A Break From The Kids

For the first time in an awfully long time Jane and I managed to escape from the kids for a weekend. My mum kindly child sat, as they don't like being called babies any more, while we headed back over the channel to catch up with some friends and family. First stop was Portland to see NicNack. Who'd have believed that the trip from Portsmouth to Portland would take 2 and a half hours. An instant reminder to one of the reasons we left the UK in the first place. Traffic, traffic and more traffic. It was 2007 when we last saw Nicola so the girls had plenty to chat about whilst I filled my time fixing taps and replacing the silicone in the shower. We went out for steak dinner in Weymouth and it was served properly blue just how I like it, a rare feat for a UK restaurant.

An early start Saturday saw us roll into Datchet just after 9am and first stop of the morning was Grandma Jennies. Fed and watered we then headed round the bend to visit the old man who appears to be becoming more acquisitive every time we come over. I'm starting to think that the skip outside Alexs house should maybe have been outside his. My adopted brother is still alive and has now mastered the art of indoor flying. Hopefully one day he will get his own home in the garden but for the foreseeable future I think he will remain a house duck.

Outside on the road there was plenty of comings and goings as Grandma Mo and co were moving house in preparation for the big build. Rob was having a bit of a sort out in the shed and I have finally got my hands on one of the 3 huge Belgian glasses from 2005 when we did the triple. I'm hoping to reunite it with the other 2 this year, one of which is in the states and the other I believe is at Richings Park still.

Saturday night was party night as we celebrated Walshys big seventy in style. 110 peeps turned up for a fabulous evening including a great guitarist/singer who kept us all well entertained. Met up with loads of friends we hadn't seen since moving to France as well as a few from the more distant past when I used to work in Maidenhead.

Sunday morning we checked out of the hotel bright and early and made a beeline for Westfarm. A quick walk around to see the baby foals, donkeys and chickens as well as a look in the chalk pit to reminisce of some great times as a kid. We then had brunch with Granny, thank you for the pancakes Mellanie, before heading off to the ferry to come home to our little piece of paradise.

This morning we shipped my mum back to the UK, not for long though, and I have got on and planted a cherry tree that mum and dad bought for us. Thank you peeps and sorry to those of you whom we missed this time around. Jane will be back over in August some time so maybe you'll see her then.