Clever girls

You are quite right - you are both beautiful AND clever, (though careless if you trip over your own foot). Gazzer is famous for that and see where he got to. I broke both my right wrist AND my left wrist when I was playing football. The right one was when I was playing football in Ceylon (as it was then) in 1946, when I was on leave up in the hill country and the second was in Abingdon, when playing for the Oxford YMCA, only a couple of years later. Stoopid boy! How is your dad now, does he look any the less pitiful? I am glad I never spoilt my beautiful face !!!!!!! Footy is a dangerous game. With such beautiful and clever sisters, how can Amy go wrong??

"Nobody told me, I just knew it!"

Hi All
I just thought I'd let you know that "some people", refering to the previous message by my dad, have failed to explain the entire story of the famous family joke. I didn't become famous just like that, there is some genious work behind the "nobody told me, I just knew it!" because it was true. I remember clearly. I was at preschool one afternoon, and somehow, I said the days of the week, to myself, from Monday to Sunday. I'd never said it before, though perhaps I had heard it. As soon as it was home-time I rushed out the gate to meet dad, who had his video camera out and cought me on camera saying "listen dad, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saterday, sunday." Dad thought I knew it already and then came the "nobody told me, I just knew it!" Now he laughs at me but I just look down on him. I really was proud of myself!
Jess xxx

more accidents......

hi all
had another accident in the family,yesterday(Friday). At Sports(evary Friday afternoon my school does Sport E.G Footy,Rugby Rounders...) I tripped playing footy and sprained my anckle. I was carried to the reception, was given an ice pack, and was told to wait for my parents. As Dad came, a lady came past to pick up a child from the childs classroom and noticed me. She said she worked on an ambulance and would look at my foot. She explained that it wasn't broken but it was sprained.
What had happened (if you know any thing about footy)was...
It was goaly's ball. The girl in goal kicked the ball really softly and not hard enough for it to roll out of the box. So I went inside the box and just as I got close to the ball, another girl and two boys followed me in. They were all opponents and both of the boys were fat and slow, but the girl was as fast,if not faster, than me. the girl got close and was about to tackle me, when I tripped,and fell on my foot. Some people say that the girl tripped me and some accuse the ball, but I think it was just a slip of the foot on the wet grass.
So I have crutches and am hobling around in agony...(well mabey thats a bit of an exaggeration...)
From sunny Spain
Bethany

Morning capers..

Sometimes life has its pleasures..like this morning, when Amy was on our bed getting dressed. "I can do it all by myself", says she. I then watch with amusement as Harry Houdini tries to escape from her pyjamas. It was well worth paying money to see and finished with a triumphant tossing down of the pyjama top, as inside out as anything could ever be! You had to be there, but it took me back to similar experiences with Jessica and Bethany.

Jessica once famouly said, "Nobody taught me, I just knew it", which has become a standing family joke. Pride comes before a fall, they say...

IMG_0076.JPG

IMG_0076.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Seven of the best

Oh! What a Day

A belated happy birthday to Jamie. ? is that 7. Trick or treat tonight, or do you wait until Sunday. I see some people are advertising Bonfire Night and Firework celebrations. What a ghosty world we live in. I am saving some hot pennies for the trick or treaters. Whoooohaha!!

Message for Kate

How is our skiing, roller blading,tabboggoning discoing ,bingo playing,horse riding, go-carting, quad-biking grand daughter this morning. Glad you had a good night sleepover, Kate. Tell dad we are off to dinner tonight in Ventnor. - not at the Spy Glass this time. Hope to see you at Christmas. Mum says its from the Wednesday before to the Wednesday after Christmas. Just in time for us all to celebrate your birthday. Love to you and the boys. See ya! Granddad

Only 47 to go!

Congratulations to Julian and Ruth. Lovely pictures of Le Geant, Julian - I do mean your mountain!! Love Mum and Dad

Belated best wishes...

Nic

I was going to send you birthday greetings on the blog but realised the futility when I looked at the clock and it said 7.30pm. So tell me, did you get the trains out?

Pete

Happy Birthday Nic..

Get yourself a new ibook they come with a wireless card then buy yourself an Airport Express $99 and you've got wireless broadband all over.. when's my birthday :-((

Poor Pete

I remember well - god, names from the past; how come I know these but can't remember what I did last week? anyway to continue.. when someone called Stan (nickname I think) got his front teeth knocked out by a lifter.. blood everywhere glass and glasses frames mangled, it was like ER.. Stan was best mates with Scottie who I bowled for a golden duck... not a good idea, I was probably 13-14 and he was 15 and the school bully!

Put a link up to your photos.. very lovely.. get well soon you monster.

Pictures from our epic climb (Kipper, Jonathan and me, to the summit of the Ventoux from camp one at 1400 metres (Chalet Renard) we started off by going down and then traversed across the back of the mountain and up the north face started off in shorts and sunshine and ended up in goose pimples and tempest.. always best to be prepared and I wasn't. Seven hour round circuit and that was starting near the top!

lots of love all, J

Ps. we have broadband!!!!! Will be up and running in 10 days or so

Photos to view!

