Busy few weeks..

.. sounds tough Steve, hopefully we will have enough energy to work on the house in autumn... ooooh autumn.. been a bit hot here.

So we have had a big society wedding, a little accompanying exhibition, and the BBC filming yours truly for 'Wild Provence'- BBC1, some sunday in Jan/Feb 2006. Meanwhile I have to keep doing my little paintings, watch all the fruit rotting in Val's still life and run the taxi service back and forward to the airport/TGV station. Exhausted.

Hope you are all well! lots of love, exhaustedly j

ps. Pete put up your new address or email it I have OSX 10.4

pps. Damn still got to do my accounts.. I'm going to cry.. I wanna holiday somewhere cool. Still got to move out of the studio arghhhh

Tom and Jerry Plastering Disaster

occurred the other day!
The landing ceiling decided to yield to gravity and I arrived one morning at 7am to find the hall covered in tiny bits of plaster. As the ceiling had been done by another plasterer I was quite chuffed because all MINE are still up and looking very good indeed.
Apparently one of the decorators was rollering paint on it when there was a horrible cracking sound and the whole lot crashed to the ground. Where I'd stripped back to bare plaster on my ceilings, the faulty one still had the paint and paper on it so had no real key apart from a coat of PVA.. big mistake.
So yours truly had to step in and save the day.
Now the plastering is all finished and paint is going on. Our decorators have been steaming ahead and have the bedrooms and hallway looking beautiful. I've been stripping paint and re-glazing and hanging doors, refurbishing sash windows and putting up lamps and hanging kitchen cupboard doors.
My latest triumph is to install some decking built out of 8ft 4x2's topped off with some of those timber decking tiles. Val and I spotted them in Ikea going cheap (£40 for 45 half metre square hardwood tiles) so they tidy up the end of the garden quite usefully. The patio is pretty much finished too so today I've been stripping the old grassy weeds off the back lawn ready for new turf. Think I may have trouble getting up in the morning nohw! Me old achin' bones!
Sorry no photos at the moment but it is a dusty environment and I'm not taking my little Canon in there for a bit yet.
Storm wise Beth we have had a few down-pours lately and some thunder but I have not witnessed lightening like that in the picture since chasing over to Benson one night from Chinnor (in 1975?) to follow a completely silent lightening storm. Who remembers that?
I think our heads were full of 'Close Encounters' and 'Star Wars' stuff and we thought we were being invaded by aliens..hah!
Pleased to hear your trip to Kent was a pleasant one Mum and Dad and Auntie June is well.
Right then off to bed for me.. nighty night everyone.

Meanwhile, here in France

Sorry, Ruth - I have just been very amused by your pictorial language of the pit, the stables and the BBC team. I always enjoy reading your blogs - you have a turn of phrase which makes reading your blogs a delight. I understand why Julian does not get a lot of time to post his own blogs! Are you back home for a rest now?

Home again Home again clickety click

After spending a lovely week in Kent with Auntie June, we are home again. She is a super host and we had a lovely time being driven all over North East Kent, visiting Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Otford, Swanley, Whitstable as well as eating her out of house amd home. She loves company and we had some lovely al fresco meals in her little back garden as well as a super Sunday Chinese Buffet lunch in Tonbridge. We nearly finished off the shredded crispy duck breast and crispy seaweed, with lashings of prawns, and all the other lovely Chinese dishes. Really great!! Whitstable (remember our visit there Cathy?) is a super little fishing town, noted for its sea food (Whitstable oysters where there is an r in the month - we had moules mariniere) Wouldn't mind living up that way as all the traffic is siphoned off the lovely little country roads on to the M 20 21 25 and 26. We left there this morning at 0900 and as it was raining most of the time, we decided to catch the 1415 ferry and were home here just after 1500. No more news on the house sales front, but we are not worried. Not much to read on the blogging front (with apologies to Gemma, Pete and Beth) Gemma, we watched the T200 broadcast on June's telly as Grandma had fallen and hurt her back and June had gone out for the day. I watched Sky News off Portsmouth and BBC tennis. Luckily Grandma is feeling better but with a large black butt where she fell - thankfully NOT a broken hip, but she has a sore shoulder, even today. I wish we had the time to spend a couple of weeks in Alfaz, Pete. Hope the move goes off OK. Hope for some more input from you others, soon. Love D&M

200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar...

