Watch!

Dad, I've found my watch so I don't know who's that is you've got. Most upset as I checked Eurostar and if I'd booked on the 21st, I could have got to Avignon this weekend for £99! booger! Perhaps just as well because of the pay dispute... Love to all

Art of Dithering

I did think that we might be unique (how could we be?) in our family trait of standing in front of rows of screws/beans/paintings/recipies etc and logging off from the world of now! But... dot dot dot!
Get 'Real' Player and press the listen again off BBC Radio4 science site.
download 'REAL' internet radio player
Listen to The Art of Indecision off Radio4

Cloud Jibs Old Kid

coles crane off ebay
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Nic's train thang reminded me that I looked on Ebay for the Dinky stuff in the Haddenham Steve and Cathy photo... keep the boxes kids! $225 with and £7.99 without.



"s'cuse me while I kiss the sky"

i hope you...

are all enjoying (have noticed!!!) the little cloud quote on the right... could'nt have said it better with a little cloud photo.. :-))

Big Bro'

Rock On Steve, I thought the IOW festival was earlier in the year! S$25 for a bus ride, I can get home from Kuala Lumpur on a bus for that and probably in less time too.

My trains are taking folks, soon have Dan the Driver in command of the controls. Will send pics over the weekend.

Nic

Petit Tour de Photo

Thank you Mum and Dad for fab weekend.
Thankyou Cathy and John and Nikki and Freya and Kate and Edmond and Thomas.
I had Garlic Ice cream, saw a Squirrel display, saw motor bike jump a truck, saw every brightly painted tractor from the fifties, an exhibition of persistence from the Isle of Wight wasp team: I don't remember much about sunday night but I remember waking up in a strange caravan in a wet field on a Monday morning in a torrential downpour with nothing to wear but Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip flops wanting a poo, and then topped it off with a two hour trip back to Hazelbank on top of a double decker bus with a headache for a fare of £7.50. Don't sell the Audi. I'll buy it off you for a spare! Thanks for finding my watch!
Keep hold of it for us.
I'll be all right in a few days!

Reception

log fire
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

There'll be a log fire lit in the reception area (if it's chilly), and a dedicated team of staff will make sure everyone's happy. If people would like a guided tour of the gardens, parties of up to ten can be shown round by the gardeners. People who're interested please let me know.
From this spot, the entrance is beyond, loos to the immediate left of the picture, dining to the right and the double doors behind lead to the kitchens.

dining tables

groups of ten
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

are for ten people and a seating plan and any changes will be required a week before but Steve will do this so don't be concerned.

What's through these doors?

kitchen
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

That's your dedicated kitchen and at the back is where the cookery school is run. We can organise a little tour round for anyone who wants, per'aps pour les enfants or oo'everr?

Excusez me madamoiselle..ou est le facilities?

statues
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

" Pardon, je suis ne qu'une statue, mais? D'accord, allez en bas et head for le kitchen and turn right!"

Goal Posts?

miltongarden
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

These'll do

Il y'a de croquet ou de fuball?

gardenview
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Not for me thankyou..don't want to spoil my lunch!

up the steps zis way?

gallery
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Oui, attention les enfants... video and wotnot will be 'ere. Into the garden..

reception

reception
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Bonjour Monsieur'dam.. this way for the le facilities. Garden up those steps

"Milton room please, AGM for Merrow-Smith.org!"

tower
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

"Certainly monsieur madam, madamoiselle.. inside and to the left for le jardin, facilities a droit."

Start here then go up.

window
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Meanwhile at le Manoir. oOOoo.. tyres on gravel.. Who's that?
Get here midmorning in time for coffee.. hand keys to the nice man

Gem's Removal Van

Gemvan
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

The girl at Thrifty van hire said sorry about the paint job. It does say Thrifty in Graffitti style!

Meanwhile at the Manoir, it's 'H' Hour and 'D' Day minus seven weeks!

Well done Pete

If only we could rely on the weather, I would buy a carrier to fit on to the back of the car. We could then cycle for miles along flat cycle ways and also along miles of concrete coastal ways. The bit you put about age might also have a bearing on it!! We have both slovenly posture and old age. Keep it up. Cycling is alright but on island roads which are taken up with wide buses and wide lorries it could be very dangerous. Well done Julian. Ruth says you are doing a grand job on the house. We are so looking forward to seeing what you have done to the shower. I was re-reading our jaunt in Villes, back in 2000 and it has wettened our appetites for more Ventoux. You can read up on Dad's most recent blogger. So far today we have no rain. When we woke up the skies were clear, but now they are beginning to cloud over. We have the August Bank Holiday weekend approaching, with expected crowds at the Steam Show in Havenstreet. Last week was the IOW garlic festival. This is like a very big Thame Show, but with no agricultural main theme. Weather was super on both days. Love from M&D

Tour de España

Our pastor at church lent me a book recently about maintaining a healthy body. For 'healthy body' read 'fitter body than yours, my friend'. So I took a look at it and was fairly happy with how much I already knew. After all, I am a science teacher and like to play a bit of tennis. Mind you, I haven't managed to play much since coming out of Africa and my fitness was pretty poor. As I turned the pages it was put into perspective how much I had chosen to ignore. A few long looks in the mirror and I was inspired...to change! Any little health niggles I have could only be attributed to poor eating, lack of exercise, slovenly posture or old age!

No longer satisfied with watching the cycling, I have obtained a bike and now go out every other morning on it. The first time I tried to cycle out of Alfaz I had to stop three times in the first 4km and turned around at the roundabout below La Nucia. The next time I made the same journey without stopping and was quite pleased. After that there was no holding back. I went all the way up to La Nucia and then down towards the coast and back up to Alfaz.

