under another sun

So up and a cheeky poached egg breakfast with Sue and John. Fond farewells, with Whiskey the dog springing about squeaking its toy, which John said made the sound of a bitten rat, we left Bromyard. Lorraine drove for half an hour to see Lorraine's lovely cousin Maxine, where we were warmly welcomed, and spent a couple of hours sipping coffee, nibbling on fruitcake while her dog, Zippy contentedly gnawed a large bone under the coffee table. Heard about Tay and Emilia -- now studying away from home and doing well. Simon was working in Liverpool today, but Maxine was on a day off from work, so I think she was pleased to have some visitors.   Fond squeezes goodbye with Maxine, then we drove mostly along the A5 road through some absolutely beautiful Autumn countryside on either side of the Welsh border. The Shropshire hills, which I had never seen. They were stunningly beautiful. The tiring bit, for Lorraine, was that as we were driving, partly through Wales, then towards Merseyside, I...

Another family day -- this time off to Kent to see Pat and Maureen, who had invited Lorraine's cousin Maxine, Simon and her sixteen year old twins Tay and Emilia who Lorraine and I had popped in to see close to the Welsh borders in our wee summer jaunt. Guernsey lilies in Pat and Maureen's front garden. A cheery afternoon, with Lorraine finishing off the cooking of the Sunday lunch, with me doing a bit kitchen portering. Maureen had baked an excellent apple pie for me, because I been a good boy looking after Lorraine. Maureen on sparkling form. Pat bonding with Tay over jigsaws, and teaching him his patented jigsaw method.  Maxine and Simon really nice, and Maxine was talking to Maureen getting a few facts about the family. Her mum, Rose, whose funeral we went to a couple of years ago, was close to Maureen so it did Maxine good to see her aunt. Not on great photo duty today, and took one of Lorraine, Maxine and Maureen sitting on the sofa which was one of the worst snaps I'...