A few weeks ago - Jim and I received an invitation to have dinner with The UK Chancellor Alistair Darling and his wife Maggie. We had a great evening. Very informal, friendly and warm.
They mentioned coming back for tea sometime soon. This week we did just that with our four kids in tow!
Can you imagine the questioning the kids have had to endure from their teachers - when the obligatory - 'what are you doing in your summer holidays?' question was asked. Our middle daughter was told that she must be mistaken about going for tea on Downing Street - because there were no cafes open to the public. etc etc.
So - the big day came - the kids washed their hair - even brushed their teeth - dressed in their normal crazy mis-matched clothes and excitedly squeezed themselves through all the security - past the hoardes of press - just in time before the whole street was 'locked' down for the arrival of the Nigerian Head of State.
My normally chatty and articulate bunch were reduced to Wows and crikeys and who was that?
We knocked on the door of Number 11 - to be greeted by lovely Pauline ( Alistair's assistant) and then Maggie Darling - smiles and cuddles all round.
The next hours were a whirl. We started by helping to locate Maggie's shoes - pottering round their flat, looking at the bathrooms and eating a delicious tea of potato wedges and pizza. The children warmed up. The wows were replaced by them telling stories and sharing their thoughts. Declaring the potato wedges to be the best they had ever had and that they thought they had been here forever and that number ten and eleven was like their home!
We peeped through doors - we strolled the gardens - we waved at the security men - we even sat in the cabinet room and pinched some mints!
The children danced in the state rooms and gate-crashed two formal receptions. Our youngest daughter was almost lost in the crowds. I caught site of her face - beaming and alive. The canape trays wizzing above her head - her little hand sneaking up to grab a passing morsal.
Alistair was very very busy - he was due to do some filming - my youngest son helped the camera man - making sure he did not crash into the furniture as he walked backwards capturing Alistair talking and walking.
In between all of this Alistair took time out to welcome us all - smiling - calm and thoughtful.
The oldest two acted as guides for a few moments - helping people from the recepions to find the way out.
Then they became speechless again - just managing to say their names - as we met Gordon Brown at the bottom of some stairs. He took time to say hello. Shaking their hands, asking their names - utterly charming and friendly - warm and sweet - and according to my daughter 'cute'. My eldest daughter said she nearly cried. My big brave handsome son - was reduced to wows again. My crazy youngest son was for the first time in his twelve years on the edge of discovering something more interesting than himself! My youngest daughter fell in love!
I think for my children it was a little like the Narnia stories - they probably felt they had found their way through into a magical world. They talked about Charlie and the Chocolate factory - they saw a glass roof and said it was the glass elevator. All the alice in wonderland stories - the magic of the people, the eccentricities, the smiles, the busy busy busy.
The most precious thing in Jim's and my life is our children. Can you imagine how it feels to see your little eight year old girl skip down the stairs of number ten and eleven - delighting in the freedom - and then set her eyes upon a vast globe and reach up and spin it.
So, all is well - the formal replaced by the informal. Respect and warmth the new way of things. Children joining in and feeling warmth towards and being impressed by the adults who make the decisions on their behalf.
A magical, magical day - we left around eight pm - walked for a couple of miles through the parks - and went for hot chocolate at the cafe near our house.
I wish that all children could have a day like that - a day that they will have forever - and so will I.
Emma