We both understand how lucky we are to see our sons grow up and become fathers, and even luckier to have good relationships with them and their partners so we can see grandchildren.  Jane’s father didn’t live quite long enough to meet me, let alone see all that has followed. 

As last year, we spent a month in Edinburgh to spend time in a city we love and to see our growing family there.  Coincidentally (since we had made the rental booking well over 9 months before), our visit started a day after the birth of a Third Grandchild (TG) in Edinburgh.  Like last year, our Bristol family were able to join us for one of the weekends.  Plus, this year, our Youngest Son (YS) and his wife were also able to visit for a weekend; last year a storm grounded them in Belfast. 

It was marvellous to have all our immediate descendant family in Edinburgh over the period of a month to welcome TG into the world.  Her parents seem to be coping with the new arrival very well and TG is a gorgeous little granddaughter.

First Grandchild (FG) loves his new sister.  We picked FG up from pre-school a few times.  It was lovely to hear him chat about his day on the way and then to see that his first act upon arriving home was to give his sister a big, loving hug and kiss.  He seems so proud of her.

FG also loves Second Grandchild (SG) from Bristol.  FG was generous to his cousin with his toys and the two of them played well together.  SG was very excited by the whole experience of travelling to Edinburgh, staying with us and seeing his cousins.  It all warmed our hearts.

That YS and his wife could make it over from Belfast for a couple of days was unexpected because their new business had only been launched a week before.  Both have been heavily involved in securing grants, harassing slow, overstretched builders, chasing Council planning and building regulations officers, pressing the landlord for services, securing materials and preparing the media for the launch.  Although they have been consistently positive, the last few months have undoubtably been stressful for them.

However, the launch of Nellie Studio, a very smart osteopathy and Pilates studio (take a look at the website!), has been a great success and they felt able to join us and admire TG.  We have watched the hard work and determination needed to get the business established with a degree of anxiety and an inability to help much. However, the space they have constructed looks great, teachers and customers seem very happy, and we now expect to see the business grow amid a bit of fun.  We certainly had fun with them in Edinburgh.

As ever, we had a great time in Edinburgh and that time cemented in our minds how lucky we are to have lived long enough to meet the people our sons live their lives with, and the lovely children they have produced with them.