The three of us

Thanks to my wife's family the kids will look back later on in life at more than a short stay in a Scottish caravan park when it comes to holiday recollections. Well the girls at least. Before the boy was born my wife's parents paid for a family holiday to France- I didn't go of course. Then in 2014 my wife's sister took the oldest girl to Italy, the youngest girl last year and this year took both of them. The boy hasn't been away but at 8 years old there is plenty of time ahead for that. While they were away for a week though it was important we tried to do something with him. And so we did. But not without that dread at the start and end I always have about them flying. Also this time the youngest girl would have her birthday without us abroad which  I didn't like but could do nothing about short of making her miss a holiday.

We didn't do anything special but did do something every day to at least make him feel special. As it rained most of the time what we did was mainly walks and drives but varied enough to keep him interested. He was a little trooper. A 4 mile walk around Strathclyde Loch must have felt like 8 miles for his little legs but he did not complain once. And nor did he moan we had a long trek through Calderglen woods in the rain up high slops and down staircases. Since being able to we have been going to the summer fayre as a family but this year the wife was not interested and the girls were away so it was me and the boy. Given both our lack of passion for fairground rides it was not a long stay and the rain did not help but again it was all about getting out. At least he got a hot dog for lunch.

It ended with an overnight at a hotel and a meal at Frankie & Bennys. He really enjoyed that and I had my first good sleep in a hotel. Spending time as three was good for him. It wasn't Italy but to him it was more than Italy could have offered him. But I think the highlight for him was the return of his sisters. They dominate the TV at night in the bedroom but I think he would have traded that to watching what he wanted alone. He missed them and was happy when they returned earlier today. Now we are five again.