Parliament of daughters

Sometimes I used to feel a bit awkward when we turned up at our parents' houses; they'd open the front door and our four girl troop of (grand)daughters would hurl themselves enthusiastically across the threshold and begin their occupation. I shouldn't have worried; our folks always seemed delighted, even as they were eaten out of house and home.

Over the years, the girls remained a tight little gang although the dynamic between them constantly shifted, especially as they singly crossed the bridge of puberty, regrouping briefly as teenagers before Charlie left for university. And at some point during those years, I realised that there were some elements of their discussions that I would no longer be privy to. As you can imagine, they remain as thick as thieves and when they're together, they talk so fast - competing for airtime, I guess - that when she first met them, the Minx could't understand what was being said.

Today is Hannah's twenty-third birthday, and we all met up for a tea party at the house, this afternoon, with the exception of Milly, of course, who is in Canada. We had a great time but I was aware there was some issue afoot, possibly relating to a boyfriend. At one point, I went into the kitchen to find the three girls out on the deck in deep discussion. Some paternal instinct told me to stay this side of the door and limit my involvement to taking this photo through the window.