Mor birthdays arghhh!

I have put a link to Dad's list of birthdays on the right.. thanks for your good wishes and support all... can't keep up with demand! Back to the easel!!

Hello me harties

The life out here is short and gay - you live two weeks and fade away - I'm taking the wife for a fortnight's stay -- on Eye tiddly Eye tie Isle. (Apologies to George Formby)
We are ok here - still coffing well. No bighters on the house front yet, except Mum's hairdresser who has got her house up for sale in Carisbrooke and wants to move thisaway. Perhaps things will look up when the trippers arrive on Eye tiddly Eye tie isle.
Edmund's 14th on Tuesday. Don't forget.
Loved your latest Postcards from Provence. When are you going to produce a book? Julian Could sell well, but not as much as an individual painting. perhaps at £24.99 per copy (or whatever) and with the right publishers you could make a packet. A nice little earner. We also loved your irises on your new shifting light Website. The lemons made my mouth water (stopped me playing my trumpet).
Congratulations, Steve on your two ceilings. Did you get an eyeful? Did you use chaud made with marijuana or did you eat the chaud and smoke the mari-------?
We are off to sunny Wales on Wednesday - couldn't face motorways on the May Bank holiday - sorry, Edmund. I think we may be the catalyst who let Blair back in - Eh? After a week with Cath we will pop down to Torquay for Mum's birthday and hopefully have a nice meal at John Burton Race's New Angel in Dartmouth. Alternatively a meal of fish stew or moules mariniere. - I love............mm!
We hope our absence will encourage a buyer to have a shuftee at Hazelbank without us there. Then we can start to look round for somewhere not too far away on the mainland. Hope you guys all enjoy the Opera in Valencia, Pete. Put the cat in the cello to please Beth. Perhaps not. Hope you are all well down there in Singapura Nic Jen and family. I will try and keep up with the blogger from Wales. Have a nice weekend. Love Mum and Dad.

Michaelangelo

must have been a saint to keep that Sistine chapel m'larky up for so long. I plastered my second ceiling yesterday 14'x 12' and feel wrecked! and it hasn't even got any paint on it!!

How's life on the Island folks? Got a buyer yet?

Irises...

Your solicitor's payment is a beautiful painting Julian. I love these irises too. You can pay my solicitor's bill any time. Not that I have engaged a solicitor. Hey, the wet suit wasn't worth that much. I think I paid a princely sum of 50 pence for it at the St Joseph's Church fête, but there...we'll let it go.

Now, about those Easter eggs....ha,ha.

I have just finished writing a report on a very unhappy boy at school who I believe is in need of psychological, if not psychiatric help. It tears at the soul and keeps you up all night chosing the right words. This, perhaps, is my gift (or my lot).

On a final note, may I say what a wonderful family we have. You just wouldn't believe what goes on out there. The world can be a hurtful place and it's so sad to find that children so young cannot find comfort or happiness within their own homes. My mind has been drawn and left stinking and exposed to dry on the page. I am completely detached from the world that I spent my day living in, so I need a few hours to reassimilate myself before the birds howl in the dawn.

And so to bed...

Wet suits and Irises..

My dear Peter I have never been snorkelling in Corsica or anywhere else in a wet suit (sauf recently in the indian ocean). I seem to remember putting it on once (your wet suit) in your bedroom, otherwise round up the usual suspects... You have to let go of that.

This is the Irises proper what,(as Ernie or Ruth would say), I started yesterday and which will finally, I hope, release me from the debt which I still owe to my solicitor from the sale of post office cottage! Wet suits apart I think I am now almost up to date (have it done soon Val, and mum your painting is framed and almost on it's way).
This is on top of a painting a day - a painting a day plus..

Irises for old wetsuit?

Like Gemma I really loved the strawberries Julian, but I've been waiting for the irises to come into season. I've always loved the iris painting that you mention is on the cover of an australian poetry publication - The Weight of Irises, is it? Anyway, I was wondering...you know that wet suit that you commandeered from me when we were young? I never did see it again once you went off with Nick Supple snorkelling in Corsica and it must have been worth a bob or two......

Nicolette Stasko, The Weight of Irises.
ISBN 1 876044 39 X
Published 2003
96 pgs

By the way Ruth, Acis and Galatea sounds great and we will be there one way or another. I know two other colleagues would like tickets but we are trying to work out how to sort the youngest out so we can all go and yet she can be looked after without having to get bored. We'll keep you updated!

no way...

...that good yet! ha! dream on..

Tennis is the new cricket...

I am also much more of a tennis fan than cricket Jess, though you did get two square meals a day with test cricket. Is it still English cream tea & warm lager? Has 20:20 cricket teached your Dad's club yet? Will you be able to get tv coverage of Wimbledon fortnight Jess? Those aching muscles fade in memory! I too am a little achey- blame it on my new aerobic dvd..ouch hamstring... aaahh glutus . Must & will persist though as no pain no gain ( who came up with that phrase?)

G

We've joined the computer age...

News from Number 32 is that we now have a home PC so we can check up on our favourite blogger whenever we wish from comfort of own lounge. So no more bothering Steve for a loan of his Mac. So does that mean less peeking at the blog when at work? No, Ive got a shortcut on my desktop (teehee).

Have just had a look at the new Star Wars trailer for Episode 3 which is out 19th May here (http://www.starwars.com). Film actually looks good, unlike the previous two cartoony offerings. Much darker, and the final descent for Anakin as he changes into Darth Vader. (For those who care/are bothered out there! Granted I may be talking to myself here!)

