So Dad, the PC has bit the dust? Hope you manage to salvage everthing. For me the challenge is getting the material off our ultra modern panasonic video camera to email. Currently our OS can't support the camera so have to use the old sony camera for now to send email images.
Nic
Friday, April 30, 2004
not cricket
Pete, dan the man bowled me out today from about 4 paces with a leg cutter, looks the part with pamper padded pants and chewing a pacifier, enough to catch out half the zimbabwe team. Still can only really say uh, eh and ball!
Will make a video of us playing cricket tomorrow.
Nic
Will make a video of us playing cricket tomorrow.
Nic
bureaucracy
Singapore got this one sussed. Identity cards, wouldn't go anywhere without it. My card number is the same as my tax reference number is the same as my provident fund number is the same as my driving license number. British system binned here long ago where everything is different. Hey, I also know my blood group and have got a record of my fingerprint incase I loose a digit in an accident. Best thing is, when I move house (even got my address and postcode on my card incase I get too drunk the taxi driver can get me home) only need to inform the neighbourhood bobby and everyone knows my new address. No missed tax returns, appointments etc.
The only funny thing that has happened to me here was one fine day we were returning from a weekend in Indonesia, wife and kids in tow, home beckoning, projects to finish etc. when the immigration officer informed me that my re-entry visa had expired and I was now a visitor on a 14 day pass, same as all the other scum. This also meant that my resident status had expired. I was a drift, no nation? When I got to the immigration office the next day with just a letter from my employer, they were kind enough to renew all on the spot for another five years.
The only funny thing that has happened to me here was one fine day we were returning from a weekend in Indonesia, wife and kids in tow, home beckoning, projects to finish etc. when the immigration officer informed me that my re-entry visa had expired and I was now a visitor on a 14 day pass, same as all the other scum. This also meant that my resident status had expired. I was a drift, no nation? When I got to the immigration office the next day with just a letter from my employer, they were kind enough to renew all on the spot for another five years.
manoir
The list so far.. who's coming.? Tina 1 Mandy and John 3 Val and Neil 5 Julian and Ruth 7 Pete and Jan 9 Josie and Graham 11 Richard and Chris 13 Nic and Jen 15 Gemma and Clive 17 William 18 Cathy and John 20 cousin from Leicester 21 Hugh and Margaret 23 Lenny and Linda 25 Steve and guest 27 plus les enfants Dan Clare Ed Tom Kate Jess Beth Amy and Georgi 'n Jim Colton-Steele Gem and Will's cousins. That's ten herbs. Who have we left out?
DEPOSIT!
We shall be sending a proper mail out to every one this week as Dad and I get organised while Mum is in hospital for a little op (Tuesday)the gist of which is that hurrah we're all going to be together to validate a rare event ie a long and happy marriage and what is now required apart from anyone else suggesting alternative dates ( Robert!) is a non refundable deposit of £30 per adult to secure the booking. By now I trust that all are familiar with what's on offer via the web site www.manoir.com which is going to be very special and something Mum has wanted for a long time a) to have us all together in one room like little chicks running around and b) being spoiled by the lovely young boys at the beautiful Manoir de Quat'Saisons. It's going to cost yes but that's not the point is it. We're all getting... not younger the other one yes?
DEPOSIT!
We shall be sending a proper mail out to every one this week as Dad and I get organised while Mum is in hospital for a little op (Tuesday)the gist of which is that hurrah we're all going to be together to validate a rare event ie a long and happy marriage and what is now required apart from anyone else suggesting alternative dates ( Robert!) is a non refundable deposit of £30 per adult to secure the booking. By now I trust that all are familiar with what's on offer via the web site www.manoir.com which is going to be very special and something Mum has wanted for a long time a) to have us all together in one room like little chicks running around and b) being spoiled by the lovely young boys at the beautiful Manoir de Quat'Saisons. It's going to cost yes but that's not the point is it. We're all getting... not younger the other one yes?
50 years of extreme typing
We have a cd labelled "Mr Merrow-Smith" with quite a bit of stuff zipped up on it by Daren who fixed the pc and saved all the data one time. That's got scanned photos and Nic's videos on it which are fine. Then this cd marked "DIARIES" which Dad has "burned" all by himself.. We can get the images and vid off the mr merrow-smith one and some of the titles off both. I've searched on Google such as "wordperfect to osx" etc and there seems to be a demand for corel to reissue it for the mac. Now I've downloaded maclink so we can view this codes and all but nothing else. So if you click on this link you get text and word perfect codes so maybe some good hearted soul can translate into useable form.. and email back to us. The idea is a seamless transition from pc to mac as the emac Dad's got is such a joy to use after Windows98. Bit of a suprise here as my windows phone can read this .Document Scrap 'FIFTY YEARS OF H...'.shs
WordPerfect
I have sent you an email (presume thats workin!) Apple works may not open them but we will have to translate them into Appleworks... reassured it is not a problem. Have you tried setting the rocker box in the 'open file' window to 'any file' rather than 'Appleworks'? Have you also tried just putting a file on the desktop and double clicking it? If none of this works send me a file and I will conduct various scientific experiments on it.
Whats that bloke doin' with them shoes
Whats that bloke doin' with them shoes
Thursday, April 29, 2004
corel
There's consternation in the camp because the family diary and archives have been typed in using word perfect... any ideas? Some on cd but appleworks not reading it yet. found this on it though.. gorgeous ain't they?
Nothing to say
Hi folks, got to play golf today for a few hours before the funda & ritenin came along. Nothing else new
Nic
Nic
Stand Down
password panic over!Tanks fur de tip!!! Here's some more photos from the weekend and some of the Hazelbank Nature Reserve
steve&mum.JPG
steve&mum.JPG
Essential information..
They should tell you how to do everything here
http://www.apple.com/switch/howto/
hope it covers everything. I also have a phone no. for island computing a nice chap called Mike if you have any problems with wight365. lots of love J
http://www.apple.com/switch/howto/
hope it covers everything. I also have a phone no. for island computing a nice chap called Mike if you have any problems with wight365. lots of love J
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
me new mac
Fanks Ju for this wonderful machine. Thanks to Steve we are now on the map, although I have forgotten all my user names and passwords, except blogger. How do I fine em agin Dada 
Blogging on!!
Hi fellow bloggers
Had to respond to Ruth’s challenge, but it’s taken me a day or so to get round to it. I’ve enjoyed the blogging as a spectator sport, peering over Pete’s shoulder, mostly because we haven’t been onto the internet until way too late in the night for me to trust my brain to do anything right. I’m trying to get something down now, during the morning, and I’ll zap it out later on. Already run into trouble though as I just had to rescue a burnt-out pan with 3 rather overdone hard boiled eggs! Amy is sliding precariously round the house in my slippers and I’m thinking of putting a placard round her neck saying “I dressed myself” absolving me of all responsibility for her choice of clothing! I suppose she may turn out to be a fashion guru one day!
