Last day of the Reunion...

So it was the last of the reunion celebrations today so after a really good night's sleep I was up and at em and having breakfast with my godmum Janet and her partner Alan before setting off to meet the girls for one last time.  It has been emotional as the years have rolled away although in our heads we are still think we are 18 but our bodies are letting us down!  We were at a barbeque today with the Smithy in control of the barbeque.  Some of our class had departed and some others were not coming today so in the end there were about 20 of us remaining - we like to be referred to as the Stalwarts!!

It was a lovely lunch and all the frivolity was tinges with a little sadness as we realised this could truly be the last time some of us were to be together.  Friendships were renewed and in some cases reinforced or even forged for the first time.  I sincerely hope that Peggy, Harriet, Linda, Lil and Kenna will keep their promises and pitch up on the island at some point (although hopefully not all at the same time!!).  It would be so good to see them again.

As people began to drift off I said my goodbyes and made a quick dash down the A303 to the Yeovil business park to buy a new phone as mine seemed to have picked up some awful virus which was getting worse.  I was dealt with by Curry's most morose salesman who would win no prizes in the employee of the month awards.  I was probably the shop's easiest sale but Mr Miseryguts didn't even crak a smile through the whole short transaction.

I returned to Keinton Mandeville and decided that I would go to the local church and see my grandparents grave.  The church and churchyard looked fabulous, so pretty and well kept and I was amazed to find the church open even though there was no service being held there today.  I heeded the notice about shutting the door to keep the nesting swifts out and went in and signed the visitors book.  Many family occasions have taken place here.  The church looks the same as I remember, it is neat and tidy and having read through the cradle roll and roll of honour I leave closing the door behind me - my every move is noted by the nesting swift.

I blink as I emerge into the sunshine and wander through the gravestones and find my grandparents grave which looks reasonably well cared for with some artificial flowers in the flowerpots adding a touch of colour.  The whole scene is so quintessentially British, I say a few words to them and I am reminded of my Dad.  These are mum and dad's parents and I don't remember this granddad as he died when I was just over a year old but I remember Harriet Ivy my nan.

My next port of call is to see my uncle and aunt again.  This time they were at my cousin Julie's who has the sweetest little cottage in Keinton and like me she is keen on her garden and it is beautiful.  It is a little oasis of calm packed with fabulous plants and shrubs.  She gave me a little plant (penstemon) to try and bring back to Cyprus so that I might have a little bit of Keinton Mandeville in my garden.  Fingers crossed it will travel (in my shoe) and that it will survive although I am not overly hopeful as I have never had much success with penstemons in the past.  I walk back with my uncle Ivor and my aunt to their new bungalow.  Ivor has a super dooper electric electric wheelchair which makes life so much easier for him - bless him he will be 90 next year and he is so marvelous for his age having nursed aunty Margaret since she had her stroke.

My last evening in Keinton Mandeville was spend with Janet and Alan and Jane and John.  I felt awful that I hadn't had much time to see Jane and John this trip and I really feel I owe them so much for everything they have done for us over the last couple of months.  It was a lovely evening although I was very tired and slightly worried about my trip to Reading tomorrow.  Thank goodness Alan's son Kevin suggested using Google Maps as my satnav - I hadn't thought about it DUH!

Anyway I resolved that I will just have to make it up to Jane and John when they are next over in Cyprus.  Sounds like they plan to return for their normal month's break in February.  Let's hope if they do that it will be rather more uneventful that it was this year.