Today started very early with a run to Glasgow Airport to pick up Jesse! She’ll be hanging out with us for the family circus this week. We aren’t very familiar with GLA so it took a couple of circuits through the airport before we could find a place to double park and collect her and her bag.
Then back to the flat to fulfill her first request: bacon roll and a cup of tea! It’s been 5 years since she was last here – we can date it precisely because it was the first time Andy Murray won Wimbledon – and she has a list of “things to do/see/eat” while she is here. 
We then showered and headed out to pick up grandma for a grand day out. We had heard that her health hadn’t been great recently so we were pleased that she was chipper and ready to go a run in the car. Off to Callander where we were hoping for a stroll up to the Bracklinn Falls but it was not to be. We took short jaunt around town, stopping in a shop or two for Frank to investigate new hiking boots since his didn’t make it out of Iceland in one piece. The obligatory cup of tea and a cake in our favorite tea shop (gluten free cherry bakewell tart for me thank you) and it was off to do more visiting. Into Bridge of Allan to see gran’s sister and one of the many uncle Jimmy’s. We got to show off photos of the new house (Frank is so excited!) and hear about Jesse’s Disney adventures.
We had a lovely chat but it was getting late and we were famished so off to the Westerton Arms for a lovely – if late – bar lunch. Here Jesse got to check box number 2: steak pie! Frank got his first haggis of the trip and grandma made short work of her gammon steak. 
All that excitement was enough so back to the care home for an early bed and we made visit number two – stopping in Bannockburn at the family homestead now occupied by Frank’s middle brother and family. That was also a quick stop – with the obligatory but most welcome cup of tea – before we headed out again for a quick run to the shops for a few things and then on to visit number 3 with youngest brother and family. This was a bigger clan gathering than we had yesterday as 4 of the 6 cousins were all there – the oldest from both families were missing. We discussed housing markets (we have a niece waiting for her new house to be finished), labor markets (is Uncle Frank going to get a job in NY?), and travel (will they ever come and see us in NY?)
By this time, Jesse was fading fast so it was time to get her to bed but not before a quick stop at the chippy for two bags of chips which were quickly devoured. This doesn’t constitute a complete checking of a box for her, however, as she wants a full fish supper. That will have to be another day.
Data for today:
Steps: 5241 (2.4 miles) -mostly pushing a wheelchair
Hours awake for Jesse: 29
Cumulative cups of tea while visiting: 3 (tea at home or in a tea shop doesn’t count)
The Cannon Family's travel blog 