Cold Friday

It was really cold when I got up with temperatures sinking to minus ten in the village. It has to be the coldest morning of the year. Even in coldest spell of the snowy weather earlier in the year the temperatures never fell so low as this. Even the deicer was having trouble clearing the windscreen of the car of ice and as soon we got going it instantly iced over agin, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The frist thing I did after making my morning coffee was to check which schools were closed as yesterday Emily's school failed to open and she had a extra little holiday where as Catherine's school in the village, true to form, managed to open as normal even if half the pupils were missing.  Thankfully both schools managed to open as normal this morning so I had both of them to hurry along. We were doing fine until Emily discovered she had lost her trousers somewhere in the family room while they were cleaning it up yesterday. Thankfully they turned up but not until Emily was late for school again but in this weather I guess she won't be the only one. I'm sure a lot of parents won't even and try and get there children to school in temperatures like this even if it is possible.

By the time I got back from taking Emily to Oakham there was less time than normal but I managed to get everything done but I was still a little late picking up Lucy as I wanted to get the car warm inside before she got into it. The pick up was rather swift and soon we were heading carefully towards the car at the end of the street chatting as we went.  She was telling me the things that had been happing and all about the snow. She never stopped and carried on all the way to the Co Op. It sound like she had been having a grand time. At the garage we picked some milk and some sweets, one for now and some to talk back later. I love the way she includes her sisters when she buys her sweets.

Soon we were back home to be welcomed by an excited George. It was all I could do stop Lucy being knocked down in the snow as he bound towards her as I opened the door. Thankfully he stopped just short and I told him to sit. Once inside Lucy headed straight to the family room where she noticed the Christmas tree that is awaiting decoration. It didn't take her long to find some ball balls and start hanging them on the tree.  She had a grand time hanging them on the tree, she even forgot to remove her coat the task was so important.

Once she finished with the Christmas tree she moved onto play Kerplunk with me in the family room. She had a different idea of winning, to her collecting more marbles meant you were winning rather than less which is the aim of the game. Every time loads of marbles fell she would cheer. After a while of playing with the marbles we moved on to playing trains on the carpet for a while before turning her attention to the other toys, including her dolls house. She was really good today tidying up after herself. At one point she poured a box of toys on the carpet and when she had found what she wanted she tidy the rest away. 

Just before one thirty we head out to the shops and get some lunch with Lucy dressed up warm and all snuggled in her coat. She loves the snow as much as she did last winter and she so good on her little feet. She positively marched down the walk asking where we were going. We headed to Corby and when we got to the bakers she had a pizza for a change and she absolutely it. She just kept saying how yummy it was as she got more and more of it on her face. In the end because of the cold we decided against the shops headed out into the countryside to look at the snow. 

We timed our trip to perfection and on the way home we picked up Emily from school. Of course she got a big welcome and they both chatted away in the car on the way home via a stop at the shops for some extra lollipops. Once home they both went into the family room to play. Lucy didn't see Catherine for a while as she was having dinner with her friend tonight but Catherine did pop back about four to see Lucy and give her a cuddle.  

With dinner for two the meal table was a bit quieter than normal but all the same Lucy made sure she was heard and they giggled at the table. After dinner it was back to some serious play before Lucy had to go home. Catherine came back to join in the games at six and for the cuddles before Lucy returned to Oakham.

Taking Lucy back came to soon as always and soon she was dropped off and that would be the last I would see of her for a while. I miss her when she has gone and but I never show it as I'm taking her back and I try and make everything positive for her. It's funny how Lucy is quick to give cuddles when she see's someone upset or unhappy and she even tries to calm them if they panic. I didn't notice it  because know it a thing that toddles do but the way she does it is grown up. It's lovely to see but she she is so caring but she clearly emotionally grown up than her age.

Thankfully given the weather, it was minus five when we left, the drive to Leeds was uneventful if a little boring. If anything the traffic was lighter than usual with fewer lorries than normal and traffic that was on the road was moving a lot slower than normal to.  When we got passed Newark it was clear that further North the snow was a lot worse than it was in Rutland. Several more inches had fallen although it was a quiet a bit warmer being a barmy minus two. With Emily and Catherine dropped off and a warm coffee in hand it was time to return home to a quiet house via the supermarket in Oakham for some essential supplies. 

I can't wait to see all the girls again, especially Lucy who we have something magical planned for the next time she comes to visit. I just know she going to love it. It been a fantastic day with everyone at home and while we were out and about. Despite the cold weather we have all had warm smiles generated by little Lucy and her antics. She turning in to such a little character and I'm as proud of her as I am of Emily and Catherine.