Grandma & Grandad - Did you see the re-enactment and the firework display? the Solent looked packed full.

Thanks Pete for the thoughtful offer of su casa for July would be wonderful to spend some time away but we don't get anytime significant time off till end of August...anyone fancy a visit then?

Gem xxxx

Putty Smells

Isn't it interesting how certain odours trigger reminiscences? Today I was mostly glazing at Mill Lane, so had the linseed putty out and what fun stuff that is to play with.
Suddenly I was snapped back to Haddenham aged 5 or 6 when Dad got me to help him reglaze some old steel windows he'd picked up for the new garage that he and Ron Carter had built at 'Appeldore' number 49 Thame Road. I might have been even younger actually but my job was to roll the putty into long sausages and, as I was a dab hand with Plasticene I was in my element.

Mr Carter was a builder as I recall and lived two doors up whose daughter Pamela, a little bit older than me, sometimes walked me to school. The Carters had taps in the kitchen that made a great fluffy foamy whooshing jet so a drink of water there seemed very exciting. If I was good, sometimes I was allowed to walk my little sister to their house in the evening to watch Popeye cartoons, before we had a telly, and the normal routine was to listen to the 'Archers' on the Home Service before bed.
Aah.. don't get me started.

Seen the storm pictures?

Bit late now but...

As we are moving to our little house at the end of June, our apartment is up for rent. At €480 a month, that would be a fairly reasonable accommodation rate for those looking for a holiday destination at short notice. I will negotiate with the landlord for the month of July if anyone does want somewhere in the sun for a few weeks. It will sleep six and a couple in the lounge, perhaps? Are the Oxford dictionary / musician contingent game for it? (Don't forget I still need a plasterer!)

Welcome Home

Nice to read that you have had a good holiday - not my scene though as I like to get out and about and see the sights. We enjoyed Ubud as far as we were able and even the teeming Denpasar but as you know Mum was so poorly but we loved the beautiful hotels as well. Steve was asking if you are serious about Ivinghoe. He will be contacting you.
We found a lovely hotel/restaurant out at Totland Bay where Mum treated me to a super lunch in a beautifly comfortable hideaway. We are off to Kent tomorrow to spend a few days with June. Back on 27th. Love to you all Dad.

Fathers are here too

Hi folks, apparently it wasn't fathers day here so I am led to believe as we follow the American model. We had a great holiday in Bali, save for wondering off for a couple of games of golf, we only left the Hotel three times and one of those was for the airport. If you fancy chilling out, great food, fantastic weather and scenery, check out this place, Le Meridien Tanah Lot, fantastic.

Love Nic & Jen

Fathers

Steve once sent me one of those little cushions on which was written "Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad". I treasure that . Perhaps we ought to have a "Dad's Day". The COS were once invited to Vilem Tausky's house in Towersey for a cup of tea and someone said to him "Who is your favourite composer"? He said "they are all my favourites but I always like best the one whose work I am conducting at the moment". Very tactful - you can imagine the headlines in the music papers "Tausky loves Beethoven (or whoever) the best." You are all my (our) favourites. What would Solomon have said? I agree with Pete that it can sometimes rankle (is that a word) when we go on about the children of siblings, but that is our prerogative. The same used to be the case when Nana used to go on about Robert or Rebecca, or Jane and Rachel, or Linda and Susan. I used to think "What about our lovely children? until I learned that she used to sing your praises when she visited my sisters or brother. I'm filling up so I will sign off. What we try to do is to show you all that you are special to us and we love you all. tara

Father's Day

Today was Father's Day. We were in church this morning and Jan gave a testimony about how her own father had been such an influence on her and how thankful she is for him making such a wonderful contribution to her life. She also had a few kind words to say about me and how we, together, bring up the girls and this left people reaching for their hankies. It was an emotional day and it has set me thinking about my own Dad and how special he is.

