Thanks, Steve for setting out my SAW

Nic has just been on the skype to tell us about the new mammoth job his firm has secured in Singapore. It is a 13 storey hospital building of 70,000 sq ft. (or is it 700,000?)

He is so thrilled that after working very hard with the architect and the project team that he has clinched this massive job.

He thinks it will compare with Wycombe General, but perhaps not as big as JR2. We are very proud that he has been responsible for getting this job and he will have earned some brownie points and hopefully some more stripes!!

He has also been made President of the Singapore Interior Designers Association, a very important position and he will have to work hard in both jobs, although one is only honorary
Well done to our boys, and to our darling girl, too, who we hope to see this weekend, as it is Edmund's 18th birthday.

Mum is not feeling too good for the second day running and is putting it down to some new tablets she is taking - spasmonal by name, but she was unhappy about the Fybogel that she has been taking on and off. We went to the doctor yesterday, but did not mention her troubles. What a game! I think she is worried about the flight, but has started packing.
Love from Dad and Mum

Speed Awareness Links

From PistonHeads

"Think of it as a refresher of the stuff you already know or know that you didn't know or know that you thought you knew.

A few hours of talk, discussion, questions and a couple of Quizzes.

You can't get the answers wrong, there isn't a pass or fail.
As the other guys have said, just sit there and Nod (off) and it'll be over before you know it.
There are a few things which are interesting.
I thought it was going to be shock tactics, but it was more about knowing what speed to do and when.
NSL's how to spot them etc etc.."


Speeding penalty criteria..
from PDF link

"A bandwidth for local decision between 10%+2 and 10%+6 with no
courses offered after 10%+6. (Other than Driver Improvement if
appropriate). Courses within the bandwidth offered for below the
current fixed penalty prosecution threshold."

In other words caught doing between 35 and 39 you're offered a speed awareness course.
40mph in a 30 and you are not!

30mph + 10%= 33mph+2mph =35mph
30mph + 10%= 33mph+6mph =39mph

The 10% is the allowed tolerance of a normal car speedo, and the 2-6 mph bit is the width of the needle on the dial.

Yesterday in Northampton

After my keep fit session in Brackley, we sailed off to Northampton to see if I could find the NCCClub , which we did without too much trouble. I will have to start out early next Tuesday to save keep missing my roundabout and also to save having to pay £60 again. We parked in a one way street on the double yellow lines and set out to find some lunch. We found a very nice little Polish restaurant, with an English translation menu and I had a lovely pork cutlet in batter with some creamy white cabbage salad. Mum played safe and had a chicken breast cutlet in batter with some chips, and a mushroom salad, which she seemed to enjoy.
I forgot my limited Polish but Karolina was a very pretty waitress , and spoke English in that rather charming way that young Poles speak.
A nice experience and we set off back home via the A43 to Brackley.
Went to see the Doc this morning and he is prescribing some rub-on pain killer for my painful (left) shoulder, which causes me some gyp at night. I can expect pain after my right shoulder op, but not also my left! Also some antibiotic tablets for my irritating cough.
He has prescribed some new crap tablets for Mum's troubles!! He wished us a good holiday. Love G&G

George the Bear!

Doesn't it look like Clive has borrowed his hat from George, the Hofmeister bear.Tee hee.

see y'later-yeah?

seeyalateryeah.JPG
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

impromptu cheerio photo.. next meeting BMP

Roast Pork and beer in the White Horse

Lovely day yesterday.
We welcomed our lovely daughter/madame wedding dressmaker, Steve, Will, Gemma and Clive, Clive's parents Steve and Elaine Holt, into our little garden, and enjoyed some home-made cake, after we had all feasted in our local White Horse pub, in the centre of our village, with its lovely Brakspeare bitter.
Despite fears, the weather was sunny and we had a family party until all had to head Oxford-way, except Cathy, who stayed with us for an hour before heading towards the threatened rain from the west. We hope she got home safe and well (and dry!).

