I’m perpertually tired and anyone that knows me will agree. I’ve got bigger bags under my eyes in the morning than Santa Claus carries after Mrs Claus hasn’t put out in 364 days! haha.
It’s completely my own fault though. Staying in bed at the weekends would be so easy just to let a few hours pass me by and get up at 11. But I’m not doing that.
Working Monday to Friday, waking up at 6 am and sometimes not getting back until days later I’m normally absolutely shattered by the time I get in. That doesn’t stop Dottie from being outrageously awesome but demanding.
It is however our time together as a family and we make the most of what we have enjoying dinner together even if it’s takeaway day. That’s time which can’t be wasted so we try our best.
When it comes to the weekend though this is a different situation and I’m sure working parents everywhere feel the same. I don’t go out on a weekend evening unless it’s a seriously important event or even better, we can take Dorothy and Beth with us.
This means that a Friday night is now pretty much alcohol free meaning the weekend mornings feel like another week day. I now set my alarm for 6am at the weekends too! Crazy right.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t get up at 6am but I generally will be up and about at 8 with Dorothy eating crackle (rice crispies), planning our day together and watching pony or shrek or teletubbies or thomas.
Nothing pains me more than being at home when I’m off work. It’s not that I don’t love my house it’s just I love doing things more. I think in the last year we’ve probably stayed in for a full day once and that was due to the star wars movie marathon.
You can see therefore we really make the most of every weekend. Time doesn’t stop and if we don’t make the most of it, it’ll pass us by before we know it.
Last weekend was a dry one which meant that I could play out! Unfortunately Beth was away and Mrs P had loads to do so it was just Dot and me. Now before you ask what is that outfit, I’ll tell you. It’s a Kidunk suit that we brought at the Just So Festival. It really wasn’t that much consider I literally put her in it for everything we do adventure wise. Perfect for our messy lifestyle and comfortable when in a secure backpack.
Heading off with bottles of water, sweets and big plans I pack up my rucksack with nappies and essentials then we head off. I tend to do a lot of decisions when I’m driving and this was no different. One thing was for sure though, having purchased a proper camping hammock and tarp we needed some trees and there is one epic place. The Forest of Bowland.
Heading out Dorothy grabbed a few winks and about 40 mins into the journey we arrive and she wakes up to emptyness and quiet. Two of my favourite things. Away from phone signal and internet it was just the two of us against the moorland and what a battle it was.
Looking at the forest in the distance we started to walk along the trail Dorothy on my back in her MacPac rucksack all tucked up and warm. Everything was great apart from the sore hip until we hit some really marshy areas which made walking very slow. We were about a mile away from the forest and I should have turned back but I didn’t.
Plowing on was slow, I lost my leg up to my knee at one point and my arm to the elbow as I put it down to stop myself falling completely over. Dottie thought it was hilarious as I was literally soaked from the boggy moorland.
We arrived at the forest and it was pretty much all pine and all we could hear was the birds. I told Dorothy there were fairies and we were at Christmas forest which she loved and kept saying fairies at the top of her voice.
Finding a clearing we setup the hammock which actually was a breeze. I watched a few videos before hand regarding knots and it was all actually quite straight forward. A loop needed to be made and then a slip knot to anchor each end to the tree to fit the carabiner. So simple and look, Dorothy loved it!
Before we headed back through the long long marsh, we stop as I was bloody exhausted and it was time to take on some water. Next thing I know little miss p is off like a shot. She’s climbing up the stone waymarker. Now from this video it doesn’t look like much but when your little toddler is climbing I was s***ing myself.
But as a responsible parent it’s my job to keep her safe but also to let her learn. Boy did I learn something. She’s bloody strong minded and willed. What an achievement and she loved it. Someone was pretty please with themselves!
Life is about enjoying the moments you hae together and really doing everything you can when you can. Don’t get confined by your four walls and whatever you do, push those boundaries. Oh and find some sheep too, who doesn’t love sheep!
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3 comments
Ah bless her! She looks like she’s loving exploring!
What an awesome adventure! I want to head out with a tarp now and make a little camp like that for my kids. They would love love love it. Very inspiring post this Phil.
Thanks John. Not much family time last Monday to Friday so we ventured out. Love that you find it inspiring. We’re supposed influencers but we need to inspire others especially in parenting. 🙂