Firstly, to put the record straight, I only have three kids whereas, for anyone who wasn't aware, my Dad has five. Therefore, all the problems I have come up against can be multiplied by an exponential amount in Dad's case.

Sibling rivalry is an interesting topic and one we five Merrow-Smith children have discussed on a number of occassions. One's own perpective is clouded because we are all human and therefore selfish of our father's attention. Jess was putting it in perspective earlier. Though she gets a third of my time (on a calculator), in her view she is never satisfied because the her sisters get the other larger 'two thirds'. Jan also gets a look in too. So all in all, what with me having my own time, she may see a fifth of my attention being spent on her, if that. Then I have a job, the new house takes up our time and energy and...what more can one say? It takes a level of maturity (which comes with age I guess) to even conceptualise the scope of the problem. With you Dad, running two jobs and having a wife and five kids, a garden the size of a small football pitch and so on, I guess there was never enough time in the day to satisfy all the wants of your hungry chicks. I never have thanked you for the time you gave each one of us...for giving up your own interests like football and cricket to follow ours. You have always been a dedicated and loving Dad and you have given me so much I cannot express it in words.

I remember pretty much the whole family going to see Julian at Aylesbury United, I think it was (excuse me if I get the facts a little wrong as I was young at the time), playing at left back in that final for Chinnor Boys with Melvyn Crooke, Rob Perry and so on. I remember going to see Steve playing hockey at the playing fields and of course, once he was in the army, travelling all over the country to see the band playing - that used to make your chest swell, I know Dad, and its something that made me proud too. We don't know many people who have played in a Wembley cup final, do we? I know you travelled to Cathy's exhibition in Liverpool Blue Coats and no doubt all the others have their own memories of all the things you supported them in. I reckon if we strung all those events together they'd make a good many years.

I remember you coming to see me play rugby for Chinnor when we played and won the colts final over at Oxford Old Boys ground. I remember you pitching up in Mold or Rhyll, was it, to see me run in five tries and then get winded by landing on the ball. Then you downed everything and motored up to college when I was hurt in that hit and run. You were always there for us in times of trouble, times of fun and times of personal development. I remember playing cricket with you too for Henton and you turning out for the Dads and scoring a great goal on Hill Top Rec against my Chinnor boys football team. What a great Dad. How on earth did you ever find time for yourself? No wonder you used to get upset when Pete or Danny Moore usede to ask you, 'Mr Merrow-Smith, what are you tryin' to do?'! Now, after all these years I get it...but it takes a lifetime of experience for it all to really sink in.

Thanks for all the wonderful holidays we had, often on a shoestring. Yeah, so we didn't get pocket money and we didn't always get a new bike but we always did get what we wanted and that was your unconditional love. You did a great job when we were kids and you've done a great job ever since. I'm glad we've all been able to all give you some places to roam too in which to find some small adventure. I know that if I was in need tomorrow you'd be on the first plane out here because that's the kind of Dad you are. And in church this morning I heard tales of fathers who were never there for their children or who beat their kids. Some people's lives have been filled with a false perspective of what a Dad really should be, so I want to thank you for showing us all a unique and wonderful way to do one of the most difficult yet natural jobs in the world.

Well Dad, thanks for the positive legacy that you have left in me. I'm trying hard to pass it on to the girls (and to iron out a few bits that I think need my personal input!) I'm still sorry about the drum episode but hopefully by now you can forgive us all, and if it happened again tomorrow maybe you wouldn't be so angry! I'd still expect a clip round the ear if you caught me trying to nibble through the TV electrical flex like Fluff. I think it was about ten years later that I learnt that lesson about electric shock and you were there for that one too! Do you remember that old yellow metal anglepoise lamp? I can still taste the metal in my mouth! But I could go on all night with memories like this, so I'd better leave it at that and go and read your diary to pull up some more nostalgic episodes!

