The visited/visiting started on Christmas Eve when CGF’s brother and family came to stay. OK, they arrived the day before, but I wasn’t there so I’m starting from Christmas Eve. I had to work (well, I was in the office) Christmas Eve morning, but drove to Eastleigh in the afternoon. We didn’t do much in the afternoon. We had thought about going to one of the Crib Services, but no one was that enthusiastic and, seeing as it was a dry and clear afternoon, we went for a short walk instead.

The younglings were up early Christmas morning – about 0630 – but they didn’t come downstairs (where CGF and I were sleeping) until 0730. No other adult seemed keen to get out of bed, so in the end I got up and sorted them some breakfast. Yes, it did occur to me “hang on – none of these children are mine; why am I doing this?”

Christmas morning was gift unwrapping, a walk round Eastleigh Lakes, and generally relaxing. I prepared lunch during the afternoon – CGF’s niece helped with the sprouts and pigs in blankets, and set the table (in fact, she designed the table and decided where everyone should sit). I did the washing up after the meal too – the tradition of my doing the washing up after Christmas dinner is even older than the tradition of my cooking Christmas dinner. CGF’s SiL wants to clone me.

Boxing Day we changed from visited to visitors as we all drove up north to stay with CGF’s brother for a couple of nights. Yes, same brother. But it meant that CGF and the sprogs got to see her parents, and, as it turned out, a couple of uncles too.

IT SNOWED!!! Boxing Day evening a couple of inches fell – much to the excitement of the sprogs (whom parents were trying to get to bed at the time). No more snow fell overnight, but it was still lying in the morning so I got my snow shovel (which I’ve carried round unused for two or three years) out of the car and cleared the drive. CGF’s SiL wants to clone me.

I cleared the drive because CGF and her SiL were going out – leaving me in charge of the younglings until CGF’s Bro got up (are you spotting a trend here). When they got home I was reading a book to the 8-year old. CGF’s SiL wants to clone me. Aesop’s Fables – I asked her to tell me what the story taught us.

Later in the day the adults and female younglings walked to the local retail park. The route goes round a large lake, and the younglings carried some large lumps of ice to drop in the water. But when we got there they decided against that, as they didn‘t want to frighten the ducks. They left the ice by a tree to collect on the way back – but we ended up getting a lift back.

We ran about the retail park playing tag (well, the younglings ran – I just walked quickly) (but I said we had to stop playing when we went inside the shops). There is a good cook shop there (good in that it had a wide selection of products) and I bought myself a pastry blender and some pastry cutters – saves using my fingers and drinking glasses next time I make mince pies (though you do get a better feel for the pastry when you use your fingers)). We then popped to Costa Coffee and, as we were finishing our drinks, CGF and her SiL decided to pop into Next for “ten minutes” while I kept an eye on the younglings (there is definitely a trend here). CGF’s niece told me, confidently and confidentially, that they would be longer than ten minutes – “because they are women”. CGF’s bro got back first, and saw that an uncle and aunt were sitting at another table in the same coffee shop, so we joined them for a while. This was an uncle I’d not met before, so hadn’t recognised.

In the evening the two families were invited to another uncle for dinner. Two of CGF’s cousins were there as well, and we had a really good evening. CGF’s Bro had said that we would eat early, and probably leave around 7.30 or 8.00 as the uncle would want some peace and quiet. As it was, we were there until gone 10.00. As an after-dinner activity, her uncle brought out three antique Chinese teapots and asked us to guess the century and value of each and to identify which one wasn’t made in China. This provoked quite a lot of discussion – with theories and counter-theories on how to work out the answers. I managed to get four out of the seven questions correct. All those times I procrastinated homework by watching Antiques Roadshow must have done me some good. Either that or I am lucky at guesswork.

On our way home we called in on The Prof for lunch – we had warned him, we didn’t just turn up. Slight cock-up on the navigation front. Last time we visited (about 18 months ago) I could remember only that his street was called “Anderson Something” – but couldn’t remember whether the something was “road”, “street” or “close”. Sat Nav took us to the two wrong ones before we got to the right one.

This time I was more organised, and made a note of his postcode before leaving home. Easy, all I had to do was tap the postcode into the sat nag and Bob’s your Aunt’s live-in lover. Except the address that came up wasn’t Anderson at all - I’d noted down the postcode incorrectly.

So, to Google Maps for a search of all the “Anderson Something” streets until I found the one that looked right (I recognised the place on the map because of the confusing road junction you have to go through and where I always go the wrong way). It was Terrace, btw. And Andersons not Anderson. And even that is a pseudonym.

Anyway, it was good to see the Prof and his family – his sprogs are more-or-less the same age as CGF’s. “What a super-intelligent family” was the comment when we got back in the car – well, he is a professor and his wife had a PhD, so I guess some of that intelligence had rubbed off on the kids. You know your dad is a professor of chemistry when he asks whether your tea has reached saturation point as you add sugar. You know you are the 11-year old son of a professor of chemistry when you understand the question.

Monday was our day off from visiting/visitors, so in the evening we met stepfie for a drink and a general putting-the-world-to-rights chat.

Tuesday the Ageds came to visit – staying at the motel down the road. They’d been to my step-sister, but didn’t arrive until four because they didn’t get away as early as they expected. Gave us a bit longer to clean and tidy the place! I cooked a meal for them in the evening, and we played a couple of board games (CGF and me against the Ageds. We won).

Wednesday we went to join The Ageds for breakfast, and then took them out for the day. We went to The Titanic (and other ships) museum in Southampton. It was really good – though don’t know what it would be like on a busy day. And they let us in on a family ticket – seeing (as CGF said) that The Ageds act like children. Lots of informative displays – like the one that illustrated the stores that were taken on board (coal, mostly). Poignant ones too – as you go in there is a large board showing brief details of each crew member. Towards the end is a similar board showing whether each person died or survived. There is also a large scale map on the floor, with a red dot showing the houses where a victim had lived.

The museum is in the old law courts, and some of the interior decoration has been preserved. Even in a room where a false ceiling has been added, they’ve left some gaps so you can see the ornate original ceiling. The part of the exhibition that covers the inquiry into the sinking is in one of the court rooms, and the courtroom furniture has been retained. This provides the right sort of atmosphere to the display. And the loos are worth a visit – set up in the original police cells.

After the museum we went to the ice cream parlour. Our plan was to then wander slowly through the shopping mall, ending up at Waggamama’s for an early dinner. But the shopping centre – including Waggamama’s – closed at 5.00 so we abandoned that idea. A few phone calls were made, and eventually we found a restaurant that could accommodate us – provided that we arrived before 7.00. Which we did and they did. And we had a very good meal.

The Aged’s went back to their hotel soon after 10.00, and CGF and I went to Smalltown to help ring in the New Year – only six other ringers, so was good that we went. Very little traffic on the road – we virtually had the motorway to ourselves.

And this morning we were up early(ish) again, to have breakfast with The Aged’s before they went on their way and we are back to peace again. Or starting to think about work next week. Sorry, shouldn’t have reminded you about that.