I'm not a fan of snow, it may look pretty but it
causes all sorts of disruption. Schools closing at the first sign of snow (but
let's not get me started on that), abandoned cars. People falling over on
lethal pavements- yes me and yes three days later I'm still in pain. Then that
pretty white stuff turns to disgusting muddy slush which is even more dangerous
when it freezes.
However I have two children I couldn't hibernate
all weekend and ignore it. Last year the boyfriend bought sledges for his two
so he suggested we all go out on them. I was a bit of a whimp and didn't want
to drive so he came and collected us. Caldecot park in town looked
gorgeous and with all but one side gate locked it was relatively empty with
lots of fresh snow.
Four kids and two adults bundled up in a million
layers we headed into the park with the sledges. We found a slight hill, it
wasn't steep enough for the sledges to work without being pulled. So S and I
were running down the hill dragging the children along. Sometimes one, sometimes
two on a sledge, good work out. It kept me warm that's for sure and I have to
admit I was having lots of fun. Seeing the kids enjoying themselves made it
even better.
R wasn't as sure and got fed up and upset, it was snowing constantly and he doesn't like the snow going in his face which was happening going downhill. So he gave up on the sledges and went and sat in the train in the park.
I had a go on the sledge and I pulled S on it. That
nearly ended in disaster as I couldn’t run as fast as the sledge was moving and
it clipped my ankle and sent me flying.
After about an hour we had a little wander. The
kids had a small play on the snow covered park and me and S had a small snow
ball fight. I ended up with snow in my mouth and eyes. Yuk! It's
funny really because if A had done that I'd have been annoyed but with S I just
laughed. Amazing how different people doing the same thing can evoke different reactions
in you.
The children were getting cold by now, mostly their
fingers. So we trudged back to the car to go home - well to the boyfriends'
house. Kids got into their pjs and S popped a chicken in the oven.
Snowy fun, followed by a big family roast dinner. That's what weekends are meant to be about. Laughter and fun times all together. They are the kind of weekends I always imagined but never used to have. Our 'family' set up may not be the ideal but we are having such a good time together that it doesn't matter.