A busy weekend and the first cuckoo.

I'm just getting straight after a busy weekend. My parents came to stay. They live too far away for day trips so when we see each other it has to be for a few days at a time and when they've gone I always seem to be exhausted and need a day to get the house back to normal.

Whenever they come it seems to take an age to get ready, and I feel the need to try to have every thing perfect. You would think that at my age I wouldn't feel the need for my mothers approval but it seems I still do. It doesn't help that our "spare room " is used as a study/office/room for the boys model stuff and we have to move all this out to make room for the sofa bed to unfold.

Anyway I think the weekend went well. The weather was fine and we were able to go out for walks. I really noticed them slowing down this visit. They are in their mid seventies and they were taking such care walking over the uneven ground in the woods. I suppose if they lived closer I might not notice these gradual changes but in just a couple months since I last saw them they seem to be acting so much older. I'm feeling sorry at the moment that we don't live closer. I'm sure many people feel like this with families spread over much longer distances than I have to cope with.

It was on our walk on Sunday that we heard the first cuckoo of the season - 30th April. When we heard it we all ran a few steps. I don't know how widespread this custom is. When you hear the first cuckoo you should start running or you will be lazy for the rest of the summer.

I grew up in Somerset and my parents are from the Bristol area so I don't know if this is just a West Country thing or whether there are people running around all over the country at this time of year!

I'd be interested to know if anyone else follows this custom.