Last night there was a meeting for parents of kids who will start local pre-school in Sept and since Amy is eligible we decided to go and see - we have to enrol her soon to get her a place, and then we’ve got time to think about it all. Didn’t understand much, but Pete collared the Head Teacher afterwards and got some info. We’re really trying with the language but it’s hard to get enough practice in. Pete bought the Spanish version of Trivial Pursuit recently and the 4 of us spent an hilarious evening trying to work out all the questions (and pronunciation) - after about 2 hours we still hadn’t got any slices!!
Not much else of interest to report. Waiting for pay day, Pete marking exams, J&B doing ok at school (including Girl Guides on Mondays, they’re badgering us to let them take on dancing on Tuesdays, and there’s also intermittent horse riding at the weekends), I’ve so far avoided going completely mad being a home mum again, and Amy’s coming on a storm. Oh yes, and there’s the odd bottle of wine to be had cheap - which reminds me that there is one other thing of interest (to us, maybe not to anyone else!) that I nearly forgot. Last Friday evening Pete and I went round to a Spanish teacher colleague’s house - just around the corner, near the central square complete with church and bells chiming on the hour of course. She, Meity, invited staff and others to a drinks and snacks evening in honour of forthcoming marriage this Saturday. Super evening, met her fiancee, his mother (living across the road from them, good job they all get on well) her father, and of course other staff some of whom I hadn’t met before. Interesting mix of people, all speaking much better Spanish than us of course, but we did our bit and it was appreciated.
So that’s my debut blog. I’ll make it shorter next time, promise. Love y’all, Jan
PS: Pete's sent our response to your more recent blogs, but I would just like to volunteer my services to anyone who needs more frugal fare ... I can hard-boil eggs ... very hard.
Had to respond to Ruth’s challenge, but it’s taken me a day or so to get round to it. I’ve enjoyed the blogging as a spectator sport, peering over Pete’s shoulder, mostly because we haven’t been onto the internet until way too late in the night for me to trust my brain to do anything right. I’m trying to get something down now, during the morning, and I’ll zap it out later on. Already run into trouble though as I just had to rescue a burnt-out pan with 3 rather overdone hard boiled eggs! Amy is sliding precariously round the house in my slippers and I’m thinking of putting a placard round her neck saying “I dressed myself” absolving me of all responsibility for her choice of clothing! I suppose she may turn out to be a fashion guru one day!
Last night there was a meeting for parents of kids who will start local pre-school in Sept and since Amy is eligible we decided to go and see - we have to enrol her soon to get her a place, and then we’ve got time to think about it all. Didn’t understand much, but Pete collared the Head Teacher afterwards and got some info. We’re really trying with the language but it’s hard to get enough practice in. Pete bought the Spanish version of Trivial Pursuit recently and the 4 of us spent an hilarious evening trying to work out all the questions (and pronunciation) - after about 2 hours we still hadn’t got any slices!!
Not much else of interest to report. Waiting for pay day, Pete marking exams, J&B doing ok at school (including Girl Guides on Mondays, they’re badgering us to let them take on dancing on Tuesdays, and there’s also intermittent horse riding at the weekends), I’ve so far avoided going completely mad being a home mum again, and Amy’s coming on a storm. Oh yes, and there’s the odd bottle of wine to be had cheap - which reminds me that there is one other thing of interest (to us, maybe not to anyone else!) that I nearly forgot. Last Friday evening Pete and I went round to a Spanish teacher colleague’s house - just around the corner, near the central square complete with church and bells chiming on the hour of course. She, Meity, invited staff and others to a drinks and snacks evening in honour of forthcoming marriage this Saturday. Super evening, met her fiancee, his mother (living across the road from them, good job they all get on well) her father, and of course other staff some of whom I hadn’t met before. Interesting mix of people, all speaking much better Spanish than us of course, but we did our bit and it was appreciated.
So that’s my debut blog. I’ll make it shorter next time, promise. Love y’all, Jan
PS: Pete's sent our response to your more recent blogs, but I would just like to volunteer my services to anyone who needs more frugal fare ... I can hard-boil eggs ... very hard.
Tete D'Oie?
Is this oily head, or am I worse at French than I am at Spanish? Sounds great! We almost called our Landrover "D'Oily Cart", but it didn't drip. We could call our Fiat that though. We'll be doing baked beans on toast tomorrow. If we're lucky!
Hope you are feeling a little more relaxed Mum. Don't suppose you'll be needing any of Ruth's Chateau Crillon vintage tap water for a day or two. In Jo'burg some people bottle the tap water and then sell in Botswana as mineral water at enormously inflated prices, or so they said. No telling what you're drinking these days!
Hope you are feeling a little more relaxed Mum. Don't suppose you'll be needing any of Ruth's Chateau Crillon vintage tap water for a day or two. In Jo'burg some people bottle the tap water and then sell in Botswana as mineral water at enormously inflated prices, or so they said. No telling what you're drinking these days!
Thanks to Tom
What a lovely comment Tom. Coming from you that will mean so much to Julian. Needless to say it also means a lot to us Welcome to our little band.
From Tom Phillips
hello ruth & especially julian
went to the royal portrait socs annual dinner and view last night and was very pleased to see the pictures. self portrait looked good but the picture of someone called ruth was really excellent and one of the very best things in the exhibition...a brilliant and thoughtful and honest bit of painting ..congratulations
love from tom
went to the royal portrait socs annual dinner and view last night and was very pleased to see the pictures. self portrait looked good but the picture of someone called ruth was really excellent and one of the very best things in the exhibition...a brilliant and thoughtful and honest bit of painting ..congratulations
love from tom
Trouble down below
We were lucky enough to get to see a Genito-Urinary Specialist, yesterday as Mum has trouble in the water works department and she was afraid that there was something ‘wrong’
She thought she had cystitis or polyps, but our Surgeon thought it was no worse than a small constriction of the urethra which did not allow the bladder to empty fully. Today she has been booked in for a full body scan and on the results of that, Mr. Makunde will carry out a small op. next Tuesday, to increase the flow. Today she is a bit sorry for herself as she has to go without breakfast and drink enough water to present a full bladder, at 12.30
She thought she had cystitis or polyps, but our Surgeon thought it was no worse than a small constriction of the urethra which did not allow the bladder to empty fully. Today she has been booked in for a full body scan and on the results of that, Mr. Makunde will carry out a small op. next Tuesday, to increase the flow. Today she is a bit sorry for herself as she has to go without breakfast and drink enough water to present a full bladder, at 12.30
rainy lyon
julian told me he'd bogged you all about our meal but i don't see it up so suffice it to say that it was the sort of place where not only did they announce the year of the burgundy but they also, in all seriousness, announced the badois fizzy water too. it was lovely to see julian being treated (dinner equals artistic presentation, tlc, and a superb adventure in flavours) as he treats me most evenings. he gets a raw deal most mealtimes but that's mostly because, unless monsieur Tete d'oie is in charge with his michelin star, Julian likes to be.
meanwhile Pete, we will have to exchange Botswana versus India stories one day: thatnks for the birth certificate tale.
To Blog or not to Blog. that is the question
Love
Ruth
meanwhile Pete, we will have to exchange Botswana versus India stories one day: thatnks for the birth certificate tale.
