Circuits, mud, trains and cocoa

Next week dh is on an early shift - getting up at 3am - and so will be staying at my mother's from Sunday to Thursday. In order to swing his clock around, he got up early today. It's rare that I am in bed after him as it is always me that wakes first and gets everyone else up. Although it wasn't technically a lie in (as I still got up my usual time) it felt like it, being able to snuggle back down (with all the duvet to myself!) after he got up.

This morning we caught up on some chores. J got out his Hot Wires set that he got for Christmas and spent an enthralling 50 minutes trying out 9 different experiments. He had already learnt a lot about circuits via the BBC Science Clips and I was impressed with how much he had obviously learnt.

S worked on the computer, trying out various history sites such as Discovery Museum's Soldiers Life and then on the road safety Hedgehog site.

After lunch, even though it was only about 1c (with a wind chill much less than that in the northwesterly wind), we went for a walk with another home ed family. We went to Blue Bell Hill and slipped and slid our way for 40 minutes through the mud, slush and snow down then back up the hill.

We then drove further down the hill to go and stand on one of the bridges over the high speed channel tunnel rail link Our view was the same as the picture in that link! After 15 freezing minutes we were rewarded by the (brief!) site of the Eurostar rushing by.

Stopping at the Coop to pick up some squirty cream, we retreated back to their house for hot chocolate with said cream on top. Warming, and very cosy.

Back home for dh to cook us a late dinner - fish fingers, veg and roast potatoes, what a mixture - there was time for the boys (including dh) to sit and watch some tv together before bathtime. Although it means we are a bit late, I am aware that this is the last night dh will be home until Thursday so I don't mind.

The children don't know yet that he will be away. I am planning to travel up to Mum's on Tuesday to see him there in the afternoon which should break up the time.

All in all, it's been a nice day, but I've been very snappy at times and very conscious today of my failings in the mother department. Still, I am battling to keep my glass half full instead of empty.
Which reminds me, where did I put that wine bottle?...