Today is Monkey's 'two-and-a-half-years-at-Kent-Life anniversary', marked in traditional style with the ceremonial handing over of a monkey, to join the now quite ridiculous number festooning the office and hanging from the windows. They include a New York monkey and an LA monkey brought all the way home in my daughter's backpack.
Said travelling daughter is - briefly - back in the UK. She and her boyfriend flew into Heathrow yesterday as John is best man at a wedding in Cornwall this weekend, so he has just today to write a speech and catch up on all his fairly considerable best man duties, which have mounted up a bit during his nine month's absence! He also has a job interview on Monday morning to somehow prepare for.
Laura may have to fly back to Spain on Monday, as she is part of a crew sailing a yacht back to the UK - and the Bay of Biscay needs tackling, which is a great stretch of water for any young sailor to have in their portfolio. But she won't know until Sunday evening and then it's fingers crossed that she can actually get back to the UK again in time for us to fly together to Barcelona the following week. Phew! Think I need a lie down after even trying to explain that lot, but it was great actually speaking to Laura on the phone last night, as communication has been a little difficult while she's been sailing.
Today is also my youngest niece's 13th birthday - so congratulations on becoming a teenager, young Nina! I won't see her until next Friday, when we have a very special evening planned, just the two of us, which I am really looking forward to. Tell you all about it after the event.
I'd also like to say goodbye to my Uncle Ken, who died last night after a long illness. My late father's middle brother, he kept his sense of humour until the end - when reminded by my Aunt that they'd been married for 54 years, he squeezed her hand and said "shame you didn't catch me earlier, then."
Sarah