Boys and bashing sticks

#2 daughter arrived with the boys at 9am after having dropped her husband off at work at the hospital. I had been awake from 4 am so was tired before they even got here.

They are expert at the 2 metre rule and while daughter sat at the other side of the terrace the boys ran around exploring. At first Thomas needed to hold up all this bird drawings to show me and explain which birds he’d seen recently.

It wasn’t long before they wanted to be up on the moor. We were away for 4 hours even though we only covered 3 miles. They raced ahead and we followed daughter at a good distance. We had to hang about while the “whacked bracken” or clambered on as many scary rocks as they could find, or poked fallen trees with sticks. Thomas sometimes wandered off to look at birds he’d spotted - male and female European bullfinch he said.

We found a sheltered spot in the Iron Age hill fort for lunch which they had brought. They had a lovely day. It was so nice that they could be free to roam and we could chat to our daughter.

It might be the last time we see the boys for a while as there is talk of Reception children (James) going to school soon. The WHO scientist explained on Radio 4 that the countries sending kids back to school had test, track and trace in place. We don’t. The UK government minister said it was important that people take “responsibility to be aware and get the economy going.” Profit before people.

Have a good weekend! We’ve had a hectic week of virtual chats and I must sort one for Carol’s birthday next week- at a time to suit UK and Ailie still in NZ.