Muddy puddles.

An element of peace has been restored mainly down to Thing One and Thing Two buggering back to school, punctured only by the verbal wars between The Husband and I and Toddler Tantrums. However I can't help but feel they were dreadfully cheated out of the summer holidays due to kid appalling weather (not to mention financial distress, chicken pox and a poorly ankle). What should have been playfully long days and gentle nights with blue skies, sun and water shortages was replaced with grey skies, storms, bickering and muddy puddles.  Puddle Jumping in August? Really? What strange alchemy were the gods brewing when they created August this year. It's The Husbands fault really. I keep telling him he's single handedly dooming the earth and making the polar bears somewhat disgruntled through using aerosols.

Earlier in the year we had a rather savage period of disgustingly high temperatures, you know, back before the holidays when the kids were at school burning to a crisp. I had a small maternal panic and a manic online shop for summer clothes whilst I hissed and seeked refuge indoors, with The curtains closed. I have a tendency to burst into flames in strong sunlight (and churches), or at the very least my rabid temper does. I don't do summer.

Yet the summer holidays arrive and it rains...and rains....and rains.

Then it rained some more.

The Things paced like caged wilder-things swinging between bouts of melancholy, rage and utter frustration. The friction was palpable and the air abrasive.

And still it rained.

So thoughts of sandals and sun hats soured and turned to hunting for wellies (one of those things, like p.e kit plimsols that you forget to replace until after they're actually needed. I blame it on school shoe shopping induced post traumatic stress) and waterproofs for the random impromptu bouts of puddle Jumping also known as desperation tactics to prevent siblingocide. However these escapades usually ended rather abruptly when the behaviour raced the rain into the gutter.

Yet, the first week back at school and the afternoons are saturated with a sunny haze, pleasant breeze and blue skies, perfect exploring weather and yet we find ourselves sans our chief explorers as they fester away in class rooms.

Arse.

Not to worry with any luck we'll have snow again this year so the replenishing of the grim weather gear won't have been in total vain and I'm sure The Toddler will appreciate a waterproof winter warmer for the inevitable wet school runs in the sling and random cheeky rampages through the copious blankets of soggy Autumn leaves.

However, be warned spawn o'mine, if you outgrow them too quickly I shall throw the mother of all tantrums and put you all on eBay.