A Beautiful Day

What a lovely surprise to wake up with the sun shining, the sky blue and just a light breeze rustling the leaves of the large beech tree that stands in our garden. A perfect autumn day to cheer the soul and warm the heart, but it was even better, because today some of the people I love were together. Lucy was coming to Langham to be with us again for the day.

Nothing could spoil a day like this. Emily and Catherine got up and made their pack lunches, had breakfast and were soon on their way to school. The drive in to Oakham with Emily was lovely and the roads were not to busy. When I got back Catherine was just walking down the walk so I gave her a cuddle and a kiss and wished her well for the day. It was just one of those mornings that makes you feel good about life.

After a coffee and shave and shower it was off to get little Lucy from her mummies and bring her back to Oakham. It was a pleasant pick up, for me at least, I said how lovely the day was and wish her mummy well, but I'm not sure it went down well, unfortunately. Lucy was in top form as always and we chatted all the way to the car and all the way home. 

When we got back to Langham we played out in garden for a while before we decided that we would take George for a short walk around the village. It wasn't a long walk we just went to the church and back but we took our time and spent some time with George in the Church yard. While we were there we saw a pair of squirrels that soon ran away when they got the scent of George. Lucy and I waited for a bit and did spot them again but we couldn't get near with the dog in tow. Lucy seemed to love their bushy tails and was completely taken with them. With the squirrels gone I let Lucy have a go at walking George. She did really well and walked him all around the church yard. Back at the road I took over George again and we made tour way slowly home via the Baptist Church. Lucy and George both seemed to have a grand time and so did I.

By lunchtime the morning sunshine had caused some clouds to bubble up from drew on the ground, but that didn't stop us as we headed out to Stamford to have lunch and have some more fun. 

When we got to Stamford we head to McDonald's for a bite to eat before heading to the recreation ground. We were going to Rascals but given how warm it was and the fact the sun had broken through the clouds it seemed a shame to go indoors when Lucy could play in the fresh air. She had a great time playing on the large and small slides, the swings, the roundabout and the bouncy toys. We even played shops for a bit with Lucy seving me all kinds of food from her café and at one point she pretended she was on the television. It was lovely to  be out in the fresh air and I hope we have more sunny days at the park before the bad weather sets in for the winter.

After we had finished at the park we popped into Waitrose on our way back to Langham. I must say that I think it is one of the best supermarkets as far as the quality of food goes and I love going there now and again to pick up a treat for dinner. Lucy, as always, charmed everyone and was really well behaved and helpful. She is a delight to take shopping.

When we got home we picked up Catherine from school with the usual big welcome from Lucy before heading off to Oakham. Emily was going to Toot's Sweets, a old fashioned sweet shop, with her friends after school and we picked her up from near the Church. Lucy was so pleased to see her and it was lovely to have them all together again. Of course there was another reason Lucy was pleased to see Emily she had some sweets left which she shared.

As soon as we arrived back home Emily and Catherine went upstairs to change with Lucy following them into the bedroom. Soon all that could be heard was the sound of playing children, laughing and having fun both inside and outside the house.

While they were playing I switched on the oven and got all the ingredients ready to make cakes as I cooked the dinner. Soon I was calling them all down to the kitchen to help me with the mixing and the pouring of the mixture into the fairy cake cases. They all had a great time doing the mixing and the pouring accept for Lucy who decided to cover her ears from the noise, but she waited for the best bit. Licking out the bowl which she later decided she could use as a hat! What a mess she made of her hair. It wasn't long before the cakes were in the oven so they could be iced and eaten after dinner.

Originally for dinner I was going to do a roast, but given how good the weather was it would have been a shame to waste the day cooking so we had a simple dinner in the end that maximized the playing and cake making time for all three of them. As they ate I got the cakes from the oven and set them down to cool. they were a lovely golden brown colour and they had risen to perfection. They were probably the best I have cooked yet with thier help. 

