The Easter Bunny arrived, then departed...

The day dawned grey and drizzly, and as we were off to cousin Z and her husband S for Sunday Lunch, my promenade with Henry was a mini version. It's hard to manage an umbrella, doggy bag and camera.

Henry chose to do his pebbles on the beach, and while I kept my eye on the exact spot, when I got in the vicinity I could not locate them. I stood for ages. People must have wondered what I was doing. Well, no, actually. It was immediately obvious what I was doing. I couldn't see Henry's pebbles amongst the beach pebbles and I'm sorry to say, I had to give up and skulk off, hoping nobody noticed that I hadn't done my duty.

Coffee in the Italian café, thinking maybe James might wander by. He didn't. We didn't get lost this time going to the farm. (Who needs a Sat Nav?)

Z and C are my cousins, and they spent most of their childhood in exotic places like Africa and, yes, England. So unlike lots of cousins, we didn't have a lot to do with each other. But in recent years we've met up, usually at funerals, weddings and the occasional milestone birthday. But we get on famously and I love catching up with them.

We decided not to take Henry with us this time, as we were going to be mostly inside having a meal. Last time, in their exuberance, the three dogs knocked over flowerpots, so I didn't want any priceless heirlooms sent flying in the house. But of course, R & R are very sensible inside. For the first time, as we left, Henry jumped up on the sofa and watched us out the window. What a sad, accusing look he gave us! He had so enjoyed his day with the big dogs. He KNEW.

Lunch was postponed because Z had to do a lamb check. We all trooped out to the fields, where numbers 15a and 15 b were about half an hour old. How sweet. Luckily, we were having beef for lunch, so the city types didn't feel so guilty.

After lunch we had an Easter Egg hunt (young K seemed to find most of them) and then took a walk out over the fields and Rio and Raffa ran and ran. Henry would have loved it (oooh, the guilt!).

They caught a rabbit, and young K had had a timely lesson from Z about the Easter Bunny popping off to Bunny Heaven- but fortunately he'd delivered all the Easter Eggs before that. Henry, being a city boy, would have been a bit squeamish, as were the us city types, JR, C and of course, LadyM.

I have enlisted a new blipper, P. He's a keen photographer and I was very impressed with his big camera. And he knew the names of some one of the flowers.

The blip I chose was of Rio Raffa looking in the bush. P & A and I were looking at the wee blue flowers that I was told the name of but have forgotten periwinkles. The dogs came along and obviously thought there was Something Very Interesting in there. They walked round and round for ages, peering into the bush from all angles. So funny.

Henry wouldn't have been fooled.