This is actually a pattern of generous behaviour from me, which has included lending my son to several people as we make our way around the country. Following a quick trip to his other grandparents and his Weymouth cousins we headed to Wales to see more cousins, cows, sheep, and dragons. It's always nice visiting farming relatives - you know someone will be at home, and you know food will be readily available. I've managed to defer Texan obesity so far but I was powerless in the face of Welsh cuisine.
Now we're back in the West Country, where I met up with school friend Tony who I haven't seen in...oh...only 25 years. And there's the small matter of my selfless door painting. Time was when doing such a job around here would have earned me a fiver, or maybe even a new Lego kit. Now I do it purely for love. Although, come to think of it, there are some very cool new Lego kits available...
Well, you can't drive across Somerset without popping into a dairy and picking up some award-winning unpasteurised cheddar, can you?
Pete with my Goddaughter Charity, whose childcare prowess (learned from me, naturally) means she's guaranteed summer employment in Houston anytime.
Em vs. the aforementioned cheese. There was only one winner.
A quick stop in Bristol en route to Wales, and a coffee.
Em's a Bristolean now, as is her childhood Frome friend Kerry, and this is Kerry's son Arlan with Pete, because cuteness!!
Down the M4 to Cardiff to meet Pete's cousin Kitty, daughter of my cousin Helen. So second cousin? Once-removed? When you're part of a Welsh family anyone older than you is an aunt/uncle, younger is a nephew/niece, and the same age is a cousin.
Doing my best farmer impression with new niece Pippa.
I'm concentrating hard, and Pippa is unimpressed, because this is The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Welsh! (Y Lindysyn Llwglyd Iawn).
OK, time for some real farming.
Putting out feed for the Texel rams with Uncle Andrew.
Hosing down the dairy after milking the Holsteins.
We attended a cricket tournament where my cousin Liz was playing (the main controversy was the bar running out of Prosecco before play even began).
My Uncle Bill is fond of a cigar when tending his animals. I brought him a special Texas-sized one. It took him ten minutes to light it.
With Aunty Liz - the real power on the farm.
New (currently unnamed) kitten!
Emily regrets working with children and animals.
An unconvinced passenger.
We had a quick trip to the local metropolis of Carmarthen to meet more cousins and also Neil, the vicar who married me and Hannah a long time ago. Emily won two quid on the scratchies!
Aaaannnddd back to Frome. Where Grandpa needed a long nap after football practice.
Out at Nunney castle.
Checking for marauders.
And that front door I may have mentioned. Only the primer. I'll do the top coat tomorrow...or sometime.
