Up at Devil's Dyke on the Downs
Re-connecting with home, friends and family this week has been a joy. Back on the beach and up on the Downs has been a delight. The bright dry Autumn is a boon .
London called last Saturday and we spent a lovely afternoon with daughter and boyfriend in Camberwell exploring the area . After an urban walk and visit to it's church , we enjoyed the local pub, the Crooked Well, downing a hearty broccoli soup.
Later, leaving Merry the dog in good hands, and armed with the Citymapper app (new to us) ,
we strode off and caught a bus up to town.
Merry at home, away from home
We partied in Covent Garden- a joint 90th birthday (50+40)-marvelling at this cake and meeting friends new and old, before sampling "Uber's" taxi service back south of the river. Happy birthdays K&G.
All this has been great. But alongside the fun has been the sad challenge of planning with dad for his future. Sadly whilst we were away he was robbed at night at home. Happily he is unhurt physically but the experience left him, my brother and sister, and the Police concluding that he is not safe to live alone in his home any longer. He is receiving caring respite and next week will come to us for a time whilst we seek supported independent living .
Dad has been stoical and appreciative despite his fears. My family have been wonderful managing the crisis and not spoiling our holiday. And the Police were fantastic . They would not leave dad alone. They drove him through the night to my brother. They are investigating thoroughly, however unlikely it is that they will catch the culprits. We are grateful . We and they are dismayed at such a crime .
And whilst I planned with Dad and our family for dads future I also had to honour a commitment in the last half of the week . I headed north to Durham .
We live in such a beautiful country and the journey showed this to good effect. My landing place wasn't the City with its magnificent cathedral , but the College of Policing in the Durham countryside .
I was heading for an intensive training course to learn about the demanding assessment process for officers aspiring for the High Command of the Police . I and others were being trained by psychologists to be independent assessors alongside serving Chief officers.
I really enjoyed the challenge of learning , and meeting a new group of senior independent people who share a wish to make a valuable contribution to the identification and development of senior police officers. The approach was incredibly rigorous and evidence - based and we worked hard at our exercises over the two and a half days .
Durham station
I've ridden the train south to be reunited with my partner and dog , and to see some of our family in Sheffield, ready for a rest. Along the way I've delighted in my introduction to WhatsApp - a new find on social media ( second new app in a week) .
On arrival, instead of a rest , I receive a loud warm , children and doggy welcome, a tasty supper and requests to draw and read stories . The particular request is to draw myself as a princess! I do and there is no better way to unwind. As I put the children to bed, they ask if its the weekend tomorrow . It is. We are all delighted.
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