Family reunion (and henna)
It's not often you gain a new relative. It's even less often you get 3 new relatives. You very rarely get 3 new relatives who are all older than 50! Last Saturday, my grandfather was reunited with his sister Joyce, whom he hadn't spoken to in over 40 years. Also, her two daughters Liz and Jayne, my mother's cousins, whom she hasn't seen since they were younger than 10.
The reunion took place at the family farm, The Hope, near Allendale, Hexham. Present were my grandparents Bill and Iris, my Uncle John and his partner Fiona, my Aunt Jill and her partner Phil, my Cousin Benn and his girlfriend Steph, my parents, and Jules. And of course Joyce, Jayne and Liz. My cousin Michaela has swine flu, and so my Uncle Colin and his partner Linda didn't make it.
Fiona put on a lovely spread, and the weather was hot, still and clear. Just as we were making a toast, a Lancaster bomber and some light aircraft (a spitfire?) flew directly overhead, which was fantastic. We had a walk round the fields, examined a decaying barn, and examined a tree that had been struck by lightning. We discussed the farmhouse that had been built 200 years ago and the old farmhouse (now gone) that had been build in the 1700s. The farmhouse actually belonged to the Cadbury (as in chocolate) family before we bought it off them.
From left to right:
Back row: Phil, Jayne, my dad, John, Fiona, Liz, me, Jules, Benn
Front row: my mother, Jill, Nana, Granda, Joyce, Helena
Note that Steph isn't in the photos, as she had to leave early (and there was talk of the "next" generation ;)
There was also a strange incident at the B&B that we stayed in on Friday night. The owner's 13 year old daughter came up, and mumbled in an airy fashion something about us arriving when she wasn't there. The girl seemed seriously stoned, although she claimed she was just exhausted from studying for GCSEs (do you do those at 13?).
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Right now I have henna in my hair (and some very undignifying clingfilm). I haven't tried it before, and didn't realise just how messy it was going to be. I probably should have given it a bit more water. I hope it looks nice when it's done :D
The reunion took place at the family farm, The Hope, near Allendale, Hexham. Present were my grandparents Bill and Iris, my Uncle John and his partner Fiona, my Aunt Jill and her partner Phil, my Cousin Benn and his girlfriend Steph, my parents, and Jules. And of course Joyce, Jayne and Liz. My cousin Michaela has swine flu, and so my Uncle Colin and his partner Linda didn't make it.
Fiona put on a lovely spread, and the weather was hot, still and clear. Just as we were making a toast, a Lancaster bomber and some light aircraft (a spitfire?) flew directly overhead, which was fantastic. We had a walk round the fields, examined a decaying barn, and examined a tree that had been struck by lightning. We discussed the farmhouse that had been built 200 years ago and the old farmhouse (now gone) that had been build in the 1700s. The farmhouse actually belonged to the Cadbury (as in chocolate) family before we bought it off them.
From left to right:
Back row: Phil, Jayne, my dad, John, Fiona, Liz, me, Jules, Benn
Front row: my mother, Jill, Nana, Granda, Joyce, Helena
Note that Steph isn't in the photos, as she had to leave early (and there was talk of the "next" generation ;)
There was also a strange incident at the B&B that we stayed in on Friday night. The owner's 13 year old daughter came up, and mumbled in an airy fashion something about us arriving when she wasn't there. The girl seemed seriously stoned, although she claimed she was just exhausted from studying for GCSEs (do you do those at 13?).
--
Right now I have henna in my hair (and some very undignifying clingfilm). I haven't tried it before, and didn't realise just how messy it was going to be. I probably should have given it a bit more water. I hope it looks nice when it's done :D