snowing here..

lovely in the sun yesterday but we have those little slow drifting flakes now. Don't think we will be skiing though - least not down here. lots of love j

More of the almonds..

Since you liked the other picture, here's what the almonds look like from a distance. Apparently the white blossoms give bitter and the pink give sweet almonds, but there seems to be divided opinion over this amongst my friends. Someone I talked to about it said he'd seen a tree with white blossoms produce pink blossoms the following year!



Ruth - yes, I have started to read the book you kindly sent - gratefully received, although reading tends to be a holiday luxury and I didn't manage to get into it over half term. Better luck over Easter. Then, come summer I may be ready to start a new project of my own.

No animals were harmed in the making of Julians's birthday mouse/printer picture!

His little furry face! Happy belated wishes Julian!! And hope you are healing quickly Nic & Pete. Much sympathy goes out to you both from all my work colleagues too who gathered round my flatscreen when I let out a yelp seeing your injuries!

Have been hitting the internet hard today as Clive & I are planning a trip for my birthday/our 5th anniversary which is around the same time-(One of those mysterious dates!). The plan is for Amsterdam, as stayed in Paris this time last year (for Will's birthday!). So any tips from you seasoned travellers very much appreciated & no jokes about the redlight district or sampling any special cake in coffee shops-no comment.Very keen to check out the Van Gogh & Vermeer exhibits especially after reading Tracey Chevalier's ''Girl with a Pearl Earring' a couple of yrs ago. It sould be the flower festival when we go and also a bit warmer than the siberian weather front we've had in Blighty this week. Hot water bottles at the ready.

I love the pictures J & P are taking of their localities. Gives us hope struggling to work in the snow here. Oxford's spires actually looks pretty special in the winter sunshine. We walked up the river to town last weekend & the college boat teams were out in force for their training on the Isis, racing each other from Donnigton Bridge to the 'Head of the River'. Wonder if any future olympians were there? Oxford's tourist numbers are starting to pick up & but they do look frozen though as they get lost round the town, braving the arctic chill as they take the historical open top bus tours around the city.

Shame we don't get a national day off with Charlie & Cam's forthcoming nuptials..mad eh?The papers (well the tabloids) are still full of it here as if anyone cares anymore (in or outsude the UK) but I think that would grease the wheels somewhat ...what? I remeber the last time he got married we lived in Rutland Terrace, Aldershot Dad had a 'tache, Mum made a fab Union Jack Flag cake & Will was tiny!

love Gem xxxx (4 kisses are the new 2 kisses!)

Almond trees in the foothills of Aitana

Snow on the hills this morning and I was out early looking at the wonderful countryside. It was pretty cold though as the fan decided to pack up on the car and the heater wouldn't blow in the hot air. I had to bare chilly knuckles to get this shot for you all. No worries though, I'm home with my coffee now and the temperature has soared to about seventeen. There are people in shorts and t-shirts in the streets, so it can't be so bad.

Many thanks...

to you all for your kind wishes to this aging bugger - I mean blogger. We tried to take a picture of the moon rising over our vineyard/mountain but the dead battery wouldn't oblige. Tonight maybe.

To celebrate we are lunching in Châteauneuf du Pape at La mere gourmand (where we eat outside in October), then a tour Ruth has organised around Château Rayas (ideas for birthday presents here ) We cant afford to buy anything but we know the owner. Then Chicken mole (chicken in chocolate) tonight at our chef friends in Entrechaux.
I have got this flashy little add on on my firefox browser which tells me when there is new posts at merrow-smith.org. Headlines show in the bar at the bottom. keein' up to date. Love to all J

Ruth's Somewhere in France Blog

Loved your trip to Rochefort, Ruth. Ten hours on a train I can do without! 1981 and we were dying for some good old fish and chips, having spent a couple of weeks in Les Sables d'Olonne without any. Heard that La Rochelle was a super pla(i)ce for fruits de mer, only to find that fdm did not include haddock or cod. Sadly no fish so we enjoyed a plateful of fdm. Nic even tried l'escargeot. Great fun. We loved the old town of La Rochelle avec les arcades. Love to you and we hope you both enjoy Julian's birthday. Love from H&M

Happy Birthday Bruv

Many Happy Returns today Julian love from the Oxford Crew

would have printed a card but printer jammed and mouse not working!!

Picnic

Picnic
Originally uploaded by Pete Merrowsmith.

Ah, roll on summer! This was last weekend near Callosa D'en Sarria.