So just to say, I love you. We love you.

Happy Father's Day

Peter

Sunday morning online

Everything takes twice as long on Sunday mornings as those starved of websites as they are at work all week are all using them now. I am only online as there are matters which I wished to clear up - (Pete - see my message on e-mail)
Steve I laughed out loud at your (I hope) comic exam assessments. As for Nic's place in Ivinghoe - he is on holiday in Bali at the moment and it would be a good idea to check when he is back, in case you think he no longer wants the work done. I am sure he does.
Julian, I love your Postcards invoking memories of your local views. How about one (or more) of Venasque? or is that too trippy? There so many lovely little gems near you.
How is Cathy? we haven't heard much of the goings on in L-B - are you busy zapping flies?(in-joke) and is it warm enough for you all?
Last weekend's IOW Festival was a great success and everyone was glad of the good weather - we could hear the bands in Newport, from here!
We had a lovely day yesterday following the 1600 odd yachts of all sizes in the Round the Island Yacht race, which Ellen Macarthur did not win. It was won by a very proud New Zealander in his new boat. We went out to Yarmouth where the sea was full of white blobs, then on to Totland where the wind came up and spread the white blobs about a bit (incidentally we passed a hotel/restaurant which we heard of as being 'la creme de la creme' of restaurants). Mum, in the heat of the moment booked us for lunch today in honour of me as it is Father's Day (Thanks for all your good wishes) and all you fathers out there. From Totland we went round to Freshwater Bay where some of the boats came in nearer to the shore but as far as one could see (and that is a long way from Freshwater) there must have been over 1000 boats disappearing off into the distance.
We came home about 3.30pm and had some ice-cream and sat out in the garden.
On Wednesday or Thursday we are off to spend a couple of days in Kent with Auntie June - it was her 76th birthday last Friday, but we are going to see her as all her family are down in l'Oc on holiday. We are away from 23 - 28 June I expect. As June is not online I will be taking my mobile 07967550179. I hope the battery does not run out/ Love y'all.

Plasterer Artisan Course, Level One

Unit 1 - Laying it on

Mr Merrow-Smith has shown considerable ability in covering wall apertures upto 1cm squared using a variety of products. His choice of tile cement to fill picture hook holes was, on the other hand, nearly his undoing on the Unit one assessment.

Unit 2 - Taking it off

Preparation of walls has proved difficult for Mr Merrow-Smith who has chosen to use a rotary disc sander to remove plasticised tile cement from the wall fillings. As anyone knows, tile cement sets darker than filler and so sanding requires additional strength and perseverance. The result is often that the plaster surrounding the filled orifice is worn away at a rate of knots, leaving the offending article sticking proudly out from the centre of a crater in the wall plaster.

Unit 4 - Mixing

Mr Merrow-Smith must learn to keep a clean set of tools. Having made up 2 kilos of wet Escayola it was somewhat of a surprise to him to find that the float was still set solid with yesterday's quick setting Yesso. By the time he had cleaned off the float, a hot solidifying lump of escayola had to be massaged by fingertip into any available wall spaces in order to make best use of it.

Unit 5 - Floating

Mr Merrow-Smith has demonstrated considerable initiative in wrapping a wet nappy cloth over the float in order to wash the rapidly drying Escayola flat with water. His hope that the plaster will set is, shall we say, hopeful. At this stage in the course Mr Merrow-Smith can thoroughly expect to return to see his formidable piece of plastering (25cm squared) laying on the living room floor, thus allowing him the opportunity to have another go at this prior to the examination.

Unit 6 - Having another go

Mr Merrow-Smith came on pretty well to completely cover a large area by his standards (100 cm squared) in less than 2 minutes using the dry float/wet nappy cloth technique. When it comes to plastering a hole the size of a dinner plate, Mr Merrow-Smith is your man (providing you don't mind a few streaks here and there caused by the nap in the cloth).

Unit 7 starts tomorrow; sanding down plaster that has been allowed to set proud of the main wall....

