Wintery Sunday

It was more like winter than mid spring today when I woke up. The rain was failing, the wind was blowing and the temperatures were in single figures. There was a bite in the air you associate with winter. Not the day to be out on a bicycle riding the Rutland Classic but that is what some hardy souls were doing and it was a shame we couldn't watch ride through the village like last year.

You don't need sunshine to wake up to when you have Lucy's smile around, and today proved that yet again. It was lovely to go into her room and see a big smile as she gathered he bits and bobs, giving some to me, before we headed downstairs to wake up while we had a drink and watched television. Today we watch the children's programmes on Channel Five and when the adverts came on she pointed out the things she would like for Birthday, even though it is months away.

It was a while before Emily and Catherine joined us, and we played until they made their appearance and the girls had breakfast together. It was just after breakfast that Lucy and myself headed out to the shops. It was her mummy's birthday and there was a card to buy as well as a present to pick. So off we went avoiding the puddles along the way, returning with our purchases some thirty minutes it later. As soon as we got in Lucy wanted to complete the card and I pack it with the present in her bag to take back to the city later in the day.

With the special shopping out the way, it was time for Lucy to return to having fun with her sisters. Given the weather that was always going to be indoors today. This ranged from imaginative play and playing on the computers with her sisters, as well as a bit of time watching what is turning out to be her favourite DVD of the moment "Tom and Jerry".  This took us nicely through to lunchtime after which we had a visitor, Emily's friend Millie who Lucy simply adores. She didn't leave Emily or Millie's side until it was time for the rush. 

The rush is just that, a mad time, a bath, hair washing, hair drying, hair brushing and finally getting dressed to return to the city,  In all we have it all down to a fine art so it takes as little time as possible but it still remains fun. All the same it makes the end of Lucy's time with us and soon we were heading out into the rain again and back to the city. Again Lucy had to be kept awake on the way back, and again she had that grumpy face all the way home. She just wanted to have a sleep. Soon she was gone and I was heading back home. 

On the way back I had the time to look at what the recent rain had done to the countryside. The amount of water in some of the streams had turned them in to raging rivers that had flooded near by farm land leaving sheep wondering why their field had turned into lakes. The pictures above are of a stream that flows through the village of Ashby Foliville. It was amazing how fast the water flowing under the bridge that crosses the stream and trees that were once standing on the bank had their lower trunks below the water level. 

When I got back home the house seemed quiet and subdued. Gone was the little and with it the house moved into a different gear. I got on with dinner and the evening turned into night. The girls just did their own thing to bedtime and soon Emily and Catherine headed off to bed. I was left reflecting on a nice weekend.

It has been lovely to see Lucy again and have the girls together and I can't wait until it happens again. It is what I dream of. Sisters should ideally be together and things are far from ideal for them. Family's are so important, but not lets go down that line, my views are known. The thing is the moments we all have together are precious to me.