Js[[u Notyjfsu yp Ki;osm

Have you cracked my code yet? HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JULIAN is what it says. 1959 and all that!!
We won a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Premier Cru champers last Saturday at a Lions Club evening in Shanklin - so we will drink to your health and happiness tonite.
On Sunday we took Richard and Celia out to lunch at The Bugle in Brading to celebrate his 71st birthday - Good pub lunch and as your Godfather, Richard wanted us to pass on his (Richard's) and Celia's Love and Best Wishes to you on your 46th.
.
Yesterday we had a light dusting of snow, but it was all gone before breakfast. Good job as an old friend of mine died last week and it was his funeral in Freshwater. The church was full and his eldest son's eulogy lasted for a good half hour and we didn't get home until 6. Must away now as we have Fitness Class at 0930 - Nite nite. Love from Dad and Mum

HOW HOw hoowwwllll

Fullmoon.JPG

Tune in to James Whale on Talk Radio tonight when the nutters ring in!

Dinosaur Farm on a rainy day

Dinosaur Farm on a rainy day
Originally uploaded by Nikki Cook.

The rare Carbordosaurus, now being farmed intensively on the IOW.. they need the eggs!

Keep your eyes on these two Isle of Wight blonde beauties

The Frost twins - Kathryn and Bryony Nationality: English Sport: Athletics Heyday: 2005-2010?
Bryony and Kathryn Frost have a long road to travel before they shed the inevitable label of 'the Kournikovas of athletics' but, at 18, they have time on their side. Born just 15 minutes apart, the diminutive (5ft1in) twins are currently ranked one and two among UK juniors in the women's 2,000m steeplechase, an event which will gain recognition at the 2005 World Athletic Championships in Helsinki - by which time they should be approaching their prime. Although, as Kathryn points out, having a near-identical sister can cause its problems: 'I was in a department store and thought I saw Bryony walking towards me, and I walked head first into a floor-to-ceiling mirror.' No, it's not always easy being a twin.

Bonchurch2004

Look what I found in an old wallet.. The chip out of my phone from last summer ah

Sandcastle

Comments please.. Who's that?

Tit willow, tit willow, tit willlow!

Ah, Dad. Do you remember the heavy pruning job that someone did on your apple tree in Oakley road? We saw to that one eh? Or is it, we put saw to that one? I reckon the plum tree survived in the end, though it had to take a deep breath for a year or so while it's branches re-grew. As for the willow? I'd have to see it, but I'm sure the little suckers'll start to shoot up once de boidies arrive.

Out in the Garden

We are just going out in the garden as we now have new neighbours and they are clearing the area behind our willow tree and, with our approval, they are erecting a new close boarded fence. As I said a couple of weeks ago, we have reduced the willow tree to a ten foot tree stump in the hope that with new shoots, we can re-shape the tree. There is no sign of any new growth yet, but I am hoping!! As they say in new yoik - spring is sprung, de gras is riz, I wonder where de boidies is. De boid is on de wing i hoid - but that's absoid - de wing is on de boid. Anon.

Birthdays

Next Thursday - 24th February - Julian (46) Next month Bethany - 14th (12) Gemma 23rd (28) and Moi 29th (78).
Tomorrow (20th - for 21st) we are celebrating with Uncle Richard, (Rick) his birthday at "The Bugle" in Brading (71)
SINGING -----
Ruth's link blog - "Meanwhile, here in France". re Choristes (singing in a choir) or just singing for the helluvit.
My Dad used to sing out loud "I can't sing very well - But I'm THE KING - la - di-da" or "I've got a voice just like a Nightingale"
he had a very loud (singing - shouting) voice, as anyone who was in prison when he was on "A" wing at Brixton, or Wandsworth or Wormwood Scrubs or Wakefield or Oxford or even Parkhurst, will testify. His "stanatchadoors" could be heard all over the Nick. He died 18th March 1965 - 40 years ago, but I can still hear him. Hugh

M25Sunset.jpg

IMAGE_00029.jpg
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

camera phones are great.. push button stuff but for proper art go to the Tate... like I did yesterday..

The Love Calculator

Here's another one! If you go to google search (web) 'love calculator' pick the first option. It's very funny. It tells you about Dr. Love's invention of the love calculator and after the results, Dr. Love gives you his own oppinion on how the relationship might work out and how to improve it! If you're just messing, it's quite funny!

Bowled Over?

