Old haunts - Mendlesham

We are shattered, what with a week of family fun, then being required to clean the house before leaving. They said 6 hours wouldn’t be enough time for them to get it ready for the next people. I’d have thought they could have employed an army of cleaners out of the almost £5000 we paid for a week. As the Aga was constantly running in the kitchen and I was on cleaning duty there I was in a sweaty heap by the time we left. The plumbing was strange in that hot and cold water came out of the wrong taps. And the loo gave me a hot flush! Anyway we all had a fun time and hopefully the daughters got a bit of much needed R&R.

#2 daughter and family had booked a slot at a swimming pool before the arrived at Colchester friends later. #3 daughter and family went straight home.

We drove through Mendlesham, where lots of friends lived, en route for Mendlesham Green to have coffee with Chris and Jenny, our old neighbours. It was great to see them. They hope to visit us next month in their camper van. Their children are very musical - the youngest was in a teenage band with Ed Sheeran. He now lives in Paris and has recently opening a cafe. He can’t get the trained staff he needs but is coping. The elder boy is a composer earning money by writing film scores and music for computer games. Rosie works for a music venue in London. Jenny used to be an Olympic standard dressage rider but had to give up when she had her pancreas removed due to cancer. She no longer is strong enough to ride. She is well now and on good form.

We are now staying with Carole and David in Ipswich. We’ve had the obligatory walk in Christchurch Park. Tonight she is cooking for us and another couple we know.