Showers.

Well that's it. Vytas left this afternoon and in a few weeks will be in Australia. I held it together while he was here but once he drove off the tears flowed. Which is silly I know. It's been 8 years since he went off to uni and has visited us only 2 or 3 times a year but there is a big difference between being 5 hours up the motorway and half way around the world.

To remind myself that he is now a grown man I took this picture of our hands together with the hospital wristband they put on him when he was born. (I've got the wrist and ankle bands for all 3 of them.)

We had a good day together. In between the showers Vytas raked and barrowed up the gravel that had washed down the drive in the last storm. (It's exactly 25 years since The Great Storm when I stood at the bedroom window with Vytas in my arms and watched the neighbour's garage roof blowing off before all the lights went out in London.) While Vytas worked I took down and emptied the hanging baskets by the front door and replaced them with 2 sets of wind-chimes. Work done we drove down to Woolacombe for a beach walk. Before we could get there we had to take a detour due to a flood before Indicott. Vytas had run past there the other day and been forced to climb along the hedge to get past but today it was even worse. I drove up to it slowly with another car behind me but then I decided not to take the risk. The car behind had been waiting to see what I would do but then we both reversed until we could turn. Instead I went back to East Down and out that way. Much longer but with only a couple of small floods to drive through. Down at the beach we had a windy walk along the sands before dropping into The Red Barn for lunch. It's a surf themed, slightly touristy pub/restaurant but the atmosphere is very relaxed with dogs under most tables and a great view of the beach and out to Lundy. Vytas had cod & chips while I had the vegetable lasagne. Time was running short and we were quite full so we passed on dessert.  

Back home Vytas put his things in his car and was soon gone, cue tears. He has left me with one problem though. After he downloaded some photos (of his warhammer figures that he wants to sell) by a different route to the one I usually use, my pc no longer recognises my camera as a camera. At least we think that is the problem. It still downloads the photos but won't put up thumbnails, only blank squares or the folder icon. A bit of a nuisance. I'll have to see if Peter can sort it as I do download my photos daily.

PS I didn't take any photos when we were out as I was too busy talking with Vytas.