Here are my photos published on my home page at last. Perhaps Julian, you could create a link to Pete's Homepages?

homepage.mac.com/pjmerrowsmith/PhotoAlbum3.html

lips teeth and tongues

Oh Peter you poor thing. Glad I met you when I could see your face.....I almost had a nasty too when my temporary veneer fell off just as I was about to leave for the show (Olbas pastel pulled it off) and I saw the black pegs they had filed my teeth down to and imagined smiling at the conductor. Perhaps it would have shocked him into phrasing a bit. Anyway now all is apparently well and I have gleaming fronties even though i feel like Buggs Bunny.Had a great time at home with those kittens Julian, Manon and Oscar and could so easily have forgotten all about the tour and slipped back into home life, especially as it was back to sandals and thyme scented walks, but here I am back in the rain and in the very glamorous location of the Woking shoppping centre with the theatre located just inbetween Faith Shoes and Thorntons Chocolates. Both tempting retail therapy when Mozart is on the gallows!
Happy Birthday Nic!
Great to hear all you kids. Keep blogging!
Ruthxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NIC

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Nicholas, Happy Birthday to you!!
Sorry about the 8 hour gap, but if we had sent this when we went to bed ,you would be on your way to work.
LOVE FROM MUM AND DAD

FW: Mama

Saying that.. This one went missing but at least I had a copy in my sent folder..hey ho!

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Merrow-Smith
Sent: 23/10/2004 21:37:06
To: "Patrick"
Cc: "Blog to ms.org"
Subject: Mama

Wow girl what's this? you'll be emailing and using your mobile next darlin'. I'm as bad as you when my two are in the same room so I know it must have been an emotional day and one you have had to wait too long for but we got there in the end. Warm milky drink anyone?

So very sorry Pete

Oh, Pete, what have they done to you - my lovely boy. I was only being flippant to hide my real feelings. I once took a smack in the chest from a cricket ball when I was playing a very silly mid-on. Thankfully it was not as bad as yours, but it did hurt (a bit). We both (all) hope that there will be no permanent reminder and that the lip will heal.
I was reminded of one of those tragic photos of a little South American boy, who was once helped to repair his face following a birth defect. That was some time ago and it was on an Esther Rantzen programme where she and her husband went out to the Amazon to arrange for medical treatment in the UK. Ugh!! I hope you are getting suitable sympathy from your nearest and dearest. What do the girls think of their injured Dad? Nic and I were only talking the other day about Jen's Uncle and Auntie in Singapore, who are both dental surgeons and they spend their lives re-fashioning jaw bones and the like. I am glad that their treatment is not necessary.
I hope you have benefitted from your visit to Les Cougieux, Ruth and that the sun shone for you. I hope also that Julian and the kittens were pleased to see you. Actually we had quite a lot of sun yesterday, but the winds were cool. Later on today Mum has to go for another consultation about her below the belt area. I hope that this will be the end of her troubles, but I somehow doubt it. I have spent the past week dashing out to try and reduce the height of our lawns in between rain showers, as grass grows, even when you are not there and is 5" high in places. Only the 'hill', left now.
We are going out on Friday evening to a new French restaurant, built on the site of the old Rex cinema high overlooking the bay in Ventnor. It is near to the spot where we stood to watch the Carnival back in August. I hope it is as good as those lovely restaurants in Gigondas and Chateauneauf du Papes, which we visited last month. We've heard some good reports.
Nice to hear from Edmund and Kate. What a wonderful camp she had - did she do all those fascinating things? It looks as if that book "Eat's shoot's and lea'ves" is needed at Nythfa!! Keep blogging fellahs- we know what you mean. 'Tis better to hear from you than to worry about your spelling. Glad that you are all back to normal Nic and Jen and the children are sleeping at the right times, now. Steve, is there any way we could capture all the news and photos from last week? Could I save it on one of those new floppy disc replacement things? Cost about £40. I have been clock watching since about 0430 until I finally got up at 5am and started to blog - What a lot of rubbish I write in the early mornings. We are thinking of you all and hoping you are all well. Love from Dad.

Catching a gob-full!

Just to fill you in (ha,ha, is that another dental joke?)...I was in the slips and the fast bowler was on. It took an edge, came to my left but was quite short (I was probably a little far back, to be honest). It was going like a rocket as I went down to stop it, but it skipped up off the seam and jumped towards my face. "Bloo" - smack!! - "min' eck". I still have a flash frame of a large round threateningly red object stamped indelibly on my memory. Forget all this stuff about my life passing before me. It was quicker than a bird hitting your windscreen on the motorway. Before I could register that I had been hit, I had taken a full-face-on smack in the top lip. Everyone in the ground heard my lip go splat! Ah, the hazy days of summer echoing to the sound of leather upon...lip? Blah! After that there was some bleeding, some ice, some teasing banter about using my hands (yes, Dad, I've heard them all!), followed by the many "Madre mia"s of the various Spanish nurses who helped me get stitched up. Today the lip has swollen pretty well but I managed a full teaching day. What an old soldier. Seven stitches! Did I tell you that I managed to get back to the ground in time to bat? Fortunately I wasn't needed as we won by quite a bit, but I would have been there, honest. The kids at school didn't let me off much...cor, what a day! Thank the Lord that a diet of soup and ice cream is the only remedy.

Pete

We have just been to the pictures

Spent the past half hour looking at the georgeous array of photos - lovely of the Steele family, lovely of us on Chinnor Hill, good groups of the 7 original Merrows, what a fantastic reminder of our super day, Mum wants me to print them all!!! If we were to search, there are good photos of all of us. Lovely blog this morning from Jen - not so lovely from Pete. Love to you all from a grateful Mum and Dad.

Big Sleep......

Good morning everyone..... we've finally awoken from our deep slumber aka jet lag!! Nic and I are fine, so we think....we had to go back to work the day after arriving back home (last Thursday) but the kids still function on GMT.....breakfast is supper, lunch is breakfast so on and so forth :)

We had a lovely time in Oxford, meeting all of you...and the 13th was an absolutely perfect day! Both Claire and Dan are extremely chuffed at meeting all their cousins....they can't wait to meet up again in Wales/Spain/France/IOW/Oxford...Dan keeps asking for his 'gor gors'!!! Nic and I have been going through our photos, reminiscing about everything......we can't wait for another grand 'ol gathering. Congrats again to Hugh and Margaret for their 50th.....big fat old thanks and hug to Steve for all the arrangements...and thanks to Julien for this fantastic blog and giving us the opportunity to reach out to all you civilised ppl from this end of the earth ;P

Well, we hope to be online soon from home, got to get a instrument of computing first.....Nic can't decide at the moment, his mind boggles (must be the jet-lag): desktop/laptop, PC/Mac, cheap/notsocheap, Toshiba/Fujitsu, broadband/dialup...blah blah blah....I just say...GET ONE!! ANY ONE! In the meantime, our offer still stands for anyone wanting to visit the Far East.... we look forward to hosting anyone over here...big/small, young/old etc.

