Sometimes reality lives up to expectations

I have spent much of today travelling down to stay with family for Christmas. The journey takes around 7 hours and was trouble free - which is, of course, good but hardly exciting to write about.

After arriving, having a cuppa and emptying the car I decided to give mum and dad their main present early - don't fret there's method in my madness.

I had bought mum a kindle fire - her iPad is losing charge quickly and she loves her Internet / emails etc.  Giving her it early means that I can set it up for her.

But my real reason for the early gifts was to give Dad his present - a doulton vase made and painted by his Grandmother - Ellen Palmer.  Dad has been looking for a piece of her pottery for some time and I was pretty sure that he would be blown away that I managed to find something  - I guess that the tears were a give away that he was pleased.  The vase is now on a windowsill and he keeps looking at it- mission achieved!