Arrivals

Overslept waking up at 7:00 am and having to bring the horses in from a field, sort out chickens, geese, load dogs and at 7:57 set off for Munich Airport, 130km away on the other side of Munich with son J and girlfriend L due in 73 minutes time. Despite the countless roadworks managed to get to the airport at 9:07 and within minutes got the message they were going through customs. arriving at 9:10.

Due to seat availability, they had to take an Easyjet flight from Gatwick rather than Ryanair Stanstead to Memmingen. Living in West Sussex Gatwick is of course ideal especially with such an early start.

We stopped off at Eching on the Ammer Lake just south of Munich for a quick stretch of the dog's legs and a drink. Hadn't been home long when I abandoned the two who were already heading towards the pool. Had seen daughter Kate's flight was arriving 15 minutes early but with a 10-minute drive to the airport, no problem.

Back home, the family reunited and introduced to L who none of us had met before. Kate & family were quickly smearing on layers of 50 strength sun lotion and trying to hide their very pale Irish Summer tans. This year has been a disaster - on Sunday they had lit the sitting room fire at 14°C maximum. It must have been close to 40°C here!

Naturally straight in the pool and a Pimms all round. None of us are actually Pimms-O'Clock people but thanks to Bliper Angelique and our villages Mr&MrsB, a tradition has started. I doubt Pimms can be found in any German shop, only via the internet.

It was still so hot in the evening that no one wanted to leave the swimming pool and when Angie got back from work we ordered a takeaway pizza and sometime in the early morning with the outdoor temperature well over 20°C found our beds.

I am as happy as a pig in a very big muddy field! So happy that I didn't take a single camera shot, just this one on my mobile for Barry to send his colleagues back in Ireland.