This morning was beautiful. I was out for about 2 hours and cycled up through La Nucia, over the top of Polop but decided that to go on up to Guadalest was a bit much at this stage without telling the family where I had gone. So I dropped down to Xirles, went through some rough back roads and came out in Callosa d'en Sarria where we have been looking at Finca properties for fun. The country roads around there are great and the mountains spectacular. I was feeling really pleased with myself and day dreaming a little on my way back up to La Nucia on the return home when from out of nowhere two cyclists raced past me up the hill and called out a cheerie "Bon dia!" (which is Valenciano for beunos dias). Oh well, I comforted myself with the knowledge that they must have just set out, while I was two hours into my workout...but come the tour de España, I'll be ready for them!

A sunny Sunday

We left home at about noon and went via the Downs road to Sandown to get some cash and arrived in Bonchurch by 1230. Cath and family, including Nicki were already on the beach and the boys were making sand castles. After about an hour Steve went along to the café and brought back a variety of sandwiches and soft drinks and we had a late lunch. Steve and Thomas went in for a swim and we just sat and soaked up a hazy sunshine. Later on M,S and I drove over to the Spyglass, Cathy and Nicki following and John walked along the coast path. After another hour we decided to have some food and Steve spent some more of his holiday money in fitting us all out. I met a couple of fellows from Bledlow Cricket Club who were over on a tour. One was John Folley. It was getting cool so we all went into the captains cabin. Cath invited Steve back to Niton for an evening drink of wine and M and I came back home. We were quite tired, having been up since 0700.

almost there from ruth on j's computer

we're nearly there....well, nearly able to clean teeth, wash hair, boil water and, most importantly, the thing we have all been waiting for, having coffee outside looking at the vines in the early sunshine. meanwhile i have been whizzing about missing most of the blogger action, so apologies for zero response........... here the cicadas have at last shut up and pissed off with the tourists, we need jumpers in the evening (forgotten what it felt like to be cold for a while there!) and the pool at bedoin has some space to swim in it occasionally, and in three weeks i have to leave for three months. dooooh! now julian has been a complete star and, aswell as rewiring and replumbing the entire house solo ready for halogens and hi-tech life in the hamlet, he has built the most romantic and shapely rounded plaster en suite shower in the ceilingless bedroom with seashell grey mosaic tiles! last night we walked back under the stars from a pizza at our local hamlet with friends and it all felt very exciting! meanwhile work moves on without us, still lives remain unfinshed and clients become a little antsy; my cello fingers can't imagine feeling the strings under their coat of filler, despite the fact that i now have a 2 month contract, mostly in paris, as soon as glyndebourne (any requests let me know now!) is over playing haydn's marionette opera philomen et baucis with the infamous musiciens du louvre ( that dreadful audition i did!) and then with the concert d'astree next summer playing rameau....all a bit stunning really and i can't quite believe it! i suppose normal-ish life will return soon! for the moment we are playing houses and trying to decide if we can splash out on the range cooker we dream of! (oh, go on, i hear him say to his cautious wife....) love to y'all.

Morning..

..hope you all had a nice lunch and get togethor. We are preparing to move into the building site in the next couple of days. Jill, Ruth's mum, is staying over on the way to her new life in italy this week, and Sally are sterling shutter painting friend is coming out for a short break so we will hopefully test the house out with a full house!

Lots of love J

Out for the day

Mum, Steve and I are off to meet Cath and family for lunch in Bonchurch.

Hello all

All very quiet here but will make an effort meeself... weather has been rather superb this year maximum 35 degrees now nice and cool touching 30 in the shade and having had a nice big storm the other night (tail of hurricane Bonny(ie) Ruth tells me) which deposited about 6 inches of rain in the glasses that we left out on the upside down door which we use as our outside table, it all feels very refreshed. The storm started after I went to bed and was gone long before I woke so while everything has greened up I didn't see the cause! The roof held up on the new house and the world is looking revitalised. Still got lots to do to make the house more of a house than a cave but (still) hoping to move in imminently. The water board are coming to dig up the front and replace the lead supply pipes, so I will have to turn my attention to the terrace (read rubble pile) before they come in the autumn. The Pompiers will have to return as there is another Hornet nest in the ruin next door and Ruth had her first ever wasp sting yesterday, (I am now upto three, having had my first last year). Dont want to test the hornets as three stings can kill a horse apparently). Soory you missed your flight and havn't been well Steve. It is really blissful here at the moment and next week all the tourists with children will be gone and we can look forward to two more months of indian summer bliss before we need to light the fire. Lots of love to you all j

speadsheets n things

Pete, the Appleworks is pretty crap, the theory is that if they (Apple) made it too good Microsoft would stop making Office for Mac (as indeed they have just stopped making Iternet Explorer for Mac),so they keep it at an annoyingly crap level. Office for Mac OsX is supposedly superior to the windows version and comes with Word, Excel and Entourage (which note Dad is the pro version of Outlook Express [and can be found in your Applications Folder]) I will send you a version if you give me your address.

The hot water heater is finally connected to the electrics, the shower is finished so today Ruth and I will take alot of showers while trying to put the ceiling up. should have room no. 2 ready in a week or 10 days. I will see if we can get the resident model (e) to pose under the halogens. Still no door on the loo but fortunately no guests yet!

love to all, ps cats now weighing two kilos each, ie they have more than doubled in size.

Merge cells

In Windowsyou can merge cells in both spreadsheets and tables. With Mac you can only do it in tables it seems. For me, as a teacher producing timetables and so on that's a bit of a fag. I don't always want to work in tables inside a AppleWorks word processing file. In truth this is the most limiting factor I have found when using my Mac. Does anyone know of a software upgrade that would allow me to get round this problem and merge cells inside spreadsheets?

