Birthday Bunnies

I found my losted emailed blog so here goes at last!
Obviously Many Happy Returns featured in the blog... fortunately Spanish InterchocBunny Inc not quite as flakey so like the Pony Express they got through with the goodies!
I was thinking that as Easter Day is all over the shop, basically the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox, that Dad could have been born on Easter Day like Gemma's bunnies were. Not quite is the answer, although Easter was on the 29th March in 1956 and 1970 and there's not too long to wait until 2043 when it occurs again.. I'll be 89 and Dad will be one hundred and sixteen and will qualify for a special egg! Gemma has only to wait until 2008 for Easter to fall on her birthday and she can be Bunny girl for the day!

I am getting on with the stripper pretty well you'll be pleased to know.
Got one you can get both hands on.. a two handed stripper is brilliant esp when combined with the steam treatment which I find very effective



wallpaper stripper.. ha

done the top floor!
love Steve

Benidorm old town

Had a lovely day strolling through the old town of Benidorm today. An English cliché it may be, but before the tourists it was a sleepy little fishing village and the old town stands testament to that. Okay, so all the fisherman's cottages are now English pubs selling John Smiths and Tetley bitter or PG tips tea with steak and kidney pie, but if you know what you like and you can live with what you don't like it's a great place. Cheap too. I could shop for Britain with a hundred quid here! Trouble is you don't get paid in pounds, but it's still very reasonable. More so for the tourists who come back in their droves for the summer...but now, at Easter, it's heavenly.

Choccies Galore

just got back from an Indian meal at a Pakistani restaurant to see what it was that you had sent. apparently it should have been delivered during the day but we were all out and when we got in at 5.30 we had a note to say they had tried to deliver from Alicante, but as we not in it had been returned to Madrid. However all's well that ends well and the parcel arrived just as we were going out.. I thought flowers-for me-flowers? But I have just looked and it is choccys and Mars bars and easter eggs and chocolate chickens and maltesers and chocolate rockets and all sorts of lovelys. After a couple of bottles of lo cal wine we decided to attack what looked like a "bunch of flowers" tomorrow. Lovely--what a feast!! Your loving DAD

Birthday fun

We've been having loads of problems getting posts up. I guess others have too. I saw Cathy's post arrived three times and so I cleared off the repeats. The car is still causing problems and the flowers are still going back and forth around Spain, Steve, but at least everyone knows they exist now. Life is full of challenges today but we are determined to get in a curry. So, we're off out for dinner. I'll post a photo or two later. TTFN.

Ahaa! A few hours later.... the "flowers" arrived just as we were leaving, Steve, and we had a great meal out. This, following a day at the new theme park here called Terra Natura where we also enjoyed fine weather and good fun entertainment.

Happy birthday Dad

Lots and lots of love from all of us in Wales.
Raise a glass and eat some Piella for me lots of love Cathyxxxxxx
(Birthday Blogg mark two short and to the point, can't risk losing another)

Happy Birthday Dad

Lots and lots of love and kisses from all of us in Wales.
Are you in a different time zone or even a different day zone!!! It's only 9.00am and it looks from the blogger as if you have already been out for the day, but I suppose on reflection that that must be a different day.
Happy Easter everyone, as usual abit late,but I have not been able to get a turn on the computer except when cooking or eating or something.
Its been dry and reasonably warm here and we had enough sun on Good Friday for the children to have caught the sun on their faces. John and I have been trying to make the garden(sic)look a little less neglected, with some success, and I have been digging which of course in our garden means,pick axe and wrecking bar, you wouldn't believe the boulders that I keep hauling out. So today I feel abit limp and not very clever,but I expect I will be out there again in a minute.
Have a lovely day Dad and all have some piella and raise a glass for me.Lots of love miss you all, Cathy
p.s.Happy Belated Birthday Gem from us all.

Happy birthday dad!

Enjoy the day!

Calpe fish and chips anyone?

Fiat Duo

As if one diesel Uno isn't enough we bought a petrol version last month. Coming back from Alicante the other day on the motorway I stopped to top up but the garage didn't sell 4 star. I had to buy unleaded, plus some lead substitue which bore untranslateable instructions. Poured in half a bottle and it went singing off into the distance. However, three days later there's more lubricant getting through than petrol and it keeps having flat spots and refusing to start. Produced a cloud of smoke worthy of burning tyres today. Still, all's well that end's well and we managed to limp home despite a number of false start rescue attempts. So, what now? Change the plugs? Clean the carb? Siphon the tank dry? Who knows? Presumably it'll pass through in time. What's your advice, Steve? Dad says you are the Uno expert! ps. If you want a free 1993 diesel 1700 2 door right hand drive with British plates, there's one in our garage that runs well and can be driven away by anyone who feels able to get here. Free to good home, as they say. Brakes need a bit of work, to tell the truth and unfortunately the ownership papers have been stuck at the DVLA in Swansea for the last six months which is why I cannot use here without running the risk of a fine, being resident and all. Not so if you are a tourist though....

