The kids had pancakes for breakfast again, I'll be so pleased when we can go back to them making a quick bowl of cereal! But I have promised to do the occasional batch of breakfast pancakes.
I forgot to take my soup to the drop-in which was a bit of a nightmare. We ended up having a bit of a cleaning day and I kept getting lightheaded and having to take a rest.
The afternoon was a total mad rush of trying to pack while desperately hungry and lacking in energy. We had about an hour between me getting in from the drop-in and setting off but we made it, just! I spent the last of our money on a packet of bourbons. We ate half on the journey to Masham and the other half at supper time.
Tea was instant noodles cooked on this beaut. They were not, however, instant by any stretch. Les is a master fire builder, without him we would have been even hungrier, but it's still a lot slower than flicking on a gas stove. The novelty made it quite exciting though and the kids toasted marshmallows on subsequent nights, which they loved.
I have to say we were all thrilled come Saturday morning, and we have definitely indulged this weekend. The place we were staying had freshly made (still warm!) scones, yum. After our walk by Aysgarth Falls none of us fancied the drive home, plus the lengthy wait for the fire to warm up, followed by actual cooking so we had a pub meal out.
We have eaten to excess. But I'm not going to feel guilty. Because we are so so fortunate to be able to have this time together, and to afford to eat nice things. I had a good friend, Peter, who sadly died last year not long before he turned 30. He was the most positive person I ever knew. He appreciated life, and good food! in an extraordinary way.
Being restricted this last week has given me an appreciation for food which I usually lack. Everything has tasted good. Having the freedom to choose has made me giddy! In a similar way, being once faced with death gave Peter an unbelievable appreciation for life which we can all learn a lot from. If you knew him, you'll know exactly what I mean. If you didn't, I'm sad you'll never meet him.
There's no point feeling bad that we are more fortunate than others, or feeling sad about someone else's situation. And that's not what I wanted for my children when embarking on this challenge. The "there's starving kids in Africa so eat your sprouts" line doesn't really help anyone. But walking in someone else's shoes for even a week, crikey that doesn't half make you grateful for the choices we have and give you compassion and a little understanding.
So, we have come to the end of our challenge for another year! Once again, thank you for your sponsors. That extra money allows the drop-in to make choices which it wouldn't otherwise be able to. Whether that's to buy trainers for a few guys with nothing decent on their feet, or sleeping bags to help stave off the cold. Whatever we give to our clients they are wholly grateful. Because they know what it's like not to have.
