Soldier,Sailor Tinker Tailor...

Another exit into dawn's early light in order to catch a train to Glasgow, to catch a train to Carlisle, to catch a train to Shipley.
It seemed a very convoluted journey to visit daughter # 5, while meeting up with Glasgow daughter to travel south with her and granddaughter Nina.

You forget how full on is travelling with a 2 year old. I don't think she sat still for a minute and she seemed to graze constantly, hot cross bun, crisps, broccoli (yes the only wholesome snack in the whole journey), chocolate fingers and jelly babies. Just when the e numbers and empty calories had reached the hyperactive level, the guard gave her a tube of smarties! We managed to persuade her to share out the brown ones, but that was all.

The scenery would have been amazing had the mist which accompanied us all the way from Glasgow had lifted just so that we could have seen more than 100 yards. The dales were shrouded in a wet shroud of low cloud hiding all the becks and dry stane dykes. The newborn lambs were huddled beside their rather damp looking mothers and wondering if this was all life had to offer.

Finally things brightened up by the time we had arrived in Shipley and the temperature appeared almost balmy.

I am now ensconsed with a baby over my shoulder and two 2 year olds playing noisily at my feet.
I am exhausted.