A good time had by all...

On Tuesday, 21st August, it was a pleasure to welcome my cousin, John and his wife, Margaret for a visit.  They arrived in the afternoon and for the rest of that day conversation flowed as we caught up.

The following day we all enjoyed an outing to Gooderstone Water Gardens in the afternoon...

...and, in the evening, Peter, Linda and David joined us for a delicious meal at The Bell, Brisley and a most enjoyable time spent together.

Today, Thursday 23rd, we bade a fond farewell to our visitors and look forward to seeing them again.

Two years on...

Birthday Bash

Peter had Linda held a celebration on Saturday for his forthcoming 50th birthday. Warm but not as sunny as was hoped but a glimpse now and then from a cloudy but dry sky.
The afternoon was for family (close and extended, but as Rob said "Once you're family, you're always family!") with friends joining the party for a BBQ at 5p.m. and into the evening.

Pops, Ryan, Peter and Rob

Forest, Rob and Peter

With Forest, Pops has become great-grand pops!

Jenna, Rob and Forest

 

Linda's youngest son, David.

The party theme was The Rolling Stones - Peter's favourite - and Linda made this amazing cake along with individual cakes on the same theme.

Linda also worked hard producing a mound of food which Peter cooked on the barbecue.

Friends started to arrive...

...including Misty.

Other friends arrived...

...also Peter's youngest, Reece, who had had to work until 6.p.m. (with Pops and Karl).

Throughout the afternoon we had enjoyed a background of recorded blues music but, while light, the 'stage' was set and after sunset...

...a rousing rendition of Stones' numbers by Karl, David, Peter and Linda...

Many happy returns for Monday, Peter!

It's a funny old world...

...but we may not always see the joke.



Late on Monday afternoon I had a nasty fall onto the patio.

The weather forecast had warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms on TV and when this was repeated on the radio we were listening to in the summer house, we thought it wise to decamp as the storms sounded imminent. Ron took a few things back indoors and I gathered up some others.

Thus my hands were full with bits and pieces and, on a hairsbreadth of gap between the patio slabs, my toes caught it and I went flying, not able to put out my hands to save myself but everything scattered as I hit the ground, full length on my front, the final clunk being my jaw next to my chin.  That jarred my skull particularly and my whole body. With Ron's help I gradually maneuvered myself onto my side, my back, t'other side and, leaning on a chair, a shelf and Ron eventually got upright.  I was left with a large, black bruise on my jaw, bruised knees and elbows and grazes on my forearms and a couple of fingers, a headache, pains at the base of my skull, my ribs plus woken-up arthritis pains on the back of my neck and shoulders.  But I think I was very lucky not to have broken any bones...just Ron's pipe which separated at the joint! Even a glass I was carrying bounced!!

It's a funny old world.  It didn't thunder let alone rain.  I blame the weather forecasters!

Each day since then I have gradually improved and on Wednesday it was a pleasure to welcome dear friends to our new home on a pre-arranged visit. Lovely to see them again and they lifted my spirits. 

But there's a funny old world story there too.  They hail from Sheringham, where we lived before our move to France - but we were all living in France before we met!  Now we all live in other parts of Norfolk and we look forward to visiting them on the Norfolk Broads where they live and work...providing I can keep upright that is!

Gressenhall.

Today a visit to Gressenhall and its Workhouse Museum.

What a pleasure it has been to have the company of this lovely family.  A big family get together to look forward to before we have to wish them bon voyage for their return to Brisbane.

The Wizard of Oz!

A few months ago we became step great-grandparents and today (and tomorrow) Forest came with his parents, Rob and Jenna, all the way from Brisbane to catch up with family and friends and it was wizard to welcome our visitors from Oz!  We truly appreciate their visit.

Happy parents. 

Happy baby. 

Happy us.










Magic!

At last!

After many weeks of delay, finally our summer house is in situ and furnished to enable the patio and garage to be cleared.  Other belongings have come to light although some items are still missing but we hope those few items still have a chance to appear!

In the current hot weather we think perhaps the building should be named the winter house when, with heating instead of a cooling fan, we will be able to get right out into the garden whatever the weather and watch the birds on their feeder. Now we have the choice of patio or summer house, then a cosy nook.  We feel blessed.

Toast

The last few boxes found and emptied and we came across this, which made us cry.  We miss our daughter, the love and laughter but, as ever, one foot in front of the other...Cheers, darling.




I’d like to take a moment, if I may
For there’s something that I really want to say,
Merci beaucoup, gracias, abrigado too, and danke
To my awesome parents I owe a massive thanks



For everything they do for me every single day
When I cry they comfort me and chase the blues away
And when I am in lots of pain, which happens almost daily
They want to take the hurt away - they say I’m still their baby



They’re generous with everything, be it love, advice or time
They’re such a lovely couple, those old folks of mine
So raise a glass of something nice, be it grapes or hops
And drink a toast to both of them “Here’s to Muzz and Pops!”



© Sheridan Musson