From Singapore

Dear All, what's with knocking walls down, just paint them a quiet receding blue, put up some large mirrors, emphasise the window and the fantastic view and save your money, not unless Pete, you are thinking of moving into the adjacent unit. Other tips from a professional landlord available for a small fee.

Daniel is still poohing periodically on the floor. Mary, fed up of cleaning up the mess is advising him not to push, (we figure he has to push quite hard with pampers on!)

At some point in the last 9 months, Jen introduced Claire to Pokemon cards, we have quite a collection, having committed to buying her one packet if she gets her Chinese spelling test right on Tuesdays and another if she gets her english spelling right on Fridays. She has got 100% in English including spelling such words as opposite, interesting, jealous, knock, listen, mistake etc., so it's obviously worked. We have since reverted to coins for the piggy bank instead. I quite took to this Pokemon thing being the compulsive additive person I am, which is probably why the model trains have not gone as far as they should. In my Pokemon research, I discovered there was a pokemon centre not far from us, which organises competitions, so we went along a few times and Claire played the decks I had built, sometimes I sneaked in a game against one of the elder kids (mainly 10 yrs through to 15 yrs). We dropped in this Sunday only to end up enrolling Claire in the National Championships, (sounds grand but we don't have a population of 250,000,000 like the US). She did OK and won a number of games (3 rounds out of 4, with a little bit of coaching from me) and being as there were only 5 in her age group she made it (deservedly) through to the semi finals (of the National Championships), by then our 5 year old had been playing for about 5 hours (Cathy, can you imagine that, getting a 5 year old to participate in one singular activity for so long). In the semi, she played the 10 year old boy she had just beaten 2-1, but as the stakes were so high, I took to only shuffling her deck, she got beaten quite convincingly 2-0 but I think more to do with fatigue, in the 3rd place playoff, she also losing and I conceded for her, 6 hours after we started. First 3 places in each age group get an invitation to attend the world championships in California, plus there are scholarships too, Claire, for her efforts won a US$150 scholarship and of course about 3 months supply of pokemon cards. I think third place gets US$1500 scholarship, so really well worth entering. If we train her up, she could have Ten Grand set aside for her studies by the time she reaches secondary school.

The beauty of a small country.

If any of you kids out there want to know the details of the pokemon deck, I can post it here.

Now we are all back to school and work, we are moving office this week, a really terrible thing to have to do, occurs to me I have never done it before. Never mind, off to Bali for a swim in 2 weeks time.

Mum, lovely to read you on the Blog, Cathy too and Gema. Sorry we don't offer more praise, got used to living in a meritocratic society. Good luck with selling the house M&D, let me know if you're likely to end up homeless, us landlords have contacts.

Turrah luv's

Nic & family

House prices...

Sorry Dad, I posted a 'comment' to your enquiry. If you check that you'll see the neighbouring house is up for €165000, which is closer to 120000 in pounds sterling. It's actually one of two that are up for the same price within a stone's throw of ours. We are thinking of moving in in two weeks after I have decided which internal walls to knock down! Then there is the tidying up, plastering and painting to be done. That is a project to commence this weekend. I think we'll have a team of willing helpers from church to help us paint either starting Sunday afternoon or the next weekend.

We'll keep you posted.

Two men in a Boat

Very funny, Pete - Was Cooky the guy who came to Chinnor and between you both threw (looks funny) juggling things to each other, or was that someone else? I seem to remember you being rather good at it. The lovely "on Wye" places are fading memories for us although we did drop into Ross one time when we were coming back from Cathy's, but it did not stir any memories for us - it all seemed much more upmarket than we remembered. I reemember the year we went to Cardigan and stayed with Mrs. Rhys-Davies or some such person - it was in 1976 and temperatures reached over 100 - a candle or some other solid red waxy thing melted in our car and an LP record I had in the car of some Symphonic Dances nearly bent in two with the heat. Silly things people remember. Well, I think Nic went to the Wye valley that year, with Scouts or Rovers and had a lovely time too. I was saying to Mum this morning that it is 60 years ago that I went to Skegness to join the Navy. I was living in London at the time, but I don't seem to remember much detail. At 18 I was too excited about travelling on my own to start a new life, than I was for thinking about what I was doing or what the future had in store for me (and also all of you!). As Churchill said it was not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning - life spread out before me.

You did not answer my question, Pete about the cost of the house four doors away in La Nucia - if it is a secret you can whisper to me or tell me on the email!! Is it very expensive or do you think we could manage it when our house sells?

Spring Bank holiday today so I am going to do my treasurerly duty with the Ryde Lions at the Bembridge Street Fair and will be collecting money. Have a good day y'all. Love from ~Dad

Hay on Wye

Sorry Cath, I read your blog too late to tell you anything in advance, but I know Hay is the best place in Britain for second hand books. There are loads and loads of dark little shops where dirty looking men hide in corners reading original copies of The Railway Children or Virgil's Aenead.

