Oh dear MrsJC...
I am on my way out to practice fly fishing in the garden, before heading off down the pier. Have decided my oldest needs to practice his technique before let lose on the sea with his prided new telescopic fishing rod.
Meanwhile, my mum will be tending to the strawberries, my sister is going to sort my childrens clothes in the attic, grouping it into:
Rain coveralls (similar to what fishermen wear) - internal thermals - heavy duty snowsuits with rubber backing on bottom and knees.
Autumn is approaching, I need it all ready for my youngest nursery, as I need to have double of everything, and keep one set at the nursery, at least. He expected to get soaked through at least once, possibly twice during the course of a day.
Despite the cold, the rains, the storms, the children spend most of their time at the nursery outdoors. Sometimes, they dont even go in for meals. They eat outdoors, or they bbq, yes even in snow. Even naptime is spent outside. Only the youngest naps. There is a covered "shed", more like a carport, where the prams stand in a row. The babies and young toddlers have sheep fur sleeping bags, duvet on top, and blanket over the rainhood to shelter for the wind. There they are nice and cosy, regardless of subzero temperatures and blizzards. Staff check on them regularly.
My friends here laughed their heads off in utter shock and disbelief when I told them that the staff at my sons London nursery went to wipe the play equipment with towels before sending the kids out to their 15 minute playtime, if it was not raining at the time...
But this is a place where people not only leave their children to sleep outside in their heavily padded pram, they leave them outside shops when shopping and outside restaurants when they dine (providing of course baby is asleep, and yes, portable baby monitors....)