It was great to see them all again - I haven't seen Marie, the youngest, since our wedding 11 years ago. She's now 25.
We all decamped to the Telegraph Inn* for lots of beer in the garden. It was wonderful to be outside drinking, with good company, at 11:30 at night.
They're all going home at different times. Kathy and Marie return tomorrow morning and John and Helen on Friday. Sonia is off to Glasgow and then somewhere in Yorkshire for a few days. While in Glasgow she's been instructed by Helen to try a deep fried Mars Bar.
It's Sonia's birthday on the 14th, but she doesn't know where she's going to be or what she'll be doing, much to Jane's chagrin. I think Jane fancy helping her God-daughter to celebrate.
I said goodbye to them all last night when we left the restaurant we ate in - the place mats cracked me up, they said something like "New York, Chicago, London, Wallasey". That's as bad as "London, Paris and Peckham".
I had to promise Kathy that we'd visit them next year but pointed out it was down to Jane to make the decision. Jane's going to have to be full friends with John again before we go. I'm not spending 2 weeks in the same house as Jane and John if she's not talking to him.
(Other peoples families are very strange...)
*Their web site has gone...