The picnic was packed, flask filled, boots and socks ready to put on, all in the back of the car with an excited giddy dog.
We set off in sunshine, ready for a walk. We drove for almost an hour to our chosen starting point. Along the way I crocheted (I need a little in-car entertainment), the boys played as Himself drove.
Raining over there Himself said cheerfully
I looked up, 'Where?"
Over there, where we are going to walk, by those hills.........
The hills we can't see?
Yes Himself helpfully replied
I'm hungry said a little voice in the back
'Hang on, we are nearly there' I tried soothingly
I feel sick said the other little voice in the back
'Open your window a little and close your eyes' I suggested through a tensing jaw
I could feel a frown developing. I also noticed my grip on my hook was a little tighter.
We drove on, I kept glancing up to watch the clouds and the grey sheet of rain that seemed to be getting wider.
The boys played on in the back obliviously to our impending watery doom.
A few spots on the windscreen...........
It will stop by the time we get there Himself said encouragingly
Either that, or we will drive through it and it will be fine by the time we stop....
Are we nearly there yet?
Is it nearly lunchtime?
My frown felt a little tighter, as did my grip.
CLICK, PING, PING, CLICK, CLACK.... I looked up to see the car and the road being pelted by hail.
Lovely! Himself exclaimed happily, Look boys, hail!
They were suitably impressed as I began to have niggling little thoughts ... Had I picked up my waterproof coat......?
We turned off the main road, following the country lanes, finally stopping in a quiet church car park. As Himself turned the engine off, the deluge began in earnest.
Not to worry,
we can have lunch in the car and wait for it to stop Himself suggested
Yay! was the immediate reply from the back.
Himself manfully leapt out of the car, went around to the boot and climbed in with the dog, passing forward boxes of sandwiches and steaming mugs of tea.
For a short while there was just the sound of rain hammering on the roof, munching of lunch and the encouraging words of Himself as he kept up a running commentary of...
Think it's lessening now.......
I can see the hills again - oh, may be not......
Oh, it's getting a bit wetter - fancy another biscuit boys?....
Ah, less rain now...err, not yet..........
Hmmm.... raining again/still/more/less
Nearly-an-hour-later, after we had eaten most of the sandwiches, the flask was almost empty and the chocolate biscuits were a dim and distant memory, the rain finally finally stopped.
Not to waste a moment, Himself shot out of the back of the car, issuing orders of :
Quick - get your boots on boys,
let's get out while we can,
It will be fine,
Walking in the rain can be fun...........
As we set off, a group of bedraggled walkers, dripping wet and squelching strode passed us, stripped off their wet gear, hurled it into their car, jumped in and drove off rapidly.
Little did I know how foretelling that would be................because I
hadn't picked up my waterproof jacket.
As far walks go, this one started off very prettily, with cutesy village cottages and spring flower-laden front gardens. We followed the path onto farmland then into a very verdant spring green woodland. The smell of the wet leaves and earth mixed with the tang of the wild garlic was wonderful.
Then, the rain returned.
Himself looked at me as I blinked raindrops out of my eyes, and cheerfully said.
Let's just go, get wet and get nice and warm when we get back to the car...
The boys, who were wrapped up and water-proofed so much that they sounded like rustling bin bags agreed happily and set off splashing and running with the dog.
My frown was almost a squint by now as I could feel cold rain drops soak through my hair and trickle slowly down the back of my head, down my neck and down my back.
We carried on, as did the rain.
Sheep were huddled in woolly lumps with lowered ears.
We carried on, as did the rain.
Himself smiled broadly as rain ran down his nose and his hair was being plastered to his head.
We carried on, as did the rain.
My fringe by now had glued itself to my face and my cheeks felt icy cold in the breeze that had sprung up.
We trudged up a rain soaked valley, when we turned to follow a path back to the car.
Ah, Himself said a bit too brightly for my liking
A change of direction, means the rain now goes in to my other ear!
And as he said that, my fleece gave up all hope and let in all the rain, all at once and all down my left arm and side.
My frown was positively knotted and irreparable by now.
As we came off the hills, back into farm land, the rain eased off, but the wind decided to stay. We were all very cold by then.
Himself marched on ahead, the boys still played as they collected little pieces of sheep's wool whilst I with clenched jaw and clenched fingers told myself that we were nearing the car with every step.
We reached the pretty little village again, found the car and I strode towards it, dripping wet and squelching, stripped off my wet gear, hurled it into the car, jumped in the front, shivering.
Himself helped the boys out of their waterproofs, opened the flask and produced steaming mugs of tea and the last of the sandwiches.
As I sat with defrosting fingers curled around my tea, the windows misting up, the radio on and my boys nattering happily in the back, I forgave Himself in an instant.
Wonder where we will go tomorrow?
A rainbow along our walk - how apt!
