Unfortunately, although this post is mainly about Sean and Nina Thompson, whose adoption by Chris and Michelle is now finalised, we are advised to continue to exercise caution in the matter of posting photos where they might be discovered. So although this is a private blog, I shall heed the warning and not put up any of the (very nice) pictures of the main event and the little star players. That’s till we get to the end and a new star is born ……

So, this was our first experience of a ‘flying’ visit to England. Out from Carcassonne on Thursday 11th July and back on Saturday 13th. Reason: to attend the final court hearing for the adoption, including the issuing of replacement birth certificates with the Thompson name, and the celebrations which followed. The hearing was in Manchester, but there are no flights C’sonne to M’chester, nor to Liverpool either on the days we wanted them, so we came in to Stanstead and picked up the pre-booked hire car, this one:

Nothing was said about unusual features on this Seat Mii and we drove away without difficulty. There were one or two moments after stops on the way up to Yorkshire when it didn’t respond to the key, but then it did, so I didn’t pay much attention ….. ooops! Maybe I should av. Anyway, at Golgar, Chris and Michelle explained that in order to expedite proceedings in the morning (four adults, two children, one bathroom) they had taken the decision to farm us out to the Christian Conference Centre in the converted church just up the hill. Fine; – how often do you get to sleep in a room with THIS for a window?

Or this for a view in the morning?

We drove in convoy over the notorious Saddleworth Moor, following Michelle and ahead of other friends in an open-topped sports car. Nearing Manchester, at a traffic light, the car’s engine stopped. It didn’t stall, it just died quietly. Turned the key, no response. Dan, in the sports car did a nifty manoeuvre round us and into a bus stop and was about to push us to the side of the road when it started again! Next was on Deansgate, just off the box of a busy junction. This was dangerous; traffic passing on both sides, some getting cross, not necessarily with us, but with people driving round us. Time was getting short, too; Chris’s plan for everyone to meet outside the courthouse, linking up with other folk from Wakefield and Wales wasn’t going to work, if we got there at all. Dan went off to find somewhere to park and let Chris know what was happening. I’m trying to phone HERTZ, then Carol spots Rachel and Sean on the pavement:

Sean and a passer-by start to push us round the corner (Rachel was in no condition for car-pushing!). To help I put the clutch down and turned the key again – it started. [By now at least one reader has probably worked out what was going on, but I still had no idea!] There was some roadside parking just there, behind Rachel’s litle Smartie, so we abandoned the car there and got to the court house in the nick of time.

After all, this piece is supposed to be about THE CHILDREN, not the car. After a short wait, the Judge came through in wig and robes, but he was in no way intimidating. ‘Who’s come to see me today?’ he said, sitting at the front, but not ‘up high’. Chris did introductions and the Judge had a little chat with Sean and Nina. Then he gave them, and the parents, certificates and said ‘What shall we do now? – perhaps Sean would like to sit in the big chair and wear the judge’s hat?’ He, the judge, was great; had toys for the children in his pockets, one of which responded to a push-button with a voice saying ‘That was easy!’ which punctuated the rest of the session. Sean sat in the big chair with the Judge’s wig on, and we all gathered round for photographs, taken by the Clerk on our cameras. 

Well, that WAS easy! And fun, after the formalities. It was a roasting hot day, of course, so the plan was to fill in the time before lunch by playing in the fountains in the park. But we had THAT CAR to sort out! Almost every number we could discover for HERTZ drew no reply, though we did speak to one person at Stanstead who had no idea what was going on and couldn’t find her supervisor. Even a local SEAT dealer didn’t recognise the symptoms, which is surprising. In the end the AA man came, and said, rather apologetically ‘Are you putting your foot on the clutch when you turn the key? – You need to or it won’t fire.’  !!@*µ!! WHY hadn’t they told us that at Stanstead? Actually, that wasn’t all – the car had eco-drive (Rachel recognised it; the Smart has a variation of it,) It’s MADE to stop the engine at traffic lights, and all you have to do to restart is put the clutch down, you don’t even need to turn the key! We should have been told …..

We’d missed the fun time in the fountains, but we were now free to link up with the party for the lunch at the ‘Red Hot World Buffet’ – all you wanted from a selection of world cuisines. Thanks to Chris & Michelle for that. Chris made a little speech in which he referred to his ‘forever family’, and right on cue the staff produced the pre-ordered cake:

After the meal, Sean decided he wanted to ride on a tram (they don’t live with them), so we went with Michelle and the children to do one-stop and back ride. It sort of made up for missing the fun earlier on. Then we said goodbye till next month and made our way back to THAT car. No further problems now we knew how to manage it, but it was a long drive to Baldock where Hilde had a lovely supper ready for us. After a good night we were on the road in good time and back to Stanstead. The HERTZ man who received the car back from us was very sympathetic, agreeing that we should have been briefed on the eco-drive thing before collecting the car in the first place. He undertook to send a priority note to head office, so we wait and see how they react.

Back at Carcassonne, we had lunch at the airport restaurant, which we quite like, then went to find the little car. Out on the car park in full sun!

Oui il a fait chaud, mais CHAUD! Has it been hot in England also? 

Yes, it has, but we’ll soon get you home and under your shelter. And what about Harry? How has it been for you?

Es war normal. –

Hey, don’t forget you’re French again now! 

Yes, we completed the business of importing Harry to France just before we went away; The all-important carte grise arrived in the post and we had his new plates made up; instead of WA 09 OSW he is now CW 079 PT – a curious combination of Philip and Christine’s initials!

But, as Sally says, that day was HOT, so it was a delight to find the pool in good condition, and get in there!

“Come on in; The water’s lovely!”

The French Fête Nationale passed by unnoticed, so we come to Monday July 15th, and news from a proud father –

…… that Shannon Victoria had been safely delivered that morning, weighing 7lbs 8oz.. That afternoon, returning from a clinic appointment on another very hot day, we cebrelated in the only way we could, as a couple of Audois:

That bottle would have been too much for us, so we were very pleased when our friends from the Maison Bleue in the village agreed to come round after dinner and help out!  But, as we said earlier, this post should have been about families and children, so the toast is “To Sean and Nina; and Shannon Victoria!!”

AAHHH ………… !