Sandra Ashenford reflects on the ups and downs of her week

IT HAS been a mad week at home, with some family members setting off on trips and others returning home, and a couple of birthdays plus Fathers’ Day thrown into the mix for good measure.

Spouse returned from a long weekend in Le Mans where he had been watching the racing, in time to celebrate his birthday.

We spent the day at the Roman villa in Chedworth, swapping actual travelling for some time travel.

Meanwhile daughter number three and her husband Harry have arrived safely in Sydney, where it is raining. Quite a lot, apparently.

They have also done some time travelling, being now nine hours ahead of us, which I find a little bit weird.

It was a long journey to Australia, but probably didn’t feel as long as the trip they made a week or so before they left, to Cornwall.

They were going to join members of Harry’s extended family to celebrate his grandparents’ Golden Wedding.

Spouse eyed their car doubtfully.

“I’m not sure it’s going to make it there and back,” he told them.

Still, as options for alternative transportation were in very short supply, they set off with hope and the number for the Green Flag rescue organisation.

Their plan was to leave at 4am so that the roads would be quiet.

At 5am my phone rang.

“Mum,” said the voice at the other end, “an orange light has come on the dashboard. It looks a bit like a tap. What does it mean?”

To be honest, I didn’t have a clue. I don’t even know how to open the bonnet on my car.

I nudged Spouse in the ribs and relayed the question.

“It will be fine,” he muttered.

“If the car’s not rattling or smelling, tell them just to keep going.”

He pulled the duvet back over his head.

So, they kept on going, and the light stayed on.

And after a fabulous weekend, they drove back home, and the light still stayed on.

Now they are in Australia and I am nominally responsible for their car.

I glance guiltily at it each morning and wonder if I should take it to a mechanic.

On the other hand, maybe it just needs a rest.

Perhaps after a month of inactivity, the light will have gone out all by itself.