Young LURVE?
Come on girls and boys, how would you get on married to Justin Timberlake or Britany (disgusting) Spears, Edmund?
How would Uncle Peter get on with Madonna?
Try your LUCK with our little bit of harmless hedonism!

Howzat?

Last year's statistics.....

P Merrow-Smith; 8 matches, 5 innings, not out once, total runs 12, highest score 7 n.o. and an average with the bat of 3.

This year's statistics.....

P Merrow-Smith; 2 matches, 2 innings, not out once, total runs 102, highest score 72 n.o. and an average of 51.

By anyone's standards that's an improvement, wouldn't you say? Perhaps you should threaten to get me more stuff! Thigh pads, helmet, box, bat...you never know, I may have amassed over a 1000 runs at that rate by the time you get here!

By the way, I've also doubled my catches. Last year I got two all year. Last match I got three; a well hit drive to deep mid on, a hook to the boundary at deep backward square and an edge to a forward diving point...c'est moi! So that's a tally of four for the season so far...

Watch and learn, people!

Nookman Bean

note to ourselves
You'll always find me at the Kitchen table at Parties.
Kitchen table is Venuesville.
Tom Baker as lead vocalist is truly magnificent. Yeeeeas!
Drums dangerous
Riff catchy
vibe is Trash Candy with battery acid!
morse code is L'edge of Darkness..

new product range,
Milkmen Rock!
Mouses Milk Yogurt.hmmm

Oblique Strategies
PICK A CARD
(Brian Eno strikes again)
Today's is "do something boring"

Clifton Hamden

Clifton Hamden
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Problems emailing in photos, hey ho, so this I think, is where Mother painted a little wintry scene all those years ago?.. correct me if I'm wrong, but I pass this spot every time I head off to Didcot to drive Tesco's yoghurt and spuds to Milton Keynes or exciting Uxbridge. Sunday there happened to be a gorgeous sunset and I snapped this with my wonder phone for those who think of England in the darkest days of winter.. more phots to follow as the snowdrops are coming out now. I've had to postpone my visit to Wales as Val's rabbit has a peculiar fan, in the shape of a cheeky (hungry?) young fox, which I noticed, curled up asleep in broad daylight under the weeping willow, close by the hutch! So instead of heading west, I shall be going east to Hoxton (Shoreditch) to see some art with my little friend Sarah who's in her final year at the RCA.

Sunrise over Clifden Hampden

Lovely - but a bit dark. We get lovely sunrises from our landing window, also. This morning was beautiful. Did you get to Wales or is that the coming Thursday? Ruth I read your blog on your link - took a while, but I made it. I miss singing in a chorus (not, I hasten to add a Choir) and although I am no Bryn I always enjoyed myself.
Tell Will I turned up the volume on the Mac and started it shaking so I turned it down. Keep trying Will - it sounds like our milkman's van. Love from Granddad.

oh, that's my password

Quite by accident I finally managed to figure out my own password for the blogger! Hello everyone, sorry I've mot bee on in a while, but here I am. Big thank you for all the cards and wishing Jen a somehappy belated birthday! Those of you with MP3 capability can hear my band, The Milkmen, on the link below:

The MILKMEN

trips off the tongue, don't it? :) We'll be adding more tunes on to the site as time goes by, but they only let you have three tunes and one video at a time for free, and I'm too stingy to shell out for any more. Post comments! Add your vote! Check out the other bands! I've found the ratio is for every ten rubbish trad-rock purveyors there's one surprisingly good act.

peace, man

Will

V-Day!

Happy Valentines Day, everyone! and, no I haven't got a valentine, partly because today and the rest of the week are the mid term holidays so I'm not at school and partly cos I haven't been asked!! I woke up this morning rather earlier than usual, about 9. usually I have to be woken up at around 10. But I went into mum and dad's room and mum was eating breakfast in bed! I can't believe how many times I've asked for breakfast in bed and never got it. oh well, plenty of years left. Mum said it's only about the second time!
The rest of our class have gone on a school skiing trip to Andora. However I'm not going cos it's a lot of money and would prevent m & d from getting a house sooner. They left yesterday and I was talking on the phone to a friend up there yesterday afternoon. They left at around 7 am and arrived at 5 pm. Quite a trip!
Well, I've got to go, my tummy's rumbling! Bye for now. Jess xxx