Memorable post..

Great post, Gem. Glad you had such a great time. It brings back memories of six weeks I spent in the Netherlands back in the eighties with a friend from college. In Amsterdam for the day with some language students from all over Europe, we also enjoyed pils in the sunshine while people watching before going to the Rijksmuseum to see the Nightwatch... but my memories are a bit hazy as there had been a strange 'smokey' atmosphere during lunch that seemed to affect everyone's vision!

Grandad- the Boat Race!

Hurrah Oxford won! The heavy weights won over the lighter boat. We watched the race on tv as we had Sunday lunch of Roast beef & yorkshire pudding lunch in the Isis Tavern at Iffley lock. Big cheer went round the pub....

Gem xxxx

Blue skies and seas..

Don't read too much into Beth's dreary weather remark. She's not used to the rain and we had a whole two hours of it yesterday. As for today and all the other days this week, our skies have looked like Steve's seascapes; blue, blue, blue (although I grant it has been the worst winter since 1954 and remains a bit blowy). The almond has all but finished and now it's the turn of the orange blossom. I'll look for a photo opportunity soon. Maybe tomorrow as we are thinking of going over to Calpe to look at the countryside north of the Sierra Bernia and at the fish restaurants on the sea front there.

Dad's 21st again on Tuesday. We may head up to Valencia for some real sight seeing or remain local. We'll see how tomorrow pans out first.

God bless, all.

Back from Old Amsterdam

Hello everybody-thank you for my birthday blog Dad and thanks G&G for birthday blog wishes. Fingers crossed for a summer as hot as '77!

Amazing that we mailed our e-message from a giant Heineken can in Amsterdam to Dad's phone, then he uploaded it to the blogger all in a few minutes! 10 euros also means 3 beers & free gift at the end (your very own beer glass!).The happiest barman in the world works there-his sole job to serve as much free beer as you're allowed. The funniest bit of the tour was a moving platform ride in front of a video screen that you stood up on, as you were knocked about in a simulation of what it's it like to be Heineken bottle -all the way from the production line to the dark ride in a cardboard box via lorry & ship then opened at a party! Cue Kool & the gang's Celebration song.

Well we had an fantastic time away. Love & thanks to Clive whose treated us- ain't he lovely. The flight was only 40 mins & our bags were first off the plane! We stayed in a converted catholic orphange in the east of the city. It has had a chequered history as the Nazis impounded it during the occupation, then it was an old peoples home & now its had the modern treatment & converted into a cooly designed hotel. All original wooden floors & wrought iron staircases. First night we headed to Rembrantsplein past the Casse Opera house on the canal. The famous tilt bridge wasn't lit up when we reached it & just as i declared disappintment at this the bridge's fairy lights lit up! There followed a well earned steak & beer in The Old Bell. Everyone was so nice and you don't get a chance to try your hand at speaking any dutch as everyone is at least bi-lingual there.
On my actual birthday after opening my cards that had been secretly exported/stashed in the luggage we started with a lunchtime drink by sipping a cool glass of Amstel in the bright spring sunshine-sunglasses on & overcoats off! (Beer was a strong theme running throughout this week!Toasting 28 yrs & the end of a long winter sitting in the square in front of the Rijksmuseum watching the world & the trams go by.
Then onto Van Gogh museum. As well as the VG's work they had a photo exhibition of the places that it was known VG lived. So there was a great one of VG's flat in Brixton with the current tenant, an old lady in her housecoat making a pot of tea. Of course everyone likes 'Sunflowers' but my favourites are 'Irises', 'Almond tree' & 'Peach blossom tree'. VG painted it as a gift for his brother Theo's new born son Vincent. Apparently it hung in pride of place over the piano! The Rijksmuseum next door was also impressive with Rembrants 'The Nightwatch' & Vermeers 'The milkmaid' having pride of place. We had an indonesian dinner that evening (there are plenty to choose from in Amsterdam Grandad- a result of their imperial past, as well as many chinese, japanese & thai places).
Thursday we visited the Hortus Botanicus (one for you Uncle Pete). Founded in 1682 they have 3 huge glass houses (with a cactus that must have been 20 ft high) & a butterfly house. The butterflies were as big as your hand & colours ranged from bright orange to a dowdy brown. They had a habit of resting on the damp floor making it hard to see them so you had to be careful where you stepped. They also have the world's oldest pot plant there. A palm that is 300 yrs old & was brought back from the tropics when it was a seed.
Further up the road was Rembrants house. They have recreated the inside of the house by using a list of his belongings that the bank made shortly before they made him bankrupt. He bought his house for 1300 guilders at the time a fortune, but he could well afford it with his success but he found more exciting & sinful things to spend his money on & defaulted his mortgage repayments. They had a set up of his studio with an easel, powdered paints & a marble board that the paint is ground on, so the whole room smelt of wet paint & turps-like he had momentarily just popped out the room! That night after our canal cruise we indulged & had dinner in a tapas bar. We had the best waitress in the world who just kept bringing out plates of food & then insisted we had to try the home made sangria! Lovely.
Bizarre sight of the week was the 60 Geordie men waiting to check in as we checked out of the hotel. They were all wearing tuxedos & red fez's! So our guesses are either Tommy Cooper fan club/ Sons of the Desert fanclub (Laurel & Hardy style) or a rugby trip! So needless to say there was plenty of looking round the markets & having a relaxed 'een pils' in the spring sun shine.

