More of the Same

With another mixed bag weather wise today followed a similar pattern to the day's before. It seems the weather isn't on our side It would have been nice to make more of the day but unlike the warm days of August I remember as child this was rather grey.

Millie arrived early and Emily once again got up to let her in. The only difference this time Emily wanted to do her practicing teenage bit and lay in bed. Millie saw to that and soon they all joined me downstairs as I drank my coffee and headed into the family room. 

The morning follwed the same pattern as the days before it. Millie and Emily played on the X Box and Catherine joined in here and there. As for lunch, I popped out for some nice breaded ham and some freshly cooked rolls. The ham was on special offer and I must say it was rather tasty. Let's hope it stays that way for a few more days.

The afternoon again followed a similar patten. The only thing that was different was that when Millie's mum came to pick up Emily, Emily went with them. The pair of them had arranged a sleep over which left me with just Catherine in the house. 

With Emily at Millie's Catharine and myself head to the fish shop for dinner. The food I had in could wait for another day and it seemed silly to waste it which was probable if we didn't cook all it. It uncooked food would have just ended up laying in the fridge until it passed it's best. Anyway we both enjoyed our meal and it not something we normally do and they say treats are good for you. 

It was nice being in the house with just Catherine. Although I love all my children it is nice to just spend some time them individually now and again. You don't have to play that balancing act when you have more than one child and to prove that we both had a grand time until Catherine headed off to bed.

I just can't wait to see Lucy tomorrow. Can't say I'm looking forward to the pick up but having Lucy again will make up for that in the end. Nothing seems to change and I don't expect it too. Just how things are. I just hope we have better weather so we can get out and about and have some fun. I just want to make the most of the time I have with all of them together.

The Roits

If you live in the United Kingdom you can't have missed all the news about the riots and looting that has been occurring here. All starting in London it has spread across the country affecting more and more cities. It just makes me glad I live in a rural area and we don't have to witness the terrible destruction and it's after effects in the area we live. At the same time I feel for all the innocent people in the cities who sit wondering if their area of the city will be subjected to violence and looting. After all Lucy lives in Leicester and I have relatives there too so I have been watching that city closely in the news as well as Nottingham were I have friends. It really feels like the cities aren't the safest of places to be at the moment.

As has happened in the past, trouble has brewed up when the economic climate is grim. It allows extremist to organise the disenfranchised youth in to a mob that then causes havoc to society.  The question in who is to blame is a complex one and like many things in life anything but black and white. For example, while Governments are quick to blame others they hardly look at there own role in all this but instead look at the roles of other in handling the riots and those that organised them, but the question they fail to ask is why did they happen. 

Clearly what is happening in the country at the moment can't but help make it easy for extremists to gain the support of the youth who feel left out in the cold. What needs to happen once this is all this is over is a wide ranging public enquiry that looks at the whole picture and comes up recommendations to solve tackle the cause of the unrest. The reality is however that we have a Conservative lead Government who reaction will be track down the criminals at all costs and lock them away and throw away the key without asking the fundamental questions as to what caused the riots in the first place.

If we are to avoid such riots happening again, then we need to understand the reasons behind what happened. Yes, look the people up that took part in the riots, that is only right but what I fear is that by being heavy handed as this Government will be they will create more people who feel disenfranchised by modern society. We need answers and well as solutions. I want a safe society where my children grow up feeling safe where ever they are.

Just Chilling

Another day of sunny intervals and a keen chilly wind when the sun went in. Also another quiet day wanting until Lucy descends upon us and saving the pennies for the fuel to get her. People just did their own thing.

Millie was here again today and she arrived early in the morning. Once again Emily got up to let her in and soon they were all upstairs planning what to do for the day. Catherine meanwhile got ready to go to Oakham to spend the day with her friends, eventually leaving just before ten to catch the bus. It was just as she left the other two appeared to carry on with their gaming marathon in the family room, while I just pottered about doing the odd job here and there.

Just before lunch the girls went out to the park in the village to get some fresh air while the sun was shining. I took this as an opportunity to go to the shops. As I came back I saw a limping Emily holding her back. She had managed to scrap the skin off a bit of her back and hurt her foot on the bicycle ramp. I didn't ask how, I'm sure I didn't really want to know, I just gave her the being careful speech as I patched her up. She might be turning into a women but there is still a tomboy in there trying to get out and stake it's claim.

Lunch was a simple affair, just some hot dogs with lashing of tomato sauce for the girls washed down with Pepsi Max. I didn't think I would risk the fiery ginger beer again after last time. You have to keep everyone happy.