I know Dad took us there once on one of our long trips out west to reach the end of the then known universe (St David's Head, I think) but it is also where I and a good friend from teacher training college launched a single ship...we set out from Hay on Wye to canoe down to Monmouth in a rubber cayak, canadian style over the rapids. We pushed off from the sandy beach just down from the lovely old stone bridge. Eeh, it were a reet good laff. (Cookie - Paul Cookson, a maths teacher and juggler of note who also visited us in Botswana - heralds from Oldham or thereabouts) We had great pub lunches, enjoyed wonderful weather and saw peregrine falcons over the cliffs at Bishops Castle. We considered taking a tin of pinapple chunks and a dog along but both of these might have punctured our inflatable.

In Ross we passed a family of three boys and a girl, each under ten, and their mum and dad, all cayaking upstream with their pots and pans, tents and so on, in the stern. Another brother of twelve canoed a separate cayak alongside. Ee-up, and I thought we had it rough putting up tents in the new forest in the rain. I reckon the strains of 'Are we nearly there yet Dad?' must have accompanied that family most everywhere they went!

Ah, heady days...

Dear Family

It is really great to read all your news on the blogger.
Ruth and Julian at last having time together instead of miles apart - Julian producing those lovely postcard paintings- especially the one you have had framed for me - friends of ours are astounded at the beauty of them.
Cathy and John making such an effort on your large garden - pity today was not so warm as on Friday, but then it was too hot to work in our garden. You certainly have green fingers, Cathy sowing seeds and propogating cuttings.
The great news that Pete and Jan and our lovely grand daughters now have a house of their own in sunny Spain. Wonderful! and we hope to visit La Nucia later in the year.
Nic and Jen are happy and busy with their lovely Claire and Dan.
We listened to Will's Milkmen on the itunes this morning - I must be getting old!!
Well done, Steve with all your 'house faking' as my mum used to call it. You will be so experienced. We miss you, Gemma and Will and hope to be able to come your way in the not too distant future.
Today, Dad and I went to a special Mass in Shanklin with other members of Dad's Catenians to celebrate the installation of their new President - Peter Doran and his wife Joan. They live in St. Lawrence, along the Undercliff Drive and he is a retired school teacher. One of those houses,(like Sonata's in Altea,Pete and Jan) that clings to the side of a steep cliff and is just past the Inn at St Lawrence, Cathy. It is called High Trees as it is in the middle of lovely high trees. I suppose there must have been about thirty of us, plus a dozen or so small children, who loved climbing up and down the steep paths. We had a very mixed bag of barbecued food, from pork slices, to sausages, to lovely back bacon, to chicken drumsticks, with gorgeous salads and trifles and of course to Mr. Minghella's lovely ice cream. Tasty French Red wine loosened my tongue and I had a really lovely time, chatting to all our friends. Now we are back home - Dad has had his sleep and I think I may have had one too. I don't know if we need any tea but we will sit down and watch the Classic FM Awards later. Love you all and cannot wait until I see you all again - soon, I hope. Your loving Mum

Sunday morning

Weak sunshine and a little cool, which way will it go warmer or rain? Last night the children and friend slept out in tents in the garden,Tomos and Thomas in one tent and Kate and Edmund in the tent that a couple gave us when we were camping as a family in two,two-man tents down in St Davids and they thought that we looked abit cramped,then the children made themselves egg and bacon for breakfast had spent all day in the garden burning a huge pile of branches(buckthorn ouch!)and weeds,and filling the old red Peugeot with bits of old corrugated iron and cast-iron drain pipes rusted bits of unspeakable farming equipment and bottomless enamel saucepans,ready for the scrapman to take away. Today the garden is finally beginning to look a bit more like a garden,last weekend we bought ourselves a new lawn mower,which makes grass cutting much easier knowing that the wheels won't drop off and that the engine won't just cutout cause you turned a corner! So today John and I feel abit limp but I think I will be out there again today.
Tomorrow I am off to Hay on Wye with my book club so I can rest on the bus. Anyone got any Hay on Wye advice?
I am a little worried that everyone will stop blogging as you are all now skyping whatever that is, so please don't stop and I love the photo's.
Congratulations Pete and Jan we will be over to stay next week haha! No but seriously I'm pleased to hear your news. Look out for somewhere that we could stay and we will come and see you, could be a house,apartment,caravan or tent(campsight).
Will we're not on broadband but I will get on to the milkmen as soon as possible! love to all Cathy

Hello, Oxford...we are...

...The Milkmen and you can visit our site at:

http://themilkmen.oxonline.net/

It's a bit heavy on graphics and sound etc, so those of us without broadband may want to make a cup of tea while it loads.

