Archives: snow

Train on time shocker.

Not been typing much this week because… well the train was late, (it gets crowded) there was something to read, that sort of thing.

So that weekend past – what was that about? All very low key really – not much a doing as we didn’t have a game plan to be heading out for some reason or another, therefore, it was a ‘staying at home’ weekend.. There was no real snow to add to the general excitement, excepting that empty promise that fell Sunday afternoon & evening & all but vanished by Monday morning (poor Jack). Actually, all but Jack & I are fed up with snow. I’d quite happily see more & Jack actively wants more. Jude was never a bit fan to start with, Louise likes the idea of it to start with, but quickly gets fed up of its presence, Eve got bored of being wet & cold, but enjoys it really, & Esme, well – she’s be happy whatever it did, so long as there was opportunity for play.

Jack’s been getting up a little earlier in the mornings to catch the school bus rather than the service bus, He catches the service bus up to Walsden though, so that he has a chance of getting a seat on the school bus (it gets a bit full by the time it reaches Tod). Not sure of the change of heart – I think he’s wanting to be a little more social…

Um…

Oh, I guess our new overlords are coming into the office today (delayed from last week). I guess we might get a feel for things, but I’ve know this year meant change in some form… I’m not sure in what form, but ( know that my job is not safe, in that it is not going to exist as it is at present… It’s what they decide to do, & what I decide I can do. I know it’s impracticable to move down south – it would be too great a wrench, we wouldn’t be able to sell the house, we couldn’t move Jack from this school (I don’t think there’s anything in the state sector down their way that comes close) .. So, their stated desire to centralise their resources are at odds with the limitations of our lives. A year of change…. I really don’t see the point of worrying about such things though, a bunch of homilies come to mind, but I cannot dread change – it should at lest be interesting.

Esme seems chipper now – she had a sleep yesterday morning – didn’t go to playgroup & that sort of thing; rested as best Esme is able (active fidget). Listening to N.A.S.A track Money bemoaning money being the root of all evil – why does no one remember it’s the love of money that’s the root of evil, not the money in itself…. It’s an important distinction & singing it wrong in a catchy tune… ah well – I sound a fool – it’s a catchy tune & the phraseology doesn’t flow with the distinction. Meh.

I’ll have to give Jack this MP3 player soon anyway.. Hey ho – it’s been good while it lasted.

Yes anyway it’s been snowing – great fun. I dipped off early to ensure I could pick the kids up from school – Louise didn’t want to be taking Esme down to school (or facing some barrage of bemoaning from Jude) . Jack didn’t go to school yesterday; he’ set off good & early & was waiting up Walsden way when a 6th former & mother in car pulled up in a car to advise that the school was closed. He called Louise to report in, she called me checked the school website & Jack was already healing back. Perhaps the buses decided that it wasn’t possible or something. It’s a bit worse (the snow) over Halifax & Huddersfield way (over a couple of big hills).

Jack had a good day.

Jude & Eve had to go to school – the only way that Louise could get Jude to go was not in uniform… Which was OK, because the school ended up going to the park to do sledging. If you didn’t have a sledge you could use a black plastic bag. I think they had fun – Eve said she did… Jude was less committal – he has to keep up this pretence of not liking the snow. He doesn’t like the cold & wet that’s true, but he does concede that it’s pretty. When I met him at school he asked where Louise was – mentioned that Esme was not so well today .. [pause] “Ah, that’s why she wasn’t there at dinnertime” (dinner playtime when Louise would be taking Esme to playgroup for the afternoon) [pause…. pause…] I’m not feeling very well…” I grinned at him & admitted I expected as much. He gave me his sheet of homework & dashed off to ‘the cage’ to slide about & throw snowballs.

Went out & made a snowman when we all got home. Took a while as I need a lot of snow, me. I was a target for Jack & Ethan & Aden for a bit that was tiresome every so often, but I did retaliate every so often, which was tantamount to encouragement. Ethan amused me for a while after I managed to hit him… He didn’t like being caught by a snowball (I made him cry), so although he wanted to join in with Jack he didn’t want me retaliating, so he’d come up to me & throw a snowball about an inch & then in a deadpan voice say, “Oh dear” & bemoan his lack of ability. I did help him out later when the cold sensation of snow in his boot caused him distress (he thought it akin to pain – possibly a little Aspergers coming to the fore) only to have Aiden dump my snow stash on me head as I was helping Ethan put his boot back on. Not only did I get a bit down the back of my neck, but had to empty the boot out again. I didn’t ‘get’ Aiden back I could have & I made a half hearted attempt, but it would be unfair, really.

Got the snowman finished.

Fingers still returning to normal after making a snowman on the platform.

