Cousins and me

We took the van to Glencaple on the Nith to meet the cousins for the retirement of Tom, the youngest, now 65. We took longer than expected to get there as Google expected us to drive down farm tracks or on roads with low bridges. No chance after what happened in Serbia. So we went into Dumfries and out again. There are 5 places on the quay with an honesty box. It was a bit scary parking as the river was lapping at the bank but it was high tide and by the time we got back it was a lot of mud. Duncan had saved us a space by putting up some traffic cones.

It was so nice to catch up with my 5 cousins and their partners, children (9) and grandchildren (22). What an interesting group of younger people. Teachers, social workers, marketing people, joiners, engineers, computer analysts to name a few. Some of the young women played football, one is a curler, one young man is acting, another is in a band, there are a few neurodiverse boys and a trans child aged 11 now a boy. Most were confident to chat to me though they’d never met me before. It was so encouraging to hear how they viewed their lives and the world.

Which brings me to cousin Duncan the Trump and Farage supporter. Usually we steer clear of politics as we are fond of each other and his wife bans that conversation, but after the party we went to our vans and the gin flowed. He instigated the talk and I’m so impressed that not only did I stay quiet but that Mr C kept cool and had rational and well-informed feedback eg as to why the taxes on US imports were not good for anyone. For example Duncan did not know that car parts were made in Mexico and Canada and would have to be imported to USA to build their cars. Obviously he wasn’t convinced but in the end he agreed we were in our own bubbles and I think he might see the need to research the information he accepts as true. (All refugees are coming to get free houses and a luxury life!)

I’m hoping the tide in the night does not float us away. It’s been a tiring day. It was a shame our girls couldn’t come but they had too many commitments.

Left to right John, Anne, Tom (retiring at 65), Duncan, Janet and me, the oldest, an only child the cousins kindly include in their family gatherings.