Family games

All reality is a game. Physics at its most fundamental, the very fabric of our universe, results directly from the interaction of certain fairly simple rules, and chance

Claire cooks chicken dansak and her signature hazelnut meringue cake. Johnny and Cameron join us for lunch and chocolate eggs. Too much is eaten and plenty is said.

Claire, Johnny, Angus, and Cameron do the plank. They’re a competitive lot and the exercise is timed. The world record is five hours, which sounds insane, while Cameron manages just over two minutes, which is longer than the others.

Claire needs to write a CV, so doesn’t join us when we go for a walk. We head to Cloich on the Shiplaw road - not a route that I take often. We pass a lone house, complete with shiny Airstream caravan and what looks like a small observatory. There’s a story to be told.

Felling is in full swing at Cloich and the forestry road has been upgraded to handle all the heavy machinery. A brand new spur heads off to the next area to be harvested.

We walk until the road reverts to track and the trees crowd in. Cameron is full of beans, running up and down the track, trading snowballs with Johnny. Then he finds a discarded ratchet strap and it’s time for tug-of-war. Angus triumphs.

Claire and Megan depart for Glasgow. The boys watch Spaceballs.