Naturally I’m feeling better today – not the bemoaning mutter of yesterday.

Jack was complaining this morning that it never snows at convenient times: he’s either having to go to school or go to bed.

Eve has ‘Star Of The Week’ in her class thus week for “not complaining”. There was some indecent in the playground where she was accidentally hurt & she was brave & stoic about it all (apparently). Ironic that she spent a good portion of the evening (when not playing) howling like a banshee about some injustice, discomfort or difficulty. Having said that she & Amber & Jude did play well together. Esme was louder with her complaints… I’d say she’s feeling better as she’s trying to assert her presence somewhat with various tactics… most of them noisy.

Jude was a little tired & hotheaded from time to time, but then that seems to be his nature at the moment… Ah, aside from flashpoints around tea he was fine.

Last day (of the year)
Reluctantly heading to work once more. I really would prefer to stay at home with Louise & the kids, as it’s been a very pleasant low key weekend. Still – I don’t have to go tomorrow.
Heh – quiet train this morning – just the mugs like me.
Having a full moon to watch as the train speeds by is odd as well – give a certain feeling of unreality.
Snowed over the weekend, which excited Jack no end. He was up & dressed & outside as soon as he could be. I got a garden spade out & he had a good old time pushing that about like a snowplough. He had nearly cleared all the back street on Saturday pushing it back & forth. The snow was no good for actually doing anything with though, as it was too icy. There was barely an inch, but at least half of it seemed to have melted slightly & nearly frozen again. It snowed again in the night & Jack was off again in the morning. This time it had left a renewed inch of snow (by the end of Saturday it was starting to be a bit of a dismal layer) but again it was not right for snowmen: too cold & powdery. We scooped up some snow with the spade & made a pile or 2, from which we made a star & a ‘J’. We also made a couple of little snowball sized snowmen, but trying to roll a bigger ball just did not work. Curiously, those piles of snow disappeared off the back street & a squat snow woman appeared in Hamish’s back yard – heh.
When we got back from the afternoon’s supermarket jaunt Jack was straight out into the snow again. It being later in the day, the snow had warmed up a bit, so it stuck a little. Still a bit too cold for rolling, so we compacted it with the spade in his toy wheelbarrow & built a little one. Had stones for eyes & bits of ice for arms sticking out at the side. Louise thinks it looks cuddly.
There seems a lot I want to write of, but I cannot get my brain to properly kick start this morning.

Train home

Neil (my brother) & Jess were going to come over on Saturday, but they didn’t make it. They set off, but they met a pile up on the M6 around stoke on trent (j18?). They did not crash, but someone else crashed into them. They are OK & everything, aside from the loss of the car & everything like that… which I imagine is going to take a while to sort out… what a drag. They’ll hopefully make it up sometime when the new baby is due. Neil called on his mobile sounding really put out by the whole thing.
I called mum in the evening & had a good chat (I don’t actually talk to my folks that much. They are busy enough. They’ve just moved into a new place, so mum had been painting & regrouting the bathroom & dad had been knocking a wall through from the utility room to the pantry (making it bigger for some other use) & filling in another door in the kitchen that is not needed with the leftover bricks. This is a day off; hols from running the restaurant. I wish I could be that industrious & practical sometimes. Mum said that she does not want to travel on the motorways in the daytime again. When they come to visit they will set off at some unearthly hour (as they currently do) & go back at night as well. This is good! We should have a whole day next time we visit.
Mum was a little disappointed that I’d called as she was going to call me in the morning so that she could speak to Jack… so I called her in the morning as well & passed the phone to Jack. They had a nice little chat & then Jack hung up… I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye there <pout>.
Louise & I were chatting last night about how he kids are gearing up to the arrival of the new babe. Louise does not think that Eve is fully aware of what is about to happen yet. She gets told about the fact that there’s a ‘baby in mummy’s tummy’ & she seems just happy that mummy has a tummy… if you know what I mean… no… ah, whatever. She loves her dollies & all that – dolly mad she is sometimes, but a new baby… no she’s not twigged that yet. Jack had when Eve was born. Granted he was fractionally older, but you could converse with him more – he did understand that there was a baby due. He told Louise that he remembered going to hospital with us & Louise having an antenatal scan. In a way you could believe him, as it’s a funny thing to happen – darkened room – mummy on a table, odd telly screen with a baby (?) on it… but it’s difficult to say that he does – he may be confusing it with something else. Still, I would not put it past him – he seems a clued up kid. He remembers stuff better than I do. OK – well try this bit of the telletubies site (for Eve)… “no paul – it doesn’t work”. hmmm how does he know – I think it should work – besides its been well over a year since we were last year…
DOH! Computer crash!