With dinner out the way and all the plates scraped and ready to be washed, including Lucy's who is now scrapping her own plate, it was down to the last phase of the cake making. The decoration stage. Emily was soon carefully making the icing adding a bit of water to the icing sugar until she just got the right mix. She is really getting good at this now and doesn't need to add extra sugar because she got the mix to wet. Soon the icing was on the cakes and they were drawing on them with a small tube of black icing and making all kinds of crazy patterns and faces. They really seemed to have fun. As soon as the first one was finished it was in Lucy's hands and off she went to eat it. The first of two she had before she left. 

Soon it was time to get Lucy changed and back to her mummies house. She didn't want to go at first, but she had some sweets to take back with her and with them as the incentive to get changed she was soon ready. After cuddles and kisses from Emily and Catherine we walked down the walk hand in hand to the car and after the short drive she was back with her mummies. As always she gave a super cuddle and she told me she loved me, and I told her I love her too and to be good for her mummy, which I'm sure she is.

With Lucy gone, Emily and Catherine set about their home work. With Catherine now in year 6 she is starting to get a lot of homework in preparation for her STAT's test at the end of the year. I know now she not looking forward to them but I know the school will prepare her the best they can and she will get a lot of support from me. After the homework they relaxed in the family room until bedtime and off they went to sleep. It's an early start in the morning for both of them, so they had an early night. 

It has been a super day and the weather couldn't have been better. I wasn't going to let anything spoil it and nothing really did. There was a minor hiccup but that didn't change a thing. Something, I have had to learn is nothing or nobody can change how you feel, you feel what you feel and their is no use denying it. After all, everyday has it's ups and downs, so try and look at the bigger picture and see each day for what it is, and this was a super day. 

Car Music

With returning to work comes the ability to listen to music as I drive, It one thing I miss when I not working and the house is full of busy children or late at night when the TV is on. This time last year it nearly all I did but now the car is the bastion of my music.

From old favorites songs to new found bands, singers or albums, it is always relaxing to get lost in the sound of music that moves you forward or reflects you back to time gone by or even just makes you live in the moment. 

To me music is very personal and the music that I listen to at any one time sums up my feelings. It is like a mirror that  reflects my mood for the world to see and take note of. Music means a lot to me and has done since I was a student back in Middlesbrough many moons ago. Long my my love of it go on...

A Sunday at Home

After all the excitement of going out for the last two days it was nice today to know that it was a day to stay at home relax and have fun until it was time to take Lucy back to her mummies. From then on it became a rush fetch Emily and Catherine and do the shopping. Just another day this weekend where the timings were a bit tight, but this time towards the end of the day.

When I first looked out of the window the sun was shining but the ground was wet. It looked like it was going to be one of those days when the weather can't quite decide what course to take. For once it didn't really matter but it would have been nice if the sun had come out in the morning and dried all the outside toys off so Lucy could play out, but Lucy didn't seem to mind about the weather too much.

Lucy slept like a dream and got up with me around half past eight. She when came down the stairs smiling she was carrying her juice and arms full of toys that she wanted to play with. She had so many she even gave me some to help her get them down. I will never get bored of her smiling face in the morning. I wish we could all be like her and wake up looking forward to day and full of the joy of life. 

While I made a coffee and got her breakfast Lucy cuddled up in my chair with her toys to watch Milkshake on channel 5. When I came back in the living room I sat with her and every time the adverts were on she started telling me all the things she wants for her birthday. It is mad how we allow the advertisers to rope our children into a consumer society at such a young age. I know television companies need to make money but the number of advert breaks needs to looked closely when the programmes are so short. Maybe one day the Government might use a bit of the license fee to help the commercial TV companies fund this type programmes without adverts at all, but then again pigs might fly!

After breakfast Lucy came back to join me and we watched some more programmes together while having a nice morning cuddle. It wasn't until I had to get up to do some chores around the house that she went off to play in the family room. She played with all kinds of things including her trains, her little pet shop and she had loads and loads of fun  playing with Emily's old Leap pad. Every so often I was drawn into her games and loved every minute of it. 

