V.E. Day 80 years on

Today is David Attenborough’s 99th birthday. And as of this evening we have a new Pope; Leo XIV. The weather has continued to be warm and sunny and it has been a pleasure to hang the washing outside. The lilac is blooming in the garden, and I have been spending a bit of time in the hammock. I have also been swimming and doing useful admin and errands. 

We had some lovely news this morning that Gerry and Janis’s first grandchild arrived in the early hours, a wee boy called Rory. 

And in other good news my lovely goddaughter Jennifer is engaged to her boyfriend, now fiancé, Ryan. They are on holiday in Nashville and are very happy. 

Carolyn came round for lunch today with her two beautiful boys, Harris and Arran. We put a rug on the grass for Arran to shuffle about on, he is such a contented wee soul who absolutely adores his big brother Harris. Whenever Harris kicks a ball or blows bubbles Arran smiles in admiration; he knows that he has the coolest big brother in the world! Harris was very kind with Arran, giving him a taste of his ice lolly and pushing him on the swing. It was such a fun afternoon but oh boy I had forgotten how much hard work wee children are; Carolyn was constantly attending to one or other of them with great patience and humour, feeding them, giving them drinks, amusing them - no need to go to a gym for exercise when you have a nearly four year old and a ten month old! I did lend a hand but Carolyn was much better than me at anticipating the boys’ needs; I’m out of practice with wee ones. 

This evening we watched VE 80 on BBC1; a celebration of 80 years since the end of WW2 in Horseguards Parade, attended by the King and Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales. The concert was very good, a mix of modern and traditional, and some of the testimony from people who remember those times was very moving.