We’re just back from a lovely day at my in-laws!    It was my brother-in-law’s birthday and he was there with his wife and sons who, at 9 and 6, get on great with  J(5) and C (7).  I have two gorgeous first cousins, but as the oldest is fourteen years younger than me, the closest we’ve ever came to playing with eachother has been board games at Christmas.  Meanwhile, although they see each other twice a year at most, soon after getting together, C, J and their cousins were excitedly exploring the ins and outs of each of Granny and Grandad’s upstairs rooms and collaborating on the important business of  dam-building.  (Evidently hot work for C.  I, of course, was wearing two jumpers, a coat and scarf!)

Shoes are, yet again, newspaper-stuffed on the boiler!