Tea on Bury Hill

We were spending Christmas with my parents, now rather old and immobile (my father's word - he prefers it to "frail"), and, as we wanted to take the motor home out for a run anyway, we invited them to drive somewhere with us where we could have a cup of tea and look at the view.  My father suggested Bury Hill, a local landmark.

So we piled into the van and drove off.  My father sat in the front passenger seat, and my mother and I and the dog sat in the back.  First mistake was not having brought the dog's bed, as the poor dog found lying on the floor struck rather chill on his underneaths, and was reluctant to settle, but eventually he did, mostly on our feet.  The back seats are not exactly comfortable to drive - I expect the window seat is fine, although my mother said she couldn't see out of the front very well - but the side seat is difficult, as there is nowhere to brace yourself, and only the seatbelt keeps you from being flung into the stove when the Swan Whisperer takes a corner too fast!  However, I managed to stay put, and we arrived at Bury Hill only to find that they have moved the car park and you can't really see anything now!  And the Swan Whisperer discovered the hard way that the reversing sensors only actually work when the reverse gear is engaged, not when he is freewheeling - luckily, not much damage!

The Swan Whisperer took the dog for a walk, which took rather longer than he expected, and we had got bored and made the tea by the time he got back!  We had brought hot water in a Thermos, and then boiled it up in the kettle, plus teabags and milk, biscuits (a Christmas present from my middle niece, which are absolutely delicious) and Christmas cake.  So we drank that, and then, at my father's suggestion, took the scenic route home, although it was getting dark by now so we could see very little.  Then we had piled the used crockery into the sink, where it rattled all the way home, and the lid didn't fit securely so it fell off and hit both me and the dog, and spent the rest of the trip squashed on my foot underneath the dog!  Not exactly comfortable.....

But the parents enjoyed themselves, to the point where my mother has asked if "next time" we could take a picnic lunch and make a day of it.  Which we certainly can, only we will put some water in the van so we can use the loo, and also do the washing up!