assorted bricks. Many destined for the LEGO Museum. Others perfect for expanding our LEGO City. But more than the bricks, it was the journey that made it priceless.
LEGO might come in boxes. But the memories? They’re built in moments like these.
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From spontaneous water fights to Sally Gap sunsets, this was a night we’ll never forget.