Any one for a bit more Easter Egg? No okay then scoff scoff love to all Gem xxxx

Sunny Sunday

Went to Church with Pete and Family. Very friendly people and we had an Easter Prty afterwards in the open. In the afternoon went to see Pete paying cricket but Sportivo Alphaz Cricket Club came in second again, but a good time was had by all.Love Dad & Mum

"Wanting it all"

"Wanting it all"
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

This one is from a dream... it's about being demanding... I'm off to bed now everyone.. night night

Seascape in Blau

Seascape in Blau
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

At last started putting some pictures up in my room.

Can we all get BBC?

I heard a magnificent interview last night on Radio 4 with Daniel Barenboim... Have we all got REAL player? so we can hear it?
Has the studio gone Julian?
Been keeping up with Ruth's blog.. oh dear me!
love from Steve

Blimey!

Blimey!
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

After a six hour Marathon Stripping Session!.. suddenly twigged the stuff might go down the stairs! It Does!! :(

Beautiful Lime Plaster

Beautiful Lime Plaster
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

I started stripping paper off this little bit at 3 pm and was done by 9:30 pm!
Nitromores paintstripper got through in the end.

1898!!!

1898!!!
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

The wallpaper has been thoughtfully sealed with shellac, so takes an entire day to remove, esp as it's 3 layers thick on the landing! William Morris was born round the corner in Walthamstow, so do you think this wall-paper could be original?

We're there!

IMG_0001.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Val and Steve got the keys on Monday and Steve's been stripping ancient wallpaper off!

BBC E-mail: New Dr Who leaked onto internet

ezappy saw this story on BBC News Online and thought you'd better see it.

** New Dr Who leaked onto internet **
An episode of the new series of BBC sci-fi drama Doctor Who is leaked onto the internet.

wah! I'm behind the Sofa! sob!

** BBC Daily E-mail **
Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all
in one daily e-mail
BBC

Finestraat and Puig Campana

We chose to go to Finestraat this afternoon rather than Benidorm, driving around the mountain named Puig Campana which is better known to the British tourists (Ha! I spit on you wiz your Union Jack underpants...) as "Benidorm Mountain". It has a big notch out of the top where a local giant once kicked out a piece in anger over the losing of his daughter. According to legend the missing piece now sits in the sea off the Benidorm coastline and forms a little island about a kilometer out to sea. What would be a good 'British' name for this island, I wonder? Benidorm Island? Little Gibraltar?. Well, anyway, the sun shone for the first half of the afternoon but we were too tippled with Sangria to do any real walking. We ambled for a few hundred metres, got back in the cars and then drove around the mountain and back to Finestraat where we wandered through the streets before being forced into a local cafe for tea to avoid a down pour. Here are a couple of photos to prove we have had our daily constitutional.




All are well and enjoying what the Costa has to offer. Today we had Douradas (John Dorries?) and prawns, with salad and Sangria. Yesterday we enjoyed tuna salad and a couple of cheap bottles of wine. No photos of our lovely walk yesterday though as I forgot the camera, but it was the hottest day so far. Fingers crossed for the cricket tomorrow!