Update

Hi! Nic. We thought the family photos were lovely. except for Joshua's glasses which shine! We were both very sorry to hear of your mishap. Typical of the Sng family, to get you to hospital - wonderful people. We hope you have no ill effect. Spoilt your New Year celebrations, no doubt. Whose arm is it?
Pete, I have got your cricket pads and will be bringing them over to Alfaz four weeks tomorrow. Who will be a smart new cricketer with his new pads and matching gloves ?.
Ruth, we were watching a BBC.co.uk/culture programme this evening when who appeared on the screen , but Tom. He was described as artist and curator. I was washing up and Mum shouted from the front room and I arrived at a critical point, Tom was being introduced as the collector and curator of an exhibition of photos by artist Tom Phillips called "we are the people` The photos were mainly taken in the early part of the 20th century from collections by amatuer photographers. Sort of mum and baby at the seaside and photos of people standing next to potted aspidistra etc
We also saw many paintings from the Turner, Whistler, Monet, Paris exhibition which is now in London, also. Was that the ex you went to at the D'Orsay? There was also a spot about REM, the American 80's pop group who, incidentally are the final act at the Newport Isle of Wight Pop festival in June.( www.isleofwightfestival.org)
We heard from Myra today telling us that they are both going to the Prado to see the ex. which presumably both you and Pete went to. She sends on good wishes from herself and Prim (Who she meets on G.Guide business)
We hope you manage to get to Llanddewi-Brefi, Steve, to sort out your sister. She will love having you to chat with.
We are suffering a bit from our extended Fitness Club this morning, but it is better than walking about alng traffic laden roads. More anon Love M&D

Big Rooster

Hi folks, and welcome to the new year. We are having a quite day after a boute of gastroentiritis has knocked the stuffing out of Claire and Daniel.

Jen's Mum threw a dinner on Sunday night for the Sng family which I took a rain check on, having picked up the bug early. Unfortunately, during a severe vomitting session, I passed out and smashed my face on the floor. Spare you all the details, but ended up in hospital and quite a few people missed out on dinner. We had a grand dinner on Monday night which unfortunately dragged past our kids attention zone, but we enjoyed some traditional fare. On Tuesday we went visiting, and I have attached some of the pictures. Grandma Peck (seen in the pictures) is rumoured to be 95. We also visited Grandma Sng and had a big gathering there with lots of kids, unfortunately my batteries were finished by then.



left to right, Lee, (Jen's 2nd Sister) Grandma Peck, Ivy, (Jen's Mum) Jen




My Family, with Great Granma




Big gang, minus Ming who is in KL Visiting her in-laws


This Pancake thing you mention, it happens in other countries or is strictly a British thing?

Bye Bye, signed a bruised and battered (sorry about the pun!) Nic

Ahhhhhh!

earlier I lost a brilliant blog/posting,it's always the one I'm pleased with that get away,I'm not paranoid but,I'm beginning to think that there's some dastadly plot/program to prick the ego everytime a person thinks they can do it at last,ha! Is it possible to save post/blogs before posting to the blog sight whilst not on line, it seem logical that we should be able to but we haven't managed it yet. Just to explain earlier scene,me upstairs blogging off line as John is working online downstairs in his office,boys come in from school and want to do something on upstairs computer,I finish what I wanted to write but cannot post yet as John is downloading something that will take about an hour, we try to save to post later,the computer won't save on file don't know,doesn't want anything to do with web pages or some such grumpyness and one touch of a button on this page(posting) and poof its gone Help! Love Cathy xxxxx p.s. no tears or tantrums this time just a little tight lipped for half an hour or so.

241

Wednesdays is 2 cinema tickets for the price of one if you have an Orange phone.

Text the word "FILM" to the number 241 and you get a text back which you show at the cinema box office.

love to all.

Cathy, can I come to Llandewi Breffi next Thursday?

Broadband TV

What a day for the girls!
And it's not even over yet!
There's a revolving report on Ellen MacArthur on Solent TV and lovely slimming Pancakes too for the hourglass figure!


world broadband tv

Happy New Year to all

We've just had our pancakes . burp Pan cake day and Chinese New Year and Dame Ellen McArthur What a day. You have a special name to live up to now, Kate Ellen. love to all G&G

Happy Chinese New Year!!!!

I think that it's today if not here in Wales,then across the time zones with you in Singapore, Have a great time and enjoy those fire crackers. So what can we expect from the year of the Rooster? Of course we will be celebrating with Shrove Tuesday Pancakes,but maybe with a Chinese twist

Mmm pancakes!

