Friday is normally our busy, out-all-day day. This week, however, everyone was exhausted, on the verge of a cold, LiAM had left karate early on Thursday night with a massive sinus headache - AND we'd been told that the steam engines heading to the Heritage Festival in Healesville would be stopping at our place to water on their way from Yarra Glen to Healesville. So I decided we could all stay home, rest, and see the steam engines.
The only tricky bit was that I had an acupuncture appointment that I really didn't want to miss, so Mum very generously reorganised her Friday at very short notice to come and hang out with the kids while I went to my appointment.
I was so glad I'd decided to stay home when everyone got up and started playing happily and peacefully and there was none of our usual Friday morning running around and stress. LiAM and Millie played chess, then I took over from Millie, then Caitlin took over from me, then the kids had another game. Mum arrived at 10 and I went to acupuncture (which helped fix my sore wrist and shoulder, as well as upping my energy significantly) and when I returned at 1pm there were 14 steam engines parked across the front of our driveway!!!! I couldn't get into our drive, but with a bit of manoeuvring managed to park out the front in a spot that wasn't in the engine's way. Mum and the kids (and Buckley) were out the front watching, and once I arrived Mum and the younger two went inside.
It was very exciting, the sight of all these engines, and the SOUND - one of my favourite sounds is a steam engine whistle, and then the chuffing as they start to move... Thrilling. And great to watch the whole watering process, and the different ways that each engine needed to be filled. It's always great too to be around people who are really passionate about something, and that passion was flowing off all the drivers and crew. Caitlin knew one of the girls whose Mum was driving, so she got to see a bit more of the process as she chatted with her.
Eventually they all chuffed away. Hopefully we'll go and see them again at the festival over the weekend. We had a quiet afternoon, mainly watching Youtube videos. I was sitting reading my book next to LiAM who was watching Stampy and Squid Minecraft videos, and I was listening more than I tend to - those guys are really really funny. I understand a lot more now why the kids love to listen to/watch them so much.
Tony and the girls went to Healesville to get some lemons from a friend, and stayed at played at his place for a while. When they got home C and I headed straight off to Stage School. After I dropped her off I went to Costco to stock up on some bulk groceries, then to Ringwood library to return, borrow and to chill out. I found the sequel to Lament (the book I'd just finished and loved) so grabbed it and got some uninterrupted reading time before the library closed. A quick trip to Eastland shops to look for shoes to wear to my brother's wedding - I found some I loved but not in my size.
Picked Caitlin up then home and sat & read my book with the big kids while they watched videos until we all went to bed around 11pm
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