To be continued!

Nookman been

(Gem-speak for Milkman) has arrived.. to the sound of clinking bottles!
Nookman been
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Lovely young man..shoulders back lovely boy, show off show em off!!

Cuzzins in Arms

Cuzzins in Arms
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

check out flickr for the latest folks. Gemsie and Ruby.. one for the lassies in the office at the OU.. hello ladies!!!!

I think I'll stick with Polyfilla

Lovely to read all the professional advices from my sons. Does anyone know anything about computers? I am quietly working away with my Money Master on my old PC (as the programme does not suit a Mac) and up comes a screen telling me I have a print overload and that I am performing an illegal act - chance would be a fine thing.

Ivinghoe?

Nic ..re your post

"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."

We hope to be done inside a month at Woodford so if you are serious let me know what needs doing etc.

Yer Spanish Plaster...?

Hello Readers
Thankyou for all your requests for my new global plastering service!
Unfortunately demand is outstripping supply so here is a new idea .. my new "Ask Ezappy?" page where we invite readers to send in their problems for our team of experts and this week's letter comes from Espana...hep hem!

Spanish traditional plaster Escayola, is a tad on the quick-setting side if you are comparing it to the usual gypsum based product normally available in the UK. On TV's DIY SOS prog in Spain I saw last year, the stuff went off within minutes, and was a solid block in the bucket even before the Brit tradesman got to the top of the ladder!
The technique seemed to be to make a weak slurry first and then add more plaster after a minute or two. Presumably the effect of partially gone off stuff in the mix acts as a retardant. That's a guess only, but!
With the British product such as Multifinish the technique is to get the "gear" as we call it up on the wall quickly without worring too much about the finish. As the plaster starts to warm and go off, the wall is trowelled to smooth out trowel marks and bumps. Normally the plaster is workable for 45 minutes but less if it is warm and dry, ie in Spain so probably it would be an advantage to try before sun-up!
When the plaster is still damp but set and you can touch it without leaving finger marks, splash some water on it and apply firm pressure with the trowel to smooth over and fill any dips. The resulting creamy slurry is called 'fat' and should not be over-worked or it will never go off but you can if you are quick use it to fill any dips.
A quick google search has unearthed an additive which gives you more time to get the wall looking flat.
The difficulty with working with plaster is to manage the sense of panic that takes over when you have a load going off in the bucket instead of on the wall. The answer is to get it up quickly on the wall in two separate coats working from the bottom of the wall moving from left to right. Always keep your tools clean as you go and practice on somewhere where is doesn't matter first.
Ceilings are easy. It's the same as for walls but you arm is over your head of course.
That's all for this week dear readers so until next time.. happy plastering!!!

A plasterer would be nice...

Anyone know any plasterers?

This house of ours is about fifteen years old and has been the home of fillers and bodgers for some time. Plus dogs...small dogs that scratch away the plaster in search of calcium (and then pee on the exposed plaster we reckon). Now being in Spain the materials are a little different. You cannot get British style finishing plaster here although we have yet to open our packet of Escayola. We have been content with changing the electric points to modern ones and filling in the holes with quick setting sloppy stuff called Yeso. Amazing. Mix it like melted ice cream and chuck it on and it sticks like glue. Don't leave any proud as it polishes to a rubbery sheen with a drill mounted sander. Oh, and while we're on that subject, don't mistakingly buy filler that turns out to be tile cement because that does something similar only it leaves grey patches which are a little hard to cover inconspicuously! Oh it all makes work for the working man to do...So, now we have this amazing wall that was covered in thick, thick, thick paint (about seven layers all told over the years) all of which appear to have been applied without consideration for preparation work. It had some damp shadows too (in Spain most outside walls have this problem!) and it had loads and loads of holes in it caused by picture hooks and rawplugs. It also had some wiring diversions and we haven't helped on this score. So now we have a patchwork quilt of a wall which needs a skim of plaster.

