21-25.07 - Days 188-192 - Chelmsford

Sunday 21st July - Chelmsford

Gwynneth and Graham are hosting Kate’s dad’s 75th birthday lunch (Day 188, 21st Jul) which has involved homemade banners, printed menus, place settings, newly sewn table runners, buying an extra table on Facebook Marketplace to seat us all, flowers acquired from an unknown neighbour who happened to have the right coloured flowers to match the table setting, topped off with a chef coming to the house to cook lunch.

Nerves are only slightly on edge when it’s discovered she’s not from the area, but will be catching a train up from London. Which is amplified by the fact she’s actually flying in from Barcelona the day before. But the Brazilian globe trotter does turn up at 9am and immediately sets to work with the ingredients she’s brought with her.

A delicious lunch, with amongst others fish croquettes, pear salad, lamb and pork chops and deconstructed apple crumble. Then she’s off again to Stansted Airport to fly back to Barcelona that night rather in contrast to the 15 stops we took to get to the dining table.

Monday (Day 189, 22nd Jul) involves a trip into town to the library where some Cambridge University students are demonstrating some science experiments - all quite interesting even if some are better at explaining it at an 8 year old level than others; from bubbles sticking to one another, to spinning on a stool, to the effect of differing pH liquids (adding lemon and bi-carb soda to cabbage juice). It entertains Sienna and Seb for a while before they defect to their safe space amongst the books.

We pop over to Hannah’s house for lunch (Day 190, Tue 23rd Jul) with Holly (15) and Charlie (12) and their oodle dog Pepper. All 8, Pepper included then visit the Great Notley Country Park (also referred to as The Discovery Centre), a spiralling expanse of long grass, wildflowers with a 2km loop containing kids play things from oversized seesaws to flying foxes to slides and swings. All washed down after with a Solero ice cream on Great Notley Green where we discover Holly can still just manage a cartwheel and everyone tries to do the bridge pose.

Wednesday (Day 191, 24th Jul) is simply the day before Seb’s birthday playing football in the back garden and on the trampoline. As ever Sienna and Seb are drawn to play together like moths to a flame before the inevitable screams or tears - luckily Ethan or Euan are on hand to play peacemaker / referee.

We’d also made the agreement that if they could manage to get Thursday’s school work done ahead of time then they could both have the day off ‘school’. Never been an easier carrot.

Thursday 25th July - Chelmsford - Seb’s 7th Birthday (Day 192)
Seb turns the ripe old age of 7.

And it’s a busy fun filled day beginning at Beaulieu Park for a council run ‘Play in the Park’ where a field is commandeered with games from cricket, handball, tennis and dodgeball to a bouncy castle and also a crafts tent manned casually by a few 20 year olds vaguely organising some games. Both kids have a blast, Seb particularly enthusiastic in the cricket.

A family lunch follows at Gwyn and Graham's house with Grandma and Grandad. Complete with a triple chocolate cake (also known as a ‘Grandma special’) - which may or may not be the best idea before our next outing to Air Hop - a vast trampoline park in a warehouse.

Seb, Sienna, Euan and Ethan bounce away for an hour and fly down steep slides to be launched into the air - good sweat inducing fun. Birthday boy's dinner request of home made burgers go down a treat.