Bright Eyes

Easter Sunday, and we've been in Shropshire with Nathan's family. I was deposited at my mother-in-law's just outside Market Drayton at lunchtime, whilst Nathan went to do a singing gig, which, totally by chance, was in a castle about fifteen miles away.

Celia (who calls me her sin-in-law) said she didn't mind baby-sitting me for a few hours, and fed me delicious poached eggs and Easter biscuits, which were amongst the finest that I've ever tasted. Her partner, Ron, disappeared into the loft and came back down with a lovely Shaker-style cabinet for our bathroom. Now I finally have somewhere to store my pots of Brylcreem! 

We drove over the border into Wales to Nathan's sister's house, which was filled to the brim with people. 

Ten of us sat down to a roast dinner. Sam's partner, Andy has two delightful daughters, whom I very much enjoyed chatting to. Sam's own children, all fabulous, continue to grow by the second. Her youngest, Lewis, is now taller than me, and is swiftly following his two sisters into young adulthood. 

Nathan arrived, and we had a massive Easter egg hunt around the house, which generated much laughter, although I would find it most intimidating to have scores of people opening cupboards and looking under the beds in search of chocolate in our flat!

We had a little sing-song around Sam's appalling piano, which has sticky keys and is so ridiculously out of tune that it's impossible to tell what's being played at any given moment!

We're now driving home through the dark country roads of Shropshire, where countless rabbits seem to be popping up on the grass verges, their bright eyes burning like fire in our headlights.  I just know that any time soon, one of them is going to jump under our wheels, get squashed, cause an accident and make a complete mockery of Nathan screaming "Easter Bunnies" in a childish voice!

April 24th, 1661, and Pepys woke up in a strange bed in Westminster, feeling incredibly sorry for himself, by all accounts in a pool of his own vomit. He was taken to a local tavern and given a glass of hot chocolate to revive his spirits.

He found his way back to Seething Lane, and spent the night surrounded by his workmen, who were doing marvellous things to his house. He drifted off to sleep to the sounds of fireworks and chamber music coming from the Thames; more coronation celebrations in the presence of the King. Pepys wished he was there, but I guess he was simply feeling too lousy!