May be worth a look even if just to show off your Mac's capabilities as graphics/CGI look cool.

Rather worringly staying on a sci-fi bent, the long awaited return of the Daleks v 9th incarnation of the Doctor is this Saturday (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho). Last week the Slitheen invaded London, smashed their UFO into Big Ben, took over the physical form of the PM's cabinet and tried to start WW3 with the UN. Clever story really as the writer used the Iraqi war WMD 45 minute warning as a reason for the UK govt (the aliens) to start a nuclear war with the UN. Earth was to blow itself up with nuclear weapons then the Slitheen planned to sell off what was left to other planets as radioactive fuel. Lucky for us The Doctor saved the day in under an hour-fantastic. Is there any room behind that sofa?

Erm I'm off de-geek now. love Gem PS Love todays 'Strawberries' Julian.

gem xxxx

hmmm....

I don't belong to a cricket team but we often do cricket for sports on Friday. The highest I've scored on my own in non-stop cricket is 31 (I think) and a proper game on a somewhat minimised pitch, maybe 40-50 (team effort, though) I quite enjoy it. But then, there's a lot of sports I enjoy! I just got into tennis again, dad went down with me and we hired a court for 2 hours. Getting there. Beive me, I had achy muscles the next day!

Well done Pete.

What super news! I knew you had it in you somewhere. The highest I ever scored was 85 and that was for Bucks CC Staff CC

Dads pads aw...oeerre the lads...

Pads are still going well Dad. Today we notched up 266 for 5 of which I scored 114 and got bowled on the last ball of the innings trying to hit a six for a grandstand finish. Still, we won by about 110 runs.

114! That's my highest score ever and a maiden century to add to the 72 (n.o), 39,34,32 (n.o), 29 and 7 (n.o) that I have scored so far this year. Although I also took a catch, Stevie Lewis the skipper took five catches in the outfield! Jim scored 74 in about half the time I scored my first fifty runs! That lad's destined for great things. Keep an eye on him batting for Yorkshire this summer. Jimmy Morgan. He is likely to make his first team debut at some time this season although he is still only a colt at 14. In the six matches I've played with him this year he has hit about 5 centuries! I think he hit one or two while you were here Dad. It's taken me forty years to do what he does most weekends. In fact the regulars offered to have a whip round today because they said they don't often see someone make a century on days when Jim doesn't! He'll be going back to take up his duties in the UK soon...but don't forget you saw him first on the Columbus oval at Alfaz. Over to you, Mr Coleman...or was it David Vine?? Family joke, all you readers in the ether.

What a feeling...

to be putting stuff into a house isn't it instead of barrowing stuff out... first little success for me too at Mill Lane after filling 4 skips through out the week, to patch up a lath and plaster stud wall and skim over with finish.
Today the ceilings go in so no doubt will be too weary to blog tonight

Bio Dynamic hemp building

Ruth finishing our hemp and lime putty render ..ooooher!



An instant wall

A painting a day...or perhaps a bottle.

In reverence to the passing of Cervantes, that great light that went out way back in 1616 along with that of the Bard, and to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Don Quixote's publication, we drank a bottle of Valdepeñas - 'Los Molinos' (The Windmills), on offer at €4.61 for four bottles. Good start to the weekend. Cheers Cervantes!

Here is some material for a potential new diary - 'A Scribble a Day'. Keep an eye on this one...she's gonna be famous too!

Self-portrait


Signing off

Don Quixote..

Oops, sorry, they weren't born on the same day. Shakespeare and Cervantes both died on the same day, which is fitting really since this morning's assembly was not something that the louts in the school realy appreciated! 25 or so degrees in the sun for an hour while Beth performed Sancho Panza, then Juliet, along with other willing players.... She was really good, and I was suitably proud. It was pretty short notice (hence you may see some scripts in the photos!) Here's some of it!

OpenOffice

At school we use OpenOffice on Linux, so I've been using it on the Mac to help with compatibility so I can easily write stuff at home and post it electronically to work. Only trouble is OO kept Darwin open in the background. Now though I have NeoOffice for OS X and it is working great. Free software that really works better than the stuff you purchase! If you are interested try , choose the 2.0 Beta version and then go for NeoOffice if you are on Mac.

As for airports, school uses a wireless link, a Wifi 802 but when I tried the USB transmitter nothing happened. What do you reckon Julian? The discs don't appear to be Mac compatible but if I keep trauling the net looking for software to get me connected, will I succeed? 54g or c54ri are the key numbers....

I signed up for Julian's daily postcards...what have you in store for Saturday, dera boy? Cervantes and Shakespeare born on the same day, don't forget. Ah! How could one forget? We are having Don Quixote celebrations tomorrow with Bethany attacking windmills in assembly. Break a leg, Beth. Photos may follow!

The day after------

Last night we were the last in a 12 seater minibus which picked us up outside the house to attend a party at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes. What a fabulous place - entered down a narrow passageway through a gate saying Island Sailing Club - Members only, but we had booked the place for a banquet. We were amazed to see this lovely clubroom with mile wide windows looking out to sea and with much sailing activity on the water it was really great. We had a lovely evening, especially as I did not have to drive home. Eight tables of 8 with plenty of wine on the table and by the time of the thank you speeches, liberally mixed with really good funny stories we were all a bit Brahms and Lizst and the merry evening finished about midnight. Mum looked lovely and we had some very interesting companions to chat to. I wore me new dj and felt really good. It is now 10.20 and we have only been up for half an hour! I am enjoying a look round at all the new bloggers on the Somewhere in France blogger. Who are they - who is Katia and Auntie M. Lovely pictures of Chantilly!
We still communicate in the old fashioned way but although I am older than the Pope we can still shout. ~H&M

Wow!!

