Flying visit

On Saturday we took a brief trip up North for a family get together at Chris' parents house in Dunbar. At least it was brief in terms of the amount of time we were there - if not in the time it took to get there in the first place. We decided to go up on Saturday morning avoiding a Friday night drive for Chris after a long week in planet AZ, and to let Dominic go to his swimming lesson. We were right in that at least, as there were only 2 of them there and he swam the length of the pool without armbands for the first time. However, our joy was pretty shortlived as it took us over 5 hours to get to Dunbar with only one stop for petrol and one for two little boys to pee on the grass in a layby. It must be said that, whatever their faults, our children are really good in the car.

Anyway, journey over, we enjoyed a very relaxed family barbecue. Aiden and Francis, twins aged 6, introduced Max to the art of throwing stones over fences towards parked cars which he took to like a duck to water until policeman Dominic reported those naughty boys to the grown ups. Brian was sporting a new look - no moustache - which must get a universal thumbs up and also passed on his Dad's war medals to us for safe keeping (of which more another time). Food was good, company comfortable and weather just okay: so the horrors of the trip quickly receded.

On Sunday, we went to Callendar Park for a picnic and played crazy golf. Memo to self - crazy golf is great for 5 year olds and a nightmare for 31/2 year olds. Max was a tantrum on legs. Anyway, after that we had a really pleasant visit to Great Granny and the boys enjoyed building bionicles with Chris and my cousin Blair. On the trip back to Manchester we stopped in a very attractive park in Moffat and met a man who had a serious heart condition twenty years ago which was cured by prayer and a visit from Jesus. His daughter (aged 4....he was 67) spoke to Dominic and her starter for ten was:"So, do you believe in the one true God?" Hey ho.