We made a conscious decision to stay with JL for the duration of this trip, rather than filling our days with touristy trips. After all, we’re here for a recuperative visit with family, not a traditional holiday. It’s been a joy to see Joey looking very relaxed, interacting with the other kids, and even smiling for much of the time. This is a side of Joey we see far too infrequently. Seeing him at ease has put Sandy and me more at ease.
Since Joey was clearly having the time of his life, Sandy and I took off to the nearby MFG charging station to fill the car with electrons one last time before we head back to the Netherlands tomorrow morning. We left it charging while we popped into Maccas for breakfast (or a second breakfast in my case).
After filling our tummies, we sat in the car for a while longer, squeezing as much into the battery as we could. The car charged to 80% relatively quickly at around 45 kW, but the charging speed tapered off after that. It was still reasonably fast to 90%, but the rate quickly dropped to around 12 kW and kept falling as we reached 92%. At that point, I called it and disconnected. That would be enough to get us to Harwich in the morning, and possibly the rest of the way home. We plan on stopping for a bite to eat after disembarking tomorrow, so that’ll be another charging opportunity anyway.
Since it was our last full day, we drove to the nearby Tescos to pick up some comfort foods—the things we can’t easily get in the Netherlands. This is a ritual of ours each time we visit the UK. The one here is a superstore, so it has a wide selection of everything. It didn’t take long to half-fill a trolley with bacon, sausages, vinegar, chocolate buttons and all our other guilty pleasures. Coincidentally, I was perusing the dairy aisle when I got a message from Caroline, one of my co-workers. She asked whether I could bring a couple of blocks of a specific cheese home for her. As it happened, I brought her some crumpets last time, too. I sent her a photo of the cheese I thought she meant, and she confirmed it immediately. Your cheese is safely tucked away and awaiting you, Caroline.
With the car charged and the shopping done, we had little else to do but to enjoy some more quality time back at the house with my niece and her family. They had a flat-pack shelf to put together. Sandy suggested they give that task to Joey, which they did. He did a great job, too.
I loved being in a house filled with laughter and children running around. The weather was clear and dry, so the kids spent a good chunk of time burning off energy in the back gardens. They decided to use a watering can and some plastic tubs in their play, so naturally everyone got more than a little damp. On top of that, they were also experimenting with making paint. Jay and I watched on through the kitchen window with smiles on our faces—occasionally chuckling. Yes, they were getting wet; yes, they were getting muddy, and yes, they were chasing each other around the garden with paint, but so what? We were just letting them get on with it, while keeping half an eye on things to make sure nobody got hurt. Jay and I share the philosophy of letting kids be kids—regardless of whether they get dirty and muddy. It’s all good fun. As long as there’s no visible blood or severed limbs, let them get on with it and have fun.
Somehow, during the bedlam, I was able to write up yesterday’s blog at the kitchen table. Between paragraphs, I also played some final games of chess with some of the kids while Sandy was parked in the playroom playing Beyblades, having fun interacting with the kids on their level and on their terms.
Once the kids were sapped of energy and the house slowly calmed down, the adults chatted in the kitchen—the heart of the house—once again talking all things Disney and Universal theme parks. JL and I are definitely kindred spirits when it comes to Disney and Orlando—the holiday capital of the world for a great many Brits.
Eventually, the tiredness—the kind that perpetually permeates every adult with special-needs children—got the better of us all, and we peeled away to bed. Tomorrow demands a very early start, and the house reverts to its weekday school routine. The morning will undoubtedly be hectic, so we all need rest.
Incidentally, that missing earbud never did rematerialise.