Effie's hat

Got ready for Mark's funeral this morning, and set off with what we thought was plenty of time (including extra contingency).  Surprised to find ourselves stuck in some terrible traffic - and we ultimately had to give up and accept that we weren't going to get there in time :(  Felt really bad about it, but there was nothing we could do.

We'd originally asked our friends (who were coming to stay in the afternoon) to wait for us at Barnstaple station, so that we could pick them up after the funeral - instead, we went and collected them as soon as they came in, and brought them home for a buffet lunch.  So good to see them again, and to meet little Effie after many years.  (She's eight now - we'd previously only met her as a small baby and then again as a two-year-old.)

In the afternoon, we had a nice walk at the Cairn.  This bee took a fancy to Effie's hat (which I feel I've done a disservice with this photo - it didn't look that grubby in person!), and had a little rest there while we were admiring the view at Cairn top.  We sat out in (and around) the summer house later, up until dinner time - then did a whole lot more catching up throughout the evening :)