Judging by the copious notes in Janie’s diary about the March visit, we took The Duchess (Pauline) with us on that occasion and there were lengthy negotiations about the choice of hotel.
My guess is that swimming pool was a must but the price would have had to be right for Pauline (eliminating the grander Swallow), so we ended up at The Marriot City Centre.
It can’t have been too bad because Janie and I stayed there again when we went in December. Only problem is parking in the City Centre and being the wrong side of Bristol really for Stoke Bishop.
Anyway, the first visit must have been for Hilary’s (the twins’ big sister’s) 40th, which I think was a family affair. I’m pretty sure Tony & Phillie didn’t come – we wouldn’t have gone to see them in Germany just a few weeks earlier if we had been due to see them in March.
I’m pretty sure the Duchess didn’t join us when we visited again in December; I think even by then the “routine” was that we would collect Pauline’s Christmas present and deliver it to her.
Again the diary is light on detail, other than the clear “note to self” in Janie’s diary to remember Hil’s foot stool. It probably didn’t look like the public domain image below.
