Donkey Day

This afternoon we went to a friend's  50th birthday party. They live near Fordingbridge, so it meant a drive across the New Forest. I always find it a challenging  drive, especially in the dark, because  the animals which roam the forest also wander on to the roads. Today we came across a few pigs, a couple of  goats, cattle, ponies, deer (on the way home), and my favourites: donkeys. 
It was lovely to celebrate  L's birthday  with her, and her family and other  friends, in their large country garden on  a pleasant, summer afternoon.  But, I felt  sad too, as it was  the last time we'll see them there, because they are moving in two weeks' time. However, we are pleased that they will soon be living nearer to us so we'll be able  to see them more easily. They will also be nearer O, their disabled son. A highlight for  us today was seeing O again, when  he was brought to the party by one of his  carers. We used to be his  respite carers, when he was a child, but  he outgrew us and his parents , and now he lives very happily in a wonderful house for  a small group of vulnerable  young adults.