On the subject of airports I reckon its the way to go but I'm told that the radio waves don't penetrate walls very well if there is metal in it (as with apartments where the building materials are ususally reinforced concrete). For bricks and mortar I guess it is better.

What's it all about?

I know my place. Dad

Hellooo...anyone

Cold abating at last and I had an undisturbed night. I'm up bright and early cleaning the loo fan..so it actually shifts some air instead of grinding away annoying everyone. Today's task is to get the last of my Ikea wooden slatted blinds up when the sofisticated New York batchelor pad look will be complete. Then it's selecting some pictures to put up.. Today is also the day we are due to go online broadband style again. This last lot has all been done on the smartphone since we moved at the begining of the month. Does anyone use the airport feature on their mac Ruth or J? I was tempted to have a go but have heard it's about a fiver an hour for Openworld and anyway the phone does for now. I'm thinking of getting one of these airport stations too so use of the mac online isn't restricted to a phone point. It's dull being fastened to an officey corner showing everyone else the back of your shirt ain't it! Hey ho.. love to all..

banging on

Here's poor old Steve with a new hobby horse.. what's he on about this time? Here's a little story from the book.. Ray Kroc was the founder of Macdonald's restaurants and at a seminar in Austin after a lecture asked the students what business he was in.. easy.. fast food.. right? wrong came the answer. Ray Kroc's business is in Real Estate. Each franchise owner sells hamburgers and pays Macdonalds a fee which it uses to buy the land under each restaurant. Macdonalds is now the biggest single land owner in the world..more even than the Catholic Church! Does anyone else find that amazing? Here's another titbit.. J.O.B. is an acronym for Just Over Broke! An employee only works hard enough to not get sacked and an employer only pays enough so people don't walk off the job! I'm rethinking everything watch out!

King Dave

Yes Pete you're right, he got all his Dad's cash but lost the lot and had to do a deal with the Pharoah and ended up married to an Egyptian Princess (among seven hundred other wives) Imagine the monthly bill for panty pads! My point is and I'm not trying to be funny but the point is that only few people understand accounting and the meaning of assets and liabilities. Get the book off Amazon! isbn 0-7515-3271-1

Solomon's wisdom

Solomon was pretty lucky with inherited wealth but I dare say he made a few bob himself too. Mind you, he wasn't happy making money, expanding his harem, getting visits from the Queen of Sheba, acquiring fine art or building great public works, was he? He was happy to be wise, but then perhaps he never had an old farm to renovate. What do you think, Julian?

Jean de Rich-père

I expect Cathy and John and everyone are now ensconced on the Island and catching up with all the news. I'm in bed and out of bed then back in bed as my temperature goes up and down but I have my thoughts to play with.... So I've got my book of advice the rich give their kids (Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki) and, to make up for missing my flight to Nimes I'm running Jean de Florette on dvd on the mac at the same time but not in Welsh!..I'm making connections..so in the film what did Jean do wrong? A man from the city with a secure job and the prospect of a government pension chucks it all up when he inherits a farm in idyllic circumstances. It comes with income enough for three years. Today what would that be worth? He does his homework and has a plan. He thinks in a modern way about return on investment but is thwarted by the weather and two peasants with insider knowledge of the geography (criminal intent aside) to wit one 'source'. They know the land without water is a liability. I'm reminded of the film because of the line from Le Papet who says his rival will go bust because inherited wealth soon 'burns a hole in the pocket'. All he and his idiot nephew need do is wait. In other words money and the understanding of it don't go together even he you are a tax collector.. (which is what this book is about.) hmmm... What Jean doesn't know is how little he does know. Discuss!

wassup!

Hello everyone. Am suffering with dreadful summer cold so am keeping myself to myself for a few days until the nose stops at least. I'm hitting the Lemsip hard and staying in bed bearing in mind I'm supposed to be on holiday and trying not to pass it on to Gem and Clive or Will either. He's been round for a little visit and I popped into Borders yesterday to get a couple of copies of this book...anyone else heard about it called ~"Rich Dad Poor Dad..~ what the rich teach their kids that you can learn too!"? Hopefully there are a few useful pointers.. Sorry to Julian as I'm supposed to be doing some wheel barrowing in Provence but it's better for all if I stay put for now. It's quiet ain't it...ah ah ah.. choo

Big Exodus

Julian, lots of people from our friends re-united pages live in france, you should check out Dave Martin, runs a property management company in mid-france, Karen Mallinder (lived down Oakley Lane and dated Dave Stokes for yonks), lives in Monaco and does events management etc. Diane Eggleton (of the farm) lives in Geneva,

Pete, sorry mate no-one lives in Spain, or, all those that live in Spain enjoy life too much to reminise online, could be.

Sounds like Dave Martin might be a handy person to know when you run out of patience with the old locals.

Nic

Mum, I how's the crepes and the noisy Cowes lot?

Your holiday home, Cath.

I thought we would try to find Hoyes Farm, and Meadow View camping site. No difficulty as it was in a 45 degree field overlooking a valley, with fabulous hill views and just outside the village of Niton. The narrow entrance could be easily missed, but we went in and up to the top of the field where 7 caravans were hanging precariously over the field, on concrete bases, but with their picture windows pointing straight ahead into the valley. Each van had a TV arial, so if it rains……….There is also a brick built washroom, with large glazed sink, washing machine £2 coin slot, spin drier and ironing board, complete with iron. The other half of this building has a table tennis table with a squashed tt ball and too old tt bats, so bring some decent tt balls and bats, if the boys want to play. I suppose the vans all have toilets, showers, loos etc. We went through the village and along to Blackgang chine where we knew there was a nice loo. It only takes five minutes to get back to Hoyes Farm and then only another 20 minutes to get home. The little village of Niton has a Post Office, cafe and general store; also a chemist, where I know the pharmacist, Dave Croucher; there is also a nice big pub which does food.
We had a look at the house in Park Road, where a house had been struck by lightning. The roof was completely destroyed by the resulting fire, leaving very unsafe looking walls, making the house uninhabitable. The owner is away in USA on holiday. I often have fears when we are away from home that such a thing could happen to our house!