What should we do? Take it all back to the brick and start again with a new layer of plaster put on by a hired professional? Or do-it-ourselves with a skim of plaster to see what it will turn out like? Well, at this moment in our lives money talks so its a do-it-yourself job I'm afraid. Unless we can persuade a plasterer to come out here on holiday and help out!! It is our main lounge wall but we have decided to do the bedrooms first and just practice on this wall over the holidays. With this time plan in mind we may try to move in next weekend.

What a lovely blog Gem

We enjoyed reading your blog this morning, Gem. Sounds like a really great day. We've reserved BBC 2 for tomorrow night at 10pm to see if we can get a laugh. There is not much on telly to get me to laugh - not even the mad Vic and Bob. Bring back the Fast Show eh? Glad to see you had a free wine on the French. Did we tell you of the time we went to the Vine when we were drinking next door's wine. We (Julian Grandma and I) settled for a compromise when the waiter found out!! We have started buying thos £1 - £1,50 bottles of French wine from Marks. Ideal if you don't want to sleep all evening and you can hide them in a pocket when you go out to lunch! Screw tops don't need an opener.
Talking of anagrams - how about these? Dormitory - Dirty Room; Desperation - a rope ends it ; Slot machines - cash lost in 'em; The public art galleries - large Picture Halls I bet. This one must have taken some time-
"To be or not to be that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" = "In one of the Bard's best thought tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet, queries on two fronts about how life turns rotten". I have not checked them out but quelle domage.
We watched a fascinating tv programe yesterday where Howard Goodall was analysing some of the later Lennon and McCartney songs eg on Sergeant Pepper and Revolver. He said that the whole of the music scene was altered after seeing the complexity of these tunes,with the variety of chords and modulations (What am I talking about) especially the Penny Lane/She's leaving home etc and moreso after the 'sitar' additions of George. More can be seen on Channel4.com/culture click on Howard Goodalls twentieth century greats - this was the first of five?

Wedding pics...

I am proper grown up lady that's why! I've got high heels & earrings on & everything- check my new classic french bob hairdo. Remember I'm...cough cough 29 next birthday! Worried I'm catching you up??

Seriously folks thanks for your lovely comments about the fab photos. It was a great day. Our mission was to try and fill Dad's digital camera chip with wedding snaps (some 200 pictures).We didn't quite manage it though as the battery went first. Fantastic band- highly recommended. Mandy told me they are halfway through recording an album and had to break off to come down and play for their wedding. Also really enjoyed the decadent grand marnier & chocolate crepes we had for the wedding tea. Georgina & I did split the guilt & shared a couple of chocolatey ones. Everyone looked gorgeous, the weather was bright and warm, John made a handsome groom, Mandy a beautiful bride, Georgina the prettiest of flower girls and little Ruby was a shiny star, charming everyone who laid eyes on her.

Motivator won Saturday's derby by the way. Did you see that photo of the Queen at the races in yesterday's paper? She was actually properly smiling ear to ear- must have had a big £ win!

Had our first bar-b-q of the summer yesterday in our rapidly flowering english garden (growing quickly what with all the rain) so bring on the hot summer weather. A tall gladioli (sooooo Dame Edna) has surfaced & flowered next to the array of foxgloves we have, and the red roses round the front of the house are in full bloom. Bloomin' lovely.

Cathy, how was Hay? Who did you see speak? Saw a bit on BBC News 24 that Jane Fonda, Sting and Geldolf were going to be there you see them? Tempted to get Jane Fonda's autobiography after reading extracts in the Guardian and seeing her on Jonathan Ross last week. Sounds like good juicy read.

Pete, point taken about the secret of a long marriage being living a long time. Innocently(charmingly?) naive of me to think that a long marriage automatically means a happy marriage. Well I would hope it does in these times. If someone wasn't happy then you wouldn't stay married to someone would you?? Although it does happen. Then again what do i know I'm not married...(don't panic Clive) . I can hazard a guess as to what your marriage secret is...hello Jan!

