is spring really springing?

I took these pictures on our first proper outdoor picnic of 2014 a couple of weeks ago.  Picnics are a great way to pass the time with a toddler in tow - fun times, fresh air and no mess to clean up at home.  Since this day (following a lapse back into grey skies and hailstones for a while) the sun seems to have had an energy drink or two and has now been here for three days in a row.  Isn't it glorious?  Is spring really on its way?  Is it here already?  Yippee-ay-eh-oh!

Yesterday was particularly nice weather. I had a hospital appointment first thing in the morning. My parents were happy to be looking after Dulcie and Graham's work made him use up a whole day's annual leave so that he'd be able to accompany me, so once we were done at the hospital, Graham and I spent the day doing our old charity shop route in the sunshine.  I only managed it by having an actual nap on one of the bus rides and by necking a can of chemical and sugar filled Barr's limeade, but it was great!  We stopped off for a nice lunch, had coffee and contraband cake (we smuggle nice cake into the place with nice coffee) and walked through the park eating ice cream etc.  Graham very kindly swapped his delicious black forest ice cream for my gingerbread one after I regretted my choice.  What a guy!  I didn't buy anything in the charity shops for most of the day and then had a wee flurry of lucky finds in the last couple of shops, which was perfect.  I felt satisfied with my finds, but hadn't had to carry heavy bags around all day.  Woo hoo!

Dulcie, meanwhile, went for a picnic and a long play in the park with her grandparents, so a good sunny day was had by all.

Dulcie is a great picnic companion, especially for impromptu weekday picnics, just the two of us, where I raid the fridge and cupboards for whatever is available.  This girl will eat pretty much anything and even manages to look like she's enjoying it.  Here she is having a cheese and houmous wrap.  I bet the picnic my mum made was much nicer, but Dulcie would never be mean enough to say so :)