I went back home today, by home I mean my home town of Burton upon trent, a visit to my relatives was well overdue. I don't go that often, maybe two or three times a year, everything has changed so much since I left thirteen years ago. The house where I used to live is on a main road, and now it has a McDonalds opposite, it is so busy with traffic now, thank goodness I moved out.
My first port of call was to see Uncle Stan, he is coming up to his 87th birthday in June, and is still as busy as ever with his painting, hairdressing, and gardening. He has been busy painting pictures for an exhibition in the library starting on Tuesday for two weeks. All the money from the sale will go to the Air Ambulance, a charity Stan has supported for several years. He was in the local newspaper recently
www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Blind-artist-has-a-fund-raising-vision.htm
I was invited for lunch, and Pat his wife prepared a lovely spread, vegetarian lasagne, steamed vegetables, roast potatoes, and bread and butter pudding with cream. I was well stuffed.
After that I knew Stan would doze in his arm chair so I went to meet my sister and her husband in their local for a drink, then back to their house where she showed me some photo's of her new granddaughter.
Then I went back to pick Stan up and we went to see my Aunty Lyn, Stan's sister. Neither of them are able to drive any more because of sight problems, so while I am visiting in the car it is a good opportunity to get them together for a natter. And boy did they natter, we left at 7.15pm, I dropped Stan off, and drove the 95 miles home arriving at 10pm.
So there you are, visit three relatives all on the same day, and everyone is happy. Now I can relax with a glass of wine.
My mum's family are from Derby (suburbs) and lived in Quarndon all of their lives and around Allestree, her aunts etc lived in Matlock and we used to travel past Burton on Trent every time to go and visit them....I've not been back since they died. We're off to Bristol next weekend to see Mike's mum - it's an ordeal - Bristol is so busy and changes every time I go there. Give me my quiet little Cornish market town anyday but as you said, it's always good to see relatives
ReplyDeletesounds like a lovely day :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Ilona for you kind comment on the scrumble and for the suggestion of what it might be called, very apt.
ReplyDeleteYou must be pooped after driving so far.
Loved the April fools joke, you really had me going there, I was actually thinking of the cats and the poor things having to go into the cattery more that anything else, can't tell you how pleased I was to find out it was just a joke.
Don`t know where you find all this energy. I`m in my 40`s and I wouldn`t have that much to spare. Family reunions can be nice once in a while. I had my mum and dad with us last summer. We all drove down to Cornwall, then back through Devon and Dorset. Mum and dad then went on to fly to Scotland, visiting my daughter. I was enjoying their company, but after 2 weeks I was glad they went home. Mum is getting too stressed with travelling now and it was her decision to make this visit her last one, abroad.
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