Other than that, I'm doing fine and I make a point of dropping by the blogger every couple of days to see how everyone's getting on.

all the best

Will

How much is it?

I put this blog in before I saw all your photos. How much us the house down the road - We could be interested

Mr Plasterer...

Eh up, our lad...

Now that big wall has some damp patches caused by the builders finishing off the inside wall with broken bricks and bits and pieces. Having chased away some of the plaster, I am now filling the aforesaid holes with scrunched up newspaper (on the advice of my employer!), putting in mortar to finish off the holes and then plastering over the top. Nonetheless, the lady before us had calcium-defiecient pugs that have scratched through to the brick in a couple of places, so there are lots of little plastering jobs to do, plus her bodger son was an electrician (Lord help us!)which has left a few scars in the wall too! Any advice on the plastering over of broken bricks?

Our house, in the middle of our street...

The house...
The view from the lounge...
The front door...
Views over Albir...
Views to the Sierra Bernia...
The inside (rather untidy!)...

The hatch through to the kitchen...

El Tossal

I took a couple of photos of the new little house but blogger doesn't want to oblige, so the suspense must continue....

It's very small, but quite a pretty location and has a village feel to it. The second photo is the view from the lounge although there is a similar one from the bathroom, honest, if it wasn't for the house on the other side of the path.

More to follow perhaps, but the best thing to do is to come and see for yourselves!

By the way, four doors down is up for sale now.

Isn't Skype wonderful

We have just been speaking to ezappy on the Skype but he was laughing so much because we could not think of what to say. He tells me he is coming to Les Cougieux in October to help out with the renovation of your house Julian and also Nic wants hime to do some work over in Ivinghoe. What a lad. Hurry up and get some photies of La Nucia on the blog, Pete. How are you girls getting on and do you like the thought of three in a bed??? Bank holiday this weekend so we will probably stay away from the crowds as there are so many clubs (eg VW clubs, Morris Minor clubs, Veteran Motor Cycle Clubs) - I hope we don't get the mods and rockers in their scooters. We are at Bembridge Street Festival on Monday so wish us some sunshine. Hope the sun shines in Llanddewi land Cath. Bye all Love from Mum and Dad

Scyped and stuff

Hi all, Dad scyped me on the land line over the weekend, just like the old days with a bit of an echo and delay, but who cares for free eh! We will install it here one day soon so we can look at you all in your summer glory.

Glad to hear Peter, you got a new pad.

Steve, got a project for you in Ivinghoe when you're done with the house renovation, needs new windows, new flat roof, repairs to the rendered facade, bit of painting etc. Can also do it up nicely and sell or turn it into a holiday let, me thinks.

Jen and I went to see Star Wars last night, lots of sabre rattling. Other news, we are training Daniel not to wear pampers and to ask for the toilet, one being easier to achieve than the other, but making very good progress. Better progress than the model railway that is, but at least I have actually managed to lay some track, wan to see pictures?

Nic

So....

.. wat yu goanna doo if it sells??? Very exciting... good luck an all my dear folks. love j

Well done Steve

Thanks for the smile - makes everything worthwhile. We had someone look over the house this am and the Agent has just rung us to say that we have a potential purchaser who must sell their house in Cowes first. Our house is just what they want.
Thanks for the news Pete. We are glad the money has arrived. Nice poppies, Julian
Dad

Hello

I am still on the planet but putting in the hours at the new house. Boiler in heating in water in bathroom in coving up upstairs.. but still a bit of a building site!
Here's a funny thing..

Acis and Galetea

Hi Ruth,

it was great to see you in Valencia, ruddier than a cherry and all that. Sorry about the port and the port mix-up but all's well that ends well. Acis and Galatea was super and we all enjoyed it immensely. The food worked out quite well too. We got back about 1.40am to meet my boss who was still at school!

The postcard paintings will take pride of place in the new house Julian. Perfect size! We'll have to save a month or two to do justice to them regarding frames though. Also, I'm afraid you'll all have to wait a few more days for photographs but I can assure you that the view from the bathroom really is very pleasant. We've just come back from giving the place a once-over, taking out wall fixings, filling in the holes and relaxing over a cup of tea on one of the balconies.

We are going to be squashed but happy in the new place we think. It's a nice area too and not too far from school. Now we have to move all our stuff! Anyone got a van?

Telephoney works for us

Hi guys, jut a thought , our computer is only plugged in and online when we are using it, but our phones are always on, so I don't think skype will work for us with young kids around to damage our laptop.

Nic

is anybody out there?

Hi, our telephone numbers is country code (065) then 67373753, you can scype us here, we are 8 hours ahead of GMT, Monday is a bank holiday too.