Grandad, have you watched 'Kath & Kim' on BBC2 yet? Its fanastically funny very dry & very much like 'Muriel's Wedding' crossed with 'Neighbours'-check it out Thursdays BBC2 22.00. Addictive viewing.

Ps. Aren't Dad's great! Specifically my Dad - he fixed my Fiat now running beautifully after some expert tweaking, got the screen wash going again, got the dashboard instruments to work and is basically a lovely chap who looks sharp holding his niece in a white linen suit. Oh and he fixed the tricky light in the bathroom. Father's Day soon Dad-what would you like?

PPS. C & I went to a certain Oxford french bistro with his Mum & Dad ( Steve & Elaine) for Steve's birthday, and the waiter forgot to put the wine on the bill.Ssssshhhhhh quiet we like to think of it as a thank you for all the money We all put their way last October!!

love G xxxx

A reet rum do

Dancing to the Balkan Jazzers
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Thank you for all your comments. It was a fabby day.. yowsa yowsa!

comments from flickr

patrickhugh says:
Congratulations all round - what a lovely wedding group. love to you all from Hugh and Margaret
Posted 33 hours ago.

patrickhugh says:
My Mum and Dad were married on 4th June 1924 and Dad always used to say it was the day on which Sansovino won the Derby. I don't know who won the Derby yesterday but you will have to find out John!! Hopefully you can tell your children that magical date.
Posted 32 hours ago.

Pete Merrowsmith says:
That looks like it were a reet super do. Gemma looks proper grown up. How the roles have changed! At your wedding she looked like Ruby does now! Did she catch the bouquet?
Posted 31 hours ago.

and phew no she didn't!

Uncle Steve and Ruby

Uncle Steve and Ruby
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

were both very well behaved!

Gemma

Gemma
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

caught between sets, music provided by The Genuine Balkan Jazz Band

Ready for the photographer

Georgina and Auntie Val sort Mandy's frock
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Ain't they gorgeous?

Mandy and John get hitched

Coltons Steeles Hoares and Merrows
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Today's the day when John and Mandy both said "I will". The rains cleared at the end of the joint wedding/christening ceremony and here we are in spectacular sunshine at Streatley Church

Springwatch with Bill Oddie

We have been watching this programme on BBC 2 for the past week. You know, its the one where we watch nests being built, eggs being laid, birds hatching etc. Some of the shots are of Sea Eagles up in Mull, some are of barn owls in Kent and others of blue tits somewhere. Bill Oddie is accompanied by a young naturalist named Kate Humble, who, incidentally, does the zoo watch from Longleat and also has recently been to Africa watching elephants etc. Well today Bill Oddie said to her what are your memories of when you were a little girl and she showed us a film from the top of Chinnor Hill and said that when she was six she and her friend who lived down there - pointing down to Chinnor and we used to spend all our time up here picking wild flowers, watching birds etc etc. Then she interviewed Richard Fitter, a naturalists/writer who lives on Chinnor Hill in a house called Ways. I knew his boys, Julian, who used to run a boating service in the Galapagos and Alistair who was younger. Does the name Kate Humble mean anything to any of you. It is where we went on 14th October last year. I have a good mind to send her some photos of all of us playing with that bomb thing. It was very exciting to see Chinnor again. Dad

Happy Anniversary

Happy third anniversary Ruth and Julian (for yesterday).I tryed to e-mail but I realized that I only have e-mail addresses for Mum&Dad and Steve so if any blogger would like to send me their e-mail addresses on the off chance that I may communicate once in a blue moon I would be greatful lots of love Cathy

And the secret to a long marriage?

Hello ma famille,

Just watched a lovely story on our local TV news about a couple who have been married for 80 years today . Percy & Florence Arrowsmith (aged 105 and 100 respectively) have been recognised as having the world's longest marriage ever recorded. They were married on June 1, 1925.

And the secret to a long marriage? Never letting arguments fester. Or, as Percy put it more succinctly, the regular use of two words: "Yes, dear".

"We don't argue much these days, only when I want to watch the soaps (soap operas) on television, which he hates."

Nice.

G xxxx