To the Beach for a 'SPECTACULAR' Firework display!!

One evening we all headed for the local beach, the talk of the camp was the spectacular firework display planned to start at 9.45pm. The couriers told us that we would have a good view from the local beach. So we trotted off down there to witness this spectacular. The sunset that night was outstanding.....

It seemed to take ages to get dark, by the time it had we had been nibbled by the midges and were full of anticipation. As it happens the display may well have been spectacular .....

Had we have been about 9 miles closer to them!!!! The picture above was taken on full telephoto lens and it is barely visible!!! So all in all a huge disappointment and the car park operators made themselves a fast buck by staying open until the 'display' started and then scarpered with all the excess dosh they made from the mugs who turned out!!! You live and learn.

Finally we collected Carl from the airport after we had been there a few days. He arrived late as he had been climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Charity. (Thank you everyone who sponsored him!!!) On the way back from the airport we got took this photo, it disconcerting to see the air plane over the road , the bridge doesn't seem very high and the plane feels like its on the road!!

Back to work

I really can't believe that three weeks off of work have flown by and tomorrow I am back into the fray, I think its going take a while to catch up on everything I am sure by lunchtime I will have forgotten my holiday!!!

We took a few trips into a nearby town called Leiden, as always it was raining so we took a look around and then found the main street for a spot of retail therapy. Even though there was rain it was also very muggy so it was very unpleasant continually taking coats on and off. We found a shop that we had been to a few years ago, a junk come antique shop, loads of hidden treasures in there. Laura picked up a couple of brand new t shirts still in their bags for a Euro each - Bargain!! I found a lovely really old enamel strainer/steamer in a mottled shade of blue and grey. I now have that cleaned up and hanging in the kitchen, there is something special about 'old' kitchen equipment, always makes me wonder who has used it before and what they did.

To prove that we were in Holland, a photo of a windmill with Laura and Beth, please note the ever present puddles, in this rare photo it wasn't actually raining , so that was an improvement!!!

On one of the fine mornings we headed to try out another beach, Malcolm suggested a beach just outside The Hague, called Scheveningen. We were happy to take a look at a different place and after all it wasn't raining so the best time to head to the beach. Tom even pushed the boat out and took our little tiny stunt kite with us and gave that a go. (The truth is it doesn't matter how big a stunt kite is, it instantly becomes useless in the hands of our family, we simply can't get any of them to fly!!) So while wandering down to the beach we became aware of loads and loads of people, planes in formation flying overhead and loads of bright TV lights and vans. It appears that we had 'accidentally' walked into the first day of the Women's International Beach Volleyball tournament. Tom and Malc wanted to stop and learn the rules to this instantly fascinating sport. Deb and I couldn't see the attraction.....

More from the wet holiday tomorrow!!!

Its hotter here!!!

Since getting back the weather has been brilliant, once the washing was done we got out in the garden and started to get that into shape. Carl and Tom worked really hard putting in a border of bricks, digging up some roots that were left over and generally doing manual work. I helped by giving clear and concise directions and supplying the occasional glass of water!! I am very please with the result and I have started to plant it up with bulbs from our Dutch trip and plants (being sold off in Morrison's for bargain prices!!)

So back to the holiday, here we have Beth on day two looking cool on the beach playing Frisbee with Sam.

This next shot is the one that I took after my precious camera was hit by the said Frisbee!!!

It was a nice day on the beach, breezy and warm. So hot in fact that Tom managed to burn both of his knees and his left calf !!! a fact that troubled him for the rest of the holiday. (Not that he had to make any effort to keep his burnt knees out of the sun following this very brief exposure to it)

We booked with Canvas Holidays, we have been customers for the past 25 years so we know the ropes. They will never promise to put people travelling together in neighbouring caravans in case there  is a last minute change of plan so this year Beth and I wrote begging letters to them and offered to supply the couriers with food items they were missing from home. Turns out our couriers were missing bacon, so I supplied the bacon and they provided caravans next to each other!!!

More to report over the coming days......

Home Again and Sinking.....

I am sinking under a pile of washing that has taken over my kitchen,Its daunting at the moment as there is so much to do, We have emptied two of the cases and to add to that there is washing from Carl's Africa trip. He had made a start but there were only a couple of days between that and flying onto Amsterdam so I have a bit of a back log. I am at the stage this morning of not knowing what to do next, everything is piled up everywhere and we have suitcases and the likes all over the place. I just need a magic washing fairy to swoop in and sort it out.