I bought a Netgear wifi modem off the internet for €90 new, and it arrived in two days and took two minutes to set up... it is fantastic! Now Ruth and I are instant messaging from different rooms - apparently she wants to know what where having for lunch - quelle excitation - yes please two sugars - whoops wrong window!!

In response to previous posts:

China looked fab Nic - we may swing by Singapore sometime as Ruths bro' is in Thailand and we have a Bali longing - not afore Nov though.

Mum (silvia)I am in the process of framing your painting ma so don't buy any little frames.

Ruth and I are going on the hemp building course over the weekend with the ballet dancing Maçon, which should be fun. We finally watched the video that he (Yves) gave us and of course its Marijuana! Makes the best paper (what all those 500 year old mauscripts in perfick condition are written on, clothes (like linen), all pre nylon ropes, buildings and you can even eat it (well the Germans eat it). The American Paper and Cotton lobbies nearly destroyed the hemp industry pre war with publicity films of people under the influence murdering and having orgies, but of course all Rope products were Hemp so the US Gov had to quickly re- plant and promote its production during ww2. It grows half a meter a day grows anywhere and is impervious to weeds. Now they have strains that contain no stupifiants (shame) Industrial scale production is growing tenfold a year (or is it doubling - number blindness - moron)

Gemma thanks for signing-up to the shifting light letter, please spread the word everyone, they make great gifts!!

Sure there's other stuff but talk anon. OOh I just heard Ruth send an email in the kitchen...

Hurrah, meanwhile here in Valencia....

Great news! We are already champing at the bit for a place in line to buy tickets, dear Ruth. It is indellibly marked into the calendar! We will try to get goat's cheeses at the market before setting off...

Meanwhile, here in Alfaz I am feeling inspired by Julian's new website front page. As it looks like you have painted your way out of my budget, dear boy, I will have to wait until Christmas before setting one of your emotive paintings up against our magnolia walls alongside our print of the Green Lady and dogs playing poker... Perhaps it is time for me to start writing poetry... a poem a day sounds like an original idea.

I am no nearer making real head-way into The Artist's Way, Ruth, but I am hard pressed to find hours to sleep in at the minute. I am going to discipline myself alongside the weight training and dieting to ensure that I read some of it regularly. Currently I have four unfinished books on the go... Unfortunately this is reading, not writing. My only written book looks a sorry piece of history nowadays but I remain positive about making in-roads into future authorship in my next life. Mind you, it would be nice to reap some success before that.

I have a new panama that I look very dashing in. It is very much a stock item for me (a hat), especially given all the sun we are having nowadays. Jan is making some progress in trying to get her music project off the ground. Let us hope and pray for immediate success so that I can continue to live in the style to which I hope to become accustomed, as my lovely dad likes to say. Ah, but we don't get goats cheese here like they have in France. C'est la vie, n'est pas?

Loved your recent blogs Ruth.

I have just done a 'Cathy' and lost my blog by using the back spacer. Next time I must use the yellow close dot so that I can recall it. I'll try and remember it. First broad beans and Valencia - we had a lovely day there and walked about a bit. I think it was in the large Market Hall that I saw a young lady selling broad beans, but she was not only discarding the pods, but also shelling each bean. Beans could get no keaner re cep-tion in a beanery, as Mel Torme sings in his rendition of Jerome Kern's? 'Mountain Greenery' - one of my favourites. I don't know who wrote the lyrics, but they are priceless rhyming. While you love your lover- let blue skies be your cover-let. I digress.
Who was the subject of the windfall Portrait and is airport a new name for laptop or did your fingers get mixed up? Sorry about the gloss going from Crillon - you certainly had a good rapport with Mme Bellon. Perhaps you may keep the 'gallery' as it is a good 'earner' for guests at the Hostillerie. I like the name of Gallerie des Coiffees Demoiselles. What is that animal or bit of animal brought in by your kittens. Looks like a devil fish.
Liked your Meanwhile blogs Ruth - you should go into journalism - You also Pete as you have a useful turn of phrase and people back in UK may want to read local Altean news. Don't knock it - there is money in writing - even trite stuff, if I can judge some of the stuff that magazines accept. Had a lovely day out in Cowes on Saturday - just mooching about, but in the sunshine, with a seafull of yachts. In the evening we had a lovely meal and good company in Sandown's Riviera Hotel. Yesterday was a bit quiet. Later on this morning we are joining with Richard and Celia for a monthly eatout in Arreton.
Nice to talk to you guys. If we sell the house quickly we will see you in Singapore!

valencia here i come

hi everyone, sorry i have been absent from family blogging, but i think a few of you catch up on my own (which is family blogging extended to the rest of the world!). if you do drop by, please comment. it's lovely to know you are there and following the news from les cougieux...
anyway, pete et al, i must tell you i am doing a handel opera in VALENCIA!!!! Unfortunately I'm only there for a day (bummer) but do hope you can come. will you let me know if you want tickets and i will do my best to get them. wearrive on the day (My 20th), and have a reh at 17.30 and concert at 19.30 and unfortunately leave the next morning. wish I could extend my stay but it's all group flightss.
anyway julian has just sold a huge portrait which he didn't even thing wa finished to friends of mine in montecito, so the credit card bill is nearing being paid off and we are even considering buying an (other...remember the last one which didn't work and he never took back?)airport so we can both blog like crazy at the same time instead of me being desperate for converasation while he's on and he when i am....what a way to live!
also, DUANE, of DUANE fame, offered to TRADE paintings! wooooah.
Nick and Jen, good to hear your news. oyster omelette sounded FAB!!! makes me want to get on the next plane! now I'm taking a sabbatical from glyndebourne you never know. perhaps we'll travel. my bro is in thailand, ma in italy....so much to see! have you visited shifting light or meanwhilehereinfrance? let us know when you pass by. comments are so appreciated (as all of you know who have stayed here and seen us get up. leap to our macs and grasp at the possibility of them as we used to our first cigarette of the day

iPhoto and Valencia...