To Blog or not to Blog. that is the question
Love
Ruth
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Monday, April 26, 2004
five confirmed
Got a message from Josie that she and Graham will be coming in October plus two from Gloucester and one from Leicester. So Dad how many is that now? See you tomorrow.
Sunny Lyon
Nice and warm here, hope its as nice chez vous papa, you have a big package about to arrive think of it as late birthday prezzie, make sure one of you are around over next 24 hrs. Enjoy.
Nice to see you hooked up Nic, keep the news flowing you can load up your videos as well for us all to see (I think) so give it a try.
Lots of love J
Nice to see you hooked up Nic, keep the news flowing you can load up your videos as well for us all to see (I think) so give it a try.
Lots of love J
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Puntucation no limit.....to Bureaucracy!
Hi Nic, nice to hear you are still so slim! By the way, being able to speil or puncturate is no prereckwisit for blogging, it seems. I can do it correctly sometimes but battle with this small keyboard and my +78kg sausage fingers. Played cricket today to try to run off a few pounds....unfortunately you don't run off a pound with each run you score; and even if you did it's hardly worth checking the scales tonight. Did bowl someone out though.
And Ruth, I hope you won't be bologging anyone else or whatever it was. Remember, we haven't even met yet! Although French bureaucracy must be enough to make anyone punch away at the keys we've yet to experience anywhere like Botswana. One day I'll tell you about the yard door...sings.."Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.." But for present, let me tell of Amy's birth certificate!
For this I had to pay the princely sum of about three pence. But it took several weeks and several 60 miles round trips as, having entered the correct details with the clerk, it had to be sent 240 miles away to be typed up. When it eventually was returned it had a mistake on it. I explained this to the clerk who took it round to the Roads Department and had a brand new one typed up without mistakes. He came back in less than seven minutes. "Why couldn't we have done this six weeks ago?" asked I. "Ah!" says he, "This was typed by the Secretary for the Roads Department. Normally she only does driving licences. The secretary for the 'Registrar for Births, Marriages and Deaths' is in Francistown!" C'est la vie!
And Ruth, I hope you won't be bologging anyone else or whatever it was. Remember, we haven't even met yet! Although French bureaucracy must be enough to make anyone punch away at the keys we've yet to experience anywhere like Botswana. One day I'll tell you about the yard door...sings.."Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.." But for present, let me tell of Amy's birth certificate!
For this I had to pay the princely sum of about three pence. But it took several weeks and several 60 miles round trips as, having entered the correct details with the clerk, it had to be sent 240 miles away to be typed up. When it eventually was returned it had a mistake on it. I explained this to the clerk who took it round to the Roads Department and had a brand new one typed up without mistakes. He came back in less than seven minutes. "Why couldn't we have done this six weeks ago?" asked I. "Ah!" says he, "This was typed by the Secretary for the Roads Department. Normally she only does driving licences. The secretary for the 'Registrar for Births, Marriages and Deaths' is in Francistown!" C'est la vie!
REST DAY
It is 5.30pm and we have come in from the garden. Not as good as yesterday but you have to take it when it's there. I think an evening in is called for. Hugh
What's in a title?
Dan has been grunting that by October he should be about ready to try some of that foreign food, even managed to trick him with a french fry today. Jen says she will also be coming along to keep me and Claire company. We will try to post some news on a regular basis.
Nic, 68kg, still gets to play golf once or twice a month. Jen, <68kg, looking to pass her driving test before the year is out, Claire, 21.5kg, 108cm, 4 yrs 5 mths, in 1st year kindergarten, can write her own name, count up to 29, well on the route to being billingual, Daniel, 11.5 kg, 80cm, 1yr 4 mths, can run and hide, almost walk down steps unaided, can say "ball" (only?) and is learning the art of cricket.
Goodnight
Nic, 68kg, still gets to play golf once or twice a month. Jen, <68kg, looking to pass her driving test before the year is out, Claire, 21.5kg, 108cm, 4 yrs 5 mths, in 1st year kindergarten, can write her own name, count up to 29, well on the route to being billingual, Daniel, 11.5 kg, 80cm, 1yr 4 mths, can run and hide, almost walk down steps unaided, can say "ball" (only?) and is learning the art of cricket.
Goodnight
Permanent-red
Hi folks, bed time here, but just to let you know we also sort of techno savvy but can't spell or punctuate.
Some of us gals is feeling a bit bushed after a hectic night out last night. Never mind we had a good time and it was lovely to see Steve unwind listeneing to a very good band playing all the old Kinks numbers. Loud but everyone was up on the dance floor. love to all you gals and to the boyz as well. With choice of four carveries I dont think we need eat for a week. Love from Margaret or Mum, or grandma or Nana.
c'mon girls
hey gals, where are you all? Jan. Margaret. Cathy, Gemma...c'mon annd blog with the boyz. i'm all alone here.
Ryde Lions 34th Charter Dinner
We all had a lovely time at the dinner last night. Steve came with us and he very kindly kept the attention of a lovely German lady who came to the IOW eight years ago then came back and bought a B&B in 1998. She and her partner are both Lions, (as am I) This was a time to let your hair down as you will see from the photos. We cried for you Ruthy what naughty, naughty men.
Enjoy your gastromic outing today. Lyon is noted for its food. What you need is some TLC. We also had a lovely meal last night. Enjoy. Love H&M
Enjoy your gastromic outing today. Lyon is noted for its food. What you need is some TLC. We also had a lovely meal last night. Enjoy. Love H&M
the golden hour
poor ruth.. how we suffer for art. anyway sour milk basically jogurt, which is very good for you. frogs..what do they know? View from room next to bathroom.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
lyon dispatch
hi everyone. nice photos.sorry to hear about all your ailments hugh and margaret.
here's a story about french bureaucracy (however you spell that). today i went to paris for a seminar, having got a cheapo ticket a three in the morning on the internet. for some reason my printer (not me) printed two copies of the way out and none of the return, and the return was rather important because i had a perf in lyon in the evening. in the gare de lyon 3 out of 3 official sncf people "could not help" me and, despite the fact that i had a reference number and they had about 100 computers and printers in their 'guichet' they just feigned ignorance and told me i had to find an internet cafe. this they told me was."..." and they waved their hands in a very french manner. so i sacrificed my planned relaxed coffee and croissant - drinking in the paris vibe - in favour of rushing round the bastille tring to find a cafe with cyber-access and weeping and leaving hysterical messages for julian. no luck so julian (who i hope is painting and not eating and drinking to much in preparation for the gastro experience i have lined up for him here) kindly cut, pasted and emailed me the thing and i picked it up in the seminar (nice sushi a bit rushed)lunch break. the really silly thing was that, when i so triumphantly produced the document which had caused so much distress in the train they told me it was not valid without the adverts for yahoo.com on it. yes the trains leave and arrive on time but there is a price to pay if you want to be understood as a human being.