The holiday was nice, I have never heard so much thunder or seen so much lightening, perhaps it was because we were in a  caravan and it was more obvious, but one morning we had thunder for an hour non stop, one rumble run into another and it just kept going, the sky was lit  up with lightening and then an hour in the rain started.

I will be back later with some photos, I found some great craft finds, not that I can see a time when I will be able to use them!!!!!

The eagle has landed!!!

For the first time in an absolute age all three kids have arrived on holiday together stand by for non stop entertainment !! We collected carl from the airport after a 30 minute flight now preparing to watch the third re enactment of 'grease' the Duinrell version!!!

The goodness for mcdonalds!!!

Free wifi is a blessing !!! We have had a good first few days with glorious sunshine today back to form with rain!!! We have shopped in Leiden and are now heading back soaked!! Fingers crossed the weather improves . Planning on hitting Amsterdam later this week x

Lots to do......

This weekend I seem to have been non stop busy but I have not very much to show for it. This morning we hit Stevenage and bought bits from Poundland, home bargains and Dunelm Mill. I have put it all away and now have tomorrow to pack everything up in preparation to our few days break.

I have finished the washing and tomorrow it will be go go go!!!

We are still having summery weather so Beth has been down the pool again. Its like having her own personal pool !! She loves it there!!

Yesterday we went to see mum, she was very happy and upbeat, she is going home on Thursday and is really looking forward to that. While she has been in hospital she has made friends with the lady in the next bed, Shirley. She is a lovely lady who had a stroke. Her family are lovely as well and Mum and Shirley have been good for each other. Sadly during the week Shirley was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, which was a terrible shock for everyone. There have been lots of tears all around. Shirley is going home tomorrow, she wants to go home even though she is not really well enough to go. She lives with her son who has got things sorted for her. I wish her well. 

During the day I have been trying to book up our girls weekend away in December. Its proving to be very difficult!!! We wanted to go to one of the Christmas markets. The one in Jersey sounded brilliant, so I found a nice hotel which was reasonable, the ferry was a non starter as they only do overnight crossings in December. So I looked at the flights, Luton would have been perfect and Stansted good, but they reduce the flights to three times a week in the winter. So I looked at Gatwick they have the flights but as always the prices quoted are nothing like the final price. The price looked like it was going to be £60 each but by the time you added on all the different 'additions' we were looking at £97 each!!!So that priced it out of the market, so Madeline if you are reading this, we are having a big rethink and may return to plan A, which is Lille. We just need to decide which hotel!!!!

Carl is down the mountain and we have had a few text messages from him. He will be chilling out now in Nairobi recovering from his climb. He is obviously missing my home cooking as he has asked me to make him some of 'specials' strawberry jelly's!!! That's what its like when you are a first class chef like me!!!!

Home Visit and Reaching the Summit!

Yesterday Mum visited home for the first time since March this year!! It was a major arrangement by the Hospital. I was there when she got there in the ambulance. It took two drivers, two physios and a social worker! Once they had got her over the thresh hold in a wheel chair she was able to walk to the arm chair in the front room. She sat and had a cuppa while the physios went upstairs and arranged the bedroom furniture.

Next she had to walk to the stair lift and get on it. That was a little harder but not impossible. With a bit of a shuffle she got on and got upstairs. Getting off at the top was easy and she walked into the bedroom.

The bed is a fully adjustable hospital bed so they put it down as low as it would go and Mum sat on it after a bit of a struggle she managed to get both legs on and lie back. She was also able to get back up again afterwards. So all in all it was a very sucessful day. All we need to wait for now is for Social Services to arrange the carers and she will get a home date. There is light appearing at the end of this very long tunnel!!!!

Carl has been out of contact for three days now, we had expected this as it was very unlikely that there would be a signal up Kilimanjaro!!!! According to my calculations he should have carried out the climb to the peak this morning at dawn and is likely now to be on the way back down again. I hope he has taken loads of photos!!!! His fund raising is going well and I know that there are pledges that he will collect once he is back.

He has now raised £1210 !!

Please check out his Just Giving Page

HERE

Silver Wedding Anniversary!! Madeline and John.

I can't believe it was twenty five years ago that my friends Madeline and John got married. I can so clearly remember the day, I was one of the bridesmaids sporting a trendy perm, Laura was ten months old and we all had a fantastic day. Madeline wore a beautiful dress, lace and very demure. We wore jade green.I have found a few of the earlier photos.

