Finally the printer/scanner has been set up its been waiting a year in it's box.

So I thought I would post this photo of Thomas as he will be 18yrs later next week. He was charming but also a little demon at this age...come to think of it not much has changed.

What a week!

I had the most wonderful birthday, fabulous!
Dad, I hope you got home safely and you could get into the house when you got back.

Cathy's Birthday

I am setting off early to go to Wales tomorrow, to join John and Cath for lunch in Tresaith Dad

Good News all round

How nice to read such lovely blogs. Steve, why are all your blogs in Draft?
I had a lovely day with my friends (over 30 attendees), but got a bit squiffy driving my Henry back home at 6pm!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR TOMORROW CATH> Love you all from DAD

Welcome HOME to Jess. Ain't it good to be home. fondest love from Granddad

Great news all-round.

Goodbye to 'Crestwood' and all that..

Watching J&R struggling with the new baby, R facebooking for advice on baby in bed or in cot, I have had to resist putting in an oar on the comments section, (up to 60 now) and put my own house in order instead.
Life goes on.. anew!
I decided to let 'Crestwood' go when the option to renew the lease came up and face head-on the dreaded 'downsize' and now have an amazing new flat in Botley, which William and I share.

So for the last few weeks I have been battling with the physical remnants and dregs of family life
sifting through the useful items and coming to terms with that which must go. Life does go on.

Like Gem and Clive we are a week away from tinternet, and scouring for bargains in the bookcase department. My books have been in boxes for 24 months and I'm looking forward to seeing old friends again.
We have secured parking and Dougal looks more relaxed parked up under the window where we can keep and eye.

We are quite close to the bypass but it has a great holiday apartment feel, and the shower is superb.

So all change and 'well done'.

Happy Birthday to Jan today, happy with all her chicks home, and many happy returns to Cathy for tomorrow.

How did the barbeque go Dad? Lovely day for it wasn't it!

Gem & Clive

We've moved out of Wantage to Witney now. I'll send email/facebook message around with new details, so you can update your address books. We won't have internet or phone number in the new place for another week.

love G & C xx

Talking of Villazon

Has anyone been watching the Popstar to Opera Star on ITV?
The final of the competition was held last night and I have been watching the show for the past few weeks (ex Antigua), safe in the thought that the young tenor Joe McEldrey would win, as his mentor was Rolando Villazon, one of my favourite Operatic Tenors (and I think, Pete's also).
It was a lovely show and the final between Joe, the 20 year old tenor and Cheryl Baker ended with Joe the winner, as I had predicted from the beginning.
Mum's favourite tenor, the blind Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, now greying and clean shaven, was on the show and joined in the final quartet.

Triffic

Finally found a night at home to watch Rolando Villazon singing in the L'Elisir d'Amore which Dad had lent us on disc. I have to say that the whole thing was absolutely enthralling and I loved every minute of it. What a great opera: a really simple, perhaps even simpleton plot but great fun and beautifully over the top in its delivery. I reckon it is comic enough for COS to have done back in our time, hey Dad? Anyway, thanks for the lend and hopefully I will get it back to you soon - maybe even today. Tomorrow might have been good but for the Grand Prix which will make driving around Silverstone a bit difficult. That is the area....not the track. The track should be pretty easy to get round...but not in a Fiat Multipla on race day perhaps...

Lord Williams Festival Chorus are doing African Sanctus tonight at the Thame Leisure Centre so we hope to get to this. 7.30pm kick off and I understand it will have lots of sound effects, although we have not been invited to take the Marimbas...

Spoke to Jess via a Skype video link this morning. She is really enjoying her time in the Phillipines but is now looking longingly towards coming home and being with the family for the summer before going off to Lancaster in October.

Beth is in Ilfracombe staying with the Pinks and has wangled a job serving breakfast at one of the bigger hotels. She starts tomorrow, I think, but we had to send proof of identity and her P45 down to her today so she won't get them until at least Monday, so I hope there will not be a problem.

All is well with everyone else as we slowly wind down towards the end of term. Bees are fine but need some attention next time the sun comes out. Busy, busy, busy!!

Bud Powell

One of my favourite bebop pianists. Pity I no longer have this record. Dad

Tune popped in and won't go...

1. Conception
2. East Of The Sun
3. Heart And Soul
4. Willow Groove
5. Crazy Rhythm
6. Willow Weep For Me
7. Bean And The Boys
8. Ladybird
9. Stairway To The Stars
10. Lullaby In Rhythm
11. Star Eyes
12. Confirmation

It was one of these tunes and goes bee-bop, bedoobapp be bapadoo doddle a bee bap doodle a be bah bedapp, be do bap be bap a do... dooddle a beebadoop bahdeebah doo bah, bap.. (I think we all get the idea of that!!)