During term time Bill and I take care of our grandchildren on a Wednesday and, as a general rule, have set routine. We leave our house at about 6.25am and drive to Worcester to allow our daughter-in-law to leave for work at about 7.20am. Sometimes our son is still about, but as a freelance photographer he is often on the way to a photo shoot somewhere in London or the Midlands.
After the usual battle to find school shoes, water bottle, backpack and so on Bill takes Felix, our eldest grandchild to school on foot. Whilst this is going on, Agnes and I make a meal for their supper, get her dressed and then plan the rest of the day. The most common arrangement now is that when Bill is back, we do a food shop for us (Agnes has a little trolley of her own) and then an outing of some sort much dependant on the weather.
On this occasion, we drove to the Strafford Butterfly Farm, and it was truly a revelation. Inexpensive to enter and beautifully landscaped, one can walk around narrow paths, all under cover and very cosy and warm – and the butterflies are everywhere! One landed on my glasses which made is all chuckle. It was lovely for our two-and-a-half-year-old because many of these flying beauties were at her height.