The celebrations started on the Hen Night which was a week before the big day we got her all decked out in the usual hen night garb.  In those days we would end a night out with a KFC (although back then it was still known as Kentucky Fried Chicken!!!) It was also usual for us to finish our chicken, drive home through the more affluent areas of Watford and chuck our rubbish up the drives of the big houses!!!

You can just see four of us bridesmaids at the centre of the photo, look at my lovely perm!!!

Madeline and John the happy couple!!

So here we are twenty five years later, where does the time go???

Here's to the next twenty five!!

Hot Hot Hot!!

We have been having a few hot days (which have been followed by some very variable and wet days!!) Beth has been desperate for a paddling pool, so we have obtained a 'birthing pool' from Emma and set it up in the garden!!! its been there for a few days and Beth has been in everyday (as long as we top it up with hot water!!) I am quite impressed with it and I am very tempted to get myself one of those garden spas that you inflate and heat up, I am visualising New Year in the hot tub, fantastic!!!!

About to climb......

Carl has been in Kenya for the past 5 days, he has been on a three night safari and tomorrow morning he starts the travel to the start of the climb. He has prepared well and has loads of equipment so

 I hope all goes well. 

So far he has raised a total of £1,180 its not too late to sponsor him, please visit his 'Just giving' page and support him. Thank you.

He has left the country!!!

This afternoon I took Carl to Heathrow airport, getting ready to go did not go without incident. Because he has a climb as part of the trip, he needs to take the right gear including boots, sleeping bag and sleeping mat, he also needs warm gear and safari gear. So at lunch time he had realised that one suitcase was not enough and we didn't have a suitable second case (for that what he meant was that he wasn't prepared to take my black case covered in red cherries!!) So Tina came to the rescue and loaned him one.

When I got home to collect him, he had both bags packed but one was over weight and one was under so we had a bit of fiddling to do to get them equal. It has been so hot that we were both dripping by the time we had finished.

We headed off and we were  less than a mile from home when his traveling companion called to say he had arrived and was waiting in the terminal!! We were lucky and managed the whole journey without a single hold up on the M25 (not the same could be said for my return journey!!)

So I was very good, I said goodbye and never shed a tear this time!! I am getting much better at this.

I still snuck a photo or two!!!

So here he is with Keith's Backpack, My purple case and Tina's red and black case!!

He refused to look back at me.Little sod!!

There he is disappearing into the terminal just a flash of red t shirt.

His flight was due to leave at 8pm but in the end didn't leave until 8.30pm I tracked it out of Heathrow on the computer and watched until it went into French airspace. I hope all goes well and that he has a good time.

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored him, the total now stands at £1145 !!

Finished!!

Well our garden is finally tree free, I admit to having a pang of regret having them removed, but its for the greater good. The fence is up and the stumps have been removed. The garden is covered in sawdust but I expect that will disappear over time. The grass is looking pathetic mainly due to lack of rain!

We have decided that we want a border so that I can grow cottage flowers and lavender to attract the bees. We will have to dig something into the soil as its been supporting trees for the past 30 years!!

I power washed the trampoline to get rid of all the sap, so we are all set for bouncing and soaking up the sun.

We have had some great weather over the past few days and last night we sat in the garden and saw some spectacular cloud formations.

I think this is called a Mackerel sky.

We have noticed that without the trees its a whole lot brighter and the sun stays right into the evening. We still have a lot to do out there including trying to disguise the god awful wheelie bins.

Today is the day that Carl starts his African adventure. I am very apprehensive about this trip I suppose because it is to a continent I have no understanding of and it doesn't feel as developed as a lot of the places he has been. He has been preparing himself physically for a while so I am hoping the trip up Kilimanjaro won't be too painful! There has been a last minute rush to sponsor him, so I would like to say a big thank you to all of you  who have supported him so far and would like to do a last minute call out to all those people who have been thinking about sponsoring but haven't got around to it, its not too late please take a look at his just giving page  The total to date stands at £1,115 .

All Gone!!

This week our garden has undergone some radical changes, for quite a few years we have been thinking about having the trees on the left side of the garden removed. The people originally in this house must have been tree freaks because when we moved in the back garden which only measures 20ft wide by 30ft long had a huge silver birch, an apple tree, a fully functioning and heavily fruiting plum tree, a weeping willow, a fir type of tree and a Scots pine. Over the years we have gradually got rid of them, the garden is simply too small and overcrowded.

The only two left were on the left of the garden, the fir tree and the Scots pine. The Scots pine seems to have taken off over the past few years and was much taller than the house. The fir tree was getting wider and wider, so we took the plunge and had them chopped.