We had a girl guides session today and so spent the evening making pancakes. We came home with 8 extra pancakes and ate them after supper. I only hope we can have more tomorrow (the real pancake day!)
Can't wait to see you Nana, Grandad. The weather was better before, it's a bit cloudier and breezier than a few weeks ago though I can still go to school in just a shirt and jumper! It should hopefully be even warmer and sunnier when you arrive.
Wish we could be seeing everybody again but in our apartment, you can prbably just fit you two let alone 50! I'm not very umm..up-to-date with the goings on so I don't know where you're staying or how long..you know. If we can, we'll just leave that to mum and dad.
Well, gotta skip. Have a great pancake day everyone (that's all that's on my mind!) and see you soon, N & G. Luv Jess

Prince Edward my bottom

Loved to read Ruth's diary. Annecy is one place I'd like to visit. Nice reading - keep it up, Ruth.
We hope you will soon be over your marking, Pete. Have you got your lemons for Mardi Gras tomorrow? (Or as we call it in heathen England "Pan cake day") Went out to the Bembridge Coast Hotel with Richard and Celia, yesterday - they were celebrating Teresa's 42nd birthday while she was celebrating with Eddie and his wife, also Teresa, up in Manchester. Just off to the fitness club, although Mum has a bad cold and is also booked in for a blood test at 11.45. Meanwhile, she has to fast until after the blood test, so she is feeling sorry for herself, especially as she is cold and hungry, and outside there is a dense February fog. Oh for Alfaz. See you soon mes belles filles. Love Granddad

Delusions of grandeur...

Am I imagining it or is there a resemblance between this sexy Brian Eno character (see Tom's first of three Portraits of Brian Eno) and a certain Merrow-Smith who has had to grow a beard to stop being followed by the paparazzi??!! I always thought I looked more like Prince Edward until I saw this portrait.

Oh, and Ruth, thanks for the book. My first week of self discovery will have to wait until after I get the reports written! Half term next week. Rock on Tomm...er,Brian...

Now I can see your QM2 paintings

At's better - I can now see your stillives in QM2 on your redesigned website. Well done! I thought it was me. - Dad

beno

Cath, if you are interested in Tom's portrait, log in to www.tomphillips.co.uk/portrait/beno/index.html where you will find a portrait - 1984/5. Probably not quite so sexy now!!
We hope you are having a lovely bouncy bouncy time - is Edmund selling the tickets? We look forward to having a bounce soon. Don't forget we will be away in Spain - probably over Easter so if you want an empty house ??????? We are heading down to Devon in early May so we may be able to visit the land of song thereabouts. Spring Bank holiday? perhaps

name dropping for eno fans

hi all from me on tour again in a very dodgey hotel in grenoble whose murals would not get into the pompidou....but lovely music and off to do rakette or something silly in the snow with colleagues followed, apparently by cep raclette.
a little boy in the metro asked me if my cello was a grande poubelle _ a huge dustbin! makes a change from the mother in law joke!
...brian eno was a student of my dads and is a friend of the family and i made an album with him and ricky nelson! he is, possibly one of the sexiest most entertaining and brilliant men my teenage self encoutered and i had a huge crush on him. my dad had done a lovely potrtrait of him which i am sure julian will find a way to link you to. he is a man who has always followed his wild heart from roxy music to ambient music to perfume and back to willie nelson.
the group here seem rather keen on me and if i werent already busy in august i might be asked to do the whole summer with them in salzburg which would be cool but minimal hisband sightings.
pete, enjoyed your book and would love to talk it through with you some time...
lotsa love, ruthie

Hello all

(second time- lost the longer funnier version) Had a fantastic time in Paris and then Madrid dragging Ruth 'round two museums a day. I was really looking forward to the Musee D'Orsay but it was the Bonnards in the Pompidou which really struck home and had me reaching for me hanky. I must be moving forward; at least historically!%?? Madrid is superb and those of you who aint been, well go. The Prado is of course marvelous and the exhibition 'Spanish Portraits- Velasquez to Picasso' was beautiful but again the real surprise is the thyssen Borneszmia collection which feels the size of the Tate and the National Gallery combined and has more A-Z's of painters than you would have thought possible ie. Albrecht Durer to Zurburan and urm... Worth the trip alone and the bastards only started collecting in the eighties - imagine the bill from Sothebys. The Language is a bit of a problem - what are they talking about!! However the words cerveca and Jamon will get you by. It is about a 10th of the price of Paris and therfore gets my vote for the 2012 Olympic games even though they aren't in the race.

