Applausi!

In the Italian garden at Glamis Castle this afternoon the older boys raise their mugs of hot chocolate to good health (or something or other).

We drove down to Glamis this afternoon to meet up with my parents and hand over the eldest and middle sons for a day or two of holiday fun. Despite leaving as soon as possible after church we were almost an hour later than we mean to be, partly due to a couple of folks driving at 30mph in a 60 zone, but mainly because our town is just so far away from anywhere!

Still, there was still plenty time to charge around the grounds, do a bit of dressing up and marvel at the toy solider exhibition.

We had some spectacular conker collecting from underneath and around the horse chestnut tree which was planted in 1749 and which the Queen Mother reputedly played in as a child and gathered quite a few acorns from the surrounding oaks.

Children deposited we drove back north with just the littlest and are now preparing to head out to some friends for the evening. A rare treat!