So we took the plunge and had them chopped. The tree surgeon came on Thursday and took down all of the trees and overgrown shrubs.

He had to climb up the tree and chop it into pieces to get rid of it. We saved the logs for Steph and her open fire in the winter (by then the sap may have dried up!!!)

The only plant that we saved was my favourite oranges and lemon rose, its looking a bit surprised now to be sitting there all alone in the blazing sunlight!!

The plan was for the company to come back on the Friday to grind the roots and put up a fence as its quite exposed now. Well things never go according to plan and when we got up Friday morning the was a car parked parallel to our back fence and gate, it was locked but parked so badly that it was taking two parking spaces and we couldn't open the back gate. The bloke wasn't able to get the grinder in so now he is coming back on Monday to finish up. We eventually tracked down the owner thanks to our local PCSO Christina and the car was moved by the owners wife who could believe that her husband had been that anxious to get away on his fishing holiday that he had dumped the car!!!

So now the garden looks like a wilderness with piles of sawdust all over the grass. There is no place to hide and not a speck of shade!! I sat out for a while but in the end had to sit under the washing on the line. We do have a parasol, but its out of reach as we have had to stash 'stuff' on the opposite side of the garden.  I am sure it will be great once its done!

Tonight we are off to a Wedding reception, can't wait!!!

Lets Party!!!

Today we had a street party. Its been an age since we have had a street party and it was great to see so many present and past neighbours!! We did have an organising meeting last week, but all we did really was had a few drinks and a spaghetti and meatballs dinner!!! Any how it came together and we had a brilliant day!

So who were the movers and shakers??? This year we had no representatives from number one. The present owners of number 2 were away so they donated a bottle of wine and a happy 30th Birthday Card

 (our road is 30 this year!!)

 We had a visit from the previous residents of number 2, Rachel,Dave, Lauren, Monty and Nathan. They bought their puppy Smudge.

We are at number 3, so Liz, Tom, Laura and Beth.

Number 4, the longest residents, Karen, Graham, Nick,Zoe and Megan.

Number 5 the previous owners Clive, Tracey and Brogan and the present owners Grant, Emily , Phoebe and Olivia.

Number six, the present owners Simon Tannaz and Keanush.

No representatives from number 7 :(

There was plenty of food, a barbecue and cakes along with plenty of drink!!!

Year and years ago, we think at least 10 years ago, Tracey,Karen,Rachel and I sat outside under the tree and made bunting and sipped wine. We used the tried and tested technique of string and staplers. We had quite a production line going, one cutting, one stapling, one spacing the flags and one topping up the drinks. We made yards and yards of the stuff!! Karen kept the huge roll of bunting and we got it out today and decorated the street!! It was in remarkably good condition although it was a bit creased and the spacing was shot, but I could recognise some of the fabric and it bought back the memories!!!

I am amazed that it has lasted so long!!!

Here we have the men putting the world to rights!!!

Topped off with some of Karen's wonderful cup cakes!!

We all enjoyed it so much that we have made a plan for the winter. For the past few years we have had snow at some point we all usually end up out the front making snow men and having snowball fights, well this year we are going to have a team barbecue on that day when we are stuck at home!!!!

Happy Days!!!

New Car New Week

Last weekend Dad and I went out and found him a new car. He wanted something that was a bit higher and a little more comfortable than his corsa, he likes our Zafira, Ruby, so we went and had a look at a few of those!! He needed an automatic and this blue one fit the bill. This week it has been converted to hand controls and he is now up and running. The brakes are little on the sharp side, but he'll get used to it!!!

On Wednesday we went into Hospital to speak to the physios, Mum is making slow progress and she is keen to get home. They won't discharge her until she is safe to walk and not fall over. It looks like there may be a fair way to go with that one. Today she was taken back to the QE2 where they have Xrayed her again and she was seen by the consultant. They have told her that the bone is slowly healing but they estimate at least another 6 weeks for there to be noticeable healing. There is still some infection and that is slowly getting better. I think there are a huge number of hurdles for her to over come and I am not sure that she will ever be able to do so.

Busy Busy Busy....

This past week has flown by. Much the same as the weekend. Already facing another week at work.

We went over to Bishops Stortford to see Mum this afternoon and she as down in the dumps. She has been there a month and has been making fantastic progress on her best day she walked 46 steps which is really good. Trouble is she is fed up with being in hospital and wants to be home. That seems to lead to tensions between her and Dad and then things get out of hand and they both end up upset. I do feel that we may be getting closer to getting her home as the staff have visited Dad at home and know what they need to do to get things right for her. (not very much!!)