While I was making lunch lucy helped me make some bread to dinner tonight. We are having home made soup and it just felt right have it with home made bread. She was really good at pouring in the ingredients and did it ever so carefully. The only thing she didn't put in was the flour which I thought might be a bit to messy for her at the moment. She loved watching the bread maker do it work though the little glass window, may be next time she will even get to have some.

With lunch eaten it was off outside to play for a bit. The little bit of sun we did get in the morning had dried the toys and although it looked like rain we did play cars for a bit. For some reason I had to be the roundabout as she peddled around and around, until she went inside for a bit until it was time to get her dressed in the most of clothes she came in Friday. Somehow, Lucy had managed to lose her socks from her mummies and so they had missed the wash. I found them just before we left in Emily and Catherine's room where she must have taken them off, but there wasn't time to wash and dry them so they will have to go back next time. 

All to soon my weekend with Lucy came to an end as I dropped her off in Oakham. I forgot to mention the sweets she had for Mary and herself, I was too preoccupied with the missing socks. The whole drop off felt rushed for some reason. 

It was at this point that the race against the clock started to get everything done. First I had to go to the supermarket to pick up the ingredients for tonight dinner, a Beef and Barley soup to go with the bread Lucy had helped make, and then it was off out to get Emily and Catherine from where I dropped them off on Saturday morning. Unfortunately they were a little late due to the increased traffic caused by the students returning to University this weekend, but that did allow me a little rest and a bite to eat before we drove back home. With next weekend arranged and a quick chat about the girls and the wedding with their Mum it was off on the road again. Abigail is doing really well these days she even dyed Catherine's hair again for the wedding, she wanted darker hair for a change.

When we got home it was straight on with the cooking. The soup was a great idea for a autumn evening but I should have double checked the recipe, as it took an extra 30 minutes long to cook than I first thought. Thankfully the girl's didn't seem to bothered and just got on with there homework for school tomorrow, that because of the wedding they didn't get the chance over the weekend. When the soup was ready it turned out to be rather good and now I have a basic stock for beef based soups I can start experimenting and make new soups of my own to go with our home made bread. That should give us some new options for cold days when a nice warming lunch is required that is nice and healthy. It is definitely something I will cook again.

With time getting on it was soon time for Emily and Catherine to go to bed. It's been a long weekend for them both and they will need all the rest they can get to catch up on their sleep in the coming few days, so a few earlier nights will do them good.

It's nice to have Emily and Catherine back and I'm sure what they have told me they had a great time and I hope little Lucy sleeps well tonight. I love them all dearly.

A Day Out

It was another lovely sunny autumn morning when I got up today and just what we needed to make the most of an opportunity go to a couple of places I had passed by in the car for years but never stopped to have a look around.

With Emily and Catherine off to a wedding in Leeds and staying the night at their mum's everyone had to get up early. Even little Lucy had to be woken up for the first time that I can remember. I'm not sure she is keen on being woken up, she just grabbed her covers and disappeared under them, just like Emily does on a school day. Eventually with a tickle, a smiling and laughing Lucy appeared again and got out of bed. She was really good and was soon dressed and ready for the day. 

The first thing to do was get Emily from her friends house where she had been having a sleep over. Emily had a great time nd could hardly contain her excitement and talked all the way from Oakham to Langham. There was no way you could get a word in. Once we were home the rush was on to get everyone breakfast that they wanted and to get on the road to drop Emily and Catherine off at McDonalds just off the A1. 

As always there seemed to be last minute packing to be done but soon we where heading up the A1. It normally takes an hour to get there to day we had fifty minutes to get there after I couldn't find my coat which turned up in the car. All the same we didn't lose any time and Emily and Catherine's Mum was having still eating and having a coffee when we arrived a few minutes late. 

After arranging the time to pick them up we left them and head off down the A57 westward to Lincoln. For all the times I have driven up and down the A1 over the years I really never thought to go and visit what I know is a very historic city. Knowing that Lucy just loves churches I thought she would love to see the Cathedral with me, especially now she is at the question asking stage, and then there was bound to be a ice cream shop for a treat.

