Pipped at the post

Carlos was storming the post dinner game of Oh Heck right until the last round when Anna somehow scuppered his victory and handed a joint win to Jackson and my mom.

He wasn't impressed.

Earlier there had been some excellent efforts to meet the challenge set in my youth of climbing my parents' stairs in 5 steps (there are landings and three turns involved) and Jackson set a new record of doing so in 4. Though to be fair to me I have never attempted it whilst enjoying a height of 5'11".

Earlier still we'd walked Albi in such splendid countryside on my parents' doorstep in inner city Wolverhampton that Albi rejoiced in finding the biggest patch of horse dung to roll around in. Just to make a mockery of her grooming session yesterday.

And still earlier there had been a surprisingly fast road journey to the Midlands. Presumably everyone else heeded the don't drive at the Bank Holiday advice.

It's been a really long time since we've been in my childhood home and it's lovely to be here.

Albi agrees - there are three ways to get into the garden from the house - she is beside herself.

Lesley x