Raining tears of laughter

Last week was a very busy one in the Skelton Household, Actually in our household it is always a busy week in one way or another, but last week it was busy for much more fun reasons.
 Alex had a whole week off work. This was particularly good as for more than a year this was the only time poor Alex has had off work, which has not been due to spending time in Special Care or Hospitals, Attending appointments, Being ill or looking after the household while I was ill. Alex's week off was very much overdue.
 We was hoping to plan a last minute UK get away, But as our too "small" car hasn't sold, we are still stuck for transport, so family days out were on order.

We started our week by going to one of our favourite places, our local park Cassiobury. All the family went including our mad hatter springer/cocker spaniel "Fergie".  Fergie has recently got so much better off her lead, so instead of us walking the pulling steam train, it was a much more of a pleasant experience. Fergie loves her new found freedom and particularly loves bouncing through the long grass chasing butterflies. It is such a joy watching her big floppy ears flapping up and down her long comical tongue hanging out to one side.. watching her care free nature you can't help but smile.

 Alex decided to take an exhausted Fergie home, while the girls put on roller skates and we slowly and tentatively made our way to the playground. 
 Not long after reaching our destination a dark cloud suddenly descended over us and then a few drops of rain fell from the sky, the drops fell faster and harder. I quickly unfolded the raincover and impressively threw it over the pushchair as the rain started pelting my back as I leaned over. I called over to Lilly and told her to run for the trees as the heavens opened. Sounds of panic were let out as families sped with pushchairs filled with tearful babies, rounding up children, grabbing picnic blankets and other items brought for a sunny family day out on the way. Everyone too scrambled torwards the trees. 
I looked for Beth, she was sheltering under a slide with one of her best friends who was also in the park. I ran to Beth passing her an umbrella in hand and she slowly made her way on roller skates under the tree. More than 30 of us were sheltered under the same small group of trees. 
The girls and I found this Hilarious. The rain slowed down, so I checked my phone to see a number of missed calls and text messages from Alex.
Alex had managed to get back to the park after taking Fergie home and was under a shelter at the top of the park dry as a bone. We made a couple of attempts to meet him but each time the rain started again causing us to retreat back to the same trees. Beth finally took of her skates and when the rain again died down from a tropical storm to a shower we took our chance to walk up the park in the rain, jumping in puddles on the way to be reunited with Alex.
 A dry Alex couldn't hide his laughter as he saw us drown rats walking torwards him.
Something about getting caught in a down pour is exhilarating.. and just plain funny.

A photo of us hiding under the trees

Rain appeared a lot during our family week, but we didn't let it stop us having fun.

 "Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain"