The Cold Virus, A Walk in the Park and Face Paints

I promised you a post about herb cuttings but I have yet to sort out the photos and its getting late, so it will have to wait till tomorrow. Instead you will have to make do with a post about nothing much at all.

I had really been looking forward to half term. I really miss having full days to undertake massive art projects, or having full days out somewhere, now that Garden girl is in nursery school every week day morning. So for half term, I had plans of museum trips, zoo visits and making new and wonderful things to hang on our patio doors.

And then the cold virus struck. It struck me first, clearing up just before half term, but leaving me tired. Then Garden Boy came down with it just in time for our planned trip to the zoo. Friends were phoned and the visit was cancelled. It gets so blustery and cold up there I didn't want to risk a chest infection. On the up side, I did get a couple of hours in the garden instead, with everyone wrapped up warm and free to go back indoors as soon as it got too cold. But, with the cold virus, came grumpiness and Garden Boy, feeling tired and ill, was less tolerant of his big sister bossing him about than usual. I started to feel a little frazzled.

Then the cold virus hit Garden Lass and the sleepless nights started and my usually chilled out baby suddenly needed my attention at all times. Fair enough, she was clearly feeling rotten, but there is very little to be achieved when a baby wants to be cuddled all day. So instead of long days out and messy paint, we had even longer days in, with nursery rhymes and pacing, silly arguments and a living room strewn with toys.

I was so excited today therefore when everyone was feeling much better. Garden Lass is still coughing but is on the mending side of ill. We went to a friend's house for lunch, then walked to the park. Garden Boy, with energy returning, had a huge smile as he scrunched in fallen leaves and brandished the sticks he found. Garden Girl was thrilled to walk hand in hand with her best girl friend, giggling and Garden Lass, for the most part, was contented to be snuggled in the pushchair, looking up at me with her gorgeous big eyes. I was thrilled to be back outside in the autumn world of colour and felt all the stress of the week dissolve.

We visited the playground, until it became too hard to keep track of all the children because there were so many people there. So hoping the children would happily walk all the way into the town centre, we set off to have their faces painted at White Stuff. Our local store were celebrating their first birthday so had activities going on for anyone who popped in store, including free face paints for the children. And while we waited we had a slice of birthday cake and cup of tea. How civilized! And I even managed not to buy anything, mainly because I had tea and Garden Lass in my hands and two excited toddlers to keep in check. Garden Dad would be proud, if it weren't for my thoughts of returning alone as soon as possible!

And whether or not it was the thrill of the face paints, or just the freedom of being outdoors, after being stuck indoors for the week, they managed to walk all the way home with smiles on their faces. Well, Garden Boy did flag a bit towards the end and hitched a lift on a friends pushchair, but all in all, it was a brilliant day which everyone enjoyed. And I am now starting the weekend with renewed motivation, a happier outlook and far less stressed than you would have found me two days ago.  And now, following last weekends harvest, I'm off to separate the bad potatoes from the good ones!