A nice day for a drive

Today's forecast - 19, clear and sunny.

The boy and I are off for a country drive, heading for the regional centre where his grandmother lives. We are going to have a birthday lunch with her, his great uncle and aunt, his aunt and his cousin. His grandmother has never made it a secret that she really likes me and approves of me, and I'm looking forward to seeing her. She is an interesting woman, well travelled, and still leads a full life into her nineties. The contrast between her and her daughter is staggering. The boys mum is in her 60's, very rarely leaves the house, and has no interest in life or living. A lot of this is related to her various illnesses, but it still makes me sad for her.

I feel guilty that I'm relieved his parents won't be there today, but I know that both he and I will have a better time. We would both find ourselves watching his parents, hoping that his mother won't have trouble eating her meal, and trying to find ways to help her without embarrassing her. Then we would have to try and deflect his fathers outbursts, and translate a lot of what he says to the others at the table. Even worse, when his cousin thinks that his father is trying to grasp something, she just talks to him more loudly, rather than trying to express herself more clearly, so then he just talks to her more and more loudly, and on it goes. I could write a whole post about his parents, and I probably will, but it won't be today.

Off to get pretty now, and enjoy a day out.