Dad, you can transfer that disc of photos I gave you into iPhoto fairly easily. What you do is open the disc by double clicking it so you can see the file icons. Then open iPhoto as well. The blue folders down the left hand side are your albums and you can make a new one by clicking on 'file' at the top, then clicking 'New Album'. Call it Spain 2005 or something. Once you have done that it is just a case of picking up the photos from the CD, dragging them into the album and dropping them in. You'll need to drag iPhoto off the screen a little so you can see the disc contents behind but it is fairly strightforward to toggle between the two. Hope this screed is clear enough. The question remains 'Why d'ya wanna do that?' I'm always trying to get photos off the computer onto disc, not the other way round! They take up too much hard drive space and slow the machine down in the long run. Mind you I have thousands of them and your needs are probably quite different...

Good luck on selling the house. If you downsize small enough I can find you a swallows nest here to over winter in!

Big Welcome

Hiya from Nic and Jen. Nice to see that all's well and warm on the Western front. Mum and Dad, you're most welcome to come to Singapore anytime, don't worry about accomodation etc, we can arrange everything. Come to think about it, everyone is most welcome to come to our little island state, you might even get to enjoy our proposed integrated casino resort which is causing a lot of flak and discussion over here.
Claire and Dan are well. Claire's in the last year of kindergarten and she'll be starting school next year (January) in my alma mata, Methodist Girls' School. We haven't started sending Dan to Nursery yet...but the day is coming....he's itching to get out everyday. Over the Easter weekend, we took the kids to stay at the Shangrila resort on Sentosa island. They had loads of fun riding horses, playing in the sand, water-slides, going for rides on the cable-car etc. I realised that at their age, it doesn't really matter where they go.....just as long as they are with Mummy and Daddy and just as long as there's water to play in, they're just as happy.
We've just spent the day clearing up the kids' bedroom, can't believe that they've accumulated so many toys and 'knick-knacks'! We're in the midst of trying to make our little flat neater... so we've 'shifted' all our 'mess' (aka children stuff) over to Ming and Francis's place, it's become their mess now! Ming's due anyday now...can't wait to see the new addition to the clan.
Hope all goes well with your plans....will blog again.

No blogs then eight come along

I have just been back to the beginning of April and discovered blogs that I have not answered. Just like the London Buses none then two or even three. Let me try to remedy my bit. Thank you Jess for your little blog and we are glad you liked our visit. We certainly did and we are just about getting accustomed to not having to watch Spirit!! (Without her daily 'shot' of this animated DVD story of an American dun horse, Amy would not get through the day!!). It is lovely as grandparents, to see one's offspring (sounds like an Olympic diver) growing up and being so in control. You, Jess and Beth are on the threshold of your adult lives and you are both growing into lovely litttle ladies and both have such cool friends. Even Amy has friends and we know how popular she is with everyone - even people passing in the streets or on seaside promenades gaze in wonder at our beautiful little girl. Gemma and Will are both well into their adulthood and we are so proud of them. It is lovely to see how they have grown up after their early loss. On Saturday we were lucky enough to meet my sister's family and friends on her 80th birthday and were glad to see Cathy and John there, with Edmund, Thomas and Kate growing up so slim and tall and doing so well at school. We even met my brother Denis's grand daughter, Olivia. Like Claire she is quite the young lady - although she is now 6 (Great age), whereas Claire has to wait a bit before she enters the world of A.A.Milne's 'When we are Six', and Dan will have to wait a little longer. Oh what memories that little book brings. We were so lucky with our own beautiful children, that it is no wonder that we love you all so. We are sad that kittens have to replace children for Julian and Ruth, but we know you love them both, too. We are so glad that you found each other. Oh dear I am getting all soppy. It must be the beautiful day and the first real days of spring in our (neglected) garden. The man from the Estate Agents (incidentally named Nicholas Julian) thought our house was great, but was a bit non committal about the bathroom. We are now planning to get rid of some STUFF so perhaps you, Steve, can come down one weekend and help us with a garden /garage sale. We have collected such a lot of STUFF which we will not need to take back on to the mainland.
We were discussing the possibilities of a trip to Singapore when we sell up. Mum fancies staying in one of your beautiful hotels for a couple of weeks, so, if you see any good offers after the heat of the summer, let us know. Perhaps we could have a health check on your insurance, Nic. We'd love to see you all again before next year. Don't worry about the musings of an old man - it shows our age! See ya. Love from Mum and Dad

Riviera Hotal...?

All the Grays of greenwood Avenue used to say that...!!

Tough week...

But we all got through. Maybe by next week I'll have planned a lesson! We have a new member of the Senior Management Team who is making quite a difference and helping me to shed some of my work load and get back to basics. Tomorrow Beth is running in an athletics meet and Sunday its church and cricket so the weekend is busy. Does anyone want to schedule an MSN chat?