Condolences

Message passed on thank you.

Commiserations to Peter and Fay

Steve, We were very sorry to learn of Jean Hayes' fatal heart attack and send our commiserations to Peter and Fay. Dad

Modern Furniture

Thinking about furniture Cathy.. what about www.ikea.co.uk ? Tis a kids friendly furniture store with a branch in Cardiff and one in Bristol too.. lose the sprogs in the play area.. usually a big room filled with coloured balls to five into and swim around in (fantastic) and spend an hour wandering through mocked up room installations. Their motto is *cheaper than the wood* and Gem and I went along to the one in Brent Cross and sorted out our wardrobe requirements in one go. Mine is a light oak looking neat little affair all flat pack for thirty and Gem's was even cheaper which is like a mini green house with a curtain across. Unflattening the flat pack took us both under an hour and you'd get a couple in the pug... kids on top! Bonus is the automatic diy MrWhippy icecreams for 35 pence a pop at the end of the process. It's like Habitat was years ago but better and it'd get the laundry off the floor. We've lashed out on a John Lewis bargain too in the form of AEG washer dryer for a third off with tiny dent which has a 1600rpm spin so skiddys are back in the draw before you can say "knife". It's just landed actually as fifty minutes ago I shoved our London grimy curtains in there so lets get them back up... laters

School Chums

We have our first staying (not paying) guest. Having received our first visitors Mandy and John at the weekend word has got around about the Blonkinkosi Hotel.. part of the Hotel Splendide chain! My old friend from school and Chinnor Band Mrs Fay Hayes is with us for a few days. Unfortunately family duty calls in Shabbington as her step-mother in law (also Jean) suffered a second and fatal heart attack and thought of us as a friendly port in a storm. Husband Peter is working for Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh so Fay has stepped in to assist father in law Stan (Hayes)
who was one of the directors of Potter's in Thame with the necessary arrangements. Mum and Dad and I you all remember were royally looked after at Fay's Dad's 90th last month so it's nice to do some reciprocating albeit in not ideal circumstances. Note to self get Visitor's Book!

In support of my young son

Steve - Get the Big Tree link above your photoblogger and read the story. It is very good and deserves to be published. Anyone know a publisher?? Keep writing Pete. You have got some good ideas.

UB40

Pete.. Oy! not unemployed you're a writer.. who's trying to get published. I'm not going round saying I'm a truck driver. We're artists darling-- say it! Get down that bull fighting ring and start getting some new ideas. What's your new book about--

Lost in the blog (with apologies to Edmund)

What a lot of blogs! Easy to get lost, eh? Don’t log on for a few days and it’s the London bus story all over. Nice to see Cathy on board and Barbara too. Are we complete? The more the merrier, but with so many London buses one could miss a few!

Getting braodband installed tomorrow, so life should be easier from then on and I won’t have to keep the kids off their webmail sites. It seems communication is just oh soooo important to modern 11 and 12 year olds.

Also may go and have a look at some old shacks in the next few weeks, mainly for fun, but there are some good places still available around if either you don’t want land with your house, or you don’t want a house with your land. In between is a bit difficult eversince the Germans laid their towels all over the Guadalest valley because the English had bought up the beach. There are a few Spaniards around too, especially now as August is the holiday month and nothing gets done but beach bathing by the rich from Madrid. And we have to live here all year. Tut, tut; typical. No rain, temperatures of 51 in the shade and only azure sea water to cool off in. Sometimes I forget I’m unemployed till next month.

Hey, Nic, great idea. Emelda’s shoes will be a perfect fit for our Cinders as she is just into size 23. That’s a really kind offer and we’ll take anything that you can fit in the cases! I take it you are not going for a coxed four then?

My big girls always enjoy a bouncy castle, but won’t it detract from the grounds that we are being escorted around!? They like puppets too, but give them a new phone and they’d be happy as Larry for a few hours. Amy is just going to have such a ball that she won’t mind what there is. Jess and Beth are great with her and will probably do a bit of baby-minding on the day by nature of their playfulness with little people.

Mum, I hope you keep on the crêpes, so to speak. You can’t beat vanilla ice cream and cinnamon. That would appeal to Dad too by the sounds of it! Personally we’re on a fitness campaign - eating right, working out and generally taking control of the runaway train. Hopefully we have the will power to make a change by the time we blow our diets in October!

‘Abcess makes the jaw grow tender’ as they say. Hope everyone is feeling better!

Love to all, Pete and Jan

Big Foot

Peter, we've been sorting out Claire Emelda Marcos Merrow-Smith's footware and have quite a few pairs of shoes were cannot renovate to become boys shoes, some are really quite nice european size 23 up, would you like us to bring them over, still have a great deal of miles in them for your little one.

We don't have skylights here, not much point looking at the underside of your neighbours divan.

Steve, also like the idea of the PVA on the window, definately worth a try Cath.

And Dad the pineapple crepe is that a Cowes thing, i.e. crep de cowes? Good if it worked, should have pineapple in everything, like the Thais.

