Saturday April 8th 2023

Today's the day of my so-called "long" car journey, the longest I've done since the pandemic started, and we're planning to do it in one go, without stops. I can't help feeling a bit apprehensive but it works out okay in the end, with just a bit of back-ache when I get out of the car: yikes!!!

Lois and I get up at 6 am, and we're off by 7:10 am, arriving at our daughter Ali's house two and a half hours later. Ali, husband Ed, our three grandchildren Josie (16), Rosalind (14) and Isaac (12), Otto the British cat, Dumbledore the Danish cat and Sika the Danish dog, are all there to greet us. Ali and Ed both have colds so only 3 hug arrival. No hugs from the pets once more. We wonder why, but it's probably because they've already been fed. So no surprise really!

Usually in the past Lois and I have always been a bit overwhelmed after our arrival by the sudden hubbub of conversation, which we're not used to when it's just the two of us. But our three grandchildren are turning into proper teenagers now, so spend a lot of time in their rooms, or revising for upcoming exams, so the hubbub of conversation has been toned down a bit now, and it's a bit more focussed - yes they're growing up all right, and Josie will officially be an adult in 17 months' time!

After lunch, I feel exhausted from my 2.5 hours of concentration on the road, and I have a nap on the bed Lois and I always sleep in here. 

I settle down for a nap: below me can be seen

some of the property's massive 7.5 acre grounds,

most of which is woodland

Ed and Isaac are having a father-son bonding day today. In the morning they go to the gentlemen's hairdressers in Grayshott and then take a few practice golf-shots at the golf range. After lunch they work on one of Ed's special garden projects: making and fitting a gate. 

Ed and Isaac at work on one of Ed's garden upgrade projects,

building and fitting an extra gate to keep Sika in and deer out

It's all part of the work to keep Sika the dog safely confined to the property and to make life easier for Amazon and other delivery guys. It's also to make it more difficult for some of the local wild-life, specifically the local deer population, to roam around at will and eat things that Ali is growing in the kitchen garden etc. So it's a win-win!

Later Lois and I take a walk to the local petrol station and convenience store, to pick up 4 pints of milk. On the way back we inspect one of Ed's shiny new fences - all part of the project, it seems.

one of Ed's shiny new fences - all part of the project.

Over a cup of tea, we talk to Josie about the new school she'll be going to starting in September: St Catherine's at Bramley, near Guildford. It's an all-girls independent private school, and Josie won a scholarship to go there after taking half a dozen exams and a couple of interviews - what a crazy world we live in!!!!

we talk to Josie and Ali about the new school, St Catherine's at Guildford,

that Josie will be attending from next September

In the evening we settle down on the sofa, and for once, don't watch any TV which is nice. I'm reading my History of Iceland, Lois is reading Richard Osman's thriller, "The Thursday Murder Club", while Rosalind is doing something on her laptop.

Shock horror - we don't watch any TV tonight!

And that's how you do it - I mean, visiting children and grandchildren, plus pets etc. Or should I say, that's how we do it - suggestions welcome, on a postcard as usual. But don't forget again !!!!!!

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!