Since Brighton

The weather has continued in its seemingly unabated level of cold and wet. Much of the time has been indoor tasks.

The main one has been the dining room. Following the leak from the main stop cock the carpet was removed, the room repainted, a new carpet laid and the original furniture replaced with three white bookcases.

I have also worked on digitizing my slide sets, the earliest being 1964.

Our cat 'Chuppy' at Sutton-in-Ashfield

Mum and Dad after the move to Mansfield

Mum and Dad at Skegness

Dad and me at Skegness

There were times of being outside. One Saturday, (7th July) when we arrived at High Clere, Nan was waiting at the door in her wheel chair. She said that she felt warm and wanted to go out into the garden.

On Sunday we went with Joni and Fiona to the 'Hemlockstone and Dragon', Thai restaurant for the first part of my birthday celebrations.


On Monday it was my birthday proper and I was grateful for all the lovely presents and cards that I received. Jan and Lawrence joined us for a meal in the evening.


The following day I started on the 3000 piece jigsaw that Joni and Fiona bought me for Christmas. I am wondering by which Christmas it might be finished.

Then came the fun days. The first was on Wednesday 11th July. We went down to see both of our UK grand daughters in their end of year performances. At 6.00 pm we saw Izzie in her last ever production at her primary school. She was Captain Jack in a production called 'Open Up the Button Box'. She sang, acted and danced and was excellent in all that she did.


An hour later we were at Iona's school to see a performance of 'Cats'. When we entered the dimly lit auditorium we were aware of costumed cats lying sleeping all around. We almost stepped on them. It was a fabulous performance and Iona had a part which involved singing. She performed to a very high standard. The whole thing was brilliant. No photographs were permitted, but back in the house I took this one of her in wonderful cat make-up.

In the morning we had the special privilege of going to the 'Oscar' ceremony at Iona's school. Each year the 'Performing Arts' department present 'Oscars' to their exceptional students. Iona was presented one for her singing at Christmas. The head of department said that Iona was an exceptional vocalist who went about her work in a quiet unassuming way.

Last Sunday found us attending two social events. The first was in Hinckley. We tried to go to our usual, quaint cafe for lunch, but finished up walking through the cold, windy and bleak streets of the town, eventually going in to a pub for a cold cup of tea, a warm coffee and a packet of pork scratchings. The event was the Baptism of baby Nathan Adrian Monger. It was a well attended ceremony in the church, officiated by our favourite Catholic priest called 'Father Frank'.

The buffet that followed more than made up for the lunch time disaster and was a good time of catching up with my family. My sister had her great grand daughter Amelia with her.

Sid, George, Anne and Amelia

From Hinckley we made our way back, stopping first at home at 5.30 pm and arriving at Jim's and Jeanette's party for six o'clock. The party was a celebration of Jim's 80th birthday and the couple's 50th wedding anniversary.

It was well attended by friends we knew from our Friday night sequence dance time and many others who we did not know. After the first waltz the evening consisted of sequence dancing and a great buffet. There was some entertainment, so, after checking that you are over 18, here it is. A lady? who turned out to be a relative attempted to get into the swing of things. I am told that beneath her tight fitting see-through dress the minimum of other garments were worn. I took pictures of Jim and Jeanette starting the dancing off and the two of them cutting the cake.

We two swingers arrived home at about 11.00 after a great day.