meanwhile we had a terrible review for our little marionette opera which said that some of the violin playing was so bad it would turn milk sour. people get paid for writing things like that. our number 2 fiddle (who plays really well) was crying all the way through tonights performance. anyway must get beauty sleep as hub arrives tomorrow. we never speak to eachother any more in the evenings as we are both so busy bolgging you. is this a good thing? love, ruthxxxx
here's a story about french bureaucracy (however you spell that). today i went to paris for a seminar, having got a cheapo ticket a three in the morning on the internet. for some reason my printer (not me) printed two copies of the way out and none of the return, and the return was rather important because i had a perf in lyon in the evening. in the gare de lyon 3 out of 3 official sncf people "could not help" me and, despite the fact that i had a reference number and they had about 100 computers and printers in their 'guichet' they just feigned ignorance and told me i had to find an internet cafe. this they told me was."..." and they waved their hands in a very french manner. so i sacrificed my planned relaxed coffee and croissant - drinking in the paris vibe - in favour of rushing round the bastille tring to find a cafe with cyber-access and weeping and leaving hysterical messages for julian. no luck so julian (who i hope is painting and not eating and drinking to much in preparation for the gastro experience i have lined up for him here) kindly cut, pasted and emailed me the thing and i picked it up in the seminar (nice sushi a bit rushed)lunch break. the really silly thing was that, when i so triumphantly produced the document which had caused so much distress in the train they told me it was not valid without the adverts for yahoo.com on it. yes the trains leave and arrive on time but there is a price to pay if you want to be understood as a human being.
meanwhile we had a terrible review for our little marionette opera which said that some of the violin playing was so bad it would turn milk sour. people get paid for writing things like that. our number 2 fiddle (who plays really well) was crying all the way through tonights performance. anyway must get beauty sleep as hub arrives tomorrow. we never speak to eachother any more in the evenings as we are both so busy bolgging you. is this a good thing? love, ruthxxxx
The Spanish Merrow-Smiths
Fairly recent portraits for anyone who wants to set up a family tree web page!
Further Instructions
Once you press browse it will open a 'Your Computer' window showing your hard disc and stuff, select Desktop or Pictures; wherever the file you want to upload is,( dont make no difference what its called, so leave the rename bit, thats just so you dont overwrite a previous version of the file 'cos the distant computer - in Philidelphia somewhere - where the web files are stored, works just the same as yours, but cos its distant it wont be able to say to you - "There is an older version of this file are you sure you want to replace it?") You just need to click Upload file and hang on for 1- 2 mins then it will ask you to preview it like normal posts and if like Peters it was going about 4ft off the screen do it again but smaller!
mac at hazelbank
am able to connect to Dad's internet, but there are problems posting photos.. which is a bit annoying.
iPhoto instructions..
highlight your picture in the iPhoto 'Photo Library', (it should have a blue border when highlighted) then select 'Export" from the file drop down menu (or shift>apple key>E on keyboard) In the window which opens set the Format rocker from 'original' to 'jpg', click the radio button which says 'Scale images no larger than..' and set the width to 500 tick the 'Use extension' radio button and save to your desktop. Open blogger page>post>browse folder and upload as 'inline' hey Presto!
That was some bathroom..
I will show you mine later though it's a bit against the sun and me batteries have run out (in more ways than one)
Re:Photo's, IPhoto will of couse do it as well, just keep photo's to say 500-600 pixels wide, thats about 80% the width of the main column.
Keep em coming, lots of love J
Re:Photo's, IPhoto will of couse do it as well, just keep photo's to say 500-600 pixels wide, thats about 80% the width of the main column.
Keep em coming, lots of love J
Not bad for a first try!
I'll have a go at the graphics converter. Sorry if I blocked up the system. I was just trying it out!
Friday, April 23, 2004
urm thats what's supposed to happen
and I would further add you should download an image editor called Graphic Converter which will enable you quickly and easily to edit the SIZE OF PHOTO'S LIKE WHAT I JUST DID TO YOURS!!! sorry for shouting. You can have my registration code and stuff, or it works free with certain limitations.
Bookmark
Steve, while in Safari I just created a bookmark for merrow-smith.org. Whenever I access the internet, safari gives me a quick access to the blog. When I've accessed it and checked for new news, i click the Blogger box and I'm sent a page to compose a new post. Does this happen to you? I'm all agog!
A (bath)Room with a View
What's all this bathroom stuff? When you turn the lights out in our bathroom it all goes dark. This is an apartment, you know. We may have three bedrooms on the outside but on the inside its all extractor fans and smelling salts. How do you post a photograph anyway? To me it sounds like you have a different screen in view to what I have!
Sorry to hear about the troubles Pop. Good to hear you have a no. one son riding shotgun. If sun is needed, don't hesitate to come over here. It's coming into hayfever season here and chaps at school are already feeling the pollen. Apparently it is all gone by end of June. Haven't told Jan yet!! She suffers from time to time. That's a good reason for moving countries. You get a year's grace in each until the pollen works out your defences. Ho hum.
This is a laugh a day isn't it? Anyone know any publishers to send my book to?
Please note that the following picture is from our old Portugal bathroom window, not our Spanish one, which, as I indicated before, has no windows!
Pete
Sorry to hear about the troubles Pop. Good to hear you have a no. one son riding shotgun. If sun is needed, don't hesitate to come over here. It's coming into hayfever season here and chaps at school are already feeling the pollen. Apparently it is all gone by end of June. Haven't told Jan yet!! She suffers from time to time. That's a good reason for moving countries. You get a year's grace in each until the pollen works out your defences. Ho hum.
This is a laugh a day isn't it? Anyone know any publishers to send my book to?
Please note that the following picture is from our old Portugal bathroom window, not our Spanish one, which, as I indicated before, has no windows!
Pete
Build it and they will come
Nice little email tonight asking me if I want to put paintings forward for a new palace for some ruling families in the Gulf.. Saddam who? Just joking (about Saddam) I quite fancy a few of those 30' by 20' headshots ( £1 a square inch equals urmm... beaucoup as they say in the old boulangerie) no straight up.
Its a bit dark out the bathroom window so I wont put up a photo.
nite nite J
Its a bit dark out the bathroom window so I wont put up a photo.
nite nite J
Thanks for your concern, Pete. It is old man's troubles. 1. chest, Cronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD), which means that I have bubbling in my chest, causing me to cough and shortage of breath after a five mile walk up hill. 2.. circulatory problems./night cramps (CI). Heavy legs that don't like walking up said hill. (hardening of the arteries) but which I must try to do.
3. enlarged prostate (PSA) which causes the 'Godfrey' syndrome. ie many trips to the loo and which could/may turn into prostate cancer. I have to have six-monthly blood tests. At the moment it is not critical but if/when it becomes so I will have to have some sort of treatment, but we don't think about that. Dr. says many men have prostate troubles at late age and most of them do not die of cancer, as by the time they reach mid eighties they die of something else - pnuemonia, bronchitis, heart, liver, kidneys, strokes etc. Cheerful innit.
Mum also has troubles, which we don't talk about. She also has CI and now Dr. has found a polyps near the exit to the urethra, which he hopes is benign. She also has, as you know, a stress syndrome which affects her electrolytes. Lack of sodium, potassium etc. , plus she has a cholesterol problem which gives rise to fears of strokes.
