Birthday girl!

Happy Birthday Elliott Anna Emm - 2 today!

Saturday 14th November 2009

I think we'll stay indoors today .....

King of the Bench

Jersey Chicken

Who's sitting on MY bench?

41st Anniversary

Apparently he remembered the wedding anniversary but forgot the card. Do we give him credit for creativity (after all it IS pretty kitchen roll) or do we have serious discussion about whether there's going to be a 42nd??!!

Just 3 months to go

Shock horror - found in Devon on 28 SEPTEMBER - and, even worse, Jingle Bells was playing!!

Sunday 27th September 2009

Ellie pays us a visit and interacts with Grandad and CBeebies - note the sitting position which Grandad couldn't do in a million years! Mummy, remind me which yoga position this is please?!

and greets the newest horse in the Park - Millie.

Any scouts out there - ready for signing - the up and coming footballer - with true celebrity tantrum to match!

22nd August 2009

The second Bournemouth Air Festival and the weather is perfect again - people and more people as far as the eye can see - in the boats, in the sea, on the pier, over the beach and promenade, up the paths and over the top of East Cliff - 334,000 this day!!

The Vulcan flies at Bournemouth. £8 million to get it airborne again? OK, so somewhere up there is a nut or bolt belonging to me ....

Saturday 15th August 2009

Another birthday celebration and the Avalon Hotel Southbourne hosts a family party again!

Andy home from Saudi meets the little ones for the first time

The latest addition to the family, George born 13th May so aged 3 months here.

George's cousins Issi, Danni and Harry in their impressive carriage: Sister Tilly with their Grandad and Cousin Florence with her mum Michaela, George's Aunt!

Cousin Ellie enjoys the giant sandpit again in front of the hotel's beach hut.

Seaside garden quirkiness - redundant crash helmets as planters?!

8th August 2009

To the Ringwood & Ellingham Show where there is such a good selection of crafts, livestock, arena items and lots to see and do - and the sun actually shone so much it was baking hot in some of the marquees!! Amongst the donkeys we suddenly spotted this giant - it's a Baudet du Poitou - http://www.geocities.com/baudetdupoitou - and unfortunately came last in its class because the judge had never seen one like it before! The owner's hairstyle resembles her pet's .....

"Cooee" - a pair of Bisterne Scarecrows - http://bisterne.org.uk/scarecrow.html

Someone is taken ill - and the quickest way out of a busy showground surrounded by traffic-jammed roads is the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. Horses and jumps were rapidly cleared from the main arena - the only other casualty was a trade tent that was blown over as the helicopter took off!

The Italian themed marquee where we had a very good pizza and salad lunch followed by pavlova, thanks to Brigit's Company! And back at teatime for a couple of delicious cupcakes!

8th July 2009

Storms around, flash floods in some villages which we luckily missed and a rainbow in which every colour was clearly seen. Still no pot of gold though.

27th June 2009

We finally got around to visiting Julie, Ash and their family on Saturday. This is a clip of the twins; they started to wave bye bye but it was modified to pointing and saying "You".

24 June 2009

Snapped at last! Charlie the Feral Cat sunbathing under Philadelphus Belle Etoile. He made us his territory last July and is no friendlier now than he was then!

13 - 14 June 2009

... and greeting an incoming helicopter - out of the pushchair, sprint across the grass - c'mon Granny, catch up - need a bit of height here!

The local airfield is always good for child entertainment - with essential morning coffee and cake for the adults!

Ellie the wannabe rock musician ....

Showing her trampolining skills to Grandad ....

We're back at long last! And for starters here's the cabaret when we babysat Ellie, now 19 months, last weekend. And if you recognise the song - because neither we, Mummy nor Daddy do so far - then post a comment please!

Saturday 21st March 2009

We left the Kings Hotel and went across the road to have a browse in and around Christchurch Priory. An 11th century building, very interesting inside and out - www.christchurchpriory.org .
I worked near here for 3 years and I always looked for the salmon weathervane as I drove under the railway bridge into the town. I have always wanted to go up on top of the tower but it always seemed to be closed due to bad weather or lack of guides when I went into the Priory. Click on the following photos for more detail (that's a clue!)

And here we are at last! 176 very narrow and steep steps up (more like climbing a ladder at times). Thankfully no passing on these spiral stairs. And on such a beautiful day.
The legend is that a watch was kept for Excise boats from St Michael's Loft in the Priory and then the salmon was turned to warn the smugglers. It seemed to always point west when I worked nearby - not that that was in the same era! The Excise boats had to lurk outside the harbour as it was allowed to silt up to prevent them entering - which just shows that rather prominent people were involved in the trade!
Oh yes, this was the home of smuggling with trails leading out of town across the New Forest and into Cranborne Chase. I always took the stories with a pinch of salt until I worked in the museum neaby and saw the documentary evidence!

The Castle ruins, sand coloured Kings Hotel, Gary Rhodes restaurant just visible as the single storey dining room to the right of the Hotel, part of the mews development to the right of that, the Norman Constable's House and the bridge over the River Avon (our river) heading for its outlet in Christchurch Harbour.
Behind all those is the A35 with its Saturday traffic and off that, our route home under the red brick railway bridge.

Christchurch, the Castle ruins and St Catherine's Hill in the background.
Our house is somewhat north of that!

And moving to the other side of the tower, Hengistbury Head in the background with the Rivers Meet of the Avon and the Stour into Christchurch Harbour.