Out and About

The weather still isn't wonderful, but the aim is to make the best of it when we get the chance and that is basically what we did today.

It was lovely to wake to Lucy's happy smile and then watch television together before starting the day with breakfast. The morning was spent mainly around the house getting on with jobs and playing. This took us nicely to lunchtime and to think about getting out somewhere in the afternoon.

In the afternoon we headed out into the countryside hoping we could find somewhere interesting to play where the sun was shinning. We ended up in Wing looking around the medieval maze and playing in the playground there. This turf cut maze, apparently, is one of a few of it's kind that remain and it is associated with the legend of Thesesus and the Minotau. We had a fun time there and thankfully we found that break in the cloud and had some fun in in sun.

Before retuning home we popped to the shops to pick up some supplies. There Lucy had a turn on the rides before we left to cook some dinner. When we got home I got on with cooking while Lucy watched television until it was time to eat. After dinner there was some time left for her to play before I finally put her to bed with her stories and kisses and cuddles from the people she loves.

I live in hope of some good weather. It feels like most of the summer has been spent inside this year mainly because of the weather.

Big Brother 2012 - Final

So we come to the end of another enjoyable series of Big Brother and I must say that Channel 5 have made the show there own, even if they haven't managed the same viewing figures than Channel 4.

The 31-year-old, sex change, development chef, Luke Anderson, received the most votes to win in this years final. He left the house to huge cheers, thankfully, and was presented with the £50,000 prize money by the host of the show before telling us that about himself, as if we didn't know already.

I think for once the public got it right. He wasn't the most boring housemate but then he wasn't the most interesting. He sort sailed down the middle and provided enough drama to make the show work with an interesting sex change sub plot.

I just hope he feels accepted for who his now, which was probably his reason for going on the show, because I think even Z-list fame won't come from the housemates of the Channel 5 show.

Parted For the Summer

Today was the last day that Emily and Catherine are at home over the summer holidays. They are both off to stay with their mum until the day before they go back to school. It was a situation that arose when their mum couldn't get the time off work to match Lucy's time here.

The result of this was that most of the morning was spent travelling up and down the A1 to drop Emily and Catherine off at there mums. It wasn't something I like to have to do with Lucy on the car just because the trip is long and boring and that is hardly ideal for an active four year old. All the same it had to be done and after their goodbyes the three girls were separated and we returned to Rutland.

When we arrived back and after lunch was out of the way it was time to let Lucy lose in the parks in the area. In a total we went to three parks over the course of the afternoon, and while at the village park we even managed to do some raspberry picking from some nearby bushes. It was nice to be able just to get out in the fresh air after sitting in the car most of the morning and Lucy made the most of her time having fun and making new friends along the way.

Eventually the fun at the parks had to come to an end and after dinner Lucy went to sleep after her stories and cuddles. As always it just a joy for me to have Lucy at home again. To see her playing in the parks and joining in her games is a shear delight that I will never tire of. It was just a shame that her sisters couldn't join in the fun today and had to leave in the morning, but that is life.

Back Together Again

At last it was time for Lucy to return home to village and the last time of the summer she had to spend some time with her big sisters before they disappeared for the holidays. It was also a day I had to fight for, and fight I did because this one was the last one she would spend with her sisters for weeks and to me that made it a special one, but more of that at the end of the post.

The drive to Leicester to pick up Lucy never seems as long the drive back home after I have dropped her off. I just guess it one of those things that will never change. It was lovely to see her again and she looked so different with her short straight hair. Must say I did miss her curls and her longer hair but former will reappear and the hair will grow in time, I hope.

On the way back to the village we drove back via Melton and popped into the county park. Lucy loved the aerial runway the last time she was there as well as the playground. So it seemed a great place to take her before going home to see her big sisters. Once again she seemed like she had been going down the aerial runway on her all her life. She had great fun and that is what I wanted, I love seeing her smile, it is infectious. A good start to her week at home in the village.

When we finally got home she got and massive welcome from everyone. Everyone was pleased to see her including George the dog her just goes wild when he first sees her. As I was getting on with lunch and the girls were making up for lost time in the family room, after Lucy took her things to her bedroom.

After lunch Emily, Catherine and Lucy spent most for most of the afternoon in the family room playing various games. If one her big sisters left to do her own thing then Lucy would just play with the other until the missing one returned. Occasionally I would be included in one of Lucy's games but mainly she played with her sisters. This was fine by me, and it was what I wanted. It also allowed me to get on with cooking dinner.

In the evening we had a roast Sunday Dinner with all the trimming which we all ate around the table. It was lovely to have everyone altogether for a meal. After the meal Emily and Catherine played with Lucy until it was time for her bedtime and after a story from each of them, I read her a final story and then gave her a kisses and cuddles from the people she loves before she fell asleep. 

After Lucy went to sleep Lucy's big sisters got on with watching television and playing on the computers before they went off to bed. They have a busy morning ahead of them tomorrow. One thing I love is to pop in to Lucy's room before I go to bed to check she is alright, it is just special being able to tuck her in and it a phase that doesn't last forever. 

At the start of the post I said I had to battle with Lucy's mummy for the day and the reason I did this was because it was the last time the girls had together at the end of the summer. What I didn't realise, because I wasn't told, it was that Lucy's Grandfather was over from France having, from what I can work out, brought back her other sister from her holiday. I didn't realise this until he opened the door when I picked up Lucy. At the end of the day I can only go on the information that I'm given or in this case guess at after the event. 

If I had known we could have made a compromise and met in the middle. Lucy could have had the morning and Sunday Lunch at her mummies and the afternoon and Sunday Dinner here. That way nobody would have missed out completely. 

I hate all the fighting over Lucy and everything else, it seems so pointless and always will to me. It is not good that it happens at all and it doesn't make anything any easier. I hate the hate, it is the last thing I want. Having the just simple facts makes things so much easier and allows the middle ground to be found. Hopefully if we find ourselves in this position again where we both want her time we won't be in the position that one of us ends up missing out if it is avoidable. It is so important that we share time with her, after all it is not what either of us wanted for her at one time.

All Good Things

As they say all good things have to come to an end, and the same was true of Lucy's time with us. Today she went back to the city for a while before returning home again next Sunday morning.

Once again the weather was far from ideal, but that has been the story of the summer. It was another day spent mainly indoors, but we managed to make the most of the time we had and had some fun along the way. Eventually came the rush and we got Lucy ready to return to the city. Both her sisters gave her massive hug before she was finally gone from the house, which seemed to fall quiet in her absence.

It has been great to have Lucy home gain. It really has been super having her for so long. She just settled in so naturally to life here after the initial excitement had subsided after a couple of days. She was a joy to have around and it was great to have all my girls in one place for a while.