The cats were very pleased to have us come home and put the heating on, they seemed to keep warm while we were away by building a small pile of mice on the sofa, takes all kinds, at least they never managed to set fire to them.

I have put a little link which will change the style of the blog from 'Poppies' red and green to the original 'Cloud' sort of blueish theme. Might give you more choices later but Ruth wanted the Poppies for herself - go see meanwhilehereinfrance


Cathy, just organise yourself a holiday here and we will deal with it as need be can't be dealing with all these dates. July is Hot- 30+ degrees and very reliable, August can be funny. Ryanair to Nimes or Easyjet to Marseille or there are two direct trains on Saturday (Eurostar non-stop) from Waterloo to Avignon but it does get quickly booked up . Time for Bed. Night night. Julian

I must share this......

there's a very iffy prog on radio4,6.30 slot,where one sub-celeb interviews another untill today it's been dire. Today was a cartoonist\graffic novelist...Mark someone,(forgive me Mark) interviewing Brian Eno,talking about comedy, Eno says its our greatest export....goes on to say how his fav was Pete and Dud, in fact it has been many years since he and Dowie(david Bowie)spoke to oneanother in any other voices but theirs,'Have you done any new music lately?'...Dud's voice, imagine says he the Heros album in the vioces......We can be heroes just for one day......Well it tickled me. love Cathy

BOUNCING

This weekend John and overnight guest(Mr Paul-teaching assistant)put up the trampoline,which we had bought the children for Christmas,bad weather and poor physical health had got in the way of putting it up before. But within half an hour the garden was full of bouncing children and chest-heaving,red faced adults,what a success a fourteen footer and will take up to 25stone,what fun Kate and I have been bouncing before school, so think of us and laugh, 'little and large' bouncing away at 8.15am Steve, thank-you so much for the anniversary flowers, they are still going strong,we were really touched John and Cathy

Happy Birthdays

To Will and to Jen, I hope your having some fun, in your different time zones, and in what I don't doubt are your different styles, enjoy! Lots of love Cathy and family.xxxxx

25 years ago

Fancy, Will, a quarter of a century. What a night it was 25 years ago - would it be before midnight, or after? I know cos we were there - When we got back to Chinnor we discovered that Patrick Young (Eddie's little brother) had been born on the same day. Never mind an old man's reminiscences, Will, have a great day and don't paint Oxford Red. Did you listen to the story of the 'Dark Side of the Moon' late the other night ? Hmm - jazz - hmm great!! Have a good time youall. love from Granddad and Grandma.

Birthday Boy (25!) and Auntie Jen-Birthday Girl

Birthday Boy (25!) and Auntie Jen-Birthday Girl
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

We'll be toasting Will's 25th year in the King'sArms at 5pm, and Auntie Jen too with a pint of Winter Warmer!
love from Steve..
We've made it onto the OT's site.. I've emailed Briget who the real author is! There's a job going as Headmaster Pete!!!!!!!!
I've got a proper Mortar board you can borrow.. tee hee!

Two pints of larger and a packet of crisps please

Happy birthday Will; hope you got a few jars in and won't suffer too much tomorrow. Also to you Jen...Out with the cognac...

What's Bridgette got to say about Head Masters Steve? I've been trying to run our school for the last week as my colleague is off sick....and I'm whacked. Somewhere as big as Lord Bill's would be quite a challenge! Last week a boy was dealing marijuana in the playground, yesterday the same boy filled in a lad on the bus...two police cases later and I hear he's in tomorrow on the bus as usual! That's Spain for you! The local boys in blue have a reputation for being tough, but when the law works in your favour then our hands are tied! More on this if you post a comment, otherwise I'll put it to bed. You never know who is logging in!

As for teaching, I've heard that also goes on at our school from time to time but I haven't seen any for a few days...It's just gone midnoght and I have a heap still to do but it may have to wait. I need sleep more than success! What shall I do the assembly theme on? The prodigal son? The good Samaritan? The boy that got strung up by his goolies for dealing drugs in the playground? Suggestions please, if you are feeling creative!!

Many Happy Returns Jen

Anything here you fancy?

Birthday Cakes
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

We've had the booze!

Happy Birthday to Jen

Happy Birthday to Jen.

Although it is only 0741 and still on 2.2.05, I though I had better get this message off to you before the time difference catches me out. Lots of lerv to you from us here in Wootton Bridge.

We hope Nic takes you out somewhere special.