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