Will try and upload some pictures soon, in the meantime, have a great day ahead ;)

Oh! Pete.

If batting, what is your bat for?, if fielding, why didn't you catch it?, if watching why take your eye of the ball?
No, honestly though, Pete, I dare not show this to Mum. Keep us posted. And after that lovely photo with Ruth - Oh! Pete. Where is my handsome boy tonight?. Give us a kiss!! Dad

Non competitive sport Peter!

pretty bubbles
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

(Who took this one then?)
Get yourself a sensible hobby you awful man! frightening us like that! Do as I say is it? not as I do...!

Cricket questions..

How can an innings begin and after only two bowls of the first over, both batsmen be on 6 not out? Answers on a postcard please. This was in the 1956 cricket umpires examination, I'm told.

Second question. How can you have a forty overs limited cricket match and only play five overs of the alloted forty? Well, that's a little easier.....all out, match abandoned due to rain, nuclear war, etc...or, in my case, get yourself hit in the face by a cricket ball travelling at a hundred miles an hour and spend most of the match at Marina Baixa hospital getting laces put into your top lip! Don't worry mum, the two front teeth are shaken but still in place and un-damaged. The lip will take a bit of time to heal, but hey, who am I trying to impress? My wife loves me, although we may need some time before we can embrace! (Ha, ha, is that a dental joke?)

Please download these images at your peril.

Pete

Thick_lip.JPG
Thicker_lip.JPG

From KATE

By the way Edmund I'm not going to bring all my friends round, 'cause I've just been skiing, roller blading,tabboggoning discoing ,bingo playing,horse riding, go-carting, quad-biking(crashed twice-how embarrassing) swimming, climbing ropes swinging in trees,balancing on logs and I'm pooped. Thomas thinks I don't pay attention in school but just to prove that I do. Hwyl fawr; oddi wrth Kate xxx

Be nice to newcomers!

Hello to C.Jessica, C.Bethany, C.Amy, U.Pete, A.Jan, U.Steve, U.Julian, A.Ruth, U.Nick, A.Jen, C.Clare, C.Daniel, Grandma, Grandad, C.William, C.Jemma, and, not forgeting......er......(6 hous later)......um......, oh yeah, Clive. As you all should know, this is my first ever blog, so be nice and no nasty comments, OR ELSE. Anywho, (and yes it is a word!) Kate's back (15 minuites early, it was meant to be 3:30), so, so much for the quiet life, it'll be nothing but loads of little girls screeming and runing around the house from now on! NNNOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! An' on top o' tha*,
it's been nohin* (AAAAAARRRrrrgh-the &^%*$! keyboard's not workin [letters n,t,s,g&b]) but dul weather all weekend so damn that. And the blog on Monday, october 18, 7th blog down ('Where's Edmund'), the answer is, I was in the toilet! And finaly some jokes; Q.Why are elefants wiser than chikens? A.Ever heard of a Kentukey Fried Elefant?! "My elefant can play chess with me" "Really? He must be very cleaver" "Not really, I'm beatin him 3 ames* to 1" Ha Ha Ha Boom Boom!** Anywho, so that's that, hmm, board now.

Bye. Love Edmund.

P.S:- C. means Cousin.

P.S.S:-If you thouht that was odd, that's just the kind of person I am.

P.S.S.S:- A. means Aunty.

P.S.S.S.S:-*Stuipid keyboard.

P.S.S.S.S.S:- U. means Uncle.

P.S.S.S.S.S.S:-**Yes, this does mean that I've been watching 'Basle Brush'.

P.S.S.S.S.S.S.S:- I started this at 2:34!

Email to blog

Ain't it annoying when that happens Cathy. If you are happier to use an email application like outlook express you can blog direct from there, then it won't get lost in the ether when the blog goes flakey. I'm on my phone at the moment which won't read the settings but I'm sending you this and a copy to the blog using the phone equivalent of outlook. The address has been reinstated now and is ezappy.downthepub@blogspot.com (although I must watch for any rogue publishers). Love to you and yours. How did Nikki get on at court by the way and what's this about Christmas?

Oh!

Blast! I've just lost my blog, whilst I was looking for the spell check! I now have spellcheck but no post to publish, maybe I will try again tomorrow! love from Cathy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To all my boys and girls

