My My

...someone asked for the longer version, so here it is!

Mamma Mia....here I go again..."My My...etc"

Well, thank goodness it's the weekend coming up fast. We've got Emily and Jack overnight on Saturday and our good friends Sue and Alan are coming round for dinner in the evening. Tomorrow (Friday) morning Marg is going with Sally and Emily to enrol her in "baby ballet" (Emily not Sally). She's been for 3 taster sessions already and really enjoys it, bossing us all about "good toes/naughty toes!" All you former girlie dancers will know about that I am told [ by Margaret].

Here is two year old Emily's first semi musical solo rendition captured eventually on video. Goodness knows where she has picked it up from, but it is quite amusing.....this is the short version by the way! She has just started jabbering incessantlyand drives us mad with "Why?" When we asked her to sing hickory dock she said clearly "No, I am going to sing my my"..so there you have it. Eat your hearts out Abba, Meryl Streep & Co and French and Saunders.

Giggles with Thomas!

Banbury Visit

On Thursday I picked Marg up from work and we drove down to Banbury. I was reminded on arrival of where I probably get my peculiar humour "genes". At last New Year Dad told us that he had been prescribed new eye drops for his macula condition. As they were steroid based, then it was likely that his eyelashes would grow longer -prompting gaffaws of "camel" from his daughter in law, "that'll go well as you've usually got the hump" etc. The pics below tell their own story when we arrived on Thurs evening!

Those lovely camel eye lashes

Hump too! (not Humphrey)

Mum and Dad's front garden

From the bottom of their rear garden, looking up to the bungalow and terrace/deck that Daniel and Bro' Mark built



Mum and Dad (80! (and still nuts) on New Years eve 2008) with sister Karen, me, Margaret and Jack's Hippo!

I know Dad suffers with his central vision because of his AMD but REALLY...his "remote" is nearly as big as the telly!!

We visited niece Helen and her husband Simon to see Sophie, Thomas and one year old Cerys who were being looked after by Grandad and Grandma (Marg's brother Pete and wife Margaret)

Pics of Sophie and Thomas with their new Aussie purses

Grandad Pete with Cerys

Door done, and the birds are singing!!

Just a quick glimpse around the courtyard..in the spring sunshine..and with the door/window of the barn painted! (in mandatory conservation area "green" of course)

Surprise View

The first coat of gloss has gone on, should now finish the door/window tomorrow. With the sun beating down and an almost cloudless blue sky, I thought I'd take the camera to surprise view -mindful of the fact that Frank and Liz, last time over here, didn't make it all the way to the view because of the wind and rain, despite walking at a 45 degree angle!!

As I pulled into the car park, the grey skies moved in from the Manchester and the wind speed suddenly picked up. Covering the camera's mic. with my finger I hastily took a shot of the view for my Oz relos. So, sorry for the greyness of the scene. Leaving it behind me as I travelled back to Chesterfield to pick up Margaret from work, the sun shone brightly again...perhaps it's a real surprise view when you see it in sunlight?

Where Margaret works (for Accenture)

Spring has well and truly sprung

Well, we have come back from Oz just waiting for the weather to turn..and finally I feel warm again!!

Armed with her clipboard and fascination for writing lists(who does that sound like Liz?) Marg has set out a number of spring cleaning/decorating tasks for the next couple of months. Like Frank and Liz in Oz we have spent the last week or so decluttering and clearing out unwanted collectables (or just plain garbage). Well now the weather is here, the first task for me on the list is to paint the courtyard side barn door/window.

Well I am two thirds through undercoating it, having rubbed down, filled and sanded it. The problem I have is that in the afternoon it gets the full sun making painting technically impossible.. that's my story and I am sticking to it.

How good it is though to see the hedgerows turning green and the trees in blossom and what about the magnolias everywhere. Here's a few snaps taken today.

Entrance to the courtyard

Painting in progress!

The rose to the right as you look at the door is full of buds this year -a small, multi headed yellow bloom..it should look great. The birds currently like it for nesting in.

Clematis in bloom -first time in 3 years, since planting

Magnificent magnolia trees

pieris planted adjacent to the car park

Local, nearby street with the tree blossom about to bloom

Right, that's a long enough break...back to Marg's list...mm?

Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday

Jack and Emily stayed over last night, had their evening meal, bathed and went to bed with their stories, Peppa Pig, George (pig) and a giant talking Peppa too and of course flopsy bunny (all Emms) and slept through til nearly 8 o'clock this morning! After breakfast, they got dressed and off we all went for a walk in Graves Park; before meeting up with their Mum and Dad at the Bradway!

Havin' a swinging time together (Jack sporting his "blades" jacket -he's going to the match this afternoon with his Dad (Sheffield United (the blades) v Nottingham Forest

Here's Abi -all smiles -whilst Matthew slept in apparently! -a late night last night.

Who's ordering at the bar?

Look out -here comes Jack on his scooter

..and here's Emms on the slide

Last weekend, Matt and Abi had a "hog roast" at their pub -The Bradway. It was their first year anniversary of their opening and once again the Grand National was being run. With the bookmakers next door, the pub quickly filled up after opening its doors at midday. Matt and his mate John, were up early getting the Hog prepared and Spitted correctly, putting it on to roast at about 6am. By one o'clock it was done to perfection and ready to serve. The pub was full until quite late on in the evening, ensuring a succesful day for both Matt and Abi and their happy customers and punters!

Matt holding an audience with the staff -Sally and Abi!

Sally's not convinced of the plan..can you tell?

Steady as she goes with the "hog"

mmm...done to perfection!

Yesterday, Easter Saturday, Emily and Jack came to play at the barn...this is Emily being a caged lion!

