AND THEY`RE OFF

Day 1. 140 miles Harborough To Ellesmere Port.

Departed Harborough at 9.00 ish. First stop, layby, Bacon Butties. Lovely.

On site and all set up by 13.30 drinking coffee and eating Sarahs famous chocolate cakes.

This afternoon we have a little treat for mum, a visit with Peter a very close friend from her teaching days. Been telling Mum about this visit for a while now but she`s still unsure as to where we are and where we are going. I`m sure it will sink in when she sees him.

Back in the car and drive down to Cefn Mawr near Wrexham, right next to the fabulous Pontcysyllte aqueduct built in 1805 by Thomas Telford to take the Llangollen canal over the river Dee. We pull up at Peters house and and it all comes back to Mum. Laughter, tears and screams of delight

Peter and Sandy give us the guided tour of their fabulous cottage, library my favourite, cant remember the last time I saw a room with so much "stuff " in it. Sandy is a very keen quilter and we admired a lot of her work.Out for dinner to the Poachers Pocket, a local Hostelry beside the canal where Peter, an excellent story teller, regaled us with tales of his times working with Mum at Padgate college. Haven't seen her so happy in ages.

Back to the caravan about 8ish. G&T for Mum, a splendid Rioja for me and a nice cuppa for Sarah. A great day was had by all.

Just received a text from younger sis after mums visit at the weekend. She has located the missing julienne slicer in the garden blunt and muddy. Well at least we have found out what mum was using for the attack on her borders.