We have had the best family weekend
My sister and her family have been with us
We visited our Aunty to wish her a happy 80th birthday
We camped in our garden
Went on night and day walks around the local area
Cooked on the fire
Played in the paddling pool
And had a magical morning at the beach
Splashing and swimming in the sea
It was simple
And so special
Being able to be together
To relax together
To let the children explore and play
To really spend time talking and catching up
It was just really really lovely
And I did not want our time together to end
We made magical memories together
The children all get along so well
It was a weekend to savour
And a real boost for all of us after a rubbish 18 months
Of being kept apart
The memories we have made together
Reminded me of the story of Grandad’s Camper
This is a beautiful book with stunning artwork
Including THE most stunning endpapers
Harry Woodgate came up with the story of Grandad’s Camper
When they were working on their dissertation project at university
Which was all about LGBT+ representation in illustrated children’s books
They found that there was lack of representation for older members of the LGBT+ community
They wanted to create a story all about a loving grandparent relationship
To fill the gap that they had found on children’s bookshelves
Grandad’s Camper is about the love that makes a family
And the wonderful stories that can be passed down through generations
It is also a book about loss
And encourages us to celebrate those we’ve lost
And to find ways to carry that love and our lost loved ones with us
This is a book about healing and it really resonated with me
And reminds me of our #livingfortilda way of life
The story tells of a granddaughter and grandad who share a very special bond
The little girl visits her grandad every summer
And they have a wonderful time together
Her favourite thing to do with him
Is to snuggle up and listen to him
Talk about the amazing places he and Gramps explored
Grandad and Gramps travelled together in their camper
Through Grandad’s memories we learn about Gramps
The handsome, untidy adventurer
We learn about their life together on the road
The places that they visited
The things that they liked to do together
And we learn that Gramps has died
The story is told with such love and tenderness
The colourful illustrations are filled with such joy
Now that Gramps is not around anymore
Grandad no longer wants to go on adventures
But his granddaughter wonders if she might be able to change his mind
And help Grandad to adventure again with Gramps in his heart
This is such a beautiful story
Illustrating the strength and power of intergenerational bonds
It is a story of hope for the future
It is a story about living after loss
Of living with grief
And all of these things are explored within
A multi-ethnic family with grandparents in the LGBT+ community
It is a truly wonderful story
That makes me want to savour every moment with my loved ones
With Tilda in my heart
