DD and her family arrived yesterday evening. Only staying one night and off first thing this morning. We're a handy stopping point for theme parks.
Eldest grandson is 12, and comes to stay occasionally on his own so is very used to our house and foibles (and our menagerie). The younger two are 6 and 5, and are now at the articulate and non-shy age. It's always lovely to see them.
The house is instantly full of noise. Isabel,cat, who doesn't do children, hides. She sneaks out for food when the children are out, or in bed. Wash doesn't mind children too much. He generally gives them a chance: if they behave, he stays, if they try and grab him, he hides.
DGD was very good with him, and he let her stroke him for quite a long time.
Tilda chose to mostly stay out of the way. She kept her beady eye on proceedings from the safety of her apartment, but stayed out of reach. When we were, briefly, alone yesterday night she burbled away at me, presumably telling me what she thought of it all.
The children accepted the explanation of why we have a chicken living in the kitchen without too many questions. Lots of chicken related questions this time: how did we know the the egg we had just collected was an egg and not a chick? (because you need a cockerel to have a chick, and we don't have a cockerel here); why don't we have a cockerel? (because they are very noisy and annoy the neighbours); how did we have chicks if we didn't have a cockerel? (because we have 2 cockerels at the allotment, and the chicks are their babies). What is an allotment? What is renting? What would we do with the chickens on the allotment if we couldn't rent it any more? and so on. All questions properly answered, it's how children learn after all.
And as quickly as they arrived, they've gone. Immediately the house is quiet. Isabel comes back in, and starts rolling around everywhere and mewing pathetically.
