Grand children

Well as we were there, the A level results came through on the 20th and Tom, my eldest grandson who had sat his exams, must have been on tenterhooks the night before.  Apparently he came down to breakfast clutching his computer, over the moon, he had passed and was offered a place at Middlesex Uni, his chosen place to study, basically because it is near London and serves the Met.  Yes he wants to work in the police force and is willing to take on the enormous student debt that our children are now saddled with - foolish child!  He got a distinction in his law exam, so we are all terribly proud of him.

Ben is the next (age 12) to be launched into the world, but that won't be for a few years yet.  As for the girls, now thereby hangs the tale of Lillie falling in the fountain.  They had come to stay the night, even Lillie who never strays far from her mother but she had decided to be independent. Everything went well and the next morning I said I would take them up to Pannett Park play area, the usual heart in the mouth time as Matilda with all her energy threatens to go over the top of the swings or fall on her head as she swings upside down on the bars.  But it all went safely and we went down to the lily pond.  Matilda is like a young gazelle, never still and Lillie follows her, so when the splash came it was unexpected. She emerged in tears and covered with pond weed and we all walked home, she to a hot bath.  The following photos includes one of Lillie reading the plaque, two months ago she was hardly reading, now everything is read and my abiding memory of her at the cottage is flat out on the cushion reading her book completely absorbed.  Matilda is very caring to her younger sister and it is a lovely relationship, though of course she grabbed the camera and took a shot of the dripping Lillie.