catch up

We've been so lucky to have family visiting from Sweden and Ireland in the last couple of weeks. Catrine, Magnus, Åke and Folke came over from Sweden on the 5th August and we spent a wonderful week together. With three very active children, we spent a lot of time in the playground in Millhouses Park, in the woods and Graves Park. We took the bus down to Chatsworth through the Peaks and had a great day in the Adventure Playground. On the Saturday Magnus and I went to see Sheffield United play the first game of the season at Brammal Lane. We sat amongst the home supporters and it was a great atmosphere despite Sheffield United losing the game. In the evening we enjoyed the last BBQ of the summer, which was lovely!
On the Sunday, the weather changed and it was chucking it down with rain, so I took the Skoglund family to Meadowhall. This is a huge shopping centre and Åke and Folke were so good in there, and got to pick a present each. On the Monday I had to go back to work so Catrine and Magnus took the children to the someewhat odd Police and Emergency Museum in the city centre. We had such a great time together and enjoyed some great meals out in various local pubs and lots of ice cream for the kids!

On the Tuesday morning, Magnus, Catrine and the boys took the train to Manchester, where they stayed one night before heading home.

A few days later, on the Thursday, Joe, Claire, Grace, Luke and Lily came to see us, on their way back to LIverpool and the ferry back home to Ireland. We had a great time catching up and on the Friday we headed to Ecclessal Woods, followed by the Park and lunch in the sun.
 I had to work in the aftenoon so left everyone to it in the park and joined everyone at 4:30 for home made pizza. The Collins set off around 5:45 and shortly after Mark got a taxi to the station where he headed down to London.

So from having a full house, Vera and I were all of a sudden home alone, while Mark was in San Francisco at a conference for a week.

After a busy week, we welcomed Mark home on Friday night and enjoyed a long weekend. True to form the weather was pretty bad, but on Sunday we managed a long walk at the Derwent Reservoir and a visit to our friend Jacquie in her new house in Bamford.

Yesterday, Vera and I went to buy a bird feeder and some bird food and then we spent the rest of day indoors, watching the movie Frozen, making soup and baking cheese scones.

And today it's back to work again, but luckily it's a four-day week so not too bad!