Today for the first time in ages I woke feeling pretty content. I don’t know why, I woke early but dozed, listening to radio four, then switched to the world service when the morning service came on. While I listened, I could hear the wind outside and the rain spattering over the window. But most of the time I was unaware of what was happening. Occasionally my phone would beep and I would look to see what was happening on facebook or twitter.
By the time I heard Wendy and Charlotte come downstairs I was pretty much awake, ready to say hello to the day. The elf had broken off a flower in the night and was sitting on a picture with it in its hand, Charlotte was delighted and Wendy said it was very cute. Funny thing this Christmas stuff.
It was pouring with rain, so I was delighted when Wendy said we should all go for a walk together, rather than just me. To my surprise the children did not object; though by the time we got to Luss, James was saying he was ill and couldn’t go for a walk. Wendy dashed his hopes by saying he always got ill before something he didn’t want to do. We had driven through a flood to get there; the water breaking either side of the car, the children excited. I wish I could remember what the children got up to on our journey, James would have been being cheeky, Charlotte going through the Book People Catalogue for books to get.
In the car park it had stopped raining but it was cold and, once James actually got out the car, he cheered up hugely as Wendy put five different coats on him to keep him warm and toasty. However, by then, Charlotte had got into a huff; we never did find out what about, but it took ages to get her out the car.
As usual I suggested we take the different walk into the hills and as usual the family said they were going to ignore me. Dash saw the first of the fairy tale exhibits and for some reason got a fright; leapt into the air and tried to hide away from it and needed coaxing past.
You could see rainstorms over the hills and though we were being rained on, we didn’t get very wet. Me being me, I was the dog walker while the rest played and were silly, hugged each other; wittered. The river was white with the rush of water and at the now fenced off slate place , Charlotte crawled under the fence and fetched pieces of slate for each of us because we have a new tradition that we each need to take a piece of slate across the river to keep us safe from the trolls.
Over the river, we went up the slight hill to see those trolls and to throw sticks into their little hollow. Charlotte let out a shriek when she saw it; as it had a rotten pumpkin on its head.
On the way past the weir, Wendy declared that we needed to do something about the children as she was sure that any moment they would start fighting each other. I then had Charlotte walking in front of me and James walking behind Wendy and all the time there was this chatter and laughter. The woods were deserted which made Wendy delighted, at the troll place to shout out that they (the trolls) should fuck off ,as did the children. In the end the children continued to almost get on each others nerves until Charlotte agreed to take Dash’s lead, which distracted her from James.
I can’t describe why this was the perfect day; the cold wind, the grey sky, the rain showers, the crows cawing, the flowing river, the still loch. They refreshed us, made the children squeak and shout. James was so pleased that he looked fat under his coats and so pleased that he felt boiling hot when Wendy and Charlotte felt under his collar. And me, I just glowed, usually walking a bit in front with the dog; having Charlotte do the occasional rush into my arms, Wendy reach for my hand. A day of giggling excitement; sheep, a robin that hopped from post to post besides us and which Wendy said was sending messages to Santa about how good the children had been.
Then the café; huge cakes and hot chocolate for the children; soup for us. Dash under the table, nudging us with his nose and very wet head, peering out at all the other dogs from under the table. Charlotte writing poetry on her mums phone on the way home while James played with his Ipad.
And finally a warm house; with the tele, Christmas programs, lazy people, music and me making a middle eastern tea with freekeh and figs and herbs and pomegranates.
I wish every day was like this. I would love it if I didn’t stand on the edge of it so much but, for the moment, I am glowing with the pleasure of it all.
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