Sunday recovery day! The roses second flowering.

After a hectic time yesterday travelling and spending the afternoon with the family, today is recovery day 
At the park where we had the picnic, I was alternately a dinosaur, a Transforming light sabre robot, and later in their garden, Mother Christmas! 
Don't you just love it when the kids have great imaginations! 
They have a special "den" in their local park, which is 5 minutes away from their house. 
The  park itself is a very tranquil place, with lots of green open space,  tree-lined around the boundary with dense undergrowth. 
There are lots of trees in ones and twos, punctuating the grassy areas. 
We had our picnic underneath a large sycamore. 
We had taken a fold up camping table and 4 picnic foldaway chairs as well as a rug. 
Our son brought a rug with them. 
Our daughter-in-law had a rest at at home at the beginning as our adorable one year old granddaughter, Bonnie had her nap.  
Granddad  brought our old kite for them to try. out. 
The kids, Sammy 8, who will be 9 in October, Libby aged 7 and Toby 4, each had a turn holding the kite strings, whilst granddad valiantly tried to get it off the ground!
It did rise at one point to their delight, only to flutter sadly back to land once more. 
We were treated to Libby and Toby's propensity for tree climbing. I loved doing that in my youth! 
Sammy then was "timed" to see how long it took him to cycle around the park boundary, Libby did the same on her scooter. 
We played Hide and Seek, to lots of laughter 
Other games like What time is it Mr Wolf to shrieks and squeals as  the "wolf" tried to catch them. 
Toby insisting we each had a dinosaur name and named us himself. 
He was a Tyrannosaurus, me a Brontosaurus and Libby a Pterodactyl. Sammy a Triceratops!
In the centre of the park is an enclosed gated play area, which is now able to be used but only one parent allowed in with the children, 
    They all went off with their dad to enjoy letting off more steam using the equipment. We and one other family, were the only persons in the park, taking advantage of the lovely day.
  Afterwards I was then taken to their den whilst Stephen and our son Alan sat and had time to chat. 
It was a circle of trees where the canopy met over head, and the branches swept the floor. 
There was dappled sunlight. 
Libby was games-master!   We each were given a task to perform and the "winner" who finished first was given a reward! These were leaves which were turning into their gold yellow hue of early autumn. 
     Lots of running around touching tree bark, looking for "signs" on bark, and other "feats"
I so enjoyed it!
Towards the afternoon we were packing up to go and have an hour in their garden. We cannot socially distance in their home there is not enough room being there are 6 of them already. Also as only single individuals from another household can form a social "bubble" 
       Walking down the path to the park entrance I filled up as I saw that Jen had brought Bonnie to meet us after her nap 
Seeing her walking holding Jen's hand was so emotional. Especially as I longed to pick her up and give her a huge hug. 
The other kids are so good at understanding why none of us can touch each other.  Tough, but necessary.
     She recognised us having seen us on FaceTime.
I took so many photos! 
 Their lives have been so disrupted and it was good to see them copjng with how we had to visit them. 
    Unless there is another stricter lot of regulations to come, and there is talk.........we hope to go again twice this month, depending on the weather.
      But as Jen said, we can ring the day before if we know it will be a sunny one to follow, and just go down to see them all once again.
     This is why, after all that activity and driving yesterday, which we shared, today is a rest day!                 
  We had our Church Live-stream  service this morning as usual. 
 The main photo is a rose I planted two years ago. Most of the roses are now flowering for the second time this summer.