Lunch Out

So starts a weekend I have been looking forward to for a while. An extended weekend with all the girls. If you dismiss the break on Monday in total I'm seeing Lucy for five days in a row. Although I had to change the plans regarding the days Emily and Catherine are with me so they could see their brother it is something I am looking forward to. It is just great to have them together and I love them all, but today was about having Lucy again on her own.

I picked up Lucy earlier than normal at just before half past eight in the morning, I would normally pick her up at ten. This was because her mummy had something on. It meant an early rise for me given it is the school holidays but the extra time with Lucy is more than worth it if I can manage it. I could have had her the night before, which I was offered, but that seemed a bit unfair as I already have her for the coming three nights and it is important she gets to see both her parents and sisters as near equally as possible in my view.

Anyway, once she was in the car we headed straight home. Chatting as we drove along with Lucy telling me her news. It's nice to know what is going on in her little world. I don't want to be isolated from what is going on in her life and I never want her to feel she ever has to hide anything from me or for me. I done my fair share of getting the children to hide things in the past when I started my relationship with Lucy's mum, even though I had good reason to do that I learnt from it. I also learnt it is best not hide things from them that affect their lives. Why tell them a lie if you can explain the truth. Isn't it better they know the truth? I think it is a hard lesson to learn but one we all do in the end when the discovery of the truth can breakdown trust.

Anyway I'm getting sidelined from my day with Lucy. After we got home we unpacked her bag together. She showed me all the things she brought for her stay. The usual things were there, her blanket, her two soft toy dogs, her nightie and her drinking bottle, but the extra this week was her parrot polly. We put all the things for bedtime in her bedroom and headed downstairs to get some juice to fill the drinking bottle. As we went down the stairs she said she hadn't had breakfast. I wasn't sure if this was a move designed to get more food or it was the truth. It took me back a bit because I didn't have enough milk in to give her cereal but thankfully I found a tin of rice pudding I the food cupboard and offered that. She jumped at it and was soon sitting at the table munching her way through a whole tin. There wasn't any left by the time she finished. She must be growing again.

After she finished eating we both went into the family room to play. This consisted of mainly drawing and playing with her toys and games although we did watch 30 minute Wallace and Gromit short. She really loves Wallace and Gromit. As soon as I asked what DVD she wanted to watch the choice was simple. In lots of ways it was rather handy as the old Mac Mini will now only play single side DVD's, a common fault with a lot of the early machines later in their life. It was lovely playing with her on my own with nobody to interfere with our play. It is the same in the mornings at the weekends when she stays when we both get up earlier than everyone else and sit down and watch television while we both wake up.

With lunchtime approaching we were all heading out in the car to the bakery in Uppingham to get some lunch. As any of you that reads this blog will know the bakery there is excellent and makes some of the best sandwiches and rolls I have ever eaten since coming to Rutland. I couldn't recommend them more highly if they you are in the area. Once we had picked and paid for the food we headed out to the countryside to find somewhere nice to eat our food.

The place we picked was the lovely Eyebrook Reservoir just a few miles outside of Uppingham. It really is the unspoiled and forgotten Reservoir in Rutland being over shadowed by it's much bigger neighbor Rutland water. However being overlooked means it hasn't been spoilt or commercialized. There are just a few places you can park for free and just sit and enjoy it's beauty. It was an ideal place to have our lunch watching the wildlife and the fishermen in boats on the water fishing for trout. To make it easier to watch the birds some kind sole had put a bird feeder on a tree and Lucy enjoyed watching the tits hanging upside down and sideways to get at the best nuts. Needless to say it was a lovely way to eat lunch in the fresh air with a most amazing view.

After a drive around the reservoir we headed back home via the canal. The plan was to seek out the swans and see what they were up to. As it turned out they were both easy to find. There were both at last years nesting ground building them a  themselves a new nest out of reeds. It was quiet fascinating watching them picking the reeds and making them into a nest, for a while at least. Soon we moved further along the bank to see the moorhens and watch the fishermen casting their rods in the hope of catching fish before heading home.

Once at home playing was the order of the day until it was time to pop to the supermarket to get the bits we needed for dinner. The shopping didn't take too long and was great fun as always although we had to pop to both supermarkets in Oakham today to get all we needed. Lucy never seems to mind and loves shopping.

As soon as we got home I got a call from Emily saying she wanted to stay at there mum's for a few days longer than was planned. I wouldn't have minded but I had already allowed them to stay longer than originally planned so they could see their brother. I was torn, if I have to be honest. There I was with Lucy for an extra night so they could spend so extra time with their sister over the holidays and them wanting to stay in Leeds. In the end I let them stay because I know they don't see much of their brother, but all the same they hadn't seen much of Lucy recently either. Although I was unhappy I did understand their point of view and I just hope they understand mine.

Dinner was soon cooked and Lucy helped in the kitchen the best she could. She loves stirring things and trying to help but all the time I'm aware of the dangers. I hope I educating to what is cold and can be touched and what is hot and can't. She is pretty good but I'm concerned that if I have my back to her she might try and touch something and burn herself. She is that sort of child that has to discover stuff for herself. 

After dinner there was a little time for her to play before starting her bedtime routine. This ended with stories and kisses and cuddles from all she knows before she quickly fell asleep. Not another noise was heard from her for the rest of the evening. Even when I checked her and tucked her in later she didn't even stir. All the fresh air and playing had worn her out. 

It has been lovely to be out in and about again with Lucy, despite Emily wanting to stay longer at her mums. Going out in the coutryside has been a long time coming. One thing I can take from the day is just how much I love Rutland and the all things I discovered here when I first came to visit nearly five years ago. Nothing has changed. Everything is just as beautiful as it was back then.