Saturday Reunions

Today was the day the girls would see each other for the first time since they were last together. It was a moment I was really looking forward to, even if it would be short lived. Emily had a sleep over planned and would only see Lucy as we travelled back from picking both the older girls up. However first there was the morning and afternoon with Lucy to enjoy.

I was woken up by a little voice calling my name. It was lovely see her smiling face as I entered the room and soon we were gathering up her things and coming downstairs together. She sat in my chair as I went and made a coffee and washed and filled her beaker with milk. It wasn't long before we were watching television together as she sat on my lap snuggled in her blanket. It was a lovely way to wake up before breakfast.

We had a quite morning around the house playing together. It was really nice just to have her here on her own. We did so many things together, I really can't remember all of them. It was around mid morning that we stopped for a cup of tea. Yesterday I bought a tea pot for myself. I don't buy myself much as I rather spend what money I have on the girls and getting Lucy or taking the Emily and Catherine to their mums. I would love to go out to a pub, meals, restaurants and so forth, but when things are tight those are the things you give up. Seems it been like that since I got to Rutland. Anyway, Lucy was really looking forward to seeing the tea pot used and she had a cup of tea in her beaker with me as we sat in the chair together again before going back to playing for the rest of he morning.

Just before noon we headed out to the supermarket to pick up some food. It was a quick shop as we didn't need much. Lucy sat in the trolly and I pushed her around and when she could I got her to pop thing in the basket. When Emily and Catherine were her age I use to tell them how to pick vegetables and I found myself doing it with Lucy too. It was fun, and that is the main thing for me, because that is what children want.

After we finished in the supermarket their was enough coins in my pocket to go on one of the ride. Lucy today picked the school bus, but unknown to us someone had take the out order sign off the machine and plugged it back in. We put out money in and nothing. We ended up having to go back in the supermarket where they gave us back the money, put a new sign on the machine and Lucy had her ride in with Postman Pat and loved every minute of it.

Lunch was a simple affair. We just had some nice ham rolls with lashings of butter. Nothing special but rather tasty. These were washed down with coffee and milk depending on age. Being a simple affair it left us with time to play after we had finished and before leaving home until the early hours of the evening.

Before heading for the final destination of the afternoon we popped to the co op. There Lucy saw one of her cousins she hadn't seen in ages. We were buying drinks for the trip to pick Emily and Catherine up and there at counter was her cousin. At first Lucy went all shy as she paid for her drinks but as she came out the shop she was giggling with delight at seeing her. It was such a nice little moment and as we drove the giggles seemed to continue and continue. I know it was brief but Lucy enjoyed and I hope it brightened her cousins day too.

The final destination of the afternoon was Mini Monsters, a soft play area in Oakham. Lucy had mentioned it a number of times but I have never taken her there. Not sure why, just that there are play areas I gone with her I guess. Today was the day when I learnt why she likes it there. Although it doesn't have the little cars there she loves it does have a a very tall soft player area which makes excellent use of the height of the building. It didn't take Lucy long to disappear and then reappear waving from the top of the structure shouting "Daddy" before disappearing again. The next time I saw her she was coming down the slide. She was off and she didn't need any encouragement at all. She just went off to have fun and I went to get coffee, cup cakes and a drink for Lucy. 

Once Lucy came found me and the drinks she took a short break for refreshments before disappearing off of the slide again. All you could catch was brief glimpses of her having fun. Eventually running out of climbing energy she settled down in the small children's soft play area that wasn't being used. There eventually she made a little friend of her own age and they started playing together. Inventing games to play together as they went along. It was lovely watching her having so much fun with a someone her own age. The games they made up using what were there was so imaginative. It was just a shame that we had to leave in the end. So after Lucy said bye to her friend and had a few more goes on the slide and we headed out the door. It was wonderful there and if I have the pennies again it is somewhere I will take her again. 

After we finished at Mini Monsters we headed up the A1 to go and collect Emily and Catherine from their mum. Like the day before Lucy managed to miss the boring bit of the drive for her, and promptly feel asleep as we left Rutland. I don't blame her really there is nothing much for a little one to do accept listen to the music and chat. I guess she was tired from her time at Mini Monsters too. When she woke I was just parking next Emily and Catherine's mum's car. As soon as Catherine saw us pull up she in the car and giving Lucy a hug and she was soon followed by Emily. It wasn't long before their things were packed in the car and all three girls made up for lost time chatting and having fun all the way back to Rutland.

As soon as we got home the rush was on for Emily. She had to get all her things together and when she was done we all headed out again to her friends Anna's so we could drop her off. There was just enough time for George to have a run around the garden and welcome the other two girls back and he was back in the kitchen and we were gone again. Of course in that time Lucy had to show off her new scooter and her skills much to the delight of everyone.

To speed things up we got some dinner from the fish and chip shop in Oakham. There wasn't time to cook and let Lucy and Catherine play before Lucy's bedtime. I wanted to make sure they had a little time together before then and let Lucy free to have fun she went to the land of nod. Both girls played together beautifully and it was lovely to have the sound of children enjoying themselves fill the house again.

As the clock ticked on it became time for Lucy to go to bed. There was no time for a bath tonight, just a bush up to make sure she was clean. It didn't seem important anyway given that she would have a bath tomorrow before the party so she could look her best. Soon she was sitting in her bed and Catherine was reading her a story followed by a story from myself. After her kisses and cuddles. and a couple puffs of her inhaler she fell asleep.

With Lucy tucked up in bed Catherine watched the X factor with me before matching up the stairs herself. Soon she was in bed and the girls day came to an end and I relaxed before I finally joined them in the land of slumber.

It has been another great day with Lucy. I love having here her an it was nice to reunite them all even if it was for just a short while. You should have seen Lucy's face beam when she saw her sisters. It warms my heart how much they love each other. Tomorrow, with the mystery party that Lucy is going to, it is going to seem rushed. There is so much to do in such a small space of time.

As an aside, I would like to mention the passing of Jimmy Saville who touched so many peoples lives with his work for charity and on radio and television. He will be missed by many. It just makes you think that life is to short and precious to waste on wars in whatever form they come in.