A Meal Out Instead Of A Night Away

The children and I were going to go away for a night.

We'd spend the day having fun, maybe hit up a museum or two, a picnic lunch and just have fun together. We decided we would stay somewhere near the Seaside and not too far from where Flyfour was working, so that he could meet up with us after he'd finished work and as a family we'd go to the amusements and have chips looking out to Sea and spend time playing on the beach as the sun went down. We'd have breakfast together the next morning, along with an early morning walk along the beach before Flyfour headed back off to work and we'd spend the day having more fun, before meeting Flyfour at home that evening.

And then we didn't.

PippaD, Dan Jon and Top Ender at the Beach

Nobody quite felt like it was right and so Top Ender and I spent the morning with friends carrying out a small service project and Dan Jon spent time with his friends before we decided to have a late lunch/early evening meal.

We went to a local Harvester and we ate, and we drank, and we laughed, and we chatted. We joked and we people watched and we filled up on bread rolls and Salad and free refills of our favourite sodas.

I was so proud of the children, sitting there watching them I almost started to cry.

Top Ender and Dan Jon at the restaurant

They were polite and friendly to the staff and other patrons and of course to each other and me. They were full of conversation and grateful for the meal we were sharing together. They watched their manners and ensured that I was enjoying myself as much as they were.

They were so joyful and good that I could feel the tears forming and I had to tell them something, so we celebrated the Summer and we celebrated the end of the holidays. We celebrated the start of the new term and the start of new beginnings. We toasted to the start of a new chapter in our family life.