Most of the above are being controlled by drugs, tablets, but occasionally, like last week, one of us gets something not on our list. I had a particularly nasty flu which knocked me sideways, just as I ought to be feeling better in the lovely Springtime. Steve is a brick and is doing his best to look after us, so no worries yet. We loved Jessica's blog. We hope to be fit for the 13/10 love from Dad
3. enlarged prostate (PSA) which causes the 'Godfrey' syndrome. ie many trips to the loo and which could/may turn into prostate cancer. I have to have six-monthly blood tests. At the moment it is not critical but if/when it becomes so I will have to have some sort of treatment, but we don't think about that. Dr. says many men have prostate troubles at late age and most of them do not die of cancer, as by the time they reach mid eighties they die of something else - pnuemonia, bronchitis, heart, liver, kidneys, strokes etc. Cheerful innit.
Mum also has troubles, which we don't talk about. She also has CI and now Dr. has found a polyps near the exit to the urethra, which he hopes is benign. She also has, as you know, a stress syndrome which affects her electrolytes. Lack of sodium, potassium etc. , plus she has a cholesterol problem which gives rise to fears of strokes.
Most of the above are being controlled by drugs, tablets, but occasionally, like last week, one of us gets something not on our list. I had a particularly nasty flu which knocked me sideways, just as I ought to be feeling better in the lovely Springtime. Steve is a brick and is doing his best to look after us, so no worries yet. We loved Jessica's blog. We hope to be fit for the 13/10 love from Dad
Okay, back to top buttons put in during lunch break.. you will find them next to comment humorously labeled.. going up. Back to the still life set-up.
By the way would you like to have the option to title your pieces? I think is switched off at the moment.. quiet here innit?
Ps. what about Peters bathroom view?
By the way would you like to have the option to title your pieces? I think is switched off at the moment.. quiet here innit?
Ps. what about Peters bathroom view?
attention all oxford bloggers. do you know anyone who might have a room available to rent cheaply in oxford for july or august. it could be in exchange for looking after kids, old folk ( steve?) or indeed for an apartment in guadaloupe. it's for my friend who lives in guadaloupe and whose boyfriend has to be in oxford for a month to finish his thesis. any ideas??? meanwhile keep up the tearjerkers and say hi to the sea, both iow and costa blanca......ruthxx
Thursday, April 22, 2004
What a fab surprise to see this phenomenenememon come to life like this.. it's . . all. . . a . bit . . .oh dear HANKIE! Spall chocker is hindi. J.. what about a blogger button at the top of the page. on the smart phone I need to scroll to the bottom to post. The comment buttons don't work either but guess that's down to the cut down windows package on this thing.. To post a message I have to go to www.blogger.com n'est pas? Want to know if it's just african drumming that Ruth is keen on... hello my little senorittas on the costa blanca. Uk oxford posse is cool and wicked...I think and me uncle steve this week is mainly shifting tomatoes to Waitrose ah shoppers heaven. staying on the Island until end of April. I go across to Portsmouth on the ferry every day and back again. there's nothing like a bit of variety. vierity. a change. Night night everybody
hello all you merrow-smiths. you.re really going at it. it makes my family seem very strange in their four non communicative corners of the earth. anyway i.ve finally figured out how to do it and , i have to say i think my husband has done a fine job in setting this up. will i get to meet pete and family finally in october? i will be working in glyndebourne so perhaps you can all make a dress rehearsal? ive seen the delicious children on video in africa drumming their hearts out. julian will tell you i,m rather partial to african drumming and talk about it rather a lot.
anyway here i am in lyon, had my beer alone in the cafe after our second night. and glad to have you all to talk to in this funny hotel. it,s a great show with lovely marionettes on clouds singing belting out haydn arias. kids seem to be ecxtatic about it. the band is good, with the xeption of my kamakaze desk partner who just plods on regardless of phrasing or anything so i am playing very quietly most of the time to compensate.
at the weekend julian is coming and we have some serious eating planned. i have been saving my subsistence and calories. sometimes i guess there are advantages to not having children¦
lots of love to you all, ruthxxx
anyway here i am in lyon, had my beer alone in the cafe after our second night. and glad to have you all to talk to in this funny hotel. it,s a great show with lovely marionettes on clouds singing belting out haydn arias. kids seem to be ecxtatic about it. the band is good, with the xeption of my kamakaze desk partner who just plods on regardless of phrasing or anything so i am playing very quietly most of the time to compensate.
at the weekend julian is coming and we have some serious eating planned. i have been saving my subsistence and calories. sometimes i guess there are advantages to not having children¦
lots of love to you all, ruthxxx
Funny comments for a sweetie? (Nearly posted as a sweatie!!)
Thanks to Bethany the film called The Slipper and the Rose is now known in our household as "The Slipper and the Sock"!
After watching 'Fiddler on the Roof' our middle child (is that Beth? I hear you ask) inadvertently started singing.....wait for this one!.....
"Watchmaker..watchmaker....er no; matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match!"
Meanwhile Amy, who heard us singing "For you are..For you are...For you are good to me" in church, associated George, the cook who worked in the restaurant under our apartment in Messines, with the song. She now sings "George you are good, George you are good, George you are good to me," and her confused teddy bear is also now no longer called Joshua but Georgejewar!
There are others but in fairness to my daughters, whose future husbands may one day hack into this electronic billboard, I'd better hold back. Needless to say I have already let the pigeons out of the bag!! (Ha, ha!)
Thanks to Bethany the film called The Slipper and the Rose is now known in our household as "The Slipper and the Sock"!
After watching 'Fiddler on the Roof' our middle child (is that Beth? I hear you ask) inadvertently started singing.....wait for this one!.....
"Watchmaker..watchmaker....er no; matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match!"
Meanwhile Amy, who heard us singing "For you are..For you are...For you are good to me" in church, associated George, the cook who worked in the restaurant under our apartment in Messines, with the song. She now sings "George you are good, George you are good, George you are good to me," and her confused teddy bear is also now no longer called Joshua but Georgejewar!
There are others but in fairness to my daughters, whose future husbands may one day hack into this electronic billboard, I'd better hold back. Needless to say I have already let the pigeons out of the bag!! (Ha, ha!)
Well I would just like to thank everyone for their excitement, I think you can already see the possibilities, even if the initial excitement dies down, even publishing once a week or so will mean we can really keep in touch in a communal way, (daily is fine!!!). There are plenty of tools here, it is very simple to upload pictures or video's, the thing has a spell check (urm cricital..) and it is totally customisable. This whole thing is designed by me (bow down) with the expertise that I developed in building mine and subsequently other's sites so we can do what we want. Do not hesitate to ask me about technical issues.
And do not forget you can respond to people by clicking on the comment link at the bottom of every entry. Ruth who can't seem to get on the blog system has left some response to you Peter, so lets keep this interactive.. to quote Dad 'What Fun' Love y'all J
And do not forget you can respond to people by clicking on the comment link at the bottom of every entry. Ruth who can't seem to get on the blog system has left some response to you Peter, so lets keep this interactive.. to quote Dad 'What Fun' Love y'all J
Lovely to hear from you Jess. We are waiting for the time when Kate gets online with her funny comments. Cathy told us she said was "What you are looking at are the contents of a ladies under-belly" what she meant we do not know!!
