A&E

So as I said my aunt returned from A&E at around 3.00am this morning having politely declined their invitation of an overnight stay.  Actually the doctor didn't argue as this was a Bank Holiday weekend and so they would only have administered paiin relief to keep her comfortable which she said she was more than capable of doing herself (Aunty Joyce had been a nurse).  So home she came courtesy of Jonathan and Catherine.  I didn't get up as I heard my Uncle wake and knew that things were relatively ok.

As a result plans for the day went out the window and we had a quiet day at home - well as quiet as it can be with a dozen of the family pitching up along with Paul the Plumber who had come to replace the ever flushing toilet flush in the downstairs loo.  I had rather hoped he might also tackle the rather contrary light switch in that same room as it functions a little like Arkwright's Till needing a good thump to remain in the 'off' position.

Kevin the Kite is not playing ball and giving me the runaround - Joyce tells me that he comes every day to the top of the tall fir tree and calls before swooping down to collect whatever meat she has put out for him.  She insisted that he would not be troubled by my presence but every time he pitches up I get out my camera and he flies away.

We were somewhat jaded today after last night so we had a light lunch (open sandwich using up the leftover salmon in Hollandaise sauce which I cooked for David and myself yesterday).  David took himself off for his regular afternoon nap and Joyce read the paper and so now we knew for sure that Theresa May was no longer the Prime Minister.  I decided to take myself off for a walk to enjoy the pleasant sunshine and get a little fresh air.

I walked down to St Barnabas Church which has played a major role in David's life and then on past the playing field ending up in a small sort of high street which Uncle David refers to as The Presinct.

  I took a quick look in the Budgens Store - OMG John they had just about every bottle of real ale you could think of and most at three bottles for a fiver.  The whole shop was actually very nice and things were reasonably priced but I think my Aunt and Uncle only use this for the paper preferring to go to Waitrose and the Tesco Extra.

It was a very pleasant walk back to 23 Tredegar Road and I took a detour through a side road which led me to a fabulous row of Victorian terraces slap bang in the middle of a rather modern estate.

I was not entirely sure how Aunty Joyce was feeling but she insisted on cooking tea and very nice it was too - a sort of tray bake chicken one-pot which I shall try and recreate at home and the basic recipe can be tweaked and this is what Joyce did with the addition of some butternut squash.

We are due to have a family lunch tomorrow which is now being moved to Jonathan and Catherines instead of here which is a good idea and will take the pressure off of my aunt and uncle and I haven't been to Jonathan and Catherine's house and I understand she is a bit of a gardener so that will be interesting for me.

It has been so good to reconnect with my cousins, Deb, Jod and Nick-Nick as we have, over the years, spent so much time together on holidays and Christmases.  I am sorry I wont be around for their family barbeque which now extends to wives/husbands/partners and their families and even Paul the Plumber!  I know that my sister normally goes but she is going to be elsewhere this year.  Aunty Joyce plans to make the imfamous orange filo pastry cake - all being well!!