I may have cried

 

A while ago - when the boys were young - we accidently stumbled upon what has now become an annual event - Kirkcudbright Summer Floodlit Festivities Tattoo. It was just a chance comment by a campsite owner that led us firstly to the town then to the tattoo. The only time we have missed it was 2020 (thanks covid) and despite the almost predictability of the tattoo schedule we absolutely love it.

The boys are bigger now, big enough to have mortgages, partners, cats and serious jobs yet we all still come to Kirkcudbright and make a weekend of it all.  This year was no different - well, it was in a way - I shall explain as I go along.

In the town is a lovely house and garden (Broughton House) run by the National Trust for Scotland and again this place is firmly on our agenda - particularly the gardens. Over the years we have been inspired by the planting, taken photos and, certainly Eldest and myself, probably stroked nearly every plant and wished we lived there.

This year we (almost) didn't go as the pricing had gone up and it is usually me who pays, I'll be honest - I hesitated at paying for six adults since taking early retirement - I now count the pennies rather closely. Fortunately that was sorted and on Saturday morning all six of us and a silly dilly dog meandered through the gardens - a haven of peace and tranquillity. 

Except Eldest seemed ill at ease, he was not as engrossed in the plants or the place like he is normally until we all wandered into the central lawn (which we call Tizzie's lawn after the cat we met there) when it became apparent why he was on edge.

He dropped to one knee and proposed to his lovely partner - there was not a dry eye in the garden. Unintentionally (for he is not one for showy IG/FB type things) he had an audience as well as us quietly and emotionally witnessing his proposal. Other garden visitors stood with hands over mouths, smiles and tears in their eyes too.

As a pack we bounded over and hugged and cried together then afterwards there was spontaneous applause and more amusingly - 'victory laps' around the lawn by son and girlfriend - oops - fiancé and they were quickly joined by other son and his girlfriend - with the sounds of laughter in the garden - it was wonderful. 

Certainly for the rest of the day, Himself and I caught ourselves grinning, and as we left the gardens the National Trust staff gently queried if we were the family who were celebrating in the garden as so many other folk commented about the special moment. 

Now - Youngest is under pressure .... the staff told him that he would be next (and his lovely girlfriend agrees - talk about a sweating younger son!)

So - yes, another annual tradition our family keep - but with added love (and tears!)

I'll chat later about other lovely parts of our jolly away - I just had to share this moment💚💍🧡