Shivering sheep

New Year's Day 2014. Four of us take a cold, very wet walk to a stone cross on the moors above Baslow, Derbyshire to lay down our prayers for 2014. A family tradition. As I get wetter and colder I contemplate when traditions should be abandoned, but alongside are other thoughts about whether sticking to something important even though it is not easy is a good life lesson. The jury is still out!
Horizontal rain and blustery conditions act as a contrast to the hot chocolate and squirty cream we drink at our destination. We meet one other family - feel relief that I am not the only parent taking kids out in such conditions.
By the time we leave the cross we are surrounded by long-horned highland cattle in various shades of orange, who are camouflaged against the bracken and grasses.
Then disaster strikes I drop my beloved camera in a puddle, ruining the lens and rendering it inoperable. The rain mingles with my tears all the way back to the car. I remind myself that people are more important than things, but I feel the loss of my camera that has bought such joy. As a single mum I have so many other things to spend my hard earned cash on.
I snap the shivering sheep through my snivels (on my phone.)