Space odyssey

We hadn’t done an awful lot on Saturday if the truth be told.

I’d been pottering about downsizing the TV to make some more space in the front room and the children had been happily pottering around. We’d taken a short wander out to play football at Abbot Hall park.

Levity had come with a deftly placed lob to land the ball perfectly on the youngest’s head as she ran away, but she was laughing before she tumbled over and the boy started with his infectious giggle.

As ever, they had bemoaned my declaration of the need for exercise and, as ever, they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves once outside. Tomorrow, I said to myself, tomorrow we shall picnic and we shall picnic by the coast.

Sunday was beautiful, if loaded with pollen and therefore sneeze-inducing, but I resolved to ‘man up’ and battle through. Picnic prepared, children lobbed in the car, we headed to the coast we three. In search of adventure, laughter and, as it transpired, a discreet place for the youngest to have a poo. No mean feat when half a mile from shore and nary a bush in sight to conceal one’s self, but we solved the riddle and the secret of how we did, I shall take to my grave. 

I could have blipped any number of pictures from this most magical of days. This day, this rare day, when as a parent, you get it right. Every. Single. Time. In golfing parlance: the perfect round.

The children laughed, played and smiled all day. When they got too hot and were in want of a swimming costume, they simply stripped to their underwear and played in a small water course leading back from the sea, lost in their own little world for hours.

I catch myself sometimes getting lost in my own little world, gazing at these miracles and revelling in their wonder of discovering something new. 
“Daddy! Look it’s a small plaice!” 
“Daddy, please can you help me collect all the shells from the beach?!” 

To me, they are the most fascinating creations to observe and I have to remind myself to join in too and be in the moment with them, but I don’t want to break the magic of the spell they cast.

I wonder if Hogwarts has an adult education programme……?