Sunshine versus grey skies

Well, what a funny couple of days it has been!

Yesterday was beautifully sunny and we all spent most of the day outside doing various long overdue jobs in the garden. We moved the duck pen (one of them has been laying since sunday- yipee!), dug over the hen run, sorted out the workshop and the big stack of wood outside it waiting to be chopped up for fire lighting, and made some more paper logs. We made a secure pen for Merlin near the house and put the gazebo back up after its nasty fall while we were in The Lakes. There was a lot of heavy rain and it doesn't seem to drain as well as it should. It filled up with water and the weight of it bent a couple of the poles We managed to er... bodge them so it should last for a few more weeks!

It was soooo hot during the day that Louis had to wait for a good run until after tea. Tom had gone off with Phil to do some more errands of the free stuff variety (more about that later!) and just before going to sleep I realised we had forgotten David's swimming lesson. Bah!
And then today it was a really grey start so we all felt subdued and being indoors was probably what we needed. Rob was working for the first time in a couple of weeks!!! (LOL More about that later, too!!) and I had forgotten how miserable the grey sky can make me feel.
All was not lost. Jonathan made flapjacks and David and I did some research for a Lego kit he wants to get with his birthday money. I finished the LEA 'reports' for the younger two boys and we got them posted. David and I also did some literacy worksheets that I had printed off ages ago but never felt that he was ready for. He did 9 of them all on a similar theme and did tehm without too much difficulty. Before he has always needed so much help and pushing but he did them pretty much alone. I just gave the instructions. I was so pleased. He was pleased with himself too. Just goes to show that even without doing anything, a child can progress. No forced learning. No repetition.
The sun came out for tea time, and so Rob and I went off for an evening present hunt and a canal walk. This is thanks to Tom being more than happy to babysit and almost insisting we go out and do something.
Tom is a first class son. Not that they aren't all great, but for a boy his age he is fabulous. A real diamond. The best thing is that he is recognised by others outside the family as such.
His reward is nigh.