Sylvia

We wondered why Mum could not join in with your Messaging until we saw that her eldest son spelt Sylvia wrong Now we can join in. We look forward to talking to you guys. Love from Patrick Hugh and Margaret Sylvia (Known locally as
Margaretsilvia) Night night! we had a great day.
Saturday we are out at the Riviera Hotal in Sandown with our annual Lions "Charter" evening - remember you came last year, Steve? Glad your new man arrived OK Pete and good luck with the cricket. Welcome to our Chinese traveller!!

Just had a funny? telephone message from BT Messaging on our house phone, asking me to press certain keys to answer some mobile phone in Portsmouth so I put the receiver down as Mum has just gone to bed. At first it sounded like Gemma's mobile number, but it wasn't her voice. Oo=er!!
Just been watching Jonathon Ross talking to Nicole Kidman on his Friday night show. They put on a good show - JR tied her up in knots but she joined in fine - then we had some queer named Shirley Ghostbuster and finally David Schwimmer from Friends, who is appearing on stage in London later in the year. We (I) was in fits - Silvia was fast asleep. Lovya Dad

Big Move

Hello, selling up? was that in your plan? I've just got back from Xiamen (Amoy), China. I am attaching some pic's

20ft Bamboo Ladder

Ancient Art of Stone Polishing

Many Stone Polishers Make Light Work, in contrast, in Italy they just have a big machine, Henry Ford is alive and kicking in Xiamen. Long live the Revolution

You can buy anything in China

Wookey Hole?



20ft Bamboo Ladder

Oyster Omelete and Stir Fried Donkey Bits, the paletable octopus is the one on the front

Fossil Trees

Even Dinner with a White Man (only one in Xiamen at the time)

Bye Bye

We are selling up!

I did as you suggested Julian to see if we could let on a weekly basis during Cowes Week, but we are too far away. - People like to be IN Cowes in the centre of everything. That doesn't stop us from coming to see you and we can either house sit for you or come as before. After seeing Steve's terrace house we thought something like that would suit us on the mainland and this morning we had a local estate agent out to arrange to put this on the market. The final figure he came to was £295+++. He thought it would sell because of its position, accommodation etc. He said the house market had levelled out but he was hopeful - aren't we all. We could buy or let - especially with some funds behind us, but it would be nice to be near Southampton or Bournemouth Airports. More later Love from Mum nd Dad

Julian - we love your blue shadows.

You'll have to catch up because Mum is buying blank frames!! By the way, Steve has given me £10 towards renewing the blogger What is my next step??
Pete - how do I transfer the CD of all the shots you took of our holiday to iphoto (or whatever) I am just an old fashioned man. Lovely to hear from Jan - we loved our holiday just as much as you. Dad

blueshadows... let's go

This lad's gonna be famous!
A few more words of encouragement (methinks) might not go amiss... press the comments button and put something down. Painting pictures! Hardest job in the world... 30 years man and boy etc(in choked Paul Whitehouse voice)

blueshadows
Originally uploaded by ezappynt.

instant messenger..

So got mum on my list but I need to know your addresses it seems Pete and Steve. Mine is julian at stillives dot com.

mine is ezappy at hotmail dot com

Thanks for force Quit

I should have looked for such a command. Anyway, thanks for saving me the trouble, Julian and Steve. I have now been able to quit Mail!
Today it is raining, which is nice, but as Mum cleaned up the house yesterday, it leaves us with the question ?quo vadis? (or what are we gonna do today)
The family who have just moved in behind us (the five bedroomed house with the fancy balcony fence) have been going like a train since they moved in just before Christmas, - new fencing, ground clearing etc. and have just applied for planning permission to 1. Extend their lounge out about 12 feet; and 2. to extend both rear facing bedrooms out the same distance while adding to each bedroom, large ensuites. It will look very impressive. We know this because the planning officer has sent us a letter, inviting comments. My comment will be " what is happening about the increased amount of surface water being generated by an increased roof space. Are we going to get it all in our garden." I plan to have a chat to see if they will extend the underground downpipe from the house to by-pass our garden and discharge into the culvert at the end of his garden. Any further suggestions?
We had a lovely weekend visiting Steve, Gemma and Clive in their very nice little terraced house in Cowley, paying a flying visit to the West Midlands to wish my sister Lenny a Happy 80th Bithday and joining with the family (inc Will) out to lunch at the Isis Pub by the river at Iffley. This lovely village is unchanged since my courting days - my girlfriend lived in Iffley - and is as charming as ever. We left Cowley on Monday morning for Southampton, where we went into the super duper John Lewis shop in the new West Quay development, but in the end, although spending time looking at the wonderful display of Mac computers and accompanying gear - I bought nothing. Mum bought a blouse. We were home by 4.15pm., having visited Harry Ramsden's in the food hall. Be good. Dad

zzz zzz zzz...hic

Ah.. who's gorgeous?

rubyasleep 26-3-05
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Who's this then?

ruby_audreyscardigan 28-3-05
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Marathon

Is on Sunday!.. Have a LOOK at how Jerry is doing!

And look what Julian and Ruth's pussy cat dragged into the room I was in.. but be prepared for a horror!
Eeyew!

Messenger for Mac

click to download click the English version though won't you!

Mail help

Dad with Mail showing in the top left bar hold down the apple key and the alt key (Option and command) and then hold down the esc key do this until a window opens highlight mail and click force quit. It happens some time. lots of love j
And Steve say's good one Julian.. Dad, click on the blue apple logo top left, 8th one down says "force quit".

click that and a panel of options comes up.. so pick the one you want to exit(mail) and there you are.