It is a lovely drive into the city and the Cathedral on top of the hill and the fact there is a windmill in the middle of a city makes an impressive sight. With Lucy hungry the first thing we did was head off to find some food. Just around the conner from where we parked we found a bakers. With the food too hot to eat we head off to look around the Cathedral with the food in my pocket cooling to have a look around. 

I was most disappointed that when we got in the Cathedral we found they charged to go in. I know it must cost a lot to run but at the end it is meant to be the house of God. How can you charge to go into a place of worship. Christian or not the idea is silly. I have been to Peterborough Cathedral when I have shopping with Lucy and they don't charge they just have a donation box and a charge for taking pictures. I can't see why Lincoln can't do the same thing so people can put in what they can afford, that way they wouldn't be excluding people. Even Durham which according to their website cost more to run a week is free. All the same it is an impressive building and although we didn't go round the Cathedral, like so many put off by the idea of a charge, we did sit outside and eat or lunch in the sun. 

Next we went to look at the castle and go around the shops in the Cathedral sector of the Lincoln. Outside the castle are two restored old cannons and Lucy was asking all kinds of questions about them just before she decided they would be good to climb on for a bit. It's odd that the castle which looks a lot more interesting than the Cathedral to me is actually cheaper to visit. Eventually we ended in a tearoom to have a drink. Lucy had a strawberry flavored water called happy hippo and was soon asking me for some pennies so we could play tea shop and had me selling her water to her. It is a lovely place to visit and now sitting at home looking at the pictures I can see why so many people go there, even the market had some wonderful and unusual stalls.

The only odd thing that happened was when we were looking for somewhere for a drink. Lucy cried when I said we couldn't go to a pub she had seen. I don't know why. I know her mummy use to prime Mary when she was small to say she didn't like pubs as they smell because her daddy always took her to them for lunch. It was the main reason while I never went to the pub with the girls for an afternoon drink when we were together, although I would have loved to done that now and again. It's that which makes it so odd.

Before we left I brought Lucy a homemade strawberry ice cream. She must have enjoyed it because by the time we got to the car she had it all over her face and was licking her lips to get to the last bit. Soon we were off again this time, first driving down to the waterfront in the city to have a look around before heading east down the A46 to our next destination, Newark. I'm sure we will visit Lincoln again one day now we have discovered it's beauty. 

Newark is another place I have passed so many times and never stopped at and what a surprise it was really pretty. Although we didn't go in to the town center we did go down to the river and there was this impressive ruined castle by the edge of the water. I never knew it was there and as I love castles it was quite a find. We didn't go around it, it will be something I will do another day when we have more time, maybe with Emily and Catherine who will appreciate the history more than little Lucy would at the moment.

The riverside is really pretty and there were all kinds of boats on the river ranging from dinghies to cannel boats. There is even a floating public house if you fancy a drink. It didn't look too busy today but it wasn't the weather to be sitting on the deck with a cold beer. By the time we got to Newark the sun had gone in and the wind was rather cold, but not to cold to need a coat if you kept moving about.

On the opposite bank of the river from castle we found a playground, aptly named the riverside playground. It was just the place we needed for Lucy to let off some steam. What was nice was that although there was a charge for parking it was clear that the council had put some thought in making it cheap to visit to the playground by keeping the one hour charge down to a minimum.

Soon Lucy was off and even if it didn't have a single person roundabout it was still an instant hit with Lucy. For one thing it had sand and lots of it. A lot of the things to do were themed around the river and boats and Lucy loved the small boat. She was soon pretending that she was on Peppa Pig's Grandpa's Boat. She even found a friend to play with and all I could hear was "Ring the Bell Peppa" followed by bell sounds from the two girls. What I was impressed with how she climbed the ladder to the slide, it was a real ladder. The first time I had stand behind her and after that she off like she had been climbing ladders all her life. It is amazing how quickly they learn at her age. 

One thing of note that they could do with in the parks of Rutland and Melton was the swings. There were two swings of just the right height for children aged two to three. Low enough to the ground so they could still just reach the ground with their toes to get themselves swinging. It was what I was looking for to get her confidence back and it didn't take long for her to run to the swing and do it all by herself. No encouragement was needed on my part. 

