Just thinking

Headed out of town for lunch up the coast to join the Workington contingent. Much quieter up there, we all met up again in the evening to celebrate mums birthday, a suitably less boozy afair than Miri's do on Friday.

I saw my uncle Phil in a new light today, in his kindness and attempts to look after everyone, his mild irritation briefly at our unwillingness to be looked after, his nose, his chin, his jokiness and being the centre of attention, and then his need to slip away on his own with his thoughts unnoticed for a while. Despite our different journeys from the days we used to play in the back yard together as kids, we are unmistakenly hewn from the same block.

It struck me also today as mum has filled me in this weekend bit by bit on the places her and Joe(my late stepfather) stayed and ate round here, the things they did together with her brothers and sisters, the funny and not so amusing tales that are part of her story that this has been a different trip than the one I thought I'd set out on. For both her and me these have been precious moments and I've slowed down enough to grasp some of the poignancy of them.



So am I glad I've been to Benidorm -yes
Will I be back? - I don't think so