After an all too quick holiday I’m back on this train to work. As suspected, I had no time to sit down & type – but that is not a bad thing, as far as I’m concerned. I had a pleasant time – thoroughly pleasant.
Jack said as he woke on the 1st day back at home, “That was the best holiday I ever had”.

I think the madness of anticipation had calmed down in Jack once we got there & he settled more to his usual self. He was really good & loving. The journey down (my dad drove us) nearly went to plan. If we had not hit a traffic jam for 2 hours on the M5 down from Manchester to Birmingham it was likely that the kids would have stayed asleep better. As it was, they all awoke at some stage here. Eve managed to get back to sleep. Jude was asleep & awake, much as his sleeping pattern had been the past few days, & Jack just stayed awake. We got in late & Jack was buzzing with the fact that we were there at Grandma & Grandma’s house. All this meant that he was frighteningly late to bed. Louise said that I was reading to him past 12:00 (or was it 01:00). He was keen as mustard to get to the beach on the 1st day, but we didn’t make it. I can’t really recall why, but probably because Louise & I were still in a state of chaos. We managed to get out to the shops to get some supplies & essentials, but that was about it.

Christmas Eve, Jack was keen to be off to bed early. It was the ‘early to bed so the morning comes earlier’ thing. Again – not sure if the evening bedtime went more to usual time or not… I suspect that it did, as I seem to recall reading to him.

Up on Christmas day not too early – which was nice. When I was young, I could hardly sleep for the excitement of it all, but ours did well. Presents a plenty – & the kids were jolly happy. Jude did not get much, but then – he’s not really at an age to appreciate much of what’s going on. Christmas day mum & dad had the restaurant open. I’m sure we’ve done this scenario before, but when it was starting to get late – past 5? & the kids were starting to flag, it seemed a bit odd to have not seen much of them. We had been down to the beach during the day & they had a massive walk (in their terms) down to the lighthouse. The weather was unseasonably mild; it was pleasantly sunny. We were asked for buckets & spades, but we didn’t bring them, as we didn’t think that it would be this nice. Still, Jack & Eve had fun & they prodded the sand, jumped about splashed, climbed in the sand dunes. They were starting to get worn out by the final stretch home, but the promise of ice creams from the garage shop (next door to the parental abode) got them there. All that took rather a long time. The kids, Eve especially, were flagging badly by evening & it was starting to look like bed time was on the cards. Eve had some boiled egg for tea. She was starting to look like she was going to just drop asleep there & then, when…. Mum & Dad returned! Much bustle. A Christmas dinner suddenly appears & we are all around to table. After dinner is our traditional ‘presents from the family’ time. Eve said that she would only open 2 & then go to bed. She then proceeded, with Jack, to joyfully rip open the multitude of presents. Much excitement (all over again!). So many toys! Can’t recall when bedtime came, but it was very late again. They were happy.

Boxing day – Mum & dad nipped off for Golf in the morning.