Mails are all Useless!

number 32
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Dad make sure you have copies of your important stuff somewhere. What I do is forward important emails and stuff I need to keep to a gmail account. Why I hear you ask.. answer because you get a megabyte of storage for nuffink. And if you turn it all off at your end and start again, there are copies elsewhere. I imagine that your wight365 server keeps all your stuff anyway from where your mail client (hep hem!) then retrieves it. Julian has one too by the way. If Rebecca is out there, hiya!

I need help

Can anyone suggest how I quit MAIL. It simply refuses to quit and obviously I cannot restart the Mac because Mail is still showing. I have tried everything I can think of and Mail Help is no use to me. I must have clicked something somewhere but it will not quit. Perhaps it knows I hate it!! Dad

Norvege, nil point...

Summary of a lost blog....

Lenny; many happy returns. Glad everything went well. Looks like you all had a blast. Phoebe is a hairy handful as I know from meeting her last October.

Jan; congratulations on a fantastic concert singing in the gospel choir of our local Norwegian church. No "Norvege, nil point" tonight.

Tax return; Spanish. Resolution; Get a mate in a buy him some wine. If no rebate, wine was cheap anyway.

Ma and Pa; school has started in a whirl but we're still missing you. Thanks for a lovely stay. No news on the car but will wait for Sonata to return before moving on it anyway.

Los dos hermanos; photos suggest gout is pending. Good luck with that.

Cricket (Snzzzzz!); Opened batting, got 31 and we won by four wickets or so today.

Norvege, nil point..

Just got back from a concert of Gospel music sung in English by various groups, soloists and musicians from our local Norwegian church. The talent there is incredible. It's as if the Nortwegians have shipped all their most precious singers out here to prevent them getting whipped up in Eurovision frenzy. No "Norvege, nil point" for this bunch. Of course I'm biased as Jan sings in the choir, chosing the Norwegians over the English because the Norwegian choirs sing in four part harmony rather than in one part disharmony standing round a piano with a few jars of Tetley's like most of the Brits down in these parts. We are building up quite an international flavour to our group of friends.

Many happy returns Auntie Lenny. Looks like the do went well which is great. I know it's a little late to send best wishes as I don't suppose you got a new laptop for your birthday so probably won't see this message until Monday has gone and been and passed. Love anyway.

Beth's fish are doing fine mum and dad. Not as friendly as Linda's Phoebe who we met last October but pretty as a picture nonetheless. No news on the car yet but we won't be doing anything until after Sonata gets back.

Busy start to term but we're missing you all the same. Nice to see los hermanos getting tickled over a glass of the red stuff. As for my tax return, I get a bottle of wine in for my colleague to fill it in on my behalf, Nic. I couldn't do it myself in Spanish yet. Should get a rebate, but if not I can console myself with the fact that the wine is cheap, not including that bottle I bought in Calpe, Dad. We're still waiting for an occassion to open that one. Your sherry is going down well though. Sorry about that!

31 today (cricket) after opening the batting, and we won by a few wickets. Happy birthday to blogger. That's about it. Toodle pip.

Pete.

Lenny on birthday duties

IMAGE_00021
Originally uploaded by ezappynt.

Linda

Linda
Originally uploaded by ezappynt.

Edmund and Phoebe

Linda's doggy was so excited by all the visitors to Lenny's party that it was quite difficult to take a picture of her, so Edmund obliged! Phoebe the puppy then decided she fancied Sandy's piece of fruity birthday cake and made off with it into the garden pursued by Kate Thomas and Olivia and Edmund..

Edmund
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Lenny's 80th...

Yes Dad, I read your and Steve's posts, I wish I could have been there. Hope you sent her our love and if you look in Lenny many happy returns tomorrow. We will have to see about the instant messenger thing next week when I get my new iBook, also the blogger bill.

Lovely photo Steve, I may have to borrow that. The cherry trees are all looking a little sad as every kind of weather has been thrown at them since you left. I have had about 5 power cuts and the phone line is down due to 120kmh winds. The Ventoux is once more crowned in snow and I am running a twenty four hour fire. Probably return to normal tomorrow when the wife gets back.

Lots of love to all J

Ps. Dad when is the Cowes Regatta? You ought to let your house out for the week and come down here for a Barbie and some sun

Congratulations to Blogger 1

No idea that we had been going for a whole year, until I look back and see what we have all done. Must be approaching dividend day. Tell us what to pay and we will cough up. Steve and Pete know my cough(s) Seriously, though let me know how much it is to keep blogging and I'll send you the funds. Well done and I look forward to another successful blogging year!! If you look on my most recent blog you will know that we had a day out in Himley yesterday. My sister's 80th. As well as us Merrows there were nearly as many of Lenniy's local friends. She was duly very tearful. Dad

Well done Nic

I haven't sent in a tax return since 1997, for certain, and for many years before that. All my income was tax deducted at source so why try to make waves. Auntie Tina spends hours telling the Tax Office that she gets investment income which again is deducted at source but she cannot be persuaded not to spend the time. What some people say is that 'I wish I had enough income to declare tax' If I was David Beckham I would happily pay my(his) tax. Keep blogging, Nic - we all love you. We had a lovely day in Himley (near Wolverhampton as you know the area) we met lots of Merrows - Joan, Jane, Rachel and Kevin with their little 6 year old Olivia- June, Robert and Sandy, Rebecca and Alan, Cathy, Edmund, Thomas and Kate and John, Auntie Beryl (Lenny) Sue and Keith, Linda and friend Ross, newly wed Katy and husband Chad, and of course Steve, mum and me. We had two birthday cakes, champagne and lots of cards and Steve drove us back to his lovely little house in Cowley, where we stayed the night.

