Thanks for your message, Gemma

I have got accustomed to leaving my phone in the car to keep it charged up, so I did not get your message, Gem, until I used the phone to contact Grandma last evening. (I cannot get used to carrying it round with me) Thanks for your message - it was lovely staying with you in your charming little house. Thanks also to Clive for putting up with us. We enjoyed the BBQ. Thanks also to you Steve for letting us use your super bedroom. Thanks for sending our nightclothes - we really enjoyed our extended weekend - even though we spent some time crawling along the motorway and the North Circular!! We enjoyed our trip to Ikea and I spent yesterday re-building the kitchen trolley - I have now fitted a towel rail and handle to make it easier to control. I have also stained it and 'painted' it with polyurethane to stop it getting dirty. I have also fixed up the spotlights to give a light over the worktop next to the boiler. Works a treat. Today it is raining (typical say those who have just broken up from school) but we certainly need plenty more. Pass on our love to the Milkman - sorry not to have seen him last weekend.
Well done, Julian with your 'Postcards" - must be a job to think what to do next. Next time we meet, we must give you those two items of Rouen pottery which you like and which would give you more options with your still lives. Keep up the writing Ruth - I love your writing style. It is a job to keep up with your musical perambulations.
Nice to talk to you yesterday, Pete - we are glad that you are settling into La Nucia - I can still see in my mind's eye, the view over the sea from your kitchen towards the headland where we walked that Sunday, to the lighthouse. I expect you are preparing for a big BBQ to mark Jan's birthday on Monday. Many Happy Returns, Jan. We called in on your Mum and Dad when we were in Chinnor last week - seems strange without Goldie, but Mum has five or six baby hedgehogs to look after, so she is happy. We look forward to visiting you again when we can squeeze in time between dentists and doctors and things. I am pleased to say that my hormone treatment seems to be having an effect - pity about the 'hot flushes'. We think Mum has got IBS as she seems to have collected the 'Morgan' tummy troubles which she shares with Tina ( and, I think, Celia also). Treatment seems to be more fibre.
Cathy - many Happy returns for Tuesday. We hope you are suitably rewarded by your lovely family for all the love you show to them. We will have to think up what to do next year for the big Five-O. We are looking forward to seeing something of you all before school starts again. Don't forget - we have plenty of room - there is always room in the garage, as I told you yesterday!!
I expect you are also starting school holidays Nic. Love to you and Jen, Claire and Daniel. Don't forget that Auntie June will be dropping in to Sg in November on her way out to and return from Ordralia (as Rebecca used to say). No news yet on the house sale front - On which depends our next visit to the Far East - whenever we decide to do something like sell or buy - it is always a bad time. S o d s law I guess. We are still very happy here and we have enjoyed being outside in our pleasant little garden, during the past couple of weeks. I am happy to stay on the Island as the mainland seems so frantic!!
Well, that appears to cover most things - what about all you bloggers? Love to you all from Mum and me