Nic

Hurrah, it rained during the night

We know what sapeurs, pompiers are, don't we Cath. I remember it was one of your old sayings. (remember the hand with the finger pointer at Havenstreet Station - NEXT TRAIN??) That was another our OUR jokes.
I thought your idea of the ivy leafed window covering was brilliant, Steve. I commend it to you Cath, so that those people on the top of the mountain cannot look directly into your bathroom, from two miles away.
Velux windows are rooflights, often put in loft extensions, that enable one to open and let in fresh air, but I think you were having us on, Nic. Cathy has a Velux window in her workroom, but she needs a good long pair of steps to reach them. Remember those at school where you pull a cord which operates a little wheel and opens the windows?
Instead of Bramble Cottage, Nic, it could be Upside Down Cottage.
I think our south east facing bedroom would be an ideal breakfast room, as we get the sun every morning, but that is too, too for Mum.
Steve, we used to have a rather snobbish chap in the Bank who name dropped all the time. Hoare's Bank was one name I remember, as it was one of the top notch banks. We had a customer named Hoare and our snob told us to be particularly attentive as " his mother was a Hoare, you know". Sorry, John - I seem to remember that you are distantly related to Hoares Bank. Eleanor is a nice name, isn't it Ruth. My sister always called her dolls Eleanor Victoria. You could also follow the trend of Chelsea, Brooklyn etc., by deciding on Wheatley (Or wherever).
Where on earth did you dig up all that Welsh Julian, It is too difficult to have made it up. My limit is dialch y vawr (thank you very much, I think) Seems to me you would do better by concentrating on French. Thank you for the suggestion of adding a ? at the end of our web name. It seems to work for me but I now have to enter my name and password every time I blog on. My new website is merrow-smith.org/? Funny.
We had a lovely day out yesterday. Thought we would take the bus (from outside our door) to Cowes, via Newport. It arrived right on the ferry pontoon and we were able to enjoy the fun and the crowds without getting too tired. Every year the Yacht Haven has all these wonderful food stalls so I had a plateful of Thai curry noodles and chicken, but Mum loves crepes, so she had an 18" round pineapple flavoured crepe - and she ate it all. Have we cracked it? We wandered along to Cowes Parade again crammed with people. It is a canvas village like a posh Portobello market! Too many people waiting for the bus so we took a taxi to the chain ferry and another from East Cowes right to our door. Grate. Have a nice day. Love Dad and Mum.

Fried in garlic butter

Surely there must be a recipe for hornet something! (And if bees make honey don't hornets make jam? no that's wasps) Especially out your way J! Come on Peter you're the expert on alternative sources of protein. Or! Have 'em hold a note for Ruth to figure over..they drone don't they.. record on iTune.. this time next year we'll all be rock and roll millionaires! Listen to your Dad ..always thinkin! ....have a lie down steve....

Frosted Glass

I did our big window in Wheatley like a pub by cutting a foam printing block into an ivy leaf shape and dabbing it into PVA glue Cath. It's white out of the tin.. what's it called Unibond but dries clear but frosty looking if you want it plain suggest a natural sponge.. certainly apes a pub mirror all right. If you don't like it wipe it off and start again. Mandy and John popped in for visit on way to Streatley and we had a fun time thinking of names.. slight prob as when they marry next year the kid's surname will be Hoare so need to choose careful like to avoid burdening the little tike! loved getting all the news.. good init! good night mama

Night, nigth all..

.. love you

John boy

Cathy..

.. how fantastic to hear you on the Bwloggsr, makes it all complete (come on mum!) . I would put up photo's of the house but the lighting is not condusive... as the halogens are installed things will improve!!! We have deveoped a large Hornets nest in the (barn) remise which is about 20ft up in the rafters, we bought some special hornet killing spray but I don't fancy starting my retreat from half way up a ladder (the spray will work from 3metres). The sapeurs Pompier (firebrigade) will apparently come out to do it but maybe we will wait till winter and then block up there entry point and destroy the nest, it's all very science fiction, the noise of them scratching around in the paper nest, urghhh! You are spot on dad Tom is coming tomorrow as he has an exhibition in Lorgues, a little village in the Var where bizarrely and totally unconnectedly Ruth has a concert the next day (this is a good two hours drive from us so the coincidence is limit, limit, as the French would say.


and in Welsh:

fel 'n benchwiban at chlyw 'ch acha 'r Bwloggsr makes 'i pawb chwblha ( d acha mum! ). Ddodwn i fyny photo's chan 'r d] namyn 'r yn cynnau ydy mo condusive. fel 'r halogens gorseddir bethau ewyllysia gwella!!! Cawn deveoped a 'n fawr Hornets nytha i mewn 'r ( hysgubor remise sy am 20ft i fyny i mewn 'r dulathau , brynasom rhyw 'n anad hornet yn lladd lluwch namyn gwisga t ddychmyga yn cychwyn 'm chilio rhag hanner ffordd i fyny hysgol ( 'r lluwch ewyllysia gweithia chan 3metres). 'r sapeurs Pompier firebrigade ) ewyllysia 'n amlwg d i maes at gwna 'i namyn efallai arhoswn amaetha aeafa a 'na caea i fyny 'na chofnodiad atalnoda a anrheithia 'r nytha , 'i s pawb iawn gwyddoniaeth ffug , 'r dadwrdd chanddyn yn cosi am i mewn 'r bapuro nytha urghhh! Ach brycha acha dad Twm ydy yn d fory fel caiff arddangosfa i mewn Lorgues , hychydig bentref i mewn 'r Var ble 'n chwithig a 'n llwyr 'n ddigyswllt Ruth has chyngerdd 'r trannoeth ( dyma da 'n ddau horiau cathrena chennym fel 'r chyd-ddigwyddiad ydy chyfynga , chyfynga , fel 'r 'n Ffrengig would ddeud.


