Snow Day

This morning we woke up to a blanket of thick, white snow! Though we were all super excited, we were quickly put off about needing to get to school and work. Whilst waiting for the verdict as to whether school would actually be open, Louie and I took a little walk to the edge of the village with our cameras. The snow was about ankle deep, so a fair amount compared to the dusting over the city.

The roads were a nightmare, it took an hour to drive 1 mile, and it took me 2 whole hours to get across the town to the office! Louie was nearly an hour late for school due to two stuck lorries but we got there in the end, 10 out of 10 for effort ;)

Evening Stroll

You might remember last years post about British Summer Time, and lo and behold, we are having the same problem this year, bed time is tricky. After being stuck at home all day waiting for a new fridge freezer to be delivered (ours went bang, or rather buzz...) we decided to go for a walk, a long walk around Bradgate Park.

 We must have walked miles, up to Old John, down to the stream, back up to climb the rocks. Eventually the sun turned golden and began to hide between the trees.

 We walked and walked and walked, until the small boy was getting sleepy. He stayed awake all the way home, climbed straight into bed and went straight to sleep.

It worked!!

Sudbury Sunday

Some well needed family time, out in the fresh air. The dust and pollution in the air still seems to be around making everything feel so dull, but it was warm and breezy and beautiful to sit and just enjoy the peace and quiet. 

Mr Bee had a field day in the toy museum after we munched our lunch out of doors, the first time this year. 

Alternative

Today was mostly foggy. It was another trip to Calke, this time it was ensuring Nana knew the way to Calke, the cottage, the hairdressers and inbetween. Of course, it was a great excuse for a walk in the great outdoors. We took one of the many walks around the park, exploring the pools and weirs before stumbling upon 'The Old Man of Calke', a tree over 1000 years old (yes, one thousand!). The views were breathtaking, even amidst the fog which didn't recede all day. The boy fell in love with a sword and helmet, playing with them so happily all day. It really was the cutest.

Braving the Storms

A stormy morning brought winds and rain to most of the UK. We braved the weather in our wellies and raincoats for a trip to Belton House for some well deserved Mama and Louie time. We spent most of our time in the indoor adventure area, sipping tea and munching our little picnic.
We had a little stroll around the gardens, finding our way to the maze, spotting millions of snowdrops and sheltering from the rain under huge trees.
During the afternoon the gardens were closed due to the high winds, so we made a swift exit. It was a scary drive home (I hear that lorries have been swept from the roads today!) and we were glad to be back home with a delicious bowl of spaghetti and meatballs from the slow cooker!

Above the Clouds

This morning Mr Bee and I drove over to Beacon Hill for a brisk early morning walk. The whole of the countryside was covered with a blanket of fog and the views from the top of the hill were spectacular, as if we were above the clouds. We had to keep moving to keep warm, as the early temperatures weren't much above freezing but it was well worth the trip.