Congratulations all-round

Perhaps you will at last be settled in your own little house, after all these years, Pete and Jan. Welcome to La Nucia. Now you can get yourself the car you want, so that you can all get about.
I had sent the cash to you before I saw your warning, so you had better keep a watch out in your post box as I did notice that it did not seem all that secure.
Looking forward to skyping you, Pete but as Julian rightly says keep on blogging. I have been looking in Maplin's catalogue and there seem to be plenty of mics and head sets available for only peanuts, so later on in the day I will buy a set. We must not let skyping overtake blogging as it is good to look back on occasions.
We hope you all enjoy the opera tomorrow (or is it today?). Is Kev joining you? We will be thinking of you and we hope you can spend a little time with Ruth. Tell her we enjoy reading her Meanwhile, Somewhere in France jottings.
I fell asleep last evening watching telly so now I am suffering and wide awake.
I know you get cheaper phone calls than us Nic, but if you download skype we can all talk for nothing - let alone a £1 an hour (or whatever) I have also bought a little webcam, but I have reservations that it will not work on my Panther as I see that it is suitable for Windows XP and my PC is not on the internet.
Now that the warmer weather is hitting the UK we are getting out in the garden and even doing a bit of clearing up to make the old house look more cared-for. It does look nice when the grass is all cut.
Hi, Cath - we send you our love and again many thanks for giving up you bed for us last week - is it only just over a week that we left you?
What stage have you reached, Steve in your house renovations. I am tempted to try skyping you but we don't want to catch you at an awkward time on the motorway. Give us a bell sometime. Lovely to talk to you on the skype the other day Julian - I liked your latest ppainting with those lovely trees. You seem to be settling in to a very good routine.
Well guys I will now get back to bed to see if I can get some sleep so here's to you all.

Accidently bought a house...

Spent three hours in the notary today and walked out with the keys to a little two bedroom house. This is very interesting. It seems too easy to be true. Now all we have to do is pay for it. If you get a call at the end of the month it's because we have miscalculated and need bailing out!!

Off to the opera to see Ruth tomorrow. Maybe we will have a bottle of wine to celebrate!

Hope to be skyping to you all soon, once I have upgraded to OSX 10.3

Love to all

Pete

Hi Nic..

Yes, we can all read them no problem.. the skype to skype thing is absolutely free but skyping to your landline in Singapore is also very cheap for mum and Dad. With a cheap USB internet camera you can see and talk to each other ie video conferencing, great for the kids! Mum and Dad don't think any one would want to see them ha ha! It's all designed for Windows but works finally on the Mac it's really great for us europeans with expensive calls and living in different countries but I don't want to make Blogger redundant ;-))

lots of love J

Windows

Folks, we are running Windows XP, also our phone calls are really cheap, like a quid for 10 minutes to the UK. problem is you're all asleep ain-it! So also if I want to down load photos and movies to send to you from our Panasonic and Sony appliances, can you read them?

Blogging suits us OK

Nic

phoning mobiles with skype..

I phoned Ruth from the computer and it worked fine, unfortunately calls to french mobile cost 20 euro cents a minute, however calls to Singapore mobiles cost only a penny a minute!!! so you can call Nic on the hoof!

We Skyped!!!

Mum and Dad and Ruth and I just had a shout at the computer conference chat... oooooh isn't it wonderful technology!!! We will get our head set tomorrow, one each!! got your address Steve, Will chat. Pete we need to think about updating your software!! think it would be a good thing if you can update from my discs.. otherwise we will get a Mac OS Tiger set and share it around. Love to all very excited. J

I have downloaded Skype

Now what? Do I type in a phone number or a name. My name is hughmerrowsmith. I have not yet been down to HMV for the Skype thingy. Does it work when my Mac is on Sleep?
We have had a glorious day here with clear skies and a warm day. I have cut all our lawns - the 'Hill' and side lawn in the front and the back garden, side lawn and new lawn on the right. I feel really good.
Mum wants to know when she is likely to receive her framed Postcard??
Peter we will be sending you 5 x 50 euro notes for you=know=who.

Pete...

.. I will send my CD's with the painting I imagine you can install them without wiping your disk give it a try and send them back whatever... course the alternative is a family pack for TIGER the new 10.4 is €199 so Ruth, me, Steve, dad, you makes 40 euros each... you could save that in a month.. no pressure ;-))

Skype

Just remembered...you need OSX version 10.3 - as I only have 10.2.8, I'll have to wait until I upgrade to Panther.

Skype

Why not troll down to get a USB mic from HMV for a tenner.. have asked Gem to bring mine up to the new house so I can get on free internet phone calls
Recovery day today.. back to work tomorrow.

Adverts..

So if I keep typing cricket bats, cricket pads, cricket gloves, tennis raquets and so on, will Google ads start advertising sites which sell these items? Because if that's so, can we stop mentioning the underwater suit thingy!!

mornin' dad..

