Family visits and good cheer

Arwen and Matthew visit Hundon

It has been a busy time for visitors. On Thursday/Friday Matthew, Rosie and Arwen came down. We are reluctant to let the dogs loose with a baby or small child in the house, so we have to keep them locked away. This is hard on the dogs, but easier on the child who otherwise might get knocked over or worse - the dogs have a very loud bark and can be frightening. But we can't lock the dogs away for 48 hours, so Matthew and crew stayed at a hotel in Saffron Waldon. 

It was a bright, sunny though wintery day. with a penetrating, cold north wind. They had left Middlesbrough in a snowstorm, though we had no more than flurries. But with double jerseys, scarf and gloves I managed a walk with them all. Ann, meanwhile, had a long-standing luncheon engagement with Mary-Anne, who took her to Bury, so she was out all afternoon. In the evening, we went to the Swan in Clare for their Christmas dinner, and a high standard it was, Matthew and Rosie enjoying the full turkey treatment while Ann and I sampled the less meat-inspired dishes.

Then on Saturday/Sunday, Ben and Kaz came down from Telford. Edwin and Andre are back from New York, and going through their hopefully brief quarantine before they come over on Monday to regale us with their merry tales, and Mike and Ryan have requested to come down before Christmas, so with Lucy's visit last month we will have seen all our children/step-children bar Dan, who has exiled himself to the middle of the Yorkshire Moors. In his acting days, Ann and I tried to visit every play he appeared in, sometimes in the most remote corners of London. His Sweeny Todd was superb. I even remember seeing him in the brilliant London Road at its London performance in a major theatre, which resonated because of its local Suffolk connection. Going to the Levington marina in the days when we had a boat, we used to drive past the memorial sites to the poor Ipswich girls who had been murdered and buried in the ditches there. It must be ten years since Dan walked out of our lives, but he has never talked of what went wrong or given an explanation to any of us. As my old gran used to say, "There's nowt so queer as folk!"

Ben and Kaz have been amazing. We had a meal out last night at another Swan Inn, this time in Long Melford, then retired into our library for brandies and other drinks, for an evening of jokes, funny stories and great humour. Even after everyone went to bed, Ann and I were laughing together till well gone 1:00a.m. we were in such good spirits, releasing some of the tensions we have been through over the past weeks. Then this morning, the two took the ladders and various cutting and chopping implements out in the cold wind and drizzle to lop branches off the great maple tree where they overhung the car port, and birds used to take good aim at the cars decorating them with Damien Hirst-like artwork. Now, not content to rest and warm up, they have taken the dogs out for a good walk. They are doing so much for us in such a short time, it is hard to extol them enough. I hope they know how grateful Ann and I are.