I think it was very clever of you all to come to the party. If it hadn't been for the backup of Dad and Steve, I would never have made it. Thank you Steve for arranging for my hair appointments and thank you Cathy for your support at the Travelodge and for your work in altering my clothes to fit a thinner Mum. A lot of thanks also go to Julian and Ruth for the three weeks rest in Les Cougieux and to Hugh for driving me round all those lovely Provencal villages. I know what you mean about Julian, Ruth - I feel the same about his Dad. Thank you to Julian for allowing us to use your car. I am so glad you are managing your touring, Ruth and glad that the Audi is doing a good job. I have been counting up all the presents which people have given me. Thank you to Pete and Jan for the beautiful bed cover and for the many other things we have found, like nuts and sweets and the Morecombe and Wise film DVDs. Thank you to Nic and Jen for the scrumptious Thornton's chocs and the lovely presents which Ivy and Bobby sent. I am reading Bobby's book and finding it so interesting. Thank you Ken and Prim for coming - I know it is not very far but it was lovely to see you both and to talk to you. I know what an effort it must have been. The roses were lovely and also the golden picture frame. I am sorry that I could not talk to everyone as much as I would have liked. I hardly spoke to Ruth and to Val, but I was in a world of my own, seeing my cousins and friends and Steve's relatives. What lovely children they are. I hope Mandy enjoyed herself and she was watched over very carefully by an expectant John. I know all the children enjoyed themselves and all made friends - which is nice! You don't know what it is to a grandmum to see all her children looking so lovely and getting along so well. I am sorry that I didn't see enough of Gemma and William nor to Clive and his Mum and Dad. The photos are all smashing and it will be a hard job to find the best. I agree, Ruth the Blogger is wonderul and enables us all to talk to each other - just like being in the same room. Lets all hear it for Julian. I am also amazed at how you have all been able to adapt to this wonderful technology. I would appreciate it if you all signed off in you own name. I thought Cathy had scored all the goals!! You seem to have worked it all out, Georgina. What clever children. It was a great joy to me to lunch at the Crown with you all- what a pub full of Merrows!! Also to our visit to the top of Chinnor Hill on such a glorious day. Last of all, Thank you to our lovely Fay and for all the support she has given to our family. Her family is very like ours, so supportive to each other. With grateful thanks to you all from Mum, - Nana - Grandma and Margaret.

blog thanks

the manoir was superb and congratulations steve and everyone...(said all of that in last blog) but what about the BLOG?????Isn't it wonderful to have three generations sharing their thoughts snd joys and memories and savouring it all over again from toddlers to octogenearians!!! I have to say Hip Hip Hooray for Julian for setting it all up and giving us this gift. Am I biased or do I just love Julian like we all do???????
i love you all too
hugh and margaret the car is amazing. thank you so much!
os gemma, have you watched those er tapes yet? and do you have the last series of sex in the city?????????????????????
love, ruth (going home for the weekend. hip hip again!)

It's O.K. Uncle Steve

O.K. I forgive you. It's teachers trainig day today,but it's be'n raining all day so it is'nt much of a day of.I was going to viset my old school but it was raining to hard.
I think I scored about 516273846742468085324571234567891234567891234567891234567812345678 goals (6) my finger hurts.I don't have much more to say apart from Kate's gone to an activety camp (-: yahooooooooo!!!!!!! but she not goin to get much done in this weather.

By!!
Can I have some cream mum!! ow

Can you believe it?

I've been playing all our photos as a slide show on my laptop and I'm full of wonder how it all happened... that everybody in our marvellous family made such a tremendous effort to make a very special day an exquisite memory. And it's one which we'll continue to enjoy until the next time we're together again. By my reckoning Cathy there's another fifty coming up in 2006 which could then become a recurring biennial event carrying on like that with Julian 2 years later and then Nic and Peter until Mum and Dad's diamond on Boxing Day 2013! So perhaps we ought to be thinking about saving some pennies for 26th July 2006. Mum was delighted to hear from John that he's organising Christmas on the Island this year so perhaps I'll need to think about booking into Hotel Splendide for the festivities. It's lovely to read through all the positive messages of thanks for organising the do and makes it all worthwhile Thank you to everybody. Love from Steve .. Eeizappy

birthdays

Just in case the past few days euphoria has driven it from your minds Nic will be 44 on Wednesday 27th October, Claire will be 5 on 27th November, Demolition Dan will be 2 on the 8th December, Pete will be 41 on 21st December and last but by no means least, Kate will be 9 on 27th December. On the phone today, Nic told me that his laptop is still U.S and it may need a snail mail card or a phone call to wish him a happy birthday. John Roberts starts the year, by being 49 on the 4th January, followed by Ruth on 21st (I won't tell 'em Ruth - let 'em guess)

Ah yes, I (will) remember it well!

Hi, as you'll know we all arrived safely, back in the swing of school, housework and the like. Wasn't too well until today though, hence lack of blog. Just have to say though that I thought the whole trip was super duper fab from start to end. Great accommodation at a rock bottom price (thanks mum and dad) and the company was second to none. Actually, what I hadn't anticipated which was SOOOO nice, was being in such close proximity to everyone that we weren't limited to seeing each other only on The Day - The Day kind of spread nicely over the whole week!

Steve, I have to say that you did a fantastic job of putting the whole thing together and I'm really glad that it turned out so well - from your blogs it looks as though you think it was worth all that effort. Good on ya'.

Thanks also to Ruth and Julian for being able to get together (over some more fantastic food) and give Pete and me the opportunity to get some rare culture in ... we both had a great time - and yes, we'd love to see you in France, just need to organise a good time. Keep in touch on that one, eh?

Hope Nic and Jen et al all arrive home safely and in good shape; what will you do with all that winter gear now?!

So, seems that the same warm feeling is pervading us all ... can we do it again some time? Just give us enough time to save up a few pennies first!!

Love to everyone
Jan

West Indian farmer?

Nice post, Cajun Pes....

p.s

P.s
sorrrry
Jess's e-mail:jessicamerrowsmith@yahoo.com
Beth's e-mail:bethanymerrowsmith@yahoo.com
pp.ss.didn't watch the footy.update me
beth

hi Georgina

hi Georgina
sorry we have not been writing.this is cos we have been away and had no internet where we stayed in England. We are all well and what about you. write back and tell us about the weather... Oh, I am 11 and jess is 13. It was fun at le Manoir,wasn't it? we do hope to see you again soon.HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAIMIE!!!!
gotta go now
beth & jess
c ya

Who's going to be 7?