Google adverts pick up whatever is on the page and puts ads it thinks are relevant.. I think all the wetsuit ads might be due to Peters wet suit obsession and Devon.. clotted cream and SURFING... its brought in three dollars so far so over the year may pay the entire cost of the site.

Now then listen everybody... Steve talked a while ago about this Skype thing.. well now it works very well on the Mac and gives you free computer to computer phone calls to anywhere in the world... for it to work properly you need to pop down to dixons and buy a computer headphone and mic set(from about £15 just explain that it's for Skype. The application is free and can be downloaded from http://skype.com it does work straight out of the box (without a headset) but obviously you get alot of echo as the incoming voice is picked up by your computers inbuilt mic. nevertheless Ruth and I downloaded it seperately launched it and now we can call each other from Kitchen to (makeshift) studio. Imagine calling Singapore free and chatting for half an hour!!!
When Ruth is in Saltzburg for the summer she has free internet access so we won't have to pay a penny in phone calls. YOU REALLY MUST TRY IT!! When you call someone the computer rings like an old style phone bell... c'est genial!!!.

you can skype me at julianmerrow-smith just add that to your contacts... right back to the easel.

G'morning World

My family is going to the dogs - and only won a few quid - sad. Mum is valiantly trying to answer all your good wishes and sending thanks for her presents etc. I've told her not to spend all evening thanking people - after all what do you want from family. It is the thought that counts. Amazing story about that pianist - he looks Russian to me. I loved the film 'Shine' and we often play it on VHS. What's with all the wetsuits, Julian? I couldn't get one on let alone 'off' How do we get to other Google sales things. I hope it isn't like e-bay.

New blog..down the page a bit

I've edited an old blog forgetting that it would be uploaded using the date of the original rather than the day i uploaded ..whoops- so you need to scroll down the page if you're interested.
PS. Julian we are getting 2 versions of your gorgeous daily postcards each day, but I expect you already know this. G xxxx

Back Home again

After a wonderful twelve days away from the Island we decided to return last night, having travelled from Torquay in inclement weather. Not bad, but not nice enough to break our journey and the good roads were comparatively free on a Sunday. We had lunch in Bridport and decided against staying for a night in Weymouth. The Island looks pretty good and the house was tidy, as we had left it in a good state in case somebody wanted to view it. This morning the sun is pouring through the house and we both feel pretty good. We stayed at a lovely little hotel in Torquay, only two minutes from the Riviera Centre where we attended a conference of my Catenian Association on Friday Saturday and Sunday. An address from an American Cardinal on Saturday and a con-celebrated Mass by two Bishops to our congregation of 1500 delegates and wives on Sunday were highlights for us. Other days we went to Brixham, Paignton, Totnes, Dartmouth and of course, into Torquay. Weather in Torquay was abysmal and in fact we went to the pictures on one day to see Sahara (a very exciting film for those near a cinema). When we came out, having parked under the sea wall the car was coated in salt from the very heavy waves, which spilled over onto the road! When in Dartmouth we took a picture of the New Angel, but we were unable to book for lunch and the town was just beginning its Annual Dartmouth Music Festival and was pretty full. We only just escaped by the skin of our teeth of pickpng up a £40 parking ticket - who says Parking attendants have no heart. He was just licking his pencil to write out a ticket, so I fell to my knees and he let me off. That will teach Mum not to ask for assistance in Boots!!

When staying with Cathy and family in Wales we had some really lovely weather, with clear blue skies and we went out and about to Aberystwyth and Carmarthen, finally celebrating Mum's birthday with lunch at a lovely hotel in Lampeter. The boys are growing up and doing really well at school. Thomas's first year assessement said that he was especially good at nine subjects. How about that?? Edmund, as you will remember got a Maths prize. Kate is still at Lower school and has not yet begun to shine, although she plays her flute well for a beginner. Cathy is very well and a lovely Mum and John disappeared to London for the weekend to be with his two sisters, the youngest of whom, Maggie, had come over from Sydney for a visit.

So, we are still alive and kicking - Mum is a year older and looks good with a hair cut when in Lampeter and we will start to tidy up the garden later in the week. Thanks to all who sent cards, messages and presents. Love to you all.

Sorry anyone trying to blog..

this morning whole thing disappeared in smoke... all back to normal now. I have put in some ads in the side bar to aid with the upkeep (hopefully) of the merrow-smithies, so click on one occasionally... it's you're duty!! These Google ads are great they get it spot on... the wet suit ones are for you I think Pete!!!

The Piano Man

Hello G&G! Thanks for your lovely postcard which arrived here on Saturday. I'm glad you covered so much your time down Devon way. Clive & I are going to a wedding near Barnstaple, Devon in August. I scoured the web for somewhere to stay and was getting very disheartened as everywhere I phoned in their village (Chulmleigh) was booked up for the weekend we wanted. I think it is going to be a big do as Pippa is having 11 bridesmaids. Anyway booked B&B in alovely old Devon inn this week in the next village of Chawleigh which works out very well as its only 2miles froom the church across prime Devon countryside. The village names sound like Trumpton or Camberwick Green! Sorry to hear all was booked at the 'new angel' but I don't think he''s going anywhere soon going by the number of cookbooks he has out!

