Busy Friday

I don't like to miss Dilys's swimming lessons on Sundays so we're going up country to visit my husbands mum in south Derbyshire. Unlike last year, I haven't taken Dilys out of school for the day and also we're picking Rob up on the way past Cardiff and as he can only be picked up after 4, it would be pointless. It takes about 3.5 hours from door to door and not a bad drive all in.

Out of the valley, east along the M4, up the A449 to the M50, M5 and then M42. When I'm on my own with the children going up there, I tend to go up through Abergavenny, Hereford and Worcester getting onto the M5 again at J7. Its a more rural run and you can get a bit tied up in the Hereford traffic. Llanthony Abbey is a stones throw from that road but I've never ventured off the road.