We're on the way to Amarillo!

Sweep awoke the next morning, as the day was dawning, in a state of high excitement. Today was the day that Auntie Angela would be taking him on his Grand Adventure. He stretched, gave a little yawn just to give the impression he'd stayed up late with the older puppets, and looked about him. There was silence, broken only by a strange grinding sound as if the man next door was using a hammer-drill in the party wall. Sweep went to investigate, and realised that the sound was being made by the two Angela-Cubs, who were still asleep. "That sound is called snoring", said Auntie Angela. "Get used to it".

Sweep had a nice breakfast of milk and toast with jam, and then Auntie Angela helped him to pack his bag. In went his sunglasses and his hat, his iPod - and half a dozen boxes of Hedex and a pair of earplugs for the snoring. He was ready to go.

Almost immediately (it couldn't have been more than a few hours anyway), Auntie Angela was ready too. Uncle Bill had got the cubs out of bed (he has a special pointy stick for that, and a riot shield he got from a police-car boot sale) and they were ready too. 

They loaded the car up, and then unloaded the half of the stuff that wouldn't fit, and loaded the rest a better way. There was almost room for Uncle Bill and Auntie Angela and the cubs! Sweep knew that he had his own special seat up on the dashboard next to Uncle Bill, so he could see out of the window. 

Sweep was getting all ready for the journey now. He didn't have to wait long. The doors closed, everyone put on their seat belts, the car moved forwards a bit, Auntie Angela gave a shriek, the car stopped, Auntie Angela got out and ran back into the house and came back again with her knitting, and at last they set off.

Oh good, thought Sweep. It's only an hour or so until we'll have to stop for afternoon tea! I love holidays!!

Tune in later to see how Sweep enjoys the journey south...