And decorating Grandma's plant with Easter deccies is fun too!

Good old Blighty...

It's good Friday and we've got rain. It's not cold which is a bonus! The daffs look good and were a welcome sight when we arrived back in the UK. Marg and I are having a bit of spring clean starting with a) my study and b) Matt's old bedroom................more of a chuck out than spring clean! Matt will have one chance to reclaim anything but there are two big jumble sales coming up -one for the scouts in our old suburb and one for Bluebells which is a cancer charity. I have just filled a wheelie bin with other stuff, as well as filling the paper recycling bin -getting rid of old "work" related stuff for me; and losing Marg's diploma in payroll management stuff had been quite cathartic. Neither of us intend finding a use for that ever again!!

We ate at the Bradway last night -new chef trying out a new menu for Thursdays -very nice indeed. Tonight Trevor and Anne are coming round for the evening and we'll get a Chinese takeaway. Tomorrow we've been invited to our friends Sue and Alan for the afternoon and evening (Sue' s a REALLY REALLY good cook...my mouth's watering already); and on Sunday Nick and Clare are coming round to discuss our imminent trip to Italy to suss out wedding venues etc. Also, we're having Jack and Emms overnight on Sunday..(think we'll ask for the car seats...that way we can be in control of when we take them home on Monday...only joking Dan and Sal x).

Right, back to the boxes and decluttering the study....HAVE A GREAT EASTER EVERYONE!

nearly home now....

Apologies but I am still playing catch up with the blog...now covering the last couple of days in Nz before flying home.

snapped entering the Maori village

Here's a few more fairly random pics of us around Hot Water beach -it doesn't look it from the photos but that water in the sand is very hot -heated by hot rocks 2km below the surface the CO2 reaches the surface at around 65 degrees heat. The volcano has long been extinct (thousands of years) but those rocks are so hot they will take several millenia to cool down.

Back to the cave explorer and a shoal of red snappers -pity we didn't have a net handy!

Saying "farewell" to the fantastic location, sporting Jack's new Aussie hat; and one last barbie overlooking the HWBeach

It's goodbye to Frank and Liz from Auckland airport....see you again for sure!

These business class seats are more than OK...CHEERS everyone!!

After watching a few films; taking a few drinks and meals we arrived early in Singapore. We spent a few hours shopping (what else) at the airport before relaxing in the Business Class lounge whilst waiting for the flight.

The flight to Manchester was fine and we refused all offers of food and wine...."nothing til breakfast"...and managed to get the seats into their bed positions, with several hours of sleep awaiting!

The bags came off the carousel at Manchester almost immediately, the taxi was waiting and we were back in Sheffield within 90 minutes of touchdown; sufffering with temperatures of 3 degrees!!

It was great to catch up with the kids and gran'kids -who of course tried on their pressies from our trip....Emily had it all on, from her chinese Pjs, Oz tee shirt to her Ugg boots and parasol. Jack likes his crocodile hunter's hat (which nearly all the school kids have as part of their school uniforms in Oz)

We have had a fabulous holiday!! Immense thanks to Liz and Frank -especially our "guide de tour par excellance" without whose chivvying we wouldn't have seen half what we experienced. From Sydney to Port Stephens, to the Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains, down to the southern highlands and Bowral, down through Kangaroo valley and beyond to Bateman's Bay, onto Canberra and Gouldburn, back to Bateman's bay and then onto Watson's Bay before flying to Auckland...from Auckland to Lake Taupo, then to Rotorua and finally Hot Water beach...what can we say except it's been a BLAST!!

It's been fab too to meet up with Liz's relos and I must also mention Karen and Mark who hosted an evening for us all in Rotorua (Karen is a sister of Sandy..who is one of Liz's friends). It was great to meet Ross and Nalda and Gail and Steve (swampie) and other cousins Susan and Wayne..and Wayne's lovely wife Ann...we really hope all of you guys will look us up when you next come over to the UK/Europe. Gail and Steve/Wayne and Ann -bon voyage on your trip to Canada.

It was also lovely to meet up with Ian and Sarah and Ethan and Imogen and meet the latest Wroe family member...boy did she make an impression!! And good luck with the new job Ian.

Frank and Liz -great news that your house sale is going through OK along with your garage sales etc! Happy house hunting in South Queensland and enjoy caravanning for a while.

Lots of love from us all in Sheffield....xx

From Lake Taupo area to Rotorua then to Hot Water Beach and home!!

On our first night at the famous B&B, which Liz has reported on fully in her BLOG, we experienced a bit of Maori culture....fetched and carried back to our B&B, which included a full Maori "hengi" (food cooked by hot stones and wrapped in blankets, a dark walk around the village to see the glowworms and kiwis, as well as a few scantily clad maoris (steady girls) n their dragon boat, a good meal and plenty of wine and a few songs back in the cab!

"Frank, you weren't supposed to get in with the hot stones under the blankets!"

"here come the boys"

grub up!

In Rotorua itself we visited the old bayhhouse which is now a museum, explaining in more detail (as well as an experiential cinema showing of -Whakatane!!) the famous eruption which buried the village earlier reported.

the old bath house/now museum

Liz, ever the exhibitionist, trying her hand at pole dancing

Our "bach" over the road from hot water beach

view from bach to beach

evening sunset over HW Beach

Liz and I had a sneaky feeling that this rubber duckie is our cave cruiser..but we've been promised "no speed, full cover (no getting wet) and calmness"...mm


"Now Kev, tell me that's not the cruiser Liz promised for the boat trip?!"

"Bloody hell! Life jackets as well...who's gonna fit them round my boobs?"

Marg relented and helped me.