Ruth, have you heard about the mystery piano man? This guy was soaking wet when he was picked up by police in Kent 10 days ago, and he hasn't said a word and holds no clue to his identity. He was given a pencil & paper in the hope he would write his name. He didn't but he did draw a picture of a grand piano over and over again, so the social worker took him to the chapel at the hospital which has a piano. Well he sat down at the piano and started playing, not stopping for hours. The mystery man is the most amazing classical pianist so the police have released his picture to the media, and have been contacting orchestras in the hope that someone knows who he is! He has also started writing music notation and they are investigating whether he is creating original compositions. The media love this story as it strikes real life similarities with the Geoffrey Rush film 'Shine'!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4550069.stm for a picture

love to all Gem xxx

PS. no big winnings at the 'dogs' £4.80 & £1.50 win - oh well better keep getting up for work!

goin' darne tha dogz?

Clive, Will & Steve are at Walthamstow Dog Track tonight for John's stag do! News so far from trackside is that Clive has won £4.60 with a 50p each way bet on a dog called 'Tullymurry Oasis'! Fingers crossed for a big win = new car for Gem?

Mandy has her Hen Night at the end of the month and we girls are off to the bingo after a cool, funky bar in Camden of course. Bingo prizes can be as big as £100,000 & £200,000!!! Just a bit of fun but what if.....?? Bit of notch up from the fruit bowl we won on Scarborough front last time we played.
Gem xxxx

Best Wishes

Sorry to say we appear to have lost the plot here with you not being at home on your birthday, hopefully we will have something waiting for you when you arrive home. Anyway, trust you had a wonderfully spectacular day deserved of someone of your standing.

Love Nic, Jen, Claire and Daniel

Valencia...

Ruth's very sorry they aren't giving tickets but hopes you can come.. she says the bass is fantastic and it is only about 1 and a half hours not the 2+ she imagined!! unmissable is the word.. hope yopu can make it. j

Happy birthday Mum

Hope you have had a lovely day, Mum. I know you won't get this for a day or two...

We had a nice chat with Bob and Margaret the other night. Bob's still on chemo but he is fighting. He has been through the mill over the last year. He gets a review in six weeks after which the doctors decide whether to continue for a further 12 weeks on chemo or try something else. I guess they must think a positive outcome is achievable, which is good news. We will continue to pray for them both. Claire, their daughter, has just announced that she is pregnant for the second time so that will be their third grandchild, due in November, like the Prince and Princess of Spain.

Uncle Kev (Kev Laxton) has just emailed to say he is over next week for a few days of golf. We will see him on Thursday, all things being equal. Then, if we can afford the tickets, we'll be off to Valencia to see the opera and meet up with Ruth.

We are also planning on signing for the house at the end of next week. Nothing definite yet but we'll keep you informed.

Have a lovely remainder of the evening. 1929...that makes you, what....21 again!?

! Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday for tomorrow Grandma. Hope the day is lovely, sunny and warm for you both.
Love Gem, Will & Clive xxxx

off down to Devon tomorrow

We have had a lovely time here with Cath and John and Family.The weather has been very good and we have moved about quite a bit. Today we celebrated Mum's birthday with lunch at a faboulous hotel in Lampeter. Mum has her hair cut and looked really super. The Falcondale Hotel was lovely and the lunch excellent. Tomorrow we set off for Torquay for the second half of our holiday. Mum's birthday and we may not be able to contact you until next week Have a lovely time all of you and we will be back blogging next Tuesday or Wednesday

Uncle Pete! Fiat owners lifeline...

More problems with my Fiat Uno after a lovely few months of peace & quiet since its was embarassingly rescued by the AA man (at work for all to see), then sorted out by the Fiat man! All of which is made more infuriating this week after spending hard cash getting it through its MOT. Before I go back to the garage & before I look like a weak female who knows nothing about the way of the combustion engine, I thought I'd run the car problems I was having past a fiatowner blogger. After reading about all the other people out there in the wide world that have adopted these cars & were 'driven' to the edge of frustration with them, I felt much comforted that it wasn't only this Uno on the blink. So will ring the garage tomorrow and kick some butt. The blogger you may be interested to know is http://www.Fiatforum.com

Sorry to hear about birdie girls.

love Gem xxxx

Smile please..

So the bird is not sleeping with the fishes after all...although Beth continues to look after the bird and her fishes.




Dad, if you have access to email I've sent you some information that may be you could think about. Love to mum on her birthday in a couple of days time, though I hope we'll communicate again before that.

