Reflections



It was a real delight to travel down to England and catch up with everyone.  Mum and Dad are doing OK, the family seem to have rallied around and visit on a more regular basis.  My niece goes  weekly  to take Mum for her shopping.  The bungalow has now been valued and will go on the market this week, so that they can move to be near me.  Hopefully, a buyer will be forthcoming soon.

The wedding was a delight and it was so nice to catch up with family on Gerard's side that we do not see very often.  It was bitter/sweet to see some of Gerard's late Mums friends but the added bonus was to catch up with our beautiful daughters and their families.

We had a day out with Victoria and the boys to Marwell Zoo, the wedding reception was actually held at the hotel there so no extra travel needed.  It was overcast and drizzling when we went in but with a stiff upper lip and armed with waterproof coats we carried on regardless.  Hector has really grown in the short period of time since we last saw him and now runs around with his big brother Wilbur.  What a joy to see them play together.

 

Ice cream is always on the agenda for a day out and an easy way to get Hector back into the pushchair, he prefers walking these days.

 

 

Despite the rain it was a lovely day out and brought back some lovely memories of us taking our girls when they were small.  It was always a nice treat for them when we visited Grandma and Grandad.  I am not a fan of animals been caged but in fairness the enclosures were large and designed to reflect their natural habitat as much as possible.  It was certainly clean and did not have the pungent smell that you get sometimes.

There were lots of different play parks as we wandered around, each area designed for different age groups so something for everyone.  We also enjoyed a stroll through the garden and made a wish or two in the well.

We drove to Ampthill and had a wonderful few days with Amie and her family.  There was also a marked difference in Honey, she has certainly grown and is walking.  Bertie still enjoys quality time with us playing games and doing jigsaws.  Dinosaurs still a firm favourite...

 

 

We had a wonderful day out to the mill, enjoying a stroll through the shops and of course tea and cake.

One of the highlights for Bertie is the fish in the pond, he is always mesmerised by them.

There are some great artefacts to admire and indeed play, some wonderful old penny slot machines adorn the walls along the emporium, if only they were a little lower...

 

The added bonus is there is a little park for us all to enjoy.

 

 

 

Last but certainly not least was our visit to Lucy, sadly Lily had to go to school but we did get some quality time in the evenings.  They certainly enjoyed seeing Mickey and he loved running around with them.

 

 

 

There was a little gardening done, but mainly games that involved a lot of laughter...

 

 

...and the cleaning off of dirty faces.

 

 

We did get some quality time in the local park but sadly I forgot to take the camera.

 

 

I cannot express the sheer joy of seeing my family again and am so looking forward to seeing them again soon.  We have plans to go again in August and they will of course be visiting us, Victoria has flights booked for July and Lucy plans for August.  The journey back on the ferry was a time for reflection and deep thoughts about the distances involved.  Had we made the right decision moving so far away?

 

 

YES!  We love this beautiful Island and its people.  We love our little cottage that is now HOME and despite our overwhelming love for our families and missing them terribly we are here to STAY.  It felt like home on our return, it was a beautiful homecoming.

 

The washing has been caught up with, I am trying to ignore the ironing pile and the garden is calling it is in dire need of attention.  But not today, we are going to the soup and pudding event to meet up with our neighbours and help raise some funds for Church.  Tomorrow is another day.  Have you any plans for the weekend?

 

See you soon.