Family Lunch and Plum Trees

I had my 6 year old granddaughter for a couple of days over the Bank Holiday weekend and the plan to get her home was to meet my daughter-in-law at a cafe on a roundabout on the A428.  This would mean I could turn and go home a lot shorter route and she was not having to go too far out of her way.  At my grandson's birthday party on the Saturday my ex husband and his wife invited us to meet at their house which is near the suggested roundabout in order that neither of us needed to sit and wait in a cafe for the other.

I would have to pass the ex husband's house anyway on my way home making this an attractive alternative for the precious swap over.  The offer was initially for a cup of tea, then became a quick 'buttie' but ended up a BBQ so I asked Mr R to meet me there as well. Might as well make a real family occassion out of it!

Anyway their hospitality was great and really appreciated and a trip to the bottom of their 400' garden where we were surrounded by greengage trees, plum trees, apple and pear trees along with berries and loads of other fruits was a treat.

So at this point there was eight of us; the ex and his wife, me, my granddaughter and daughter-in-law, my daughter (she didn't want to be left out) and her 5 year old son and Mr R, all picking plums and greengages to take home to make jams, cakes, plums for the freezer, stewed plums and more.

The children loved running around the fruit trees and helping to pick and fill up the baskets and ultimately ending up the ladder!

The weather held up for us and we all had a great end of summer day outside with a simple burger BBQ and the chance for a relaxed family lunch. (even Mr R got involved with the BBQ!).

 

 

After lunch Peter, the ex husband took Mr R and I (and grandson - BoyG) to look at the bells in the nearby church (he is a member of the bell ringers in the village) and gave us loads of local information on the church and the history of some of the bells. 

I managed to get up the tiny, spiral staircase but waited on that level with BoyG whilst the ex and Mr R carried onto the top.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather, we went home laden with plums and greengages to preserve the sunshine for the winter ahead.