Georgie can you tell your brother that a substitute party thingy has been posted.. not a key ring set but same sort of idea. And hopefully when everyone's caught up with their school work the other kids'll catch up with blogging.~ I had a call from Gem to say she's passed her Microsoft exam so she's got her computer driving license now. Hussar! ~Today's the day Nic and family return to Singapore so we wish them bon voyage and hope everyone get's over the jet lag swiftly and gets back to feeling normal in double quick time. ~What an amazing week it's been. I'm afraid the football match was a bit of a disaster area score wise and I was too engrossed to follow who was winning so there'll have to be a replay at some point. There should actually have been a red card for Clare as she was caught on camera barging Jamie into the bushes... all I can see now as I recall is his feet disappearing as he was grossly shoved in the back going for a long ball. Hopefully he won't have seen it because it wasn't funny at all by any means.. in the slightest. hmmm. There's a big envelope in the post for him and there's a birthday card inside too so don't let him open that until the day. ~Mum and Dad thank you for presiding so royally over the occasion. It was my bestest party since I got everyone in Haddenham to dress as cowboys and we had bangers and mash and baked beans and after went roaring round the village looking for red skins firing our cap guns. I wonder how Cathy remembers that episode. One wonders what we'd have done if we'd found any Indians. I'll leave you with that thought. love Uncle CaJuNiPeStephen ps

FW: [merrow-smith.org] Alo cousin and Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Merrow-Smith
Sent: 19/10/2004 07:01:49
To: "Cathy"
Cc: "Blog to ms.org"
Subject: RE: [merrow-smith.org] Alo cousin and Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Thought I'd got away with it Thomas how utterly unforgiveable, but I have corrected the mistake. How many goals did you get by the way? love fromUncle Ca Ju Ni Pe Stephen (ask your Mum who CaJuNiPeStephen is.. Also SteCaNiPeJulian etc

Some nice shots

I want that one!!
Wait, my hair...
Ah!!!!
Smile please!
Hello darling..
Alright, if I have to!
Match the nose and ear profiles to the correct parent!
Up here!
What a golden fleecey thing!
A breath of fresh air...
My sister had boots like that when I were a kid... but that's my mum's skirt, isn't it?
Get yourselves organised!
The family
Steve's table
Silly kids..
Le Manoir tour
Jen with the brood.

The family

How did he do that?

You're the mummy, you should know!

Thomas's post

How did he do that,he claims not to know'it just did it' love C xxxxxxxxx

Alo cousin and Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

I'm standing right next to Bethany! I don't like it when people mix us up,especially when their my uncle's and aunt's huh GRRRRR puph huh GRRRRRR! any way Edmund is probably in the gravel or inside watching T.V. Will the person who mixed me and Edmund up please contact me at once and I shall send hate mail.

Au'rouva (I learnt that in French,see I do listen)...What was that mum?Whoops she says I got to do my English homework.

By/Adios amigos.

Thoughts on a really lovely week.

We have had such a wonderful week and that followed a lovely three week sunshine holiday with Julian. It was lovely to pop over to Views Farm to see Nic and family, (two lovely children) to pop over to Greenwood Avenue to see Pete and Family and of course Judy and Stan. (Three more lovely girls.) To have Cathy and family next door so all we had to do was knock. (Two lovely boys and a lovely Kate) To see Steve and family (Lovely Gemma and Will + Clive) over in Hartford Street - pity we did not have any chockywockydooda cake, nor any cheese, nor any champagne, but we had a lovely ride home in John's car. Great to see Julian and Ruth (sorry she had to leave so soon) and for us all to have such a memorable day on Chinnor Hill in the sunshine watched over by a beautiful red kite. The day at Le Manoir was magic and all the children were sooo good. Thank you to Jess and Beth for doing such a super shepherding of your cousins and Steve's neice and nephew Georgina and Jamie. Who won the football ???. What a beautiful present of that fabulous quilt from Jan and Pete. Thank you Pete for driving me up to Kidderminster to see my sister and for what you did for Linda. That was also a very memorable day. Our family and Steve's family and our friends all had such a wonderful day on Wednesday and all the photos we have seen are lovely. Mum and I had a super day at Nikki's wedding in Eynsham and we met a lot of friends and relatives, there. It was great to have lunch at the Trout Inn. Mine was so tasty. Beef and ale pie. Thanks to Steve for arranging for Mum to look so smashing after her hairdo's in Wheatley. She looked lovely. Thank you all for making our Golden Wedding celebrations and Steve's birthday such a happy occasions. We love you all. Dad and Mum

Where's Edmund?

IMG_0080.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Where is he?

Man with Chip

DSCF0038.JPG
Originally uploaded by Pete Merrowsmith.

Whoooooow!!!!!

That was good!I had such a good time, I want to be back there now,with all of you! John wonders why I didn't smuggle out some petits fours, and why the kids didn't bring home their
leftover cheese, we laughted! We will next time! But its back to normal now, kids at school, washing machine on,what to cook for dinner, sun shining, leaves falling, but a very warm feeling inside,so happy! I love you all Cathy

Ahhhh

DSCF0026.JPG
Originally uploaded by Pete Merrowsmith.

Everyonezappy...


Also spare cake in freezer for next time and spare cheese in fridge for next time and spare wine for next time.... and a big hugful of spare warm feeling for next time
(This photo is one of Peter's which I klickt on and blogged. Does anyone need another invite to flickr)
To see all Peter's and Val's and Steve's photos so far klick here

UTTERLY FAB WEEK

To see all Steve's and Val's photos so far klick here

There's a neat uploading tool which you can drag a large number of pictures to, and you can download it from here. When you are in your own flickr account, you are given the option of blogging your pictures to the blog. Klick on the required photo and it comes as an option.

Still now bowled over by the way how well it went!

