spring into winter

This weekend saw us doing some different things to usual. We didn't go to the library on Saturday morning, we went instead to Tynemouth. It was very cold, the forecast threatened snow and even though we didn't have the raincover for the buggy ('cos we'd left it at my mam's) we decided to go and meet Rog and have a bod about. We met (late) and walked around the priory, almost but not quite being blown off the precipice. Elly loved the old "castle" and went on at length about princesses having lived there. Poor Oscar, still recovering from his chicken pox but all scabbed over, was asleep when we arrived and we woke him up getting him out of the car. He just sat in his pushchair looking a little shell-shocked and trying not to admit it was as cold as it was... We went to the wonderful (thankfully indoor) flea market at the metro station and had a great time wandering around and looking at all the interesting things people sell. It looked like our house did when we were moving, needed to shift some stuff and held a not-in-a-garage-garage sale; actually, most of the stalls were full of what looked like stuff from my parent's house, which is another job to be getting on with. Sorting it and boxing it up and getting it all to car boot sales is going to take up the next 4 months, at least!

Anyway, after some fish and chips in a wind-blown bus "shelter" (we found the restaurant was full and we couldn't wait and when we made the decision it was sunny and not so windy... which changed quickly) we felt the wind drop a couple more degrees in temp, blow a bit harder and start to bring some sleet with it off the sea. We unceremoniously made a run for it, Oscar by this time blue and screaming with the cold. Poor lamb, he isn't used to it.

We called in to see Sid who is in the Freeman, and managed to cause havoc for an hour or so. Amazing that we didn't get thrown off the ward, after Oscar started climbing all over Mik's head and squealing like a very loud thing.

My mum has dropped her Saturday night at work, so naturally we had to take advantage... The kids have a great time there, and I think mum enjoys it too, I think it keeps her young ;-) We went to see Daniel Day Lewis do one of his out-of-this-world intense characters in There Will Be Blood at the Gala cinema in Durham. Great. The only thing was, the weather hadn't improved by the time we came out and I kept wanting to stop all of the strapping Durham lasses & tell them to Put A Coat On as they were walking around in lovely but totally inappropriate summer type dresses. They must be like our friend Rohan who rarely gets colds or illnesses of any kind because he goes to the beach and swims all year round. Hard as nails.

Sunday morning found us not waking up 'til 9.30!! Bliss. Guilt-laden bliss, as I'd missed an exercise class, but bliss all the same. The Sunday paper, tea and hot crossed buns, Peace and Quiet. Oddly enough though, about an hour after getting up all I wanted to do was see the kids. We went out for lunch with mum, and the kids were good, a bit tired but Elly played waitresses and Oscar bodded about flirting as he does. And the snow snowed and it looked pretty. It did lie for a bit, but by the time we got out to build a snowman it was starting to melt and was too wet really. We did (a very little) one all the same, complete with carrot and coals.

Oh and by the way, I'm not jealous (much) of the wonderful weather everyone is having in Spain. Messages of it being sunny and hot and of time spent on the beach don't get to me, oh no. But how I wish we were there right now! Even Elly said she didn't like this weather after our freezing morning in Tynemouth... it's Spring Break from school now for 2 weeks. I'm too scared to look at the weather forecast. I just hope we don't have to spend every day either in the swimming pool, in the soft-play area or moping about the house 'cos it's too minging to go out. My 'ready to go out' bag consists of snacks, a change of clothes for the kids, 3 x pairs of wellies, the raincover is permanently in the car and I have 2 mobiles charged at all times. Ready for anything? You betcha!