A unique case of a weekend seemingly lasting forever as I was not working overtime and Alison only had half days in the morning. We also crammed a lot into it as Margaret, Del, Diane and Tim came down to visit and we spent time catching up. Bethany enjoyed the extra company but still sought more and kept running up and down the stairs at Blackwell Grange and gatecrashing one of the 3 weddings that was going on at the time. She happily would wander into the disco, have a little dance and set off back down the stairs with whoever's turn it was to accompany her.
On Saturday we had a barbecue at my parents as we made the most of the unseasonal October sunshine. This was followed by playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" which Helen had bought as a joke but which resulted in much hilarity with Tim failing to find the right wall from 6 feet away and Margaret's robot march as she swung her arms in alternative rigid fashion as she steered herself towards the target already becoming family legend.
Yesterday saw us calling in to the Grange in town where Katie and Wayne were hosting a leaving do before emigrating to Australia. They had hired the pub from 2 to 10 and the place had been busy throughout as many came to say goodbye. Helen had been there since around 3pm as toasted her best friend and said our parents had called in about 5. We got there just after 7 and I had a "blast from the past" as I saw people I hadn't seen for nearly quarter of a century. At one point Helen mentioned seeing someone come in and the name didn't register and when she came back from chatting with her she mentioned she was with one of her sons. When they came over I recognized her immediately but the son was now a man in his 30s and a stubbly beard. I could tell it was still the boy we used to play with in the street we all lived in as children but had we passed in the street I would not have registered anything. As it was he had a few words of greeting with Katie's brother Stephen and was rather quiet. Myself being rather antisocial also kept my silence aside from when prompted by his father asking if I was Richard. After confirming he made a few pleasantries regarding Bethany and we went back to drinking our beers and let the women do the catching up.
We left around 9 with Helen as we got a taxi back to Blackwell to call in and say goodbye to the Southern cousins who my parents were already with after dining with them. Saying goodbye Wayne seemed to get his second wind after the drinking games earlier had left him a little unsteady. He was taken with Bethany and was high fiving her as Helen and Katie said goodbye. Although as she is going to go round and see her before they depart it was not the big emotional farewell it might have been.
I'm not sure if it was entirely our doing but not long after arriving at Blackwell and disturbing the peace of the convivial family group reminiscing as we barged in but another couple across the room left leaving us the room to ourselves. We weren't out too late but after the previous nights we all fell asleep on the couch when we got back but thankfully I have the week off to catch up on sleep and chores.
On Saturday we had a barbecue at my parents as we made the most of the unseasonal October sunshine. This was followed by playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" which Helen had bought as a joke but which resulted in much hilarity with Tim failing to find the right wall from 6 feet away and Margaret's robot march as she swung her arms in alternative rigid fashion as she steered herself towards the target already becoming family legend.
Yesterday saw us calling in to the Grange in town where Katie and Wayne were hosting a leaving do before emigrating to Australia. They had hired the pub from 2 to 10 and the place had been busy throughout as many came to say goodbye. Helen had been there since around 3pm as toasted her best friend and said our parents had called in about 5. We got there just after 7 and I had a "blast from the past" as I saw people I hadn't seen for nearly quarter of a century. At one point Helen mentioned seeing someone come in and the name didn't register and when she came back from chatting with her she mentioned she was with one of her sons. When they came over I recognized her immediately but the son was now a man in his 30s and a stubbly beard. I could tell it was still the boy we used to play with in the street we all lived in as children but had we passed in the street I would not have registered anything. As it was he had a few words of greeting with Katie's brother Stephen and was rather quiet. Myself being rather antisocial also kept my silence aside from when prompted by his father asking if I was Richard. After confirming he made a few pleasantries regarding Bethany and we went back to drinking our beers and let the women do the catching up.
We left around 9 with Helen as we got a taxi back to Blackwell to call in and say goodbye to the Southern cousins who my parents were already with after dining with them. Saying goodbye Wayne seemed to get his second wind after the drinking games earlier had left him a little unsteady. He was taken with Bethany and was high fiving her as Helen and Katie said goodbye. Although as she is going to go round and see her before they depart it was not the big emotional farewell it might have been.
I'm not sure if it was entirely our doing but not long after arriving at Blackwell and disturbing the peace of the convivial family group reminiscing as we barged in but another couple across the room left leaving us the room to ourselves. We weren't out too late but after the previous nights we all fell asleep on the couch when we got back but thankfully I have the week off to catch up on sleep and chores.
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