Well if thats in the least bit accurate I will eat my head!!!

Big Pane

Dear Cath, we all don't know what Velux is here, timber venetian blinds? The window film stuff that looks like acid etched or sandblasted glass is available from 3M, "cystal" comes to mind but you will need to check the web. I don't think it is self adhesive though, here we use experts to install it.

Both you and Julian should put up some pictures of your renovations, always an interesting point for discussion. I still have the cottage in Ivinghoe which is basically a tiny end of terrace farm workers digs from the 19th century. There are nice views from the 2 pokey upstairs bedrooms but that's about it. The ground floor living area has very low celings, so I've been thinking about turning the whole lot upside down and taking out the second storey ceiling to expose all the trusses and put the living room up there. I can open up the windows to maximise the views and move the bedroom/s downstairs where the bathroom is. Any thoughts from anyone? I remember the plot size is about 15ft wide by 45ft deep so no room for an extension.

Nic

Welsh lessons

I have been consulting with my language expert(Thomas) after trying to improve on Steves welsh I thought blog would be blwg but on reflection that would sound like bloog, so we have come up with Blog and Blogwr, there are only a few double letters in welsh, from memory these are dd = th ff= f (f = v) ll = draw tongue to back of your mouth,make 'spit bubble' at the top of your throat and make a' guh' sound, Most English people say 'ch' which doesn't work atall. Pete about your book, sorry I haven't read more than a few snippets yet, but I was thinking about publishers, and I remembered that the BBC were running a campaige asking for new writers I'm not sure when it was now but it may be worth searching their many web sights .I have been trying to catch up on all the prevous five months of blogs but in a rather haphazard way so expect to find comments on things that you have long forgotten about! Can you believe it Kate is upstairs in her room listening to The Grateful Dead-loudly,What have I done to deserve that-don't tell me!I have just read the good new about Mandy and John and expected baby, pass on my best wishes to them Gemma/Steve. And don't talk to me about weather, I think we have only have had one complety dry day since the beginning of school hols and that was yesterday, a scorcher but we are back to drizzle today, Johns clay pigeon shooting and the kids are making a camp in the sitting room. I expect it will suddenly become summer when the kids go back to school. I knew we would have to pay sometime for last years most glorious summer. But sunshine not withstanding we would love to get visits from friends and family you are all welcome, the house is fab since it refurbishment and we have lots of room, some of the furniture leaves something to be desired, check with M&D or Steve for the for the full sp'. On the subject of fattening food or should I say something to tempt you Mum, smoked salmon on cream cheese this is traditional on bagels but I think that they would be to tough for the teeth, but on blinis(sic) tiny buckwheat flour pancake(probably a bit of a faf) but especially good as thin brown bread sandwiches with a squeak of lemon and freshly milled black pepper. Little and often is probably the key. I managed to add stones (most of them still with me) with a little favorite pregnancy snack, Greek yoghurt, honey and tahini(sesame seed pulp/paste) abit bitter but packed with essential fatty acids,that was my excuse and eaten in the wee small hours when sleep cannot be achieved. But now I,ve just remembered about the the cholesterol but the fish oil would negate the cream cheese and the sesame oil would do for the yoghurt. I will keep thinking, what about complan? I don't know what its like but I know people use it to build themselves up. Ruth and Julian hows it going with the replastering etc I would love to come and see you. I'm thinking of you both. and hoping it is fairly problem free!!!!!!! If you are ever tempt by Velux in the bedrooms make sure that you can reach them easily or get an electrically operated black out blind, they are apparently not much more expensive than the one that we have and hardly ever open because its so difficult to close with a wooden pole. Whilst on the subject of windows can anyone point me in theright direction for, the self adhesive faux sandblasted glass that I often see on the windows of new pubs around here, I thought that it would be easy to get hold of but I have only been offered seethrough patterned Fablon. We have plain glass in the bathroom which I temporarily covered with tissue paper and wallpaper paste a year ago but its giving up the fight. love Cathy

Thanks, Nic

Yes, I think it is a good idea. I keep trying to tempt Mum with strawberries and cream, thick cream and strawberry jam scones; filet steaks, even Chinese meals, which she loves. Summertime is not condusive to eating big meals, though and I try to get her to eat little and often. We must now try some Indian meals, although not too spicy. We are also on bananas, pears and apples. We keep trying, but thanks for your suggestion. Love to you all from Mum and dad.

Big Appetite

Dearest Mum, perhaps you eat too much of the same thing and need a bit of variety. Also it's a constant pain in the but to keep having to think up new and interesting things to cook. Sounds like some sort of structured programming may be the answer which provides some variety. Perhaps your GP could recommend a neutricianist? to devise a menu for you. You can always ask for some of that comfort food to be included. Perhaps there is such a service on line.

