Together

When my son and daughter were growing up, we had annual holidays on the island of Anglesey with two other families. Even after their Dad (Graham) and I separated and divorced, we still did some of these trips together, bringing new partners eventually. We were lucky to be able to rent the same house every year. It isn't huge, but there's plenty of space to camp in the garden, and a path leads straight from the garden onto the beach. We cooked for each other, as tired-out parents, and looked after each other's kids. And now we're back, after a 5 year gap.. and some of those kids have kids of their own.

This is Jenny, who is roughly my own daughter's age, with her 7 week old son Euan. Eben - my oldest grandson - is enjoying a quiet chat with Jenny, remembering when his own brother was this tiny.

I don't mean to suggest that these holidays were all plain sailing; they weren't. But the house, and these gatherings, became something special for us all.

We're back this time partly just to spend time together. But it's also the place where Graham's ashes will be scattered tomorrow, a year and a bit since his death. Covid has delayed the trip, but here we are.