Sometime after lunch and after some more game playing Millie left us again for the day. Emily the practising teenager stopped practising for the rest of the afternoon and became a teenager. Having the chance to have the bedroom to herself she disappeared into it only coming out to seek drink or food. I must admit I did get one hug out of her during the day when she came out into the garden to find me making words "Love you" in stones. It seems what I wrote made her smile.

As dinner approached we started to wonder about Catherine and her plans. I knew she wanted her friend to stay and that was fine accept at such short notice as we didn't have the spare food in the fridge. Dinner was all planed, pork chops in a creamy pepper sauce and various vegetables.  In the end I ended up picking up a disappointed Catherine from Oakham on her own and then got on with making dinner. It seemed her friend couldn't make up her mind what to do, but I'm sure Catherine will have the sleep over she wants on day.

As soon as i got in from picking Catherine up it was straight on with dinner. I was the only person to have the pepper sauce in the end, which was rather hot, but it is good to experiment once in a while. You never know I might just get a hit with the girls. I have some more idea's for the coming few days to get them interested in something a bit different and make cooking even more fun than it is for little cost.

After dinner the girls did there own thing and as time ticked on they went off to bed leaving me to reflect on life's events and plan for what is to come.

Cool Monday

It's not the right sort of weather for the school holidays although it seems pretty typical of what the last few years have produced, it was mainly grey and rather chilly in the brisk wind. Not what was needed at all by three girls eager to get out.  Yes, I did say three girls Emily had her friend Millie here again meaning an early start for everyone. In fact Millie is coming for the next three days.

Everyone had a good lie in until Millie arrived in the morning and woke everyone up. Nobody had thought to set an alarm, but Emily was straight out of bed to let her in so she didn't need to wait. It was rather kind of Millies mum to proved some food for the girls which Emily put in the freezer. Soon the girls were dressed and in the family room playing games on the X box together and generally having a a laugh. This went on most of the morning.

As lunch time approached I popped out quickly to the shops to buy them some drinks and when I got back I got on with cooking the food. They all had pizza with cans fiery ginger beer to wash it down. I think Millie was taken aback by how fiery ginger beer can be and Emily had to finish of her can for her.

The afternoon started with Emily and Millie resuming their game. They have the aim of completing the game before the summer is out and they are both giving it their best shot. There were interludes were they went off to do other things but they soon found themselves playing again until it was time for Millie to go home mid afternoon.  Catherine meanwhile amused herself doing her own thing and coming to talk to me.

After Millie left Emily and Catherine both went on the computers to catch up with there friends locally and in Leeds as well as some of the programmes they love so much. This went on for the rest of the day and most of the evening after our chicken curry dinner. 

I just hope as we move into the week the weather improves and we can all get out the house. I really do dislike being stuck inside, it is so soul destroying.  I want to get out and about even if it just walking around the village or the fields.

By the time bedtime came for the girls I really felt the day had passed me by. There is so much I want to do but I just did little all day really. It was a bit of a waste to be honest, but like they say tomorrow is another day and the really important things got done. 

At least one good thing is has come out of today for everyone. We are going to see Lucy again on Thursday after rearranging all kinds of dates. We were hoping to have her for today but it didn't workout as her mummy had plans for on Wednesday she couldn't rearrange. I was grateful we could agree on a time that saved me some fuel.

As always nothing has been really been sorted with Lucy and I don't think it is possible that it will in the near future. At least I'm seeing her for three and a bit days and I just hope I can arrange something for later in the month if I have the funds. I was looking back in my calendar and my contact has dropped from fourteen days in May to four days in July, and to think I was told it wouldn't be effected. I open to suggestions and Lucy's mummy has my email address if she ever wants to sort it all out. I just find the whole situation sad.

Emily and Catherine Return

As you will know if you read the blog that Emily and Catherine have been in Leeds to see there Mum. Well this evening I picked them up again and returned back home with them.

I must say it is great to have them back here with me. I have missed them. Something is that is true of everyone I love that isn't here. All I want to do is make the most of the time I have with them while they are here, I never feel I do enough with them and now is the time to do things together before the summer runs out on us.

I know they were disappointed when I told them we wouldn't be seeing Lucy tomorrow but we will see her soon and they can all be together again. All I need to do is finish sorting out the arrangements and hopefully it will all be plain sailing. Like them I can't wait to have them altogether. Not sure if I will have the cash but Catherine wants to see the Smurf movie when it comes out. I guess we will have to wait and see.