Man at work

Well done Nic you've paid your taxes on time.. here we pay to earn pay to spend and pay to save so you're alright. and what do we need to do to play the video you sent to Dad. We have Windows Media Player but perhaps there's a plug in we need. What camera do you use? (Shot this ol'boy on my phone and thought it looked interesting.. nothing to do with taxes)

Happy Birthday Auntie Lenny

found this beautiful photo on my phone which I took near Sault ..so saying a happy eightieth birthday for Monday from the Merrow-Smith blogger. Thankyou Linda and Sue for a lovely day from Steve and Uncle Hugh and Auntie Margaret

Re: Mum's email

Remembered the password so got mum logged on on messenger on the mac while
ezappy was on the phone and we chatted in silence next to each other with
Dad watching on and I said would you like a milky drink!! And Mum said I
would like a milky drink so I said would you like sugar etc.. I said this is
useful if you have a row! And you don't want to speak to each other..so that was fun!
Have you all got invites to chat in your inboxes?
Happy Birthday blogger by the way.. Can't believe it's a year..

Nearly happy Birthday to...

The Merrow-Smith org, we have been blogging now for a full year.. hip hip hip hooray...

Sorry not to be posting much but I am sure you can imagine I have just been a little busy. I have so far painted 51 of the postcard paintings (one a day), and sold 36.. whoopee. Tom got quite excited and thinks we could publish it as a book - A year in Provence sort of thing - with Ruth writing the words.
The site is going up in French next week as Sylvie has kindly translated it into French in exchange for a Brioche and my iBook has finally given up the ghost under the strain (so this is from the old iMac that you paid for on your credit card dad in Darty). Ruth is coming back on Monday with a new iBook for me which cost half the price of the first one - some things just get better.

Steve and I had a great time chewing the fat. Miss you all, j

Filed the tax return already

Well boys, I've done my tax return and submitted to the government already, what you all been doing???, Time for a drop of scotch

Nic

Tax return

For all those of you that fear filing your tax returns, here goes, I am starting to do mine now, next posting will be to say I have finished and already submitted to Singapore Inland Revenue. You boys should also remember your responsibilities to the greater community although I'm sure the wine gives you big memory problem.

Les Boys

Les Boys
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Steve and Julian after quel que verres de vin de pays!!
Nous avons constructer une nouvelle site web pour le frere de plus age donc regardez cette espace

A French Ballet Dancing Plasterer!

Ruth has found the solution to the renovation of "Hameau Des Cougieux"... Yves Kühn mixes Plaster with hemp to form an elastic breathable hard material to use in ancient historic buildings.. watch his beautiful hands as he describes ze process..!
Quelle treat!
" ah 1 and ah 2 and ah 3 and ah pas de bouree "..and ACTION!

Bon Appetite

Le Mas de Vines
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Dinner at sunset.. had cream of mushroom soup with mushroom ice cream! Day before Lavender ice cream in a cone at Roussillon.

What was lost is found - 1993

1993 Decided to take an early holiday to Spain and booked a package deal holiday to Benidorm in February. We arrived at Alicante Airport to be greeted by a welcoming committee of Airport and town dignatories, led by the local town band as we were on a plane which held the 1,000,000th passenger to arrive at the airport since it was first commissioned. We were royally welcomed with wine, sandwiches and much good food before setting off for Benidorm. We took the bus to our hotel and checked in. We had a lovely evening meal and spent the evening, of all things, playing bingo. It was such fun and our fellow hotel guests were from all over England. The following day we walked out onto the wonderful promenade, where half of Spain's pensioners seemed to be on holiday. Every restaurant was filled with old dancing couples - lovely!. During the week we visited a lovely mountain town of Guadalest, where we seemed to walk through a hole in the mountain, reminiscent of the entrance to the Lost Horizon. We walked around the town and bought a couple of little cupids which, even now, grace the space above our bed! What a lovely little town this is. We also took a coach ride to Valencia and sat on the edge of the fountain in front of the strangely shaped Cathedral, before crossing the dry river bed and went into a large Selfridges type of shop where we had lunch. We had to be back in the Cathedral Square to catch our coach as we were being taken to a factory where porcelain figures were being made. The factory is world renowned and produces Lladro figurines. Our coach driver had bought a rather large, beautifully crafted statue of some geese and this he raffled on the way back to Benidorm. What a lovely day. Next day, Sunday, we went to a large open market where all sorts of stalls were set up. On another day we took a quaint little train ride to the next town of Joyosa, where we were conducted around a chocolate factory. We caught the next train to Alicante and we walked around the town, looking for somewhere regional to eat. We found a tapas cafe and ate a nice lunch, before returning to the Station to catch the little train back. On the way we again stopped in Joyosa and spent an hour or so in the large open market. We arived back in Benidorm and after dinner we had a dance and after that we again played bingo - getting to be a habit. Next day we decided to walk along to the old town from the Levante beach. We stopped off at a restaurant and I asked for a gateau, little knowing that Spanish for cat is gato! We were advised to ask for cake. We arrived at a castle like promontary, where we had ice cream and then wandered into the old town, with its narrow streets and touristy little shops. After that we walked along the Poniente beach with its beautiful palm treed promenade. We had such a lovely time in Benidorm and the piece de resistance was a visit to a wonderful show at the Benidorm Palace - a sort of theatre/night club. We really enjoyed our first Spanish visit!
14th March 1993 Bethany born John Radcliffe, Oxford
5th March Sue & Keith Married, Kidderminster Jan brought baby Bethany to the wedding - What a lovely little girl
We all went to a pub in Bewdley Mum and me, Steve, Barbara Gemma and William, Joan and Jane - also the happy couple
Pete was unable to come but Jan drove back with Mum and tried to get on the motorway the wrong direction and turned round at Droitwich,
4th August Thomas born Aberystwyth
Nic divorced Nic moves to Australia and Singapore
Julian meets Jaye
Visited Wales pre Christmas. Julian and Jaye Griffiths came. Had a marvellous time. Went home to Chinnor, to find Beryl June as Pete and Jan had prepared a Ruby wedding anniversary party 26th December

Just been catching up.