I just wanted to do a last minute plea for sponsorship for Carl. He is next month going to climb Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise money for the local Scout Group. This is not an easy option for him and it has not been cheap, while it will be an experience it would be great if he could help the Scouts out along the way!!

So please visit his just giving page HERE and pledge a couple pounds .

THANK YOU

Fantastic Night!!!! - The Ego Has Landed!!!

Last night I went to Wembley with some dear friends. My friend (Karen over the road as she is known  in these parts!!) managed to get some much sought after tickets for Take That The Progress Live 2011 Tour.

We headed off around 5 pm after a nice sandwich tea with juice lovingly prepared by Karen. We had booked the car park the night before and when we arrived were pleased to find it was minutes from the stadium! We went in and found a seat and had a fantastic view of everything.

I was amazed at the size of the arena, it was massive, the number of people was incredible, the whole place seemed to be breathing!!

The supporting act was the 'Pet Shop Boys' In reality it was Pet Shop Boy. Very good none the less!!

The main show was brilliant Take That were outstanding and put on a brilliant show, loads of effects and the songs took you straight back!!!

It was a brilliant night out that I would do all over again!! The only bad news was that our perfect car park was not to easy t exit, so we ended up sat in a queue for well over an hour eating the last of the sandwiches and trying not to think of running water as we all needed the loo!!!

We eventually got home in the wee small hours of the morning!!



Why do Weekends go so Fast?????

The weekend takes ages to arrive and then in a flash its gone. We look forward to it all week and then in no time it has passed us by. I really wish they were longer. The past week at work we have been bombarded with pension issues. I had expected to be able to retire at 60 when I started my working life all those years ago and as such I have paid into several pension schemes to enable that to happen. A few years ago the government decided that we were all living longer so they would equalise the retirement date for men and women. Men were retiring at 65 so they started to move the women's retirement age towards that. So for a few years the age I could go at moved to 62, still not too bad.  Well now that date has moved again and I am looking at being 66 before I can retire. Its a real problem, it now feels like I am never going to get there so what is the point of having a pension I am not overly likely to see?? who knows how many people die before they reach 65??

I feel its particularly unfair because when I started I made my plans, I think they need to apply the changes to people who are starting work and not to those of us who are already nearing the end. I feel like I will never get there!!!

This weekend we spotted the trees by the back door moving without the aid of any wind, I thought it a bit strange and thought it was some birds on the bird feeder. So I looked a bit closer and spotted a pair of mice clinging onto the wire and having a good feed!!

It was quite difficult to photograph them as they had arrived as it was getting dark. Since last week they have been back every evening and I realise that they have been coming for a while. We had spotted evidence of activity below the feeder but we had assumed it was the pigeon as he had tried loads of times to get nuts from the tree!!

This afternoon we visited Mum in the Herts and Essex Hospital, she is doing well but is struggling with depression and the stresses and strains of getting back on her feet. We have decided at work to send her post cards to cheer her up. So today she had an array of cards from all my work friends. If anyone out there wants to send her a post card, please feel free, She is Mrs Maureen Botwright, Cambridge Ward, Herts and Essex Hospital, Bishops Stortford. Herts (I have no idea of the post code) She collects post cards so all would be welcome!!!

Have a great week.

A Hum Dinger of a Storm!!!

I am determined one way or another to try and get tickets to see something in the Olympic next year, I have failed on the original allocation and I have failed in the second chance allocation, so now its down to trying to win some in a draw!!! Beth's School is bidding to be able to carry the Olympic Torch in the run up to the games, so they need people to bid for them, you can help them out by bidding for them HERE and at the same time have a chance of winning some tickets. Please support the school and give yourself a chance!!!!!!

This afternoon the storm promised for yesterday afternoon arrived in a very big way, I got caught outside and was soaked in a matter of seconds!! The air cooled immediately but we were treated to a huge electric storm which resulted in all the lights going out at work and a switch onto emergency generator. The lightening was amazing and the thunder was right over head. You can't beat a good summer electric storm!!

I have a few photos that I took at conference last week, the venue was fantastic. It was a converted Railway Station, huge and airy. You could see out of the top windows the roof of the Midland Hotel opposite.

The hotel is famous for being the place used by the Beckhams when they visit Manchester! It looked good, but walking by the kitchen on the way to conference was a bit off putting, somehow fried breakfast is never so appetising once you have eaten!

The restoration of the building was great staff said that this was the original clock from the station!

I think we are back to Bournemouth next year, I like the seaside!!