Happy Easter all.

Summertime starts tomorrow

We went on an uphill walk yesterday to the Albir Lighthouse - a 3.5k walk up to the top of the promontary - even little Amy, then down again. The views were spectacular as the whole of the bay from Albir to Calpe were laid out below us,with a backdrop of the mountains. Previously we had been up into the mountains to the old hill fort of Guadalest. Today we are off to Benidorm, which can be seen from Pete's apartment, although it is about 4 miles away. Easter Sunday tomorrow and we are having a picnic, while Pete is playing cricket.Love to all from Mum and Dad

Happy time in Amsterdam?

Jan has just collected us from our 'Eagles Nest' eyrie up in the mountains behind Altea. We had been clearing up in the area of the swimmig pool with the sun bearing down on us. We have been shopping at the local supermercado and now we are waiting for the girls to come in after a session at the second time around clothing store (for the Tsunami appeal) What lovely girls they all are. Amy gets continual looks as she giggles and smiles at everybody. Special love and kisses to our 28 year-old. Love to all from Grandma and Granddad.

Happy days...

Today the Alicante experience. Dinner at home at first and then we set off for the local capital (described by yours truly as "Paris by the Sea") where we had a nice walk alongside the marina, followed by tea in a cafe, another walk through the magnificent trees along the esplanade and then bocadillos at the restaurant on the top floor of El Corte Ingles (the Alicante equivalent of 'John Lewis' or 'Hadden and Sly' for anyone out there who has had the Bulawayo experience).

Happy birthday Gemma. Ah, what a romantic place. Amsterdam. All those bridges and river boats, pencil wide buildings and nutters on bicycles all hyped up on catnip. You should be able to pick up a few new words for Clive's dictionary there, I reckon. Is he enjoying the Heineken experience with you?

Happy birthday Gemma

Well we had a drink and a lovely meal at Pete and Jan's apartment in Alfaz today. We drank a bottle of wine and celebrated being together - Nana, Grandad, Uncle Peter, Auntie Jan and cousins Jess, Beth and Amy-Jo all toasting to our absent family. Difficult to believe that it was back in 1977 you were born, Gemma. Virginia Wade won Wimbledon, it was the Queen's silver jubilee and the weather was good that summer too. Virginia who? At least the weather's looking good now - well, at least it is here in sunny España. Enjoy the rest of the Easter break.

Love to all, Grandma and Granddad.

'Appy in Amsterdam

Happy Birthday Gemma in Amsterdam.. Clives treat!
Day 2 the Heineken Experience.. white wine for the lady of course!

Spain's weather on the up!

Nice day had out by all today, walking near Guadalest...and this following light refreshments at a beachside cafe in sunny Benidorm yesterday afternoon. Looking forward to more of the same over the next week or two. Love to all...

Visit to Oxford Mater and Pater

basestation.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

All fixed up for your arrival on the 9th darlings. You'll have to slum it in my bit I'm afraid, but sure we'll manage. How's it going in Sunny Spain?
Everyone's away first week of April so I'm going to try and fit in a visit to Julian's Actual rather than his delightful and inspiring Virtual Gallery and use the time away from the house to work out what we want to do with it. Fully justified in my view!

B is for buttocks....

Hey Clive, you can have all those pneumo-whatevers in there... I don't mind. Just so long as the new OED has all those embarrassing words on the top corners in bold, just like it always has had, then put you can put our school down for one. I reckon including all these (dare I say?) 'obscure' words is just a way of padding out the contents to ensure that you still get words like penile at the top of the 'p-e-n' page, and masticate at the top of the 'm-a-s' page! Funny that. There must just be a real art to creating such a compendium of school-boy titters under the pretence of formulating a literary work of real educational value!!

Actually it's just occurred to me that there are probably more 'dodgy' or genuinely offensive words in the OED than in an average copy of a Jilly Cooper novel! - not that I have ever read any of the latter, but it's a thought. The only difference is that the OED doesn't offend whereas just the cover of one of Jilly's novels is enough to make the local vicar blush. I presume it will be the dark Oxford blue with the red and the green stripe as the fly-sheet livery? Or perhaps you have something a little more eye-catching?

Chit-CHING!

59 scrabble points for Jen plus triple word score! Shame you only get seven letters.
Your prize is either a Ride on a Bus, or a Toffee Apple or a Windmill. No you can't have a goldfish!
Noh.. I love the 50's me!
And the 70's!
Comic Relief's version of Amarillo, looks set to hit Number One this week!
Wish I had a £1 for every time we knocked that out in Primrose Valley!