No rain in Spain

Home again. Sorry all you who have been waiting for photos and the like. I'll post some shortly. We are home in Alfas after an afternoon in planes and cars. Nearly missed the flight due to problems settling the hire car bill, but in the end all went smoothly. Too tired to do much now but am looking forward to catching up with the blog tomorrow. Remember we lose an hour going to Spain so it's already ridiculously late. Off to bed says zebedee.

sunny sussex

great to see y'all at the manoir. what a day! i just want to say what an amazing family you all are and how much i appreciate the warmth you all give in welcoming me into it. coming from a very WIERD SMALL (but also wonderful in it's way) family it is a breath of fresh merrow-smith air to be with you and share hugs and foie gras. Congratulations a million times Hugh and Margaret for all the sunshine you have brought into the world.
I was disappointed however that Julian bought neither the famous petit fours nor a sliver of choccy wokky doo dah cake back home, so any postal remedies in this direction would be welcome co 9a St John's Terrace, Lewes, Sussex BN7 2DL. it was a wrench to leave you and go back to work but today i have my first day off. still in jammies and not even done my yoga yet. that's more like it! julian has shown an interest in yoga too and we are going to get the cats started to work off the holiday tums. I hope they will all have perfected their tadasana by the time i return for 10 minutes at the weekend! have happy returns all those who are travelling far, and see you all again sooner or later in les couguieux for more o' the same!

Back home..

..to rain at Marseille!! and two very fat and clingy cats. Today though is beautiful blue skies sunshine and there is snow a top the Ventoux.

It was so lovely to see everybody together and what a surprise to all go to the top of Chinnor hill! It must be more than thirty years ago we all did that together between mass and Sunday lunch!

Dad you'll be pleased to know that I got the DVD player to appear again.

lots of love to all J

End of Hill Top Road

When we were little kids, it was said that Roger Moore lived up here.
Fay lived at the bottom of the hill we're looking from, and when she was little, with her sister she'd be allowed to play on the Hill; but every hour, her Mum would wave from the bottom of her garden with a tea towel and Fay and Gloria would have to wave back, so she'd know they were all right.

winall
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Here's Four big kids, a big old kid and a load of little kids and their mums and our Mum chucking a "Nerf" about which is a sort of whistling rubber doodlebug ball.
To see all Steve's photos so far klick here

blogagm.JPG

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

No bloggin' today cos we're all together

Big Day

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Everyone at the reunion

Relief....!

Cara's Mum now coming instead... so everyone's happy.
Mother is booked in to the hairdressers at 10 am for a bit of a joujou-up having had a pampering this morning so everyone will be all gorgeous

Had a wicked time in Soho... Gemma very funny after a few... Will is eloquent with a pint.

Namesake drummer blistering ..Steve Smith's Vital Information.. fantastic.. see you all tomorrow..
Getting house ready for everyone to come back here to Hertford Street for afters. Postcode is OX4 3AJ

map

This is Daniel

who is the youngest and most energetic
we think, soon to be 2.. yup a 'terrible 2'
Cara's David has dropped out leaving us with a problem in that we'll be charged for 40 even though there's now 39 of us ..
Any spare bods always wanted to go?

Unfortunately John Roberts John has other commitments and couldn't be persuaded..
.. we'll get John a doggy bag otherwise!

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Met up for hectic lunch at the Harvester with Mum and Dad and Jen and Nic

Off to Wheatley

We are about to leave for the Travelodge in Wheatley, where we hope to meet Cathy and children tonight. My mobile number is 07967550179 - (hope the battery lasts out) Pete and Nic are meeting in Chinnor this morning. Our latest additions, if you have not already got them are Michael and Pam Cross, (Mum's cousin) who will be travelling down from the Wirral, and Prim and Ken Patey (Mum's old friend from LWUS Thame). Dad

Off to Wheatley

We are about to leave for the Travelodge in Wheatley, where we hope to meet Cathy and children tonight. My mobile number is 07967550179 - (hope the battery lasts out) Pete and Nic are meeting in Chinnor this morning. Our latest additions, if you have not already got them are Michael and Pam Cross, (Mum's cousin) who will be travelling down from the Wirral, and Prim and Ken Patey (Mum's old friend from LWUS Thame). Dad

Clan Gathering

Do we need Bilbo Baggins for the biggest gathering in the Shire? ..you're all here for my hundred and eleventhty birthday...(sniff)

Deadline for Changes

Le Manoir are prepared to accept changes to our party up until noon on Tuesday. So if anyone else is coming can we have the details to me please as soon as possible. We also must make sure that everyone accepts we'll have to pay for anyone who doesn't show...which I think is unavoidable really but fair to the Manoir. love Steve

Greetings from...

...the Islee of Wight where we had a quick pint, fishn'chips, a snog with mum, and two exhilerating walks and then nicked mum's car tee hee... this is the new Ruth with front two teeth stripped ready for re-enameling so two weeks with no red wine or indian food... just bloody champagne and foi gras roll on Wednesday.. and thanks for your good wishes Barbara you are of course invited!!

Big Chill

Yes folks we are here, managed to get to a surf port and say hello, you can call me on Singapore (065) 96889427 that's me mobile for the party. Looking forward to a big do, will be their for coffee on Wednesday

Got to go now,

Nic

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kate.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

What's my name?

Jessica, Amy and Bethany...

Girls off to school
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Are arriving today from Spain, where they are at school and their Mum and Dad work at the same school ...imagine!