Nic

Another lovely day

We went down to the south of the island yesterday, Cath, but must have taken the wrong road at the crossroads in Niton and came home via Whitwell and Godshill, instead of taking the Newport road. We went via Chale, where there was a big Show on but Mum felt it was too open for her in her present state so we went up the hill, past Blackgang, to a Viewpoint car park where ice creams were £1.80 each, so we bought a bottle of carbonated water for Mum. It was a beautiful day, with a lovely view and I could have sat there all day (eating my expensive ice cream), but we had a little walk round the village of Niton, came home and read a book in our garden. Not very exciting, but next time we will have a look at your planned camping site. From memory, Ruth and Julian, you have visitors next week and we hope Tom and Fiona (are the girls coming too) enjoy your little village and of course, I expect they will want to see the new house. Pass on our good wishes, please. Won't be long before we, too, can enjoy the delights of Bedoin. Nice to have you back, Nic. Did you see my blog on Verona? Looking at the calendar, I see we have only had one morning of rain since 29th May, when we were trying to drain the water from our side lawn, Steve. Seems months ago and our plants in the open are all dying from lack of water. Good job our flowers are all in pots, but we are down to the last bucket of water from the many water butts we have and we will have to rely on mains water. Just your luck, Cath, to pick a wet week for your holidays. Hope not! Cowes week started yesterday, but in the early morning there was not enough breeze to shake our Aspen tree leaves, let alone fill the sails of the racing yachts. Today is a bit breezier, but I don't know if I can get Mum to watch the racing as she has started to be unsure of herself among too many people. I have decided to sell the Audi, as it seems daft to have it sitting in the garage, as it doesn't look as if Mum will want to drive again. It is taxed and MOT'd until January, so it should soon sell. Thanks for all you are doing Stev re Le Manoir. It looks as if Tina may not be joining us, after all. I don't think she can face the hassle. If she does cry off it will give us more time to look around the area and visit old friends. Might even get in touch with the Gommes. To Pete and Jan, It does not look as if Judy and Stan will be able to save their pet greyhound, Goldie, as she seems to be in a bad way. I don't know how old she is, but she will be sadly missed. Looking forward to seeing you gels Jess, Beth and Amy and of course to Claire and Dan the Man. Should be a blast! Lots of love from Mum and Dad

I've managed it again!-

although,very confused by being alone on the blogger and then the 11 messages from you Steve, John thought it was your Impish nature making a joke, not 'the exustion of the long distance truck driver', and then that it was our fault, Dad thinks it may be his fault but I expect that is the fault of the Californian Blogger Kings! Anyway enough of this rubbish. Dad the caravan is at Meadowview caravan site Hoyes Farm. Newport Rd, Niton. It is a working farm(memories of Nic the chicken and the stolen bacon come to mind) with 7 caravans,2 with 3 bedrooms and 5 with 2 bedrooms and the lady that took our booking said that we could pitch a tent alongside if we wanted to.We're exited, but also not sure what to expect,our last experience of caravaning was many years ago( about15 yrs) in S.W France and it was the dustiest drabest caravan I have ever seen with, horror of horrors a Hornets nest in the larder, so its bound to be a good bit better than that.Roll on the holiday,love to you all, I best go and feed some children,love Cathy. ps Steve, hello to all the nice people.

Big Hello

To Cathy and John and family, welcome to the blog (and anyone else we havn't said hello to, Hi Babara)

Got back from Italy this morning, to short a journey for anyone to have missed me much. This time the trip was more leisurely than last year. 18hrs travelling, arrived just before lunch and adjourned to a nice hillside tavern about Florence, then a tour round the centre of Florence in the afternoon. Dinner in Florence. Drove up to Verona on the highway the following day to arrive there just in time for lunch. Did some stone selection then adjourned for dinner on the street facing the Arena where Placido Domingo was performing Aida whilst we drank and ate. Quite audible. More work the following day finishing just in time for lunch which we had a Liase? on lake Garda. Whole trip was very civilised.

My apologies to those of you who rushed of to Paris to meet me, we ended up flying to and from Rome. Jen graciously picked me up from the airport at 6.15 this morning, first time I believe she has seen a sunrise after a sleep (i.e. excluding full moon parties and raves).

Cowes week next week? Cath, check that caravan is well anchored in case the wind gets up. Steve, looking forward to seeing your new pad. Julian, have any windows in yet?Peter, how's the polo team?

National Day here on Monday so we get a lie-in. Claire and I appeared to be recovering from our Parvo Virrus which gave me stiff and swollen joints and gave her a rash and rosey red cheeks.

Speak to you all soon.

Nic

Mother dear!

Mother needs inspiration in the food department and says she has't much interest so the weight's falling off her..eight stone oh dear and needs a cushion on a hard chair so any suggestions to tempt the palate...I've told her it's no fun cuddling a bag of bones. Perhaps Mum when you're over the tooth being pulled you'll get your appetite back. What a sheat excuse for chocolate. I'm into these ready meals from Marks now especially during the turmoil of the move very handy. Spend twelve squids on them at the moment and you get free bottle of wine worth a fiver. love to one and all. Cath.. Mum thinks you're very clever to crack the blogger and fancys a go so you'll have to tell her what to do. What's Thomas found in the treasure department by the way ... a big pile of stuff?

I hope I've deleted the right ones

Sorry folks. I must get into the habit of looking at the date of my next blog

manoir

I've been along to the Manoir again to say hello (any excuse) to Sara Bianchi the events manager and to see what needs to be decided and there'll be more to follow by way of detail in a day or two as I get organised. I thought you'd all be interested to know now that we have the private suite all day from whatever time in the morning until five thirty. That means we can get there as soon as we want to meet up for coffee at eleven (or earlier if desired). Then there will be a champagne/freshly squeezed reception at twelve and lunch at one. I'm sure some people would be interested in a guided tour of the gardens by one of the gardeners perhaps (especially if the children are being looked after) which can be arranged in groups of ten. There is a helicopter pad too though more like a patch which would need the sheep shooing off it first! Beer! Bottled beer will be ordered for those who require or desire it and is ordered specially and any overs taken with you. So can we start to think about any special dietary requirements. Any vegans or nut allergies coming? Cost.. The three course we know is £62.50. a serving of celibration cake made out of a huge tower of profiterols filled with creme anglais and held together with gorgeous caramel is seven fifty a portion and champers NV is from forty a bottle. Two glasses each then would be about twelve squid.. so think of a hundred a head approximately including booze. All Right? I've got a number to ring about a childrens entertainer who turns up with a station wagon full of toys and a bouncy castle and spends all day with the kids so I'll let you know about that.. love Steve

