No lazy start to the day for us today. I had arranged to go for a nice early walk with Grandma Margaret and Grandad Stephen at 9am to give Stephen a good chance to rest. In spite of this, James still managed to sneak in a cuddle with Stephen. There’s always time for Daddy cuddles!
Getting out of the door early would have been smooth sailing if Genevieve had not poured her entire bowlful of cereal milk all over herself, the table and the floor just before we were hoping to leave. They say “don’t cry over spilt milk”, but it was certainly enough to get very frustrated!
The walk was glorious. The sun was out but not too hot, and the fields we walked in were not busy, and full of flowers and butterflies. The perfect stomping ground for two excitable children.
The kids had a great time picking all the wildflowers they could find, spotting and chasing the butterflies, and saying hello to everyone (and I mean everyone) we met! This included one of James’s preschool ladies whom he was delighted to see, and we all had to stop him from trying to hug her.
Both the kids are currently obsessed with collecting sticks, but I think Genevieve was taking it too far with one of the ones she found. It was more like a log than a stick, and she certainly couldn’t use it for casting Harry Potter spells. And no, I didn’t let her bring it home!
And there was just enough time for a socially distanced family selfie as we were wandering. James had just scoffed a piece for Grandad Stephen’s flapjack, hence the slightly stuffed cheeks in the selfie!
After the walk, we headed home for the kids to have lunch with Stephen whilst I popped out to do some errands. This included collecting some nifty face masks my friend Kate’s mum had made for us (in return for a donation to charity). They fit beautifully and look rather snazzy, too. Bring it on COVID!
Then after lunch Genevieve had her first Rainbows meeting via Zoom since lockdown. She loved it and had lots of fun learning about animals, as well as seeing all of her Rainbows friends!
After her call, Genevieve wanted to make a calendar up until she’s seventeen “when she can marry Harrison”. Stephen was not willing to make her a calendar covering over ten years of dates, so they agreed to create a countdown calendar instead. I wonder how long Genevieve will keep updating it?
It was at this point it became very apparent that Stephen was not feeling himself at all, so we all went for a walk to the green to try and lift his spirits. On the way we said hello to the friendly neighbourhood monkey. He was putting us all to shame by keeping fit with his skipping rope.
Once at the green, a small game of Frisbee was attempted but no-one was feeling it and Stephen was getting grumpy and tired. So Stephen took himself off for a walk/skulk around the block to clear his head while I called for reinforcements AKA Auntie Daisy and Uncle Ben!
They were only too happy for me and the kids to pop round for a socially distanced play in their garden leaving Stephen to have some space and a chill out. We had great fun with the rugby ball and generally messing about with Daisy and Ben. It was just what was needed.
We left it as long as possible before heading home, and then it was a speedy dinner for the kids with baths being done whilst it was cooking. Then we all had a quick cuddle on the sofa before bedtime which was really lovely.
With both children in bed, I rustled up a quick dinner and then it was bed for us both, too. We were all cream crackered and sleep was very much needed.
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