When Cathy asked Thomas what he wanted for Christmas, he said "I dont know, you're the Mummy, you should know". Each funny story gets a sweet from the bucket!! Dad
When Cathy asked Thomas what he wanted for Christmas, he said "I dont know, you're the Mummy, you should know". Each funny story gets a sweet from the bucket!! Dad
Hi everybody,
how are you? We are fine and can’t wait to see you in October. Things are great here and school is fine. I’m gonna have my new friends over tomorrow to meet mum and they can all have the chance to laugh at our flat cos I’ve heard that one of them has a house with three stories!
Hi Nana and Grandad - lovely to here about the get together and cant wait to see you both!
Hi Uncle Steve - Love to Gemma and William and hope your all ok.
Uncle Julian - Will you paint my portrait when we see you next! Lotsa luv
Hi Uncle Nic - We havent seen you for a long time and look forward to the time when we can see you all again. How’s Singapore? Love to all
Great to use this Blogger system - Dad had this great big smile and said “We have our own private Family web!” My class has been set two science tests by him since we arrived and I cant get used to calling him “Mr. Merrow-Smith!”
Amy is growing very quickly and already reaches my belly-button. She’s using the loo now and perhaps sometimes too independently! Mum and Beth are fine and we’re getting used to living in Spain.
Lots of love from Jessica
how are you? We are fine and can’t wait to see you in October. Things are great here and school is fine. I’m gonna have my new friends over tomorrow to meet mum and they can all have the chance to laugh at our flat cos I’ve heard that one of them has a house with three stories!
Hi Nana and Grandad - lovely to here about the get together and cant wait to see you both!
Hi Uncle Steve - Love to Gemma and William and hope your all ok.
Uncle Julian - Will you paint my portrait when we see you next! Lotsa luv
Hi Uncle Nic - We havent seen you for a long time and look forward to the time when we can see you all again. How’s Singapore? Love to all
Great to use this Blogger system - Dad had this great big smile and said “We have our own private Family web!” My class has been set two science tests by him since we arrived and I cant get used to calling him “Mr. Merrow-Smith!”
Amy is growing very quickly and already reaches my belly-button. She’s using the loo now and perhaps sometimes too independently! Mum and Beth are fine and we’re getting used to living in Spain.
Lots of love from Jessica
Hi everybody,
how are you? We are fine and can’t wait to see you in October. Things are great here and school is fine. I’m gonna have my new friends over tomorrow to meet mum and they can all have the chance to laugh at our flat cos I’ve heard that one of them has a house with three stories!
Hi Nana and Grandad - lovely to here about the get together and cant wait to see you both!
Hi Uncle Steve - Love to Gemma and William and hope your all ok.
Uncle Julian - Will you paint my portrait when we see you next! Lotsa luv
Hi Uncle Nic - We havent seen you for a long time and look forward to the time when we can see you all again. How’s Singapore? Love to all
Great to use this Blogger system - Dad had this great big smile and said “We have our own private Family web!” My class has been set two science tests by him since we arrived and I cant get used to calling him “Mr. Merrow-Smith!”
Amy is growing very quickly and already reaches my belly-button. She’s using the loo now and perhaps sometimes too independently! Mum and Beth are fine and we’re getting used to living in Spain.
Lots of love from Jessica
how are you? We are fine and can’t wait to see you in October. Things are great here and school is fine. I’m gonna have my new friends over tomorrow to meet mum and they can all have the chance to laugh at our flat cos I’ve heard that one of them has a house with three stories!
Hi Nana and Grandad - lovely to here about the get together and cant wait to see you both!
Hi Uncle Steve - Love to Gemma and William and hope your all ok.
Uncle Julian - Will you paint my portrait when we see you next! Lotsa luv
Hi Uncle Nic - We havent seen you for a long time and look forward to the time when we can see you all again. How’s Singapore? Love to all
Great to use this Blogger system - Dad had this great big smile and said “We have our own private Family web!” My class has been set two science tests by him since we arrived and I cant get used to calling him “Mr. Merrow-Smith!”
Amy is growing very quickly and already reaches my belly-button. She’s using the loo now and perhaps sometimes too independently! Mum and Beth are fine and we’re getting used to living in Spain.
Lots of love from Jessica
Merrow-Smith Family. 2003 Information for the Old Thamensians:
STEPHEN Born in Haddenham on 13th October 1954 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1968-73, where he won art prizes. Before taking his ‘A’ level exams he left school to become M.D.for popular singer Ivor Emmanuel. After a few years of playing drums in holiday camps,theatres etc., he married Barbara, who was an electric bass player and together they found joint employment in the music scene. Wanting a more permanent outlet for his music talents he joined the Army and was Principal Percussionist with the band of the Royal Corps of Transport, playing at all the “horsey” local and international shows. He also travelled to the Far East (Hong Kong) and later to Jordan with the Queen and Prince Phillip. They have two children Gemma (born in 1977) and William (born in 1980) Returning to civilian life both he and Barbara were regular members of the Chinnor Silver Band as well as playing in dance bands etc. After the death of his wife Barbara from leukemia in 1998, he enrolled for an Art Foundation Course at Oxford FE College. Went on to High Wycombe College of FE, where he graduated with a B.A (Hons) degree (2;1) in Fine Art. Hopes to take up art professionally. Having learned to drive large lorries in the RCT he has a useful string to his bow and is currently (2004) doing contract agency work on articulated delivery lories, mostly at night, to give him time during the day to follow his artistic profession.
CATHY Born in Haddenham on 26th July 1956 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1969-74, where she won art and needlework prizes. Graduated with a B.A.(First Class HonoursDegree) in Embroidery/Textiles from Goldsmiths College in 1978, she lived in Peckham and joined a group of artists in Metropolitan Wharfe, Wapping Wall, where they had regular Studio 22 exhibitions. After a short career in costume work for various tv ad companies and until his death, for Patrick Heron, where she hung banners designed by him in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. She now lives in Wales with partner John Roberts and their three children. Edmund, (1981), Thomas (1983), Kate (1985)
JULIAN Born in Haddenham on 24th February 1959 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from 1971- 78. Did an Art Foundation Course at Banbury School of Art. Graduated from Wolverhampton College with a B.A(Hons). Now lives in Crillon-le-Brave in Provence where he has a studio. Married to Ruth, a cellist with the Glyndebourne Touring Opera Orchestra, whose father is Tom Phillips R.A. Julian is a full time artist. You can find him on his website; stillives.com He has been commissioned to paint still-life paintings which now hang in the Brittannia Restaurant of the new Queen Mary2. .
NICHOLAS Born in Haddenham on 27th October 1960 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1973-80. Did an Art Foundation Course at Banbury School of Art and after gaining his B.A.(Hons) at Wolverhampton went on to graduate from High Wycombe College with an M.A in Furniture design. He entered the commercial world of furniture design and interior design in England and now lives in Singapore where he married Dr.Jen-Hwei Sng D Ph. and has two children. Claire, born 27th November 1999 and Daniel, born 11th December 2001. He works for a Planning and Design Co. in Singapore.