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

repost...bump it up.. blogger slow today

Wakey Wakey!

any other offers? ... a 45 letter word worth about 150 points on the scrabble board?

A message from a cold Spain

Today has been the warmest day since we arrived and the mountains around Alphas and neighbouring Altea are in a heat haze for the first time. Previously their peaks have been covered in clouds and it has been quite cool. On Sunday we went to watch Pete play cricket and while warmish with a weak sunshine, by 5.30pm it was decidedly cool. However Pete warmed things up by scoring a very useful 43 not out, wearing his new batting pads which I bought for him from a sports shop in RYDE. However it was not enough as 'our side' ran out of overs, chasing 283.

pneumatictyres

my last answer - give in clive

Bit of fun!

Is that your final answer?

For one MILLION pounds!!!! Phone a friend?
or ask the audience?
clue:- It's a 45 letter word beginning with 'P'
and Clive's got it sent in for the OED!

ps Has Beth checked her emails?

our starter for 10

what about pneumoconiosis or asbestosis. What on earth do you want to know that for?

Quiz time again!

Your starter for ten!
Come on.. no conferring!
What word describes a lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silica dust, but is better known as an instance of a very long word?

Belated

But very heartfelt birthday greetings to you Beth,
Happy Birthday.
Lots of love from all of us in Wales.

p.s. We no longer have a trampoline as its' turned into the biggest bird-bath in the country

Happy Blogrthday Beth!!!!

hello lovely Beth from me (Ruth) in genoble where the mountains are singing out your name in their best spring sopranos. Oscar joins me in absentia in hoping you have the sort of magical year which will bring you back to visit us very soon!!!

Viva España

All is well here which means Mum and Dad are enjoying themselves. Beth had her birthday party tonight and the folks have stayed over with us to celebrate and attend the official function at the local pizza palace. It was a good evening. We also enjoyed a pleasant afternoon at the cricket on Sunday after the sun struggled to come out. Although the wind still blows an occassional chill off the mountains, the weather, on the whole, is more spring-like this week and we are hoping for even warmer times ahead here on the mediterranean coast.

Although the house is working out, Mum and Dad will probably spend a few more nights with us this week. It's a little disconcerting trying to find one's way around here without a guide. Certainly driving on the 'wrong side' along unfamiliar roads at night is understandably a little taxing, especially as Spanish drivers are not renown for their patience or courtesy. Hopefully this last school week before the Easter holidays will go quickly and we can all spend even more time together as a family during the ensuing two week break before Mum and Dad return to the UK for Lenny's 80th. Does anyone else want to join us?! There's plenty of sun, red wine and tapas to go around!

Don't you just..

love it when it's so quiet. Bit like when the sunshines in england or it rains here.. has Jeff bin in?

new..Lenny's 80th

Greetings all you international Jet Setters! Delighted everyone's safe and well and arrived in time for the festivities on Monday (Beth). Just to let Dad know that I'll be taking time off to visit his big sister with him and Mother on his return and managed to get through to Lenny this evening..we shall be receiving details presently.. And in the words of Dave Allen "May your God go with you". love from Steve

Mum and Dad arrived safely

Hi all,

Mum and Dad arrived in Alicante this afternoon, 20 minutes early. It was a good flight and Jan was there to meet them at the airport. They all came back to ours for dinner this evening. They like the house we've got them!! They're thinking of buying it when their boat comes in!

Tonight we are all going back to Sonata's place in Altea where I will sleep the first night with the folks to help them settle. Tomorrow I'll drive them back and we'll enjoy a family day (hopefully in the sun) looking around our neck of the woods - Albir, Altea and so on. It'll probably be a day of coffee drinking and snooping into cafés, eating local ham and so on. We'll keep you all posted but suffice to say Mum is feeling pretty relaxed and we are all looking forward to the next three weeks.

TTFN

FIGURES FROM OUR YOUTH!

I have just heard that Dave Allen died today,made me feel sad!
Mum,Dad have you arrived in Spain yet!Pete Jan and girls are you ready for them? I expect so.I hope the journey went without a hitch.'bin thinking of you all the way.
Thomas has just come in from school and would like everyone to know that he got 100%in his geography test,so has bought himself a Yorky bar(with his dinner money!) in celebration.
If anyone is looking for a good and thoughtful read,we are reading Lolita in Tehran(a memoir in books)at the book club, about a reading group,with a backdrop of the rise of Khomeini and the revolution in Iran. Lots of love Cathy

All is well...