VE Day

Mum and Dad, would be very interested to know where you were and what you were doing 60 years ago today when the news came through

Chelsea Fan

When my dad was alive there were no more ardant Chelsea fans than us - Dad me and Denis and we used to cycle from Wandsworth over the Chelsea, leave our bikes in a lady's house and get on to the terraces. We paid 6d to leave our bikes and 1/9d for a ticket We became good friends of the lady who looked after our bikes and in fact we bought pups from her dog (Bitch) and for years Susy was our dog at home The other went to a friend of ours a Mrs. Avis. This was in the late 40's after I came home frome the Far East. We knew all the team from 'Chopper'Harris, to Ken Armstrong and all the others whose names I have now forgotten. When we left London Denis kept up his support but as more and more foreign players were in the team I lost interest. Now there are only three English and the entry price is £20 only Lampard (Ex West Ham) Cole and Terry keep their place. Lampard is my favourite and what a shot he has. As long as Lampard plays for England he will stay as my fav. Well Done Gem

May 8th 1945 - Happy VE Day!

Sixty years since the end of the war in Europe against Nazi Germany. This morning there will be a ceremony at the cenotaph, and a open concert in Trafalgar Square tonight. The 15,000 tickets have all gone but the Beeb are showing it on tv tonight. An evening concert will also take place in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate. 1940's dances are happening all over the UK!

The BBC have been archiving online submissions about people's experience of the war before they are lost. Its similar to Steven Spielberg's jewish film archive project which he set up after making Schindlers List where Jewish Holocaust survivors recorded their own war experience & stories. Contributions can be made and found to the bbc site at:

co.uk/dna/ww2/

(To make a contribution or read submissions you have to join BBCi as a member which is straightforward process.)

Hope everyone is ok & that the sparrow is making good progress. We ourselves have adopted the cat from next door who wanders into the house when we leave the back door open in nice weather. He is very young and has no fear, and we could watch him for ages play with a snail shell or a fly.

Grandad, do I remember correctly- aren't you a Chelsea fan? Frank"lamps" Lampard Jnr is a bit of a favourite in this house for his 25 yard blasting shots at goal. Chelsea's first championship win since 1955. They had 13 members f the original squad on the pitch after the cup was lifted by 2005 team. Mourinho even managed a smile!

love Gems

Been given the bird....

Today a man with a dog gave the girls a fledgling sparrow that his dog was taking too much interest in. 'He' is unharmed and a plucky little fellow who chirps away and shows no signs of keeling over like all those sparrows we used to try to save. Time will tell, but at present he is taking porridge from a spoon and sleeping like a baby. His feathers are well developed but he cannot fly yet, even though he tries. Must be about 18 days old, according to my ornithology books. I don't suppose he will stay around much longer as his strength is increasing. Soon he will discover flying...then he's on his own. Great thrill to get him to eat porridge by chirping at him. The girls are over-joyed to have a little feathery furry to look after...walking in the footsteps of grandma Rowe! Photos to follow perhaps? (...but experience says let's not get too excited!)

Up all night watching

After a day out in Aberystwith, we came home to a Chinese meal and an evening of tv watching. Some hours later we decided not to watch what was the inevitable and went to bed.As expected the morning brought forth a win for The Blair Gang. Hope you are all well. Love from Dad and Mum

General election?

Oohh-er! Is someone having a general election? How exciting. When does it start?
The only elections reported on Spanish TV recently, as far as I'm aware, have been the 'con clave' ones, what with old popes out and new popes in making all the headlines! I don't think even the death of Prince Ranier of Monaco got a look in. I do seem to recall seeing something about a general election in the weekend Costa Blanca News, but since I don't get to vote this year (being counted among others who have been out of the country too long such as right wing soldiers on Gulf duties), I can't see how I can really get excited about it anyway.

If Michael Foot were still in the running, alongside Lord Such, I might have been persuaded to come back and register! Still, roll on David Steele...or is it David Coleman? Or David Vine? Or, heaven forbid, David Iyke??!! Uh-oh...what was that about the new angel?

General Election Fatigue?

Handy website which sorts out the key issues for you...bluffers guide to voting if you like.

http://www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com

G xxxx

Re The New Angel

We watched a lot of programmes on C4 about JB Race's venture in France to learn the natives how to cook, he then went back to UK and opened this New Angel in Dartmouth, whereupon I decided to look him up if he has room and we have the time and inclination. `julian and`barbara, Mum and I went to his restaurant L'Ortolan somewhere in the Thames Valley many moons ago and we were suitably impressed so who knows? Thanks for the links, Steve. We went to the Buddle Inn in Niton for lunch in a lovely little pub with good food (what else is there?). Then we had to dash home to flick a duster about as we had interested purchasers (she is the new owner of Mum's Hair salon in Wootton and it sometimes takes her an hour to get from Carisbrooke to Wootton at certain times of the day). She was very impressed with our pile, but I think she thought it and the garden were possibly too big?? What ever next? Good investment quoth I. Small house, small profits; larger house, larger profits, to misquote Henry Ford. Next blogger from Wales. Cheers!

