"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it," Charles R. Swindoll.
It's Friday morning and I am driving up a very steep hill with a lane that allows two way traffic but only really has room for one vehicle at a time. The trees are green with moss, and the farther up the hill we travel, the foggier it gets. Two very adorable little boys are coughing at me from the back seat. Since Christmas we have been privileged to have head colds, followed by stomach flu, followed by chicken pox, followed by this cold that won't quit and has a turned into a sinus infection (for me). Our social lives have suffered accordingly. Today we need an adventure, so we are headed to Cleeve Hill. This was a last minute decision, I grabbed winter hats, mittens, and snacks on our way out to drop Big Brother at school.
After driving for over 20 minutes up rolling hills, we have arrived at a small car park. There are people with their dogs, always. We will never be truly British until we have a dog it seems. We venture out into a gorgeous open space which feels like the end of the world. We are up in the clouds and it is COLD. Much colder than it was 330 meters below in Cheltenham. It is snowing and icy and the wind goes right through our winter jackets. The boys run and run and I keep a close eye because it feels like they could fall off the edge of a cliff somewhere, it's hard to know with all the fog!
Everything is ice encrusted. The grass beneath our feet feels crunchy. There are tiny snowflakes swirling in the air, threatening to accumulate, but never committing. I steer the boys away from some quite frozen dog poops, which they find hilarious. If you like toilet humour, come spend some time with my boys! You won't be disappointed.
Important side story, I have a dear friend who was walking to school one day and found a beautiful icy pinecone. She put it in her pocket so that she could take her treasure home with her. At the end of the school day, she put on her coat and put her hand in the pocket to collect her lovely pinecone. Only instead of a handful of pinecone, she had a handful of poop. It was not a frozen pinecone that she had rescued, it was a frozen dog turd, and it had melted in her pocket. Moral of the story: beware of frozen poops! Maybe also stay away from pinecones.
My little adventure buddies!
I imagine that the view is very impressive on a clear day. Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds hills. On a bright day, you can see all the way to Wales. We need to come back!
After ample exploring and a valiant attempt at a "hike," one of my buddies is whinging, so we head back to the car. On our way, we cross paths with some jolly ladies and, you guessed it, their dogs. One of the ladies says to us, "wow, you are brave to be out here in this cold!" I reply in my croaky barely there voice, "well, we are from Canada." This is apparently hilarious, the jolly ladies are laughing and laughing. Mr. L says, "Mom, the ladies laugh to us!" Ha ha! All the best people are at Cleeve Hill on a freezing day! It's true, I have known and lived in much colder than this, but we are still chilled. We blast the heat in the car and make hot chocolate, with far too many marshmallows, as soon as we get home. Why are marshmallows always pink and white in England? I love it!
Twinsies "need" their own spoons and straws to truly enjoy hot chocolate.
To all of you who are sick, who are cold, who are sad, I wish you a laugh, a treat, and an adventure. There is always something delightful in every day, it's up to us to find it. Just beware of the frozen poops.
~This post is dedicated to Shmandrea, living a life of excitement wherever she goes.