Two days off work with flu but I've sweated out the fever, feel fine now and the sun has shone from a blue, blue sky for the last three days (and it's getting warmer by the minute!) Missed out on the cricket (cried off sick) but got to watch some Paris-Nice today so feel energized....but, ugghh! Zat French wezzer!

painting blog finally up

Comments purchases welcome!! Click here

Mothers Day (2)

All the way from Marks and Spencer in Singapore. Mum is overwhelmed by the orchid plant, Nic and Jen. OOR Hoose smells like a florists shop. Love you all Dad

Mothers Day

Mum says thank you for the flowers. To Steve for the lovely smelling Freesias and to Cath for the delightful spring flower bouquet of lilies, chrysanths (both cream and orange) and others which will not bloom until tomorrow!! For cards etc. she is otm as they say. Also thanks from me too. Dad

What is it with this weather?!

Okay, so the weather can be grotty in Spain too. I'll keep you posted about local weather changes Dad. It may be best to delay your packing until the last minute. There's been snow on the Bernia for much of the week and Benimantel and Guadalest were cut off on Monday. It was a cold afternoon today with five aside football after school to boot (ha ha!). What with the windchill off the mountains it was pretty unpleasant. However, it could be hot tomorrow - such is the nature of these things. I've got a cricket match on Sunday...

BBCi

Checking for weather updates today revealed this page on the beeb..
Panoramic Views of Oxfordshire, including a view from Brill, with Windmill's bottom! so thought of Nic and his Windy Miller obsession!
Today's forecast.. wintry showers turning to rain, overnight temps -1.... tomorrow, bright and breezy we hope!
Minus 8 in Benson couple of nights ago and we saw Chinnor on the TV Weather map on South today!

Basking in the Sun

While the rest of the UK is in the throes of deep white, we are basking in blue skies and bright sunshine. In fact we have had a water warning, that the winter rainfall is below average and we are in danger of severe shortages in the coming months. Seems difficult to believe when there have been many reports of flooding in some parts of the mainland. I am not saying that we are experiencing summer weather as there is ice o n our little pond and we have to break the ice to allow the birds and squirrels to drink. Count down starts today on our Spanish trip - just hope we can get back, as I havea doctors appointment on 14th April!! Lovely pictures of Ruby, Steve - at least we can see who her father is n'est pas? Mum's freesias still look and smell lovely. Thanks for all your efforts re accommodation, Pete. We now have a pocketful of euros, so don't worry.

CARD card!

card card..case case.. sample sample.. as in "Some Mothers Do Have'em"

Not sure about you exiles but Sunday is Mothering Sunday in Blighty!

Alors..MARKS or Farkies! as Gemma used to say...

Rubystrip

Rubystrip
Originally uploaded by ezappynt.

Ah she's doin' a gummy smile!

Hi and thanx

Ruth and Julian - we recieved your postcards. Hope you had a good time. I dont really think I'll be able to paint quite like that when we next come to visit you but I'm not doing to bad at art. We are scetching this other girl in my class. I have actually managed to scetch her to scale but it also looks quite like her.
I was amazed at the snow on the mountains today. It's quite thick and even some of our spanish friends (adults) say they haven't seen snow come down here so low in years! We've had quite miserable weather lately but don't worry - it's warming up now!
Well, I hope everyone's well etc... (don't want to be too boring!) Bye for now. xxx

Saint David's Day

Uck weather! Lots of little girls being ferried to school in cars so as not to ruin their Welsh costumes,Kate and I walked(I know its not far,but it was very wet)in welly boots with Welsh lady hat in Morrisons carrier bag and a daffordil only slightly squashed by huddling against the rain. We had the St David's day concert last night for some reason(serves me right for not going to the meeting) Which was as usual fairly hilarious`Men of Harlech'played on four flutes and two clarinets(one clarinet player-Rochelle,got the giggles,so then they were one clarinet and four flutes), and Welsh Country Dancing,with girls dressed as men as there are only two boys in the top class this year.Finishing off with the Welsh national anthem sung by all,there were a lot of John Redwoods amongst the mothers. Jan we need your teaching skills here!But I think I would rather be on your picnic with you and yours.
Julian,belated happy birthday I'm sorry not to have communicated with you before but I was thinking of you, and sending good wishes through the ether,lots of love Cathyxxxxx

Happy St. David's Day

Llanddewi for ever.