We all enjoyed your visit to Paris, Ruth,-reading of your bike rides, lovely food, the rope trick and savouring Julian's lovely Parisian views. He gets better and better!! Well done, lovely boy. Lucky you two cat-sitting in Oxford. Cheers to Fiona's friends

We are all getting excited about our trip to the Indian Ocean, next month and then to our meeting in June.
We will be joined by the Singaporeans in our not-so-little Merrow/Steele/Fincher group on 6th June. We hope the weather is as good as it was in Meze. Should be a blast!
Love to you all. Dad and Mum

The Iron Man

I've found my camera and found these shots on there that I took on the way home from work. This is the new Antony Gormley sculpture here in Oxford:

home from paris

We are back home from a superb week in Paris. Julian inspired painting, me inspired doing my rope piece, apero on our friend's balcony near the Panthéon, a great Lebanese take-away round the corner (don't get that in Bedoin) going everywhere on the free bikes in blazing sunshine between gorgeous shuttered buildings, across parks and by delectable restaurants (read the menu, taste it in your imagination, move on), going for the ultimate small basque brasserie (Julian loved his porcelet and rice pudding 'façon grande-mère)....and now we are home and it's pissing with rain and we are thinking when will we lunch again on the terrace?

We are both looking forward to seeing you all at the various celebs in June. How long and where are you staying Nicky and family? Cathy and family? We have the lovely house in central Oxford of a friend of my stepmom Fiona where we are cat-sitting for the first week of June, so we lucked out there....

Coffee, Concert, Chinese and Cake

Went into Oxford Sunday morning to celebrate Judy and Stan's 50th wedding anniversary with tickets to the coffee concert in the Holywell Music Rooms. Nice coffee in the nearby Vaults cafe, then we had Thomas Carroll (cello) and Simon Lepper (accompanying piano) play a recording quality concert of Shoe-man, Shoe-bert and Brahms,before going off for a meal with all the family at the Chinese restaurant down by the fire station where we had parked free, thanks to Steve being a fireman. The cake was a surprise from the restaurant staff, the second of the day, and everyone had a lovely time of it. Congratulations to an inspirational couple!

Happy 5th Birthday to us

5 years of blogging.. well done one and all!

Gemma & Clive Baby collage

Gemma & Clive Baby collage
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

I was working on this one Dell

Blast from't Past

Think it's time to start playing again.. at last
won't bother with the tache this time tho!

TODAY, I JOINED A KEEP FIT CLUB

When we were in Wootton, we used to attend the Medina Fitness Club, with dozens of keep fit items to help us.
I am feeling very unfit and I told our doctor that we referred to the Club by our doctor and could he do likewise.
Yes, he said and this morning I joined Brackley Leisure Club with twice as many items of "torture"and at only £1.80 per sesh.
I start on Thursday and Mum can sit and have a cuppa tea or coffee and watch if she wishes, although I suspect she may rather stay at home.
In 2 hours, I can get to Keep Fit and back in only a couple of hours, inc. an hour's fitness, I don't think Mum has any desire to join in the punishment. Perhaps I can get back to some sort of fitness. Dad

THANKS GEMMA AND CLIVE

We enjoyed our indoor picnic yesterday, but we forgot our dish of sherry trifle in the kitchen fridge, but we will have to see it off today, after we turn the chicken leftovers into a tika masala!

Lovely having you and thanks for clearing up. Wasn't Mr Biggles a good doggie. Enjoy your day today. Love from G&G

THANKS. JULIAN - You shouldn't have been so kind

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OF US, Just got back from Church, but it is raining.
See you later Steve, Love from Dad and Mum

Easter Eggs

I've hidden all your eggs in your various gardens (busy night) so hope it's not raining... lots of love to all.

Monsieur Tim Drake

Auntie Val Auntie Mandy Moi Monsieur Tim Drake and Barbara
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

Tim Drake rings up from time to time thinking I've forgotten him, (I'm terrible) and this time offered to drive Gem and Clive to the Fleece in his Jag on D-Day (6th June).
"Do you remember when I came to your house?" he said to Gemma.
"Of course.. I took the picture!"