PETER Born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire on 21st December 1963 and went to LWUS from1974 - 82. A keen rugby and tennis player he went to the University of Wales and graduated from UCNW in Bangor, North Wales with a B.Sc (Hons) in Botany. After two years field work in Ecuador, he returned to U.K. and married fellow OT Janet Rowe. In 1994 they took their (then) two children Jessica born in Aylesbury, Bucks on 6th September 1991 and Bethany, born in Oxford on 14th March 1993, to Botswana where they lived in the diamond mining town of Orapa. Pete taught at the Secondary school and Janet taught music at one of the Debswana mine’s schools. After the birth of their third daughter, Amy, they then moved to the British School of the Algarve, in Lagoa, Portugal. The transition from Africa to Portugal was not without its problems and the school always found it difficult to keep up their student numbers with a consequence that there was no guarantee of income. Janet taught marimba in the junior school, where they successfully built their own instruments. Lived in Sao Bartolomeo de Messines until February 2004, when Pete was appointed to the English School in Alfarze del Pi, in Costa Blanca, Spain
GEMMA Born in Thornaby-on-Tees on 23rd March 1977 and later went to LWUS in Thame Oxon from1988-95. Graduated from Brunell University in Chalfont St Giles. Worked as a buyer at HMV in Oxford. Moved to Open University office in Boars Hill.
WILLIAM Born in Aldershot on 2nd Febrauary 1980 and later went to LWUS in Thame Oxon from 1991-88. After leaving school he worked for a short spell with Blackwells and he is now to be found in Borders in St. Michael’s Street, learning the book trade.
STEPHEN Born in Haddenham on 13th October 1954 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1968-73, where he won art prizes. Before taking his ‘A’ level exams he left school to become M.D.for popular singer Ivor Emmanuel. After a few years of playing drums in holiday camps,theatres etc., he married Barbara, who was an electric bass player and together they found joint employment in the music scene. Wanting a more permanent outlet for his music talents he joined the Army and was Principal Percussionist with the band of the Royal Corps of Transport, playing at all the “horsey” local and international shows. He also travelled to the Far East (Hong Kong) and later to Jordan with the Queen and Prince Phillip. They have two children Gemma (born in 1977) and William (born in 1980) Returning to civilian life both he and Barbara were regular members of the Chinnor Silver Band as well as playing in dance bands etc. After the death of his wife Barbara from leukemia in 1998, he enrolled for an Art Foundation Course at Oxford FE College. Went on to High Wycombe College of FE, where he graduated with a B.A (Hons) degree (2;1) in Fine Art. Hopes to take up art professionally. Having learned to drive large lorries in the RCT he has a useful string to his bow and is currently (2004) doing contract agency work on articulated delivery lories, mostly at night, to give him time during the day to follow his artistic profession.
CATHY Born in Haddenham on 26th July 1956 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1969-74, where she won art and needlework prizes. Graduated with a B.A.(First Class HonoursDegree) in Embroidery/Textiles from Goldsmiths College in 1978, she lived in Peckham and joined a group of artists in Metropolitan Wharfe, Wapping Wall, where they had regular Studio 22 exhibitions. After a short career in costume work for various tv ad companies and until his death, for Patrick Heron, where she hung banners designed by him in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. She now lives in Wales with partner John Roberts and their three children. Edmund, (1981), Thomas (1983), Kate (1985)
JULIAN Born in Haddenham on 24th February 1959 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from 1971- 78. Did an Art Foundation Course at Banbury School of Art. Graduated from Wolverhampton College with a B.A(Hons). Now lives in Crillon-le-Brave in Provence where he has a studio. Married to Ruth, a cellist with the Glyndebourne Touring Opera Orchestra, whose father is Tom Phillips R.A. Julian is a full time artist. You can find him on his website; stillives.com He has been commissioned to paint still-life paintings which now hang in the Brittannia Restaurant of the new Queen Mary2. .
NICHOLAS Born in Haddenham on 27th October 1960 and went to LWUS in Thame, Oxon from1973-80. Did an Art Foundation Course at Banbury School of Art and after gaining his B.A.(Hons) at Wolverhampton went on to graduate from High Wycombe College with an M.A in Furniture design. He entered the commercial world of furniture design and interior design in England and now lives in Singapore where he married Dr.Jen-Hwei Sng D Ph. and has two children. Claire, born 27th November 1999 and Daniel, born 11th December 2001. He works for a Planning and Design Co. in Singapore.
PETER Born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire on 21st December 1963 and went to LWUS from1974 - 82. A keen rugby and tennis player he went to the University of Wales and graduated from UCNW in Bangor, North Wales with a B.Sc (Hons) in Botany. After two years field work in Ecuador, he returned to U.K. and married fellow OT Janet Rowe. In 1994 they took their (then) two children Jessica born in Aylesbury, Bucks on 6th September 1991 and Bethany, born in Oxford on 14th March 1993, to Botswana where they lived in the diamond mining town of Orapa. Pete taught at the Secondary school and Janet taught music at one of the Debswana mine’s schools. After the birth of their third daughter, Amy, they then moved to the British School of the Algarve, in Lagoa, Portugal. The transition from Africa to Portugal was not without its problems and the school always found it difficult to keep up their student numbers with a consequence that there was no guarantee of income. Janet taught marimba in the junior school, where they successfully built their own instruments. Lived in Sao Bartolomeo de Messines until February 2004, when Pete was appointed to the English School in Alfarze del Pi, in Costa Blanca, Spain
GEMMA Born in Thornaby-on-Tees on 23rd March 1977 and later went to LWUS in Thame Oxon from1988-95. Graduated from Brunell University in Chalfont St Giles. Worked as a buyer at HMV in Oxford. Moved to Open University office in Boars Hill.
WILLIAM Born in Aldershot on 2nd Febrauary 1980 and later went to LWUS in Thame Oxon from 1991-88. After leaving school he worked for a short spell with Blackwells and he is now to be found in Borders in St. Michael’s Street, learning the book trade.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Dear Julian, I'm a bit late getting onto the blog as I have been pursuing Spanish broadband (ADSL). This took all my time (Mac seem not to be so well catered for out here) and ultimately I've had to send it back. I will go via a different company who are more Mac friendly.
All is well at this end, although life is never easy in the slow lane. Things take forever to happen and if it seems such an age since I last made contact with anyone it isn't because I don't love you all, but that there is not much to report. We bought some wine yesterday....that sort of thing.
Having said this, I wrote a book a couple of years ago that Dad read and loved. Maybe I can get you all to read this!! I am working on a second one and if anyone else sees any potential in them, I'll consider contacting a publisher...only I'm not one for negative feedback and don't have balls enough to contact an agent and ask what they think! Man or mouse? Hey, give me that cheese.
Look forward to reading more when this doesn't cost an arm and a leg. i.e. once I do get onto broadband....in Spanish. Como está??
All is well at this end, although life is never easy in the slow lane. Things take forever to happen and if it seems such an age since I last made contact with anyone it isn't because I don't love you all, but that there is not much to report. We bought some wine yesterday....that sort of thing.
