I’ve decided to start a new meme – Thankful Thursday - where participants blog about what they are thankful for in the current day / week.

First thing this morning, I wasn’t feeling very thankful. I was feeling very tired and in desperate need of a long lie. When I eventually dragged myself out of my bed and peered outside, all I could see was a swirling white blizzard!

There was no point in digging my car out for the school run, so I rushed the girls out the door early, so that we could trek throught the snow to school and work. By the time we left the house the heavy snow had turned to sleet and the snow was slushy under foot.

The slush was a lot more difficult to walk in than the freshly fallen snow of the day before. (I almost did the splits a few times on our way up the road!) Cars passing by on the road were spraying up filthy mucky slush onto the pavement, and I had to steer the girls away from the spray! All in all in was a miserable trek.

Halfway there, I realised I’d left my Blackberry at home. I resigned myself to a day ‘in the dark’ insofar as keeping an eye on my emails, notifications and blog comments. *shudders*

When we were almost at the school, we passed one of the girls’ classmates, heading in the opposite direction. He cheerfully announced that the school was closed. Apparently the school had texted all the parents. D’oh!!

So, we about-turned and slipped and slid all the way back home, with me trying to devise a plan. I would need to take at least the morning off work, so I’d have to call the office, my inlaws and my Hubby to make arrangements.

By the time we eventually squelched back through our front door, we were very cold, wet and tired, and I had made my mind up that I would just take the full day off. What sealed the deal was when I noticed Hubby’s car sitting outside, and I remembered that he had gotten a lift to work this morning. Therefore, he would not be able to collect the girls from his parents on the way home.

I didn’t really want to ask my inlaws to take the girls anyway, as I knew they were already watching my two-year old neice and four-month old nephew all day today. Besides, the girls have their dance class on a Thursday night, so I have to leave work before 5pm to get them fed and changed and out the door at 6.15pm.

So, finally we get round to the purpose of my post – reasons to be thankful! Today I was thankful for the following:

• Carers Leave – I’m thankful that my employer has family friendly policies, which include Carers Leave for family emergencies and breakdown in childcare, etc.
• I had an unexpected day at home with my gorgeous girls.  We played games, watched films and had a picnic lunch on the livingroom floor.  It was a lovely day and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
• It could be worse.  The weather in Stirlingshire has been pretty lame compared to the weather north of Dunblane.  Major roads have been unpassable and many drivers have been stranded and deliveries delayed.  Powerlines have come down, leaving thousands of people without electricity.

You can read more about the treacherous weather conditions in the north of Scotland on the BBC News website.

So, what are you thankful for today?  Please leave a comment below and, if you have a blog of your own, join the MckLinky Blog Hop by clicking the link below. 

I hope you will enjoy taking part in this weekly meme,

See you next Thursday!…

Now here’s the MckLinky!