My mates soon to famous...

Introducing "the Young Knives" three young whippersnappers two of which Clive & I used to work with at HMV (Ollie & Tom aka the House of Lords (as he always has the final swinging vote in the band, which makes him quite powerful in band matters!) Fingers crossed they are on verge of stardom after much dedicated gigging. Their new EP is being produced by Andy Gill of Gang of Four fame and they are starting to get national airplay ( Radio 1) & magazine coverage. This cheeky interview appeared on BBC Oxford's website today. Its a digital video interview which was recorded in 'The Bear ' on Blue Boar Street in Oxford. Stir any boozy memories for anyone?

young knives

you heard it here first.

MSM Messenger thingy

I've now signed up for this Messenger thingy but only have me ole Dad as my only contact...sniff sniff lonely whimper. Anyone else out there on it?

Gem xxxx

Happy Birthday Edmund!

"Happy Birthday Edmund" from cousins Gem & Big Will & Clive also sends a birthday bigup!". I won't embarass you with any baby pictures like some Uncles have been so will keep it short & sweet.
Have a good one. Anymore PS2 games? Any cake left?

ps. 23.20 tonight on BBC2 they are repeating the original tv show 'Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. Excellent- get some video tapes in ! I remember how Will used to be really into those books love Gem xxxx

John Burton Race

I've been looking up The New Angel in Dartmouth in case you need to book Dad. Will you be there on the day?
They have Budvar battered fish and chips with a long, cool lager on the menu, mmmmm... and langostines ooohh and mussels!
There's a link to the Royal Castle Hotel which has a discount if you're dining.

A painting 2 day

Jess was inspired to do a painting and has made a really good attempt, so it deserves a viewing....



Unfortunately my 'Onion' doesn't merit the paint spent on it...!!

Happy Birthday Edmund

Here's one we dug up from the family album - September 1991. Don't you just love those eyes!!??



All our love,

Uncle Pete, Auntie Jan, Jess, Beth and Amy-Jo

I said it

Happy Birthday Edmund!

Say it!

Happy Birthday Edmund 14 today.. This photo I found on my phone so is bit fuzzy.. Who took the picture? It wasn't me and it wasn't Kate and it wasn't La or Freya, so that leaves Thomas or Edmund. Was thinking that Adrian Mole would have got the first few chapters down by age fourteen in his seminal work "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and three quarters". I was reminded as it is on next weeks radio4 book club on Sunday arh-a-noon.. with Sue Townsend. Idea for a new title.. The Secret diary of Edmund Merrow-Smith Roberts aged thirteen years eleven months twenty nine days twenty two hours forty five minutes and fifteen seconds!---- am I close Cathy?

Google Video

We can now upload video to the web. I'm reading about it on my little phone screen. Type in Google Video on a google search.. Found the news on one of the blog spots.. Who's gonna be the first lads.. I'm timing you! this should suit you Peter and save the expense of a burner.. Get it all up there.. What about some of Nic's family stuff with a link to the blog? What about getting Edmund's birthday party online? Which reminds me..!

(only for microsoft while in beta)

Jen's youngest sister has had her first baby - a boy

Congratulations to Ming and Francis. The first born to be a boy is an added blessing (so they say) for Chinese (and Malaysian) - send him out to work early!! We have been out in the garden all day and did not pick up your phone message until 1820 ( twenty past six our time - twenty past one AM tomorrow your time) - hence we did not phone back. May day has been lovely here and as I said we have been out in the garden, trying to clear up many months of laziness - probably due to wet weather and the fact that we spent all October when we should have been in the garden, sunning ourselves in Provence. Talking of Provence, have you been following Julian's Postcards from Provence. Today's offering of a lovely red poppy can be seen on his http//shiftinglight.com/index.html I think he is doing some lovely work.
Please pass on our good wishes to Ming - I am sorry but I have lost her email handle, or I could have sent her the above Poppy as an email. I know her proper name is not Ming - I cannot remember it. Lots of love from us two here. Add our congratulations to all the Sng dynasty Love from Mum and dad

Watalotablog to read.

Wake me early in the morning, Mother, for I'm to be Queen of the May. Happy May Day (not m'aidez!) Just got back from Church and have spent the last half hour reading all about mixing chaud/straw/ochre and also about life in Paris. Very interesting, but it is not getting the garden tidy for our forthcoming visit to Wales and Devon, so, What interesting blogs there are to read. I feel terribly plebian. Love to all and get out of that dressing gown!! Hugh