That's me.. helloo and this is Jamie

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Howdy - partners

Just got back onto the IOW after leaving Hameau des Cougeiex at about 8am ce matin and hightailing it down to Marseille to catch the EasyJet at 10.15am. A good flight back with Julian and we met a very happy Ruth at LGW. Our man Bob was there with his taxi and we caught the ferry at 1345, in time for me to watch England beat our Welsh friends (Apologies to Cathy and her Welsh brood). I am now trying to catch up ready for our journey back to Oxfordshire on Monday, stay at the Travelodge and get M's hair done in Wheatley on Tuesday am. We welcomed Nic and family from Singapore -thanks Steve for meeting them- on his mobile and we hope it will all come together OK on Wednesday. Don't forget to try and make it for coffee at 11 am if poss. Juian brought some of his Cote de Rhone from Vacqueras and some French cheese for the cheese and wine later in Cowley. Are we all invited, Steve?? I can taste it already. Love from Hugh

Hello Georgina

So nice to see my little goddaughter blogging away.. did you press the tickle button. What happens when you do? There should be a game to play!

St Ruth

Merde(r) is definately not allowed!

Here's the solution... Press the 'playgame' button on the next page!

tickle tickle
AND
bing bong..Ω
Can we all text our mobiles to Nic please..
on +6596889427
fan Q esp Mum&Dad

Fwd: [merrow-smith.org] Hmmm!

Begin forwarded message:

> Hello Georgina,
> I've seen your first blog so you're in! and I guess you'd like to try
> putting pictures up on it now too.
>
> There are 2 ways of doing it.
>
> a) You can go to the Flickr site you set up (your user name is Sunspot
> isn't it) and post pictures to your own page which is what I do.
> This is done by saving the image you want to the desktop on your pc
> and using the flickr uploading tools. Ask Daddy about downloading the
> uploading tool from www.flickr.com/tools/
> Once the image has been posted to Flickr, it has an internet location
> and you can then get the picture up from your page, and blog to the
> blogger by clicking the 'blog this' button.
> Flickr and Blogger can 'talk' to each other easily.
>
> b) The other way is to email the picture to the following email
> address and the picture is automatically posted.
>
> has50big2blog@photos.flickr.com
>
> good luck
>
> Uncle Steve
>
>
> On 7 Oct 2004, at 17:46, sunstar1 wrote:
>
>> I think I know how to work this thing.........
>> I'm Steve's neice/god daughter.And I'm just getting the hang of this
>> I think....
>>
>>
>> --
>> Posted by sunstar1 to merrow-smith.org at 10/7/2004 05:57:10 PM
>>
>>

RDFMedia

This is Val and of course "moi" at the first meeting with Claire Dutfield yesterday (before I called in for visit with Nic and Jen) to see if we can get on the new TV show "Make Me a Million".
I'm breaking all the rules telling everyone aren't I but it's not a wind up!
We are paired up with a millionaire mentor and try to push a business idea as far and as fast as we can to make a £million.
Fingers crossed we get through to the next stage!!!

They're here!

They're here
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Welcome to England everyone.. look at Daniel ahhh bless him. Claire is a bit camera shy today as well. Steve met to welcome Nic and Jen in their serviced apartment near Notting Hill as the kids were being bedded down after a long flight to get here, but it was all too exciting. A wander round Whiteleys put paid to that burst of energy and you can see Daniel has nodded off holding a french fry. It's nice to know what's for breakfast I think and to know it's somewhere in safe keeping.

kill the conductor 2 (from ruth)

the latest mozart plan is that a violinist in our band who is running the seven sisters marathon and has to collect money for a charity has decided that the charity is to pay off the 'surf board' and pay the assistant dream boat conductor to do one show with us....i had a very good talk to the big cheese at the first night party (I seem to be the only person who dares speak to anyone outside the band) but he insists that there is absolutely nothing they can do. humph.
just back from dinner with friend who runs neal's yard in brighton and he gave me a wonderful spray called 'calm'. wish i could wing it over to you margaret for the flight but sounds like you have caught the cougieux calm anyway! so glad to hear you are relaxing well and happy there.
ra ra for the cat flap. only julian merrow-smith could make an adobe meets stone henge cat flap!

it looks likely that julian and I will be going to Isle de Wight on sunday 10th to pick up car and for me to have the chance to see h an' m and any other merrow smiths that are there...what are plans?
the sun shone today and glyndebourne sheep and lamas were smiling and hills glinting. another kind of paradise. i will walk in accross the south downs again tomorrow from lewes. haven't quite figured out the last part of the walk and last time had a bit of an accident with the barbed wire. see y'all next week, rxx

Hello all,

Only a week to the big day. Exciting eh! Pete and Jan when do you arrive? I love the picture of your girls I would love to print it out but I'm afraid my grasp of technology means that I would print out the whole blog so I'm too chicken to try! Can't wait to see them. Ruth it's so disappointing that you have to leave so early, I begin to wonder if I will ever see more than brief snatches of you, those Conductors are such bullies, shall we come down and sort them out?Mum you can get canisters/inhalers of oxygen I think the Japanese thought they would be a good idea! but of course I don't think they like arosoles on planes, but if they are popular they may be available in airports or chemists, maybe worth investigating. Its looking like people are meeting up before the great day? We, the kids and me, have booked until Friday but they sounded very flexible, hoping that we can spend extra time with you all.I love you all.
My mobile is 0798 009 4581 but of course it only works once I leave the village.
ps I think the ode maybe 'Read and learn' Ladybird Books circa 1962.

putting a cat flap...

through a 3ft thick wall
is not easy and then they refuse to learn how to use it...
today they seem to of got the hang of it, so now I can safely return to blighty with no fear of them eating the sofa and crapping all over the house..

See y'all soon lots of love J

Big flight..

