Up late this morning after last night. Erika was happy to scramble up and out and find her brothers after taking my socks out of my slippers and hiding them on Charley’s bed. I did not want to get up. Too cold, too tired, too achey, too weary. Snowed again overnight.

Not entirely sure what’s really causing it but I’m struggling a bit again. It’s not shark week at any rate so I can’t blame that. It was 11am by the time I got up though and psychologically it felt awful even though this time last week it was only 10am which used to be quite normal for the days when Erika dozed fitfully in the mornings. Sleeping 2-10 doesn’t sound so bad but 3-11 sounds awful. Still not pulled myself that hour back.

Coffee was ready, there was kanelstang left over, staying warm was the big thing. I found a sparkly cardigan by the radiator which was all warm and cozy. Steve the hero went out in the still snowing snowyness and brought the day’s wood in. I just had no spark at all.

But my plants are surprising me. I thought they weren’t surviving and yet my purple chilli plant has flowered, and an orchid I inherited with the house is about to flower as well!

And how a music battle over breakfast evolved into Star Wars I will never know but I walked in at one point to find ninja jedi leaping all over the room.

But, the kids needed feeding again. I got dressed, dealt with kids’ toiletting, and went out to be with Steve. He’d found another tree. It was still snowing gently and the woodland really was so beautiful in the snow and the dappled sunlight. I enjoyed playing with the machete!

Was just so tired though, carrying logs back to the house. I have actual visible muscles in my arms these days but my word I’m tired. Once the wood was at the house I went back inside to be with the kids, while Steve processed the easier stuff.

Then it was finally bike time! Charley has been looking forward to this all week, the day when he can help fix his tyre and get his bike outside to ride. I’ve spent all week trying to keep the yard clear so he can ride!! Steve took Charley and Erika into the workshop to fix Charley’s bike, while Ben finally got me to himself to play Minecraft with.

Erika tried the tiny balance bike while they were outside. She fell off of course but when Ben saw which bike she’d been trying, he got quite a bit emotional because he recognised it as his old balance bike!

He decided we should go out too and in his eagerness to get outside he ended up trying to put his coat on inside out, and had to be reined in a little! His bike was good to go though and off he went. Happy kids. It was cold though. I got the rake out and started trying to clear up the remains of the coldframe and raised beds. SO MANY SYCAMORE LEAVES. But there’s actual stuff growing in there!! I’ll take pictures tomorrow if it’s not raining. Or they’re not all covered in snow again.

Tea and bed and finally a chance to breathe. I’ve finished one sleeve of my cardigan! And now with 33 updates to various apps, I’m going to bed too. I’ll have to finish off the last couple of days’ entries another time (again).