Children’s choice of family photo

We have had a lovely day. #3 daughter was 48 - she and #2 took the children to the lake - the husbands chilled out as did Mr C and I. I read a book Ailie loaned me.

In the afternoon we all went down to the lake as #2 daughter had booked padalos. Mr C took the car so that we didn’t have the schlep walking back in the heat and so they we could stagger the sharing of the facilities in the house to get smartened up for our night out at a restaurant in a nearby village.

The pedalos were fun. Mr C, Phil, #3 daughter, Thomas and Ella shared one and poor birthday girl drew the short straw with me plus James and Nathaniel. Once I was perched on the side there was no way I could get my knees to co-operate to move from my perch to help pedal. James quickly got the hang of the tiller and negotiated us through the paddle boarders, sail boards and swimmers. At one point all the children and #2 daughter jumped off to swim. It was fun trying to get back on without tipping us up.

Then the daughters and I had a swim in the lake while the children swam out to jump off the pontoon.

Ella came back with us in the car as teenage girls require a long time to shower and get ready.

We managed to get organised for the annual family photo before going out. It took a while as the boys all wanted to have a go at setting the camera timer and rushing back into position. Then they wanted comedy photos - Ella suggested all the adults should be kissing. “No tongues” though. We all had a laugh. Here it is.

Dinner was fine though the waitress had to apologise for the cost of the water €7 a bottle - no free tap water given in Germany as in Rotterdam. So cheaper to get the kids a pint of lager. But we didn’t.