Parks and Playgrounds

The weather forecast was for cloud and a chance of rain with highs of twelve, thankfully they got it wrong and it was mainly sunny all day with highs of seventeen. For once I was happy the weather forecasters got it wrong. It was a lovely day to have fun and that is what we did when the overnight temperatures rose and the afternoon arrived. It was just the day I wanted.

Once again I was woke by the sound of Lucy and Catherine who were in bathroom together. Lucy had decided to seek out Catherine's bed again and got in with her after she woke up. The only problem was that Catherine had a nose bleed and that is why there were where they were. Thankful the nose bleed didn't last long and we all went downstairs to get some breakfast and wake up.

It wasn't long after breakfast that Emily joined us. By now Lucy was on the computer playing on the Cbeebies site and like the morning before Emily sat down with her and helped her play the games by telling what keys to press. Catherine meanwhile was watching one of her favourite programmes on the television. I kept looking out of the window at the sky hoping the sunshine I could see that was warming the day was here to stay.  The girls played nicely all morning doing all kinds of things as we waited for the temperatures to rise and Emily made plans to see her friends.

Before lunch we popped out to drop Emily off at Anna's for the afternoon, and since we heading in Oakham we headed for the parks too. The first park was a return to the Pirate Park, we had gone to the day before. It turned out it was a park that Catherine knew well as it is a place she goes with her friend Evie who lives near by. She was soon showing Lucy all the things she does with her friend. It wasn't long before I was joining in their games in the park. Like the day before, avoiding the shark infested sea and riding on Captain Lucy's Pirate ship. We only went there for half and hour but ended up staying much longer in the sun.

Catherine, understandably, eventually wanted to go somewhere that had things she could play on and so we headed to nearby Princess Park. It is the park that use to be near Emily and Catherine's new school before it moved and as such has things for older children as well as the younger ones. It didn't take long before Catherine was making the most of what it had to offer and Lucy was keen to join in doing as much as she could. One funny moment happened when Lucy was sitting a rotating yellow bucket seat. She was rocking from side to side and then suddenly she was going round and around and laughing her head off. I managed to stop her after a few revolutions before she got dizzy and she just couldn't stop laughing and nor could I. Once we finished in the older area we hit the playground where Lucy was soon playing shops, after playing on the slide and the climbing frame, and making us all meals. It was the fact that we were hungry that she reminded we had to leave. There was shopping to be done and food to be eaten.

Eventually we made it to the real destination after we dropped off Emily, the supermarket. We needed to pick up some food for lunch and our Sunday dinner.  It didn't take long and soon we were heading home again. For lunch the girls picked warm food, so as soon as I got in started cooking and then fed and watered the troops. As they ate they chatted and played paying no attention to the television they had switched on when they got in the family room.

With lunch out of the way we headed out again. This time to Gates Nursery to have a look around and in the case of Lucy to play in the playground there. I can't remember the last time I took her to the playground there, but it must have been some time ago because Lucy couldn't remember what was there. As soon as she saw the tractor, and after she got me to show how to get on to it, she was away. She was pretending to drive it and I had to tell when things jumped out in front of her so she had to stop. At times I had to ride with her as she drove me around. She loved it but she didn't stop there the swings got a look in as did the slide and the castle. Once we finished there we went to look around the gift shop and she just loved playing with the toys they have in demonstration area. She was in her element. It was just a shame that in the end the  Nursery was closing and we had to leave.

When the Nursery closed the sun was still shining and we still had some time to enjoy it before we had to return home. So we all headed for the horsey park to have some more fun. At first we played in the playground but after a while I took Lucy to see the horses that were on the field near the park. She loved being close to them them and was so pleased when one of them came over to see her. On the way back to the playground we had another arial visitor. Yesterday it was a hot ballon and today an Avro Vulcan bomber, the last one flying, coming in to RAF Cottesmore. Once back the park we started to play football with Lucy and myself playing against Catherine. Lucy loved it and she starting to get hang of kicking the ball in the direction she wants it to go, by next summer she should have mastered it.

After we finished on the football pitch it was back to the playground and what turned out to be the highlight of our time at the park. Lucy decided that the top of slide could be a shop counter. Every time someone wanted something she would come up to the top the slide and take an order before disappearing down to fulfil it. Then she would come back up with the things people wanted take the money and slide down again. It was so funny, every time she went out of sight she would say bye and in the end she was so tired she just pretended to be asleep so we stole all her money and ran off with Lucy chasing us. It was such a laugh and every one just ended up giggling. It was fun but tired we headed home.

When we got home I got on with making dinner while Lucy and Catherine settled down to watch "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It was long before they were joined by Emily and her friend Millie. Lucy went wild, she loves Millie to bits and I know she couldn't wait to see her and there she was, and with her coming over tomorrow as well she going to get to see her again before our time with her is out. Emily and Millie set about playing computer games and what Millie does so well is include Lucy in what she is doing so she doesn't feel left out of the big girl games. It was also a nice diversion that kept everyone away from the kitchen while I got on with cooking a Sunday dinner. This went on until just before dinner that Millie went home and I was left to serve up while Emily and Catherine sorted out the table. 

For dinner I cooked Roast Lamb, Roast Garlic Potatoes, Roast Parsnips, Carrots, and Cabbage. It made the whole house smell yummy and it went down a treat. In Emily's case with lashings of mint sauce. I didn't get away with serving it up without help, Lucy appeared as I was carving the meat and wanted a little taste before it made it to her plate. As we sat around the table we chatted and we all caught up on Emily's day as well as telling her about ours. It was fun and everyone enjoyed the meal and that is the main thing. I love family dinners. 

As always there was a little time to play for Lucy before bedtime and she made the most of it as did her sisters, but time caught up with her and it was off to bed she went. We all read her a story, as has become the norm, and I gave her all the kisses and cuddles from the people she loves so much before she went off to sleep. She is so good at going to bed and I'm so proud of her as I am of her sisters. 

With Lucy safe in bed the girls did their own thing before we settled down to watch the X Factor results show. Thankfully we all agreed that the right act went this week, but we all thought both acts should have gone given what they did in the sing off. It was a complete contrast to last week when acts went because of a stupid twist that left less deserving acts in the show. At least two of them were up this week. After the results show the two older girls went up to bed and the house was quite.

There is something nice being tired after such a lovely day, it a different sort of tiredness, a happy tiredness. There is basically three more days of having Lucy with us to come and I can't wait until I wake and the next day begins. Since we have had Lucy back home it has been so much fun and the house is full of laughter and noise and I love it. It might not be what I want for them, in they can't be together in the way I planed and dreamed, but it the best I can do at the moment. Whatever the weather brings tomorrow it will still be fun even if it turns out to be a quite day in.