She had so much fun there that she didn't want to leave. If it wasn't for her friend going home I don't think she would have ever left without tears. Before we headed home I took her down to the river to look at the boats and see the water. She was really good holding my hand. There isn't any rails at the side of the river and there is a long drop before you hit the water. Lovely it may be, but somewhere you have to be careful.

There was still quite a long drive home and I was aware that Lucy might be finding the drive boring. We drove back down the A46 until we hit the Melton Nottingham road (A606) and turned homeward. Along A606 is a small village called Upper Broughton which has a small but pretty little village green with a play area. We stopped there for ten minutes to let her play while enjoying the views of the valley below the village. Ever since I started working at Nottingham I have thought it would be a lovely place to live. Not to far from work but not to far from Oakham. It is about 30 minutes from both. A dream maybe given the house prices in the village but a nice one all the same, but who knows dreams can come true, if we didn't think that the world would be a depressing place. Hope mine do one day.

We got home about five and we got a wonderful welcome from George, who was dancing on his back legs and wagging his tail. He just loves the girls and is so good with them. I know he adores Lucy and the feeling is mutual. She orders him around and he does what he is told. She even feeds him now and makes him sit and wait before telling him to eat. Lucy set about playing and watching a few episodes of Peppa Pig in the family room while I got dinner ready. As I was cooking with cheese every so often a cheese monster would appear on her toy car and ask for a bit to munch on to keep her going. Lucy loves cheese just like her other sisters. 

With dinner out of the away Lucy settled down to some colouring before bedtime. It was a nice way for her to unwind after a busy day and lots of walking. All the time we were out she never wanted carrying, just a cuddle now and again. She is getting so good at walking everywhere we go including up the steep hill's in Lincoln. 

Soon it was time for bed for Lucy and it was off to the bathroom to run her bath. She seemed worn out, bless her, and really didn't want a bath, but once she was in she didn't want to come out. She was having a grand time playing with the bubbles and the water, but she did come out after having her hair washed and was soon tucked up in bed for stories, kisses and cuddles before she went off into the land of nod. She looked sweet when I checked on her cuddling her bottle of juice before I went to bed.

We all had a lovely time and we will have to do it again when the weather is fair. I know I enjoyed going to some of the places I have passed by so many times and we got the mix right for Lucy.

A Sunny Autumn Friday

When I woke up this morning a noticed what date it was I noticed it would have been my Mum's birthday today. I still miss her so much as I do the all other people special people in my life that mean or have meant so much to me. It makes you realise how important it is to care about the ones you love and cherish every moment you have with them, however short. Caring about the people we love is the most important thing we do in life. Thankfully nobody can stop us loving the people we do in our lives.

The day was already lovely when the Emily and Catherine got up for school. The sun was shining and the temperature was rising. It was all set to be a fine autumn day. As normal girls made their own packed lunches and soon I was driving Emily to school in Oakham and on my return I made sure Catherine got off school in time. The only different today, from a normal morning, was that Emily took some extra clothes to school. She is staying overnight with a friend and having a her first sleep over since she change school.

When I picked up Lucy I dropped off the rest of her mummies books from our home. Unfortunately one of the boxes broke as I was walking down the walk but thankfully I managed to save the books before they fell on the ground. I did feel bad about the box breaking but the books were just to heavy for the plastic box. Picking up Lucy was rather pleasant today, first I heard Lucy behind the door before it was opened and then I managed to help getting the books inside the house. Being friendly again was nice and it is good for Lucy to see us like that. I hope one day we will be able talk again. It was great to see Lucy knowing I have her for two nights again. I have been looking forward to it all week.

When we got home Lucy showed me all the things she brought with her from her mummies. She is so proud of her new yellow car. It was lovely to see and hear her glowworm again. I can still remember her as a baby listening to her glowworm as she feel asleep. It was nice to think back to those times when she was smaller. Catherine said later it was one of her first birthday present from her mummy and me as far as she can remember. I'm not sure who gave what but I still need to give Lucy a picture of me for her talking photo frame. For most of the morning we just played and had cuddles except for the occasional sitting on the potty time. Which reminds me I really should get a update at how she is doing at her mummies with the potty, but I don't like to bother her.

