First Five days

Friday 17th December, 2010:

It's easy to believe the world organises itself for your own convenience. We landed at Gatwick before it was closed, and although Mum wasn't able to get through the traffic to meet us off the plane, she was only two short train rides away, one of which had been delayed long enough for us to board. An hour's drive topped off the twenty-six hours it had taken door to door from Perth, W.A. to Folkestone, Kent.

On the last day of school it was very early, Sim my Dad's friend he was picking us up and he drove us to the airport because he was flying to England. It took all morning. And on the aeroplane, there were two aeroplanes, the first one took ten and a half hours and the second one took six hours. I watched Pinocchio and Dispicable Me and Mary Poppins and I tried not to get cross with the game "Memories".

(Last train trip of the day)

Saturday:

Went shopping in Folkestone and got caught in the snow. The cars couldn't get past Sandgate hill and the traffic quickly built up, queuing into Folkestone. We ditched the car on the Leas and walked down the hill back to Mum's. I walked around to see what the hill was like. Cars were sliding down it and blocking each other. Drivers trying to get up were spinning their wheels. I asked "Dave" if he could lend me a barrow and shovel and helped "Mac" shovel grit onto the hill. A group of us also spent some time pushing cars up the hill. Seemed to me people become isolated and dependent in cars. Walking about gives you a different perspective.

Sunday:

We'd planned to go to Jason's for open house, but the snow wasn't worth the risk, despite the pull of company and food. Went and got the car from the Leas, and took the kids into the snow for a walk. Cured them both of the desire to make snow men. Little pink noses and toes.

Monday:

Drove the car to Canterbury and spent a great day shopping. Streets full of slush. German winter fare had bratwurst, gallettes and gluwein. The countryside looked fantastic, a snow covered tunnel of trees over the road outside Denton, swear that the Snow Queen was riding along side the car. As we drove out of the carpark, a robin swooped down on the road. As we watched, it disappeared down the drain!

Yesterday I went to the charity shop and I bought a Barbie and two Bratz, and the boy Bratz had a hat and the girl one had two braceletes. I was trying to set up a boat, it was called the Perl Putta. It was a really famous boat and the Barbie was jealous of it, because the Bratz had fallen in love and that means he gets to go on the boat and every time there was a meeting and they were dancing she always pushed the girl away instead of dancing with the boy Bratz. I wanted another Barbie but my Dad said no. I begged them but they said no. So I chose just the ones I liked the most.

Tuesday:

Duvet day, kids are waking later and later, from 1 am on Saturday to 5 am today. Ange and Chris came over for lunch. Feeling like Christmas with the snow outside and good food, drink and company inside. Duty done, snow man built.