Duplicate blogs from Dad

Italy trip 


Dear Nic, We hope you got back safely after your European visit. I hope you had a successful stone buying trip to Verona. When we were there all the stones were still in place in the famous Arena!! They were getting ready for the next operatic function, which was Aida. We spent all day in the town and we visited the (supposedly) famous Romeo and Juliet balcony. Then we went on to Garda. We were driving round a roundabout and a very heavy lorry cut us up and I heard a loud explosion. Thinking that he had hit us, I stopped the car, only to find that due to the intense heat of the day, a 2-litre plastic bottle full of some fizzy drink had exploded in the boot and soaked everything. Love from Dad and Mum

# posted by Patrick @ 9:28 AM↑going up
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Mum 


You will all be pleased to know that Mum is humming again. I have just taken her to the hairdressers, where Tracey seems to be God's gift to dear old ladies. We spent a day in the garden yesterday cutting the green hedge. The we were too tired to cook so we went down to the Cedars for lunch. We collected masses of trimmings and this morning we were up early to take it all oop the doomp. Got back about 8am and spent the next hour clearing up the front of the house, so things are looking up. Talk about one bus then two come. Steve has done a bunch of blogs (11). Lovely to get Cathy on the blog. We hope Thomas enjoyed his birthday. Our present looks very dull compared with all the others. Poor old Edmund, but just look at Gemma's teeth to see how lovely they will look. I hope this gets posted as I am having ' a bit of trouble' creating blogs Dad

# posted by Patrick @ 9:28 AM↑going up
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Ow Queer 


Ow queer I log on Safari and up comes the end of July with Barbara's Yikes blog. I then klik on April archives and after that I can get August blogs, but if I then klik on July, I no longer get the 31st (Yikes) but it shows me July 19th as the last blog in the month Ow queer. I then logoff and try safari again - up comes Yikes so I add the? as you suggest, press return and I am up to date. Ow qreer. I haven't tried any of your other suggestions as the ? seems to work. Ow queer Well done with the ceiling bit - you obviously have a very helpful partner (like wot I have got) Mine is very complicated. One minute UP and the next DOWN. The answer seems to be the way we sort out the tablets cocktail. I'try to keep you posted. Love from Dad
P.S I have just found the blogs between 19th July and the end of July in the start of August, so I have not lost them

RE: eleven times

Yeah..You should have seen me trying to delete them on this phone while falling asleep this morning..gave up in the end. Fortunately someone else has done it now.. thanks J
better send mail to ezappy@orange.com until we're back online.
-----Original Message-----
From: "G.E.Merrow-Smith"
Sent: 05/08/2004 10:18:05
To: "Steve Merrow-Smith"
Cc:
Subject:

Dad,
Your new blogger email entry has repeated itself 11 times...eek

Gem xx

tissue....

hello Cathy and John and family and everyone who's wished us luck for our move. We're now in and the phone's on.. same number except the last three digits which now are one three six. I'm in a broadband limbo until the account gets moved from the old house next week so having to make do with wonder phone. I'm back to work now and I've just come in from the night shift with a cup of tea and some flakes and I just wanted to welcome my lickle sister and say we love gettin your news. We feel for Edmond grappling with the dentist. I may have turned a corner with my gnashers, fingers crossed.. what's Kate up to today?

Nythfa School holiday

Some time ago Mum asked me for School holiday dates and I'm not sure if I sent them or not? So here they are for anyone interested, except criminals and con-artist! Summer Holiday ends 1.9.04 autumn Half Term 23.10.04 Christmas 18.12.04 to 4.1.05 Spring Half Term 12.2.05 to 20.2.05 Easter 2005. 24.3.05 to 10.4.05 Whitsun Half Term 29.5.05 to 6.6.05 Summer holiday 2005 begin 22.7.05 Some times these dates change by the odd day or two because of teachers inset(training) days but this only means adding an extra day to the beginning or end of a holiday. Bloggers huh! You wait for one for years and then three come along at once. Thomas is having a lovely birthday, as you can tell by me having time to write this! Thankyou for his cards and presents. I think he is winning the European for The England Football term as we speak, on the playstation,(new football game) and he has been out in the garden looking for hidden treasure with his new metal detectors. Later we are going to Aberystwyth Thomas want to go bowling and then out to eat. And then I expect that we will be serenaded on the bongo drums by himself!Love to you all Cathyxxx

Yes we've done it!

Steve,Gemma and Clive, I hope the move went well and you didn't have to throw out the furniture again. Good luck in the new house! We have booked two caravans on a farm near Niton, one for us and one for our friend Nikki, for ten days from sat 21.8.04 to tues 31.8.04. We are planning to go down to the Island on the Thursday and stay with M&D for two nights and then move on to the caravan on Saturday lunch/afternoon. Hoping Mum can stand it and that Edmund has recovered enough from having two teeth removed ready for a new brace. Then we are hoping for days on the beach with visits from family and lunch at a big table at the Spyglass with Mum and Dad, and Nikki, Freya(2yrs) Simon(boyfriend) and pos Simons brother plus family who also live on the island, it has to all end in tears! Looking forward to great fun!

We may have arrived

Duw Duw. A small break in the eternal drizzle. A glimpse of the sun maybe.
We are all going to a caravan at Niton I.O.W next week. So that will be nice.
Won't say any more because this may not be doing it.

John & Cathy.

Email

Dad I sent you an email friday/sat wassa problem?