After I put in the bit about our flight back, I decided to catch up on Ruth's Somewhere in France Blog, ( so sorry about the dogs - who could do such a thing) which in turn led me to Julian's Diary and then to his lovely little paintings (Mum likes the one with the two pears, among many others) and to Ruth's BEE photos and when I went back to the blogger I discovered that Ezappy had also been blogging. Lovely to hear that you went to Roussilon, Steve - that is the place where we sent you a postcard of all those wonderful ochre colours a few years back. It is lovely to have your own transport to discover the marvels of the Vaucluse, as we were very lucky to have when we were there in October - thanks again to dear Julian. You should try to get to the Fontaines de Vaucluse - lovely. We had a wondeful time on the Costa Blanca and I ate plenty of seafood in garlic - one meal we had was the best I have eaten in Spain. Mariscos? (prawns in Garlicky olive oil) followed by a wonderful paella. Les Fonts de Alvar? near Callosa. Spent some time watching cricket with Pete in his new cricket pads and gloves which I brought all the way from Ryde IOW. Pete has given me a CD-R with all the photos he took while we were with them. Great to reminisce - what lovely girls they have. I don't know how we could ever hope to repay them for their kindnesses - they have a lovely little group of friends in the New Hope Christian Fellowship, whom we met and were befriended by. We were taken to Alicante, to Valencia and to lots of small hill towns like La Nucia, Polop, Guadalest and Callosa as well as on some pretty hairy mountain roads. We even went twice to Benidorm with its miles and miles of soft sand as well as its skyscrapers, its palm trees and its cheap touristy shops. We even went to a zoo/theme park and lastly to a dear little village of Altea, we fell in love with. Not to mention, of course, our first week's stay in the mountains of Altea La Vella is the most fantastic house stuck on the side of a mountain. Wonderful. A holiday like many others which we will never forget.Love to all Dad

Back home again

We landed at Southampton at 4.35pm having flown right over the Needles in brilliant sunshine, on our way down. Cleared baggage by 5 and went for a taxi only to find a long queue, so we went to the bus stop and an empty bus stopped and took us right into Town Quay RedJet ferry for £2! Caught the 6pm RedJet and Kay came to pick us up and we were home again. Popped indoors to turn on the heat and went out for a meal at the Cedars, before turning in. Had to tax the car from 1st April, which used up all we had not spent in Spain and joined the Lloyd Bank Pensioners Lunch Club in Ryde for a convivial lunch. The washing machine did some sterling work, but thanks to Jan most of our soiled stuff had been washed before we left - Thanks Jan. Thanks Pete and girls for the lovely ride in Duncan's Fiat bus - we were the last to book in so we sat right at the back of one of those small BAe146 high winged four engined jobs and had a lovely flight. Remember that plane you flew in, out to Montpellier way back when Edmund was three months old, Cathy? This was the same model. Only 100 seats which made for a quick clearance through the baggage reclaim and short queues at immigration and passports. Thought of you all this morning as you braved the first day at school. Hope all went well. Nana sends you girls all her love and we look forward to seeing you all again soon. Thanks Julian for your belated birthday wishes - is there a danger that our blogger is getting side-tracked? Call you later Steve - that is if you are still working hard doing a strip!

Nana, Grandad

Thank you for you visit and I hope you had a safe and comfortable flight back! (so formal!) put it this way...we had a cool time. The house seems somewhat emptier now and its back to school and no more holidays for THREE MONTHS! That is just what I need!the only holiday between now and then is ONE day off, the 16th of April. oh, well. I think I might be of use around the house now so I'd better go. luv Jess xxx

Greetings from Provence

Have taken the hired 206 up Mount Vent who and then to Roussillon to see the magical cliffs. Back at Julian and Ruth's place for roasted loin of pork and some more of your local vine juice to aid digestion of course. Pussy cats a delight esp accompanying us on moonlit walks after supper.. fantastic. Flying back on the Eighth Dad.. sorry to miss you today. Cathy also called me yesterday via JR re Aunty L's birthday but I said in an email to call the Island. So I'll see you Friday evening at some point. G gets in at about four thirty on a Friday so you can call her to organise getting in to number 32. love to all S

Valencia - what a city!

It's the place to be if you own a boat what with the next America's cup coming here. We enjoyed a wonderful day in the regional capital (also known as the windy city) with fine weather, albeit a little cool when the sun went in. Great monuments, great boulevards...Paris by the sea again! Here is the railway station and Amy, and the walkway in front of the city of arts and sciences....

belated happy returns da...

... I did try to put sumink on yer burfday but blogger would not oblige, no no. So Happy birthday, enfin. love j

Paint stripper

I expect massaging the stripper against wall would be very effective in removing any stubborn coatings...could be quite therapeutic too. How about elbow grease - does this come into play? Good luck on the next level/floor.