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2008 - May 5th - Monday

The Skinners and JH circulated in a leisurely fashion at a very reasonable hour of the day – after all, it was a public holiday (no longer just a bank holiday).  Kathy was heard to remark that she felt sure all the punters would still be reclining in bed having danced on until the early hours.  Kathy had been advised to get her blood pressure checked on a regular basis, and seek advice should her blood pressure rise above her normal level.  With her own neat little machine she checked her own blood pressure – and then strapped the little machine onto JH’s wrist!  (Loud scream!)  JH’s blood pressure was 151/123!  However . . . JH did not fall in an untidy heap with a stroke, but decided that she would ‘review the situation’ on return to Plymouth with her GP.  Apparently, at one point, K had taken Ralph’s B/P – which had registered as being high, but not as high as JH’s: so Ralph was advised by one of their neighbours – who is an SRN (retired) - that he should seek advice.  Ralph actually took himself to Southend Hospital and waited around with great anxiety – but this story has no ending as, in the telling, JH did not ascertain if Ralph received a prescription for antihypertensives!


 

By 11.15am we were on our way to a Family Gathering which was ‘in aid of’ Kathy’s sister, Margaret’s 82nd birthday, and to be held at the local Butterfly Farm (and the rest – of all the other animals).  It was a halcyon day.  We were the first of the Hipsey Clan to arrive; the sun was shining on us; all told, 14 members of the family came - ranging in age from 2 years, ie, Sophie, Edwin’s youngest grandchild, up to the 82-year old Birthday Lady.  Although JH was expecting to pay for her own senior citizen’s admission ticket, Bill bought all the tickets en bloc, and would not be persuaded to accept any reimbursement (and is not the person to argue the point with): However . . . next year, at his 80th birthday party, we can all treat him!

Firstly, we all gravitated towards the café: after making each order, the bearer of the cash was given a wooden spoon (very appropriately) with a number thereon, ie, a table number; during all the to-ing and fro-ing of the assembled Hipsey family, the spoon with number ‘2’ on it got passed to another family, but when the waitress brought out their coffee, and tea, the last of the Hipsey Clan to arrive claimed the drinks; so the dry family wondered what had happened to their order!  Never mind!  It was such a lovely day, that – when the Hipsey mistake was realised – apologies were given, payment made for the extra drinks, and the dry family finally received what they had ordered.

Having caused confusion in the café, the Hipsey Clan then split into smaller groups (which could keep themselves in order more easily!), or ‘singles’ (JH), to walk through the butterfly house, and look at the other animals and birds – of which there were a spectacular number of all shapes and sizes.  Perhaps the smallest were the leaf cutter ants, but there were of course, thousands and thousands of them, and they could be seen marching to and fro along a branch with pieces of leaf held aloft when on their return trip; the largest animals were probably the ponies who happily grazed contentedly in their paddock.  The collection of fancy breeds of poultry was more disturbed, however, by the madding crowds: on the gate of the poultry enclosure was a notice asking visitors NOT to chase the many chickens, and a few cockerels, but JH observed that one toddler was actually being encouraged by dad to chase a chicken; also a couple of older lads were observed by JH to be chasing the birds – with no supervising adult in sight (ie, NOT being young members of the Hipsey Clan).  I suppose it would have been rather churlish of JH to point out the notice on the gate; and I suppose a small toddler would not really frighten the birds that much; but surely the boys should have known better - themselves?

K, R and JH had lunch together in the restaurant: in spite of being hectically busy, the Staff coped with great efficiency and good humour, and the food was freshly cooked and very good value.  JH treated herself to some sort of special ice cream melba (after ONLY having a baked spud with butter) which was enormous, but delicious.  The rest of the Hipsey Clan then arrived and all sat round two tables pushed together: their lunch time meal extended into an afternoon birthday party at which an 82nd birthday Cake was ceremoniously cut – and eaten – and Margaret opened all her presents.
 
By about 3.30pm, the various Sub-Clans of the family were thinking about returning to their homesteads.  Kathy had already opted out and was sleeping on the back seat of the car.  [Kathy has been issued with a TENS machine, which she found definitely helped diminish her pain, but she does not wear it all the time, and did not bring it with her - her main problem really being her overwhelming fatigue.]  Everyone else were all feeling rather weary on this first really warm day – except the children of course.  Sophie was a bit ratty, but she was allowed to be – considering that her elder brother, George, and Myles were ‘running rings’ round her pushchair: however, she did assert how she felt by putting a hand up and grabbing hold of the edge of the hood of her push chair and pulling it down – whereupon any layers of discarded clothing which had been stacked at the back, all fell off!  So there, boys, you’re out of it!

What a super Day!  Kathy, Ralph and JH got back to chez Skinner at about 5.00pm and both of them went to bed, which allowed JH to amuse herself with jigsaw-ing, in the cool of the evening – with the sun still streaming through the window.  With a cup of tea, JH munched her slice of birthday cake, which had been given to her before departure – as she was on walkabout when the cutting ceremony took place.  Ralph did surface at Archers’ time, and we had a light tea together – but, as the evening progressed, it became apparent that JH would have to leave Ralph to complete the sky above the plane in the jigsaw.



 
 
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