Hiya all. Our home laptop is busted...i.e. our help landed on it whilst cleaning the windows thus cracking the LCD screen into a million, zillion pieces. As a result, I'm posted this quick note on the behalf of Nic from work before my leave officially begins at 6 pm today! Suffice to say that we're packed, albeit shorts and all, and should be landing in bright, sunny, warm London (with the blue skies and all...) at 6am Thursday morning!
Nic's mobile number is 65-96889427 in the event that anyone needs to contact us. We'll be staying at the Somerset Bayswater off Queensway in London till the morning of Monday the 11th. After that, we'll be driving up to Great Milton, staying at Views Farm Barn for a week till the 18th.
We're looking forward to the great big-do and can't wait to see everyone!!

Love 'n all,

Jen, Nic, Clairey fairy and Demolition Dan.

blue skies

blue skies huh don't talk to me about blue skies. yesterday, mum and i walked - yes, walked to local market in Bedoin, (about 3 kilos) au pied de la Geant Du Provence (our local mountain) and we did what all ex Pats want to do when we are 'foreign', sit out in the sun, under a massive Mediterranean Plane tree, scoffing chicken panini and watching the business of these colourful markets, at the same time nursing a Pastis 51. After the market had closed (about 2.pm) we walked round the little town and then in the heat of the afternoon, we took a leisurely walk back to Les Cougieux, along the route des Desmoiselles Coiffees, stopping every five minutes for a drink of eau gaseuse. We both loved the walk and the day in Bedoin, spoilt only by some energetic aviateur, practising his lupe-da-lupes. The sky was too blue to see him! Julian has gone into town to look for a cat flap, but when he returns we will ask to borrow his car to go to Orange, to see the Arene and the Arc de Triomphe. Only another week to go!! Be seeing you all. Love Mum and Dad.

grey skies again from ruth

thank you steve for your .... poem? ode? to blue or to ruth (what, me?). anyway, i went to visit a friend in sussex square in brighton which is where i used to live (in' it) and it was indeed blue for at least 25 minutes. doesn't compare 'owevere to les cougieux so why not get down there and hang out with everyone? 27 degrees i hear, and huggable kittens to (wellington) boot. (how ARE my babies?)
i asked again if i could have the 13th dress rehearsal off but was told a definitive NO and also that i had to leave by 3 to cope with M25 rush hour traffic . my meal is getting considerably shorter and i don't think i'll make it to dessert....let alone speeches (my fave bit!) i can;t bear it! will kick off be promt-ish? (panic setting in here!)
dress rehearsal of magic flute tonight. he's still got a surf board where it shouldn't be and though we did our best it was still leaden. we had the understudy - 21 and already taken up by simon rattle's agent - for two minutes last week and it was utterly transformed. we are considering poison as an option. the singers are lovely however and all in it for the best reasons and struggling like us against the beachboy.
loove to all, ruthxx

Ruth!

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Ruth.......
Ruth...


Ruth ....look

look Ruth...

Ruth...

Ruth blue...

Ruth quick!


Ruth look blue sky!.. Ruth!...etc :|]

Bring Short Shorts!

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Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Jen says they're kitted out for Nordic weather.
Yesterday..cats and dogs today ...That's an interesting variety, or just plain unreliable!
See you Thursday then chickens and lets hope weather holds. My stars are excellent this week if that means anything....

der ner ner ner der ner ner ner swooooosheeeeee aarrr(fade to Mystic Meg)

There continues to be plenty of positive planetary activity in your sign, which is reflected in your life circumstances, dear Libra! Now you have real control and can get on with your life, without feeling that the rug is about to be pulled away from beneath your feet. There are so many opportunities surrounding you that you may have a hard time choosing. At the start of the week, both the Sun and Mercury trine Neptune. This aspect brings you closer to your vision and your true goals. But remember: the thoughts you have will be based on an ideal world, so in order to translate these great ideas into reality you need to get to grips with the facts. Venus, your ruling planet, moves to oppose Uranus on Wednesday; this may mean that your schedule becomes disrupted, or that you need to do things differently from the norm. It might also be a sign that a short break would help you enormously - perhaps a day, or even a few hours to yourself. Mercury sextiles Pluto on Saturday, and this might signal that some intense thinking or a very deep conversation is about to take place. You may have a contract to sign or an important message to deliver.

Need more info...... no thankyou.

I'm a bit .... cos was woken by builders next door and I've been up all nightzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

No Boots!

Dress code... ooer?
As long as you're happy with what you plan to wear that's fine, and don't worry about fitting in!
There are no rules. At Mum and Dad's tea party at the Savoy we were dolled up a bit but no one else there was except the waiters and the piano player beyond reasonably smartish.

Don't forget it's changeable here all you expats, and layers will be better but I'm sure it will be warm in le Manoir.



...and you can wear sexy boots but no wellies!

GIFT IDEAS...!

One or two have been asking what I'd like for my birthday, which is that you all just get here..
on the day..Kapish?

humming from ruth

oh dear another merrow-smith hummer. i've already had hugh's interpretation of the dvorak concerto (da didy dum, da diddy dum) so here goes a special merrow smith title for what you are going to see next week
diddle iddle um, diddle iddle iddle um, diddle iddle iddle iddle iddle ooddle iddle uddle um - oh no that's figaro. it's more like
bu pu pu pu pu pu diddle iddle up pa pa pa pa pa iddle iddle i di di di di di di di di di di di di di di di...... (enter the vilas etc)
we have various lunch choices, my fave being a wonderful gourmet pub out in east chiltington with log fire , windy windy roads etc. foo is not cheap but is very well worth it. i'd rather have one good course rthan three crap ones myself. what are your desires? why don't we plan to meet at 12.30-ish in lewes?
thank you so much hugh and margaret for the offer of the car, which i heartfeltedly and gladly accept. hope you're loving cougieux as much as i'm missing it!
i will have to leave the manoir at 3.45 at the latest for dress rehearsal - do you think i will get the full course experience by then?
much love to all, rxxx