Having said this, I wrote a book a couple of years ago that Dad read and loved. Maybe I can get you all to read this!! I am working on a second one and if anyone else sees any potential in them, I'll consider contacting a publisher...only I'm not one for negative feedback and don't have balls enough to contact an agent and ask what they think! Man or mouse? Hey, give me that cheese.
Look forward to reading more when this doesn't cost an arm and a leg. i.e. once I do get onto broadband....in Spanish. Como está??
There seems to be a little problem with the archiving which I am trying to work out it links back to the wrong page, no need to use it at the moment as all this will be archived once a month so at the minute the archive is the same as this - if you get my drift. You've got a pressy on the way da!! lots of love J
Ps. I have an invite for the Royal Portrait Society show for two if you/anyone wants to attend, Wednesday 28th April, 11am-8pm to be opened at 12 noon by Sir Timothy Clifford Kt., Director of the Nat. Galleries of Scotland
Ps. I have an invite for the Royal Portrait Society show for two if you/anyone wants to attend, Wednesday 28th April, 11am-8pm to be opened at 12 noon by Sir Timothy Clifford Kt., Director of the Nat. Galleries of Scotland
Hi, Julian. Thanks for the phone call. Went to the hospital yesterday to check on my prostate situation and what was 15, 6 months ago is now 18. To get to 20 means some sort of treatment - I know not yet. Anyway I have another six months. It is strange but my specialist is a lovely fellow and an acquaintance of mine, called John Obadiah and is from Nigeria. Why are all the best ones from Nigeria. Mum also has an appointment to see John next Tuesday as she complained of what she thought was cystitis but turns out to be a polyps at the exit to her urethra. Very painful, but our GP says they are usually benign. We are having a searching time here and I am glad that we have Steve to bounce off.
Now what I have done to get this far is to log on to Blogger.com and signed in with my user ID, which brings me on to the POST. on which I am writing now. If you want to go ahead with merrow-smith.org or whatever I am happy to pay whatever is necessary. At the moment all is well and I have contacted Pete. I will do it again. We can dream up suitable?? log in names - ezappy, imappy etc when we are up and running. You are doing a good job. Love from here.
Now what I have done to get this far is to log on to Blogger.com and signed in with my user ID, which brings me on to the POST. on which I am writing now. If you want to go ahead with merrow-smith.org or whatever I am happy to pay whatever is necessary. At the moment all is well and I have contacted Pete. I will do it again. We can dream up suitable?? log in names - ezappy, imappy etc when we are up and running. You are doing a good job. Love from here.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Good luck at the hospital Dad, hope all is at least unchanged, a real pain in the wotsit. I admit the print is still sitting in a tube here in a corner. I havn't signed it yet as everything is so messy here while we wait on our house and I dont want to get it mucky. I also would like to get it framed myself but will have to arrange that with someone in UK. It may have to wait till my next visit. I will have to pick the paintings up from the Royal Portait Society after the show comes down in May, we will also be in the UK in June 8-11? for a wedding, so we will get to see you then.
Ruth's Opera is the rarely performed Philomen and Baucis, (or the voyage from Jupiter to the earth) by Haydn. They play twice a day, and Lyon Opera are kind enough to put her up in a self contained hotel appartment. I am going up next weekend and we are booked in at a posh restaurant for dinner (Lyon=Gastronomy=yumyum).
I have great plans for this site I would like to make it beautiful and lively and representative of us all, so if anyone has any thing they would like to include let me know: one thing I thought would be useful is an information/bio page, either one page each or one page per family; we can also put up wish-lists and stuff making birthdays really simple, (well as simple as not getting any presents for anybody). Steve you might also want a site for your paintings?
Thoughts galore. Lots of love J
Ruth's Opera is the rarely performed Philomen and Baucis, (or the voyage from Jupiter to the earth) by Haydn. They play twice a day, and Lyon Opera are kind enough to put her up in a self contained hotel appartment. I am going up next weekend and we are booked in at a posh restaurant for dinner (Lyon=Gastronomy=yumyum).
I have great plans for this site I would like to make it beautiful and lively and representative of us all, so if anyone has any thing they would like to include let me know: one thing I thought would be useful is an information/bio page, either one page each or one page per family; we can also put up wish-lists and stuff making birthdays really simple, (well as simple as not getting any presents for anybody). Steve you might also want a site for your paintings?
Thoughts galore. Lots of love J
20th April. Today Steve is going to drive us down to the hospital in Newport as I have my six monthly appointment with the genito-urologist man to see if there is any change in the original cancer speck that was discovered when I had a biopsy some months ago. We are enjoying having Steve with us while he has a lorry job, delivering tomatoes from IOW to Waitrose in Bracknell. He appreciates being paid for sitting on the ferry! Good luck Ruth at the opera. We are still awaiting Julian's print. Last night the QM2 had to be stopped off Bembridge, on her way to NY and the ISlifeboat collected someone who had fallen and broken his leg (or something). More later. Dad
Thanks Steve it would be lovely to get posts from Spain, Singapore and even Wales. I wonder at what point Edmund Thomas and Kate will become computer savvy! Got to take Ruth to the station this morning as shes back in Lyon for 10 days, first night of the opera tonight so things a little tense. lots of love Julian
Monday, April 19, 2004
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Saturday, April 17, 2004
In the hope that the three of you computer savvy people whom I sent invitations to, Nic, Dad, Steve have made it this far I hope you "get" the idea. The bottom(first) message is designed to welcome you, I can set each message to show the time the message was posted if it gets crazy! Obviously would be nice to have Peter and Cathy onboard..
I would quite like to buy the domain name 'merrow-smith.com(co.uk/net/org)' as this would give this site more independence and we could even all have email addresses like steve@merrow-smith.org. The site could then be http://www.merrow-smith.org .. a family saga... this is really not expensive (approx £30 per year between us) so any enthusiasm and I will go ahead and buy it. I can easily set up email accounts for you all which would then get sent on to (whatever/any) the email address you currently use. Big advantage is you keep it even if you change internet service provider or even country! Let me know what yopu think. Lots of love J
I would quite like to buy the domain name 'merrow-smith.com(co.uk/net/org)' as this would give this site more independence and we could even all have email addresses like steve@merrow-smith.org. The site could then be http://www.merrow-smith.org .. a family saga... this is really not expensive (approx £30 per year between us) so any enthusiasm and I will go ahead and buy it. I can easily set up email accounts for you all which would then get sent on to (whatever/any) the email address you currently use. Big advantage is you keep it even if you change internet service provider or even country! Let me know what yopu think. Lots of love J
Well that went down very well... I had arranged to make a Pizza for myself as Ruth (the ogress) is playing in Toulon tonight, and normally we try to avoid carbohydrates but on my own i tend to give in to these perfectly understandable desires... anyway point being I burnt it whilst trying to work this thing, so a fair amount of scraping and (pizza) editing to be done... its your fault. By the way it is obviously easier to write this stuff first on a text editor and then cut and paste it.
Hi guys, a welcome message for you who have made it this far! I know it might seem a little presumptious of me, sorry, but I can just imagine us posting various bits to this page and of course it gives us a forum for more complicated arrangements like Steves 50th. I hope you can see the advantages and think it a good idea, I am of course not totally sure how it works yet but it has to beat round robins.
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