For lunch Lucy had some Heniz alphabet pasta shapes before we headed out for the afternoon to make the most of the sunshine all rapped up against the cool breeze. Today we headed to Stamford although we knew have much time there as we had to get back for Catherine, but we were determined to make the best use of it.

Taking some old bread with us we head first for the river to feed the ducks. Lucy had a lovely time feeding them. She was laughing and giggling away as she watched the ducks chasing and fighting over the bread she dropped. She even feed a few pigeons who came to see what was on offer. Some of the ducks there are so tame that one family were feeding them off their hands. Lucy was most disappointed when she ran out of bread, but with the promise of the park next she was soon back in the car seat with a ice cream. We will have to take more bread next time so we can stay longer.

We went next Stamford recreation ground near the police station. It is great there for children of all ages as I have said before. The first thing she went on was the single person roundabout. She ran to it as soon as she got through the gate to make sure that nobody else could get it. After while she moved on to the big slide. She can't get up there herself but with a big of help she can manage it. She just loves it and she is so careful crossing the bridge and watching where she put her feet. 

Today was odd in that a little girl a little bit younger than Lucy got stuck at the top of the slide and wouldn't come down. Lucy was waiting behind her and we tried to get Lucy to show the other little girl how to do it but she wouldn't move out the way to let Lucy down. The little girls mother was heavily pregnant and couldn't help her down, so in the end I went up the slide to rescue the her by getting her to slide down with me as I held her hands and slid down backwards. 

After the rescue and playing shops Lucy went on the large swing that Emily and Catherine like so much. Although she didn't want to go high she did smile all the time she was on it and had fun. Before we left she went back to the smaller children's area to play there and on the way out she pushed me around the ring roundabout laughing every time my weight made me speed down towards it's lowest point. We had a great time. 

Before we left Stamford we popped to the Waitrose to get a few things in for dinner. I must say I really like Waitrose and if it wasn't for the cost of the food there and it being so far away I would use it all the time. It is one of my favorite supermarkets. The food quality is so good compared the other supermarkets.

When we got home Catherine was waiting in the garden for us. Lucy was so pleased to see her and beamed from ear and sat down next to her and gave her a cuddle. They both played in the garden for a while before coming inside when the sun went in which put the end to the idea of an after school trip to Langham park, as with the sun gone the air temperature dropped quite a bit. Indoors they watch a DVD on the sofa after they made some cakes with Lucy occasionally getting up to play on her own with her toys. Before long dinner was ready and they both sat down and chatted away together as they ate.

After dinner Catherine and Lucy played together. First they played dressing up and then they went bouncing on the bed for a bit before coming downstairs to play. I think they both enjoyed having some exclusive time together without Emily. I always think with children it works better with even numbers of children rather than odd when someone often gets left out. Talking about children, if she can be called that any more, I do hope Emily is having a nice time. When we phoned her to find out where to pick her up in the morning she said she was busy so I guess that means she is having fun.

Soon it was time for Lucy to go to bed. With Emily being away Catherine helped me with in the bath. Seeing Lucy was having so much fun Catherine put her swimming costume on and got in the bath with her. After we washed her hair and I dried her off Catherine got changed to read her some stories. Finally I read her last story of the night and gave her all her usual hug and kisses from the important people that are close to her. Soon after she was asleep and she looked so lovely and restful. 

Once Lucy was in bed Catherine went off to play on the computers and to catch up on the television she has missed. While she was at school today she went on a trip to RAF Cottesmore for their family day and just before bed she was telling me all about it. It sounded like she had a great time and really enjoyed the air display. I must say i wish I could have gone and seen the base before it closes in a few years time.

Last thing for today, without the books in the downstairs toilet there are big gaps on the shelves. Although the gaps will soon be filled again from the other bookshelves in the house it does look strange without them. They have been there for so long that you know everyone and there existence links to memories of the past just like the small reminders of my Mum which turn up now and again in unsorted boxes.