Splinter – Weds 20th Jan 2016

D tried her best but she just couldn’t make the ice crack and she loved it!

After a few weeks, today was the first time we’d been able to walk home from school through the “deep, dark woods”.  A combination of roadworks as we approach D’s school and heavy rain meant that either the woods had turned to marshland or that D was too anxious to go past the diggers and workmen before we’d cross the road after the clearing.

We’d been resigned to walking the longer way, past the busy primary school with its hoards of pupils either running to it (morning) or whizzing out (afternoon).  

It hasn’t been making for a terribly settled girl.  

This afternoon though I could see the anxieties lifting from her as we walked back through the woods and to the little lake.

She tried throwing stones on to the frozen lake to see if any would pass through the icy surface and make that “plop” sound that always makes her laugh.  None did but that didn’t detract from her enjoyment.  A couple splintered the ice and we watched as a crack appeared and a little bit of water rippled through, as if there was a small fountain underneath.  We saw air bubbles appear under the ice.  Obviously there’s no way I would have let her do that if there’s been any birds on the lake.

She loved it all, the crunchy icy grass and the frosty mud, frozen with the patterns of bike tracks, animal prints and footprints.

And once we were out of the woods, she either skipped along (always a sign she’s happy) or held my arm and told me about her day.

It was nice.  She’s had an angst-ridden moment or too this evening but the happy D on the way home has more than compensated.  Hopefully we’ll have another one tomorrow before the frosts disappear for a while and the rain returns.

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