Le Weekend

On Saturday, we planned to shoot over to the Kenilworth Sleath newbies and drop off a pile of stuff that we’d been hoarding on their behalf. So the morning was spent firstly, in bed a-snoozing, then gathering up a variety of things and stashing them in the car.

While we were in bed a-snoozing, Paul phoned. Freddie was keen to see us. He’d not been well with a tummy bug, but was now full of beans and game for a sleepover – of any sort: our house or their house. “How do you feel about coming to us?” Paul wondered. Well, we were game – we’d all do our lateral flows and, subject to them being clear, we’d be on our way.

We called in to the Kenilworth Sleath newbies first and off-loaded all the gear from the back of our car into their garage. Before we were able to tackle the unloading job, of course, we had to play in the garden: “Grandma! Come and see my house!! Come and have a look at the fossils! Freddie and me have found loads and we’re putting them safe.”

Who could resist? Clumps of concrete, aka fossils, were located at various points around the garden and we ‘found’ them to store in the play house. Thomas was there, too, running about and generally joining in – but who knows if he knew what the fossils were? It didn’t matter. We were all having fun.

We stayed for just over an hour with the Kenilworth newbies before setting off to the established Kenilworth Sleaths. Freddie was delighted to see us once we arrived and, after we’d had a bite to eat, more play was required. This time, it needed Grandpa to make – from metal, don’t you know – a portal into Minecraft. Ouch…. for a while, we think Freddie thought Grandpa could make a real portal and really transport Freddie into the world of Minecraft. No such luck, of course, Grandpa may be an absolute genius, but he’s not a magician.

After lunch, Paul and Harriet set off into town in search of sofas, leaving us with darling Freddie for an hour or two. With the Minecraft idea in mind, Freddie and I made a bit of something out of a box but, because we’d had to paint it, we had to let it dry – which meant that Freddie forgot all about the portal at that point, and we moved onto something else.

We played with some of Freddie’s toys for a while and then it was cuppa tea-time…… “Shall we find a TV programme to watch?” Freddie suggested, snuggling down next to Grandpa. And that’s where Paul and Harriet found us all when they got back – all goggle-eyed and glued to a junior programme that had us transfixed.

In the evening, we ordered an Indian Take-Away and drank fizz, Monkey Shoulder and a drop of Brandy. We chatted and chatted, sang to music and then, unable to help ourselves, Harriet and I were up and dancing. Great fun. I think it was two o’clock in the morning before we finally hit the sack and crashed out. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, though.

Grandpa was an absolute brick on Sunday, looking after Freddie. We were all lounging in bed when Freddie came through to us. We lay about in bed for a bit before I grizzled that Freddie was kicking me, so Grandpa was up and entertaining the young man before you knew it.

Grandpa did a sterling job all morning while Harriet took the dog a walk – and Paul and I snoozed on. I finally eased myself out of bed at mid-day, just as Paul was preparing brunch. Oooh, it was delicious – a full English, which was lush.

John and I were contemplating what time we should leave, when Paul suggested a dip in the hot tub. Well….. I don’t mind if I do! Paul, Harriet and I were all game, but Freddie didn’t fancy it and Grandpa certainly didn’t so, once again, Grandpa did a grand job with baby-sitting…….oh, and dog-sitting. Mac was constantly barking to go outside, so John was there with the treats in between the child care duties. Gosh, he did work hard.

Just before we emerged from the hot tub, the Kenilworth newbies arrived for an afternoon visit. Freddie and William were delighted to see each other and had a mad moment before charging up to Freddie’s room to make a den.

We decided we’d come home just before tea-time to give them all chance for a get-together and came home very happy that we’d had a lovely weekend.

As an aside and just for fun, but in reference to the goings-on of today, Susie Dent’s Word of the Day is: ‘roundaboutation‘ (19th century): bloviating or evasive talk that focuses on everything but the subject in hand.

Take care everyone. God bless.