I love these where a tot has been handed a camera.

rasc rct band ...howay the lads

rascr4ctbedwards
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

A truly remarkable day

Funny date

July 8th could be 04/05/06/07/08/09 or should it be 7th august??
5 mins past 0600 or as the constipated man said, he was going to work it out with a pencil! Dad

Din I Larf

I know a fat ole policeman, he’s always on our street
Afat old, jolly red-faced man, he really is a treat
He’s too fine for a policeman, he’s never known to frown
And everybody says he is the happiest man in town

*Laughter*

He laughs upon his duty, he laughs upon his beat
He laughs at everybody when he’s walking in the street
He never can stop laughing, he says he'd never tried
But once he did arrest a man and laughed until he died

*Laughter*

Oh, His jolly face had wrinkled, and then he shut his eyes
He opened his great mouth, it was a wonderous size
He said “I must arrest you,” I didn't know what for
And then he starting laughing, until he cracked his jaw

*Laughter*

So if you chance to meet him while walking ‘round the town
Just shake him by his ole fat hand and give him harf a crown
His eyes beam and sparkle, he'll gurgle with delight
And then you’ll start him laughing, with all his blessed might

Good Morning, All

We had a nice surprise yesterday afternoon when who should ring the front door bell but Josie and Graham, on their way home from a visit to Ikea in Coventry, after visiting another cousin, Pam in Leicester. Thought "let's pop in on Hugh and Margaret" and they spent an hour with us. Send their love to all.
Josie is one of those people (like Aunty Peg) who remembers baby's names, who did what and when. They are looking forward to June 6th. Graham retires at end of May, aged 65. They enjoyed watching our photo shop!


On Sunday, Mum took me out for a belated Birthday lunch at the Wroxton House Hotel, just outside Banbury and we both cleared our lovely lunch plates. A gorgeous 3* hotel and it was full on a lovely sunny day. Food was fantastic. Went for a nice long drive after wards and got home at about 4.30.

Thought about your band call, Steve and we are looking forward to hearing the CD. Good photo on the blog. Also of Mr. Biggles in the wet. Got the words to the 'Laughing Policeman' from our New Forest Days. See you soon. Love from Dad and Mum

Florence Foster Jenkins- Der Holle Rache

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h4f77T-LoM

Sent from my iPhone

The Laughing Policeman - Charles Jolly / Penrose

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI1nPd7hezM

Sent from my iPhone

Biggles and the Farkies

Biggles and the Farkies
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

He hasn't just washed his hair.. and it's not full of gel either!
Mr Biggles has been in and out of the brook fetching his ball.

I would post a photo except he's too quick and it's all a blur or the camera goes click and he's not in the shot

Weekend

deepcut
Originally uploaded by ezappy.

everyone turned up and we made a cd for July 18th concert Princes Hall.
It was emotional!

Here's one...

.. for a full lung workout laugh, 100 best april fools starting with the famous 'BBC Spaghetti Harvest" of 1957 . The Swedish television "instant color TV" from 1962 and Patrick Moores Sky at Night, gravity lessening planetary alignment - jump at the precise moment in your own home and experience weightlessness, hee hee, hours of fun.

Condolences to the Sng family

Dear Nic and Jen Hwei, Clare and Daniel,

We were so sad to hear that the life of Bobby's, Jimmy's and Lettie's mother has come to an end, after a very long and busy life and we send to the family our sincere condolence. We know the family were proud of their ancient relative, in particular for her interest in the Postage Stamping world of Singapore. I remember going to a very important display of her stamps in the city. I think her name was Chin Kwai Lean. We will remember seeing her when she had a fall and was confined to her bed, but since then, she had travelled to China, on her own.
A very brave lady.

Love to all members of the Sng family, from Hugh, Margaret, Julian and all members of the Merrow-Smith family.

idea for garden table

made from untreated sleepers from Focus or Homebase or Wicks