Strawberry and Hipos!

Charlotte's choice of ice-cream this week was strawberry. Pretty yucky, I must admit and at one point I thought she was going to be sick! The worst of it was that she got hiccups or hipos in Spanish, such a lovely word!

Apart from that we had a nice afternoon. We only had half an hour in the park as it was far too hot to linger, and then off to my house. Her computer skills are increasing, especially mouse control. I found a good learning programme where she had to make pictures, mainly using hold and drag. It caught her attention though and I never once heard 'I'm bored, Auntie June'!!

We are just home after spending the evening at Michael and Carla's place. They did a lovely barbie..........pork chops, chicken, steak and salad. Nice people and good conversation. Well, apart from those funny folk sat next to me!!

How Strange the Internet

The lady on the left, Mrs Holden, really looked after me back in 1967 when I first lost my mum. I've always remembered her care and love and would never have forgotten her face.

Her daughter, Sheila, sitting next to her, was my best mate at the time. A previous post showed us at her wedding. Her daughter, Deborah, is on the right, along with her two nippers, I remember her birth and changed a few nappies!!

I received this pic via email this evening, from a mutual friend in California, and was amazed to learn that Mrs Holden's christian name is Maisie.

Having always known her as Mrs Holden, it is so nice to think that one of my grandchildren is a Maisie too.

Light Bulbs and Toilet Rolls!!

Is it just us or are light bulbs and toilet rolls the things you always forget when out shopping?

During the past couple of days several bulbs have blown in our apartment. We did have a spare for the bathroom but that blew the first time I pressed the switch!! It's getting to be rather gloomy around here as both hall lights are out, bathroom out and the lounge too!

I'll say no more about loo rolls but I reckon a bright yellow post it note on 'im indoors forehead might help at the shop tomorrow!!

Playing Catch Up

We had to go bowling this afternoon to play the match we missed on Sunday. It was important to have it done before we play again because of the new handicap rules. I suspect someone has been sandbagging as our handicaps are the same!! Strange that.

Thankfully, Melvyn got us there today!

I've been feeling a little sad this week as our Donna left the Island on Tuesday to start afresh in France. I didn't see her that often but I'm missing her.

Thank You, Sam xxxxxxxxx

I expect you all remember my sad post about the death of our five year old PS2. It has been well missed as we are both addicts.

TODAY, a parcel arrived from my daughter Sam, which we expected to be a couple of dvd's but it was a new slimline Playstation 2!! I can't believe how tiny it is in comparison to our old one. Ratchet and Clank were fetched out and we spent a happy afternoon 'taking turns' and now we have a dvd playing. Such a lovely present, thanks again Sam xxx

Strangely enough, it managed to arrive on our twentieth anniversary. We had a bit of a party at five o'clock club. Dave, Caron, Charlotte, Joan, Kevin and Vic all turned up for a few beers and Dave and Caron bought a bottle of brandy for me and whiskey for him.

It's nice to know that we are loved xxx

Scary Sunday!

Another one of those days when 'our Melvyn' didn't feel like going too far along the TF1. We intended to go bowling but we ended up waiting for the grua to turn up and take us all home!

Luckily, we managed to get to the slip road, after a water pipe blew out. Following Spanish rules, 'im indoors put his reflective jacket on and placed the emergency triangles behind the car. I was ordered to go over the barrier, not an easy task as they look lower than they are!

Thank goodness for mobile phones. Brian rang for the grua whilst I informed the bowling alley of our misfortune. Five minutes later Officer Dibble turned up to check us out. Having explained that we were ok and just waiting for a tow truck, he left us to it. Nice of him to stop by though.

We only had to wait for around fifteen minutes which was well impressive for Tenerife and home again.

According to Doreen, there were lots of whinges in the bowling alley........but you can't have everything!

A Fun Afternoon

I collected Charlotte from nursery this afternoon for our regular Thursday jaunt. We had an extra mission today as we needed a nice flat stone for hopscotch.........no, I won't be playing!! Her Mum is intending to mark it out for her on their roof terrace. That done, she marched me down onto the beach to look at a dead turtle. I couldn't see it no matter how hard I looked. Imagination is a powerful thing!

Next stop the supermarket for our icecream. We try out a different one every week. Today's was 'lemony' and really very nice. After half an hour in the swing park (I got really high!), we went off for our computer time. We adopted a blue virtual pet named Wendy and can I find it now? Poor thing must be starving.

I had a text from Sue who is in England for a couple of weeks. They went over for a wedding but, unfortunately, Don's mum broke her hip. Not such a good holiday but at least they are there for her.

Birthdays..........Again!!

Who could this young lady be? Julian sent some pics, via Sam, of her first day at senior school. She looks wonderful and is a birthday girl on Saturday. Have a lovely day Jamie. We'll be thinking of you and send lots of hugs and kisses..............Nana, Grandad and Topxxxxxxxx

Our Martin! He can look forward to a year of peace now. One sister has gone off to another school but he knows that young Maisie will be annoying him during his last year at primary school!! Never mind, have a good birthday on Monday, mate, lots of love from Nana, Grandad and Top.....wish I could have a hug xxxxxxx

PS. Looking at Jamie's backpack, whatever happened to those horrid brown satchel things that my generation had to lug around?

Thank Goodness for Top!

I love to sit on the balcony during the early hours of the morning as it's the coolest part of the day and nice and peaceful. As soon as Topsie started running around like an idiot I realised that there must be a cockroach about. They sprout wings at this time of year and fly towards the light.

Ours was around four inches long and really horrid. Thankfully, 'im indoors managed to catch it after I had the screaming fits and woke him up. Unfortunately, he left it on the floor before going back to his bed muttering some sort of swear words and I had to scoop it up with the fly swat. It still had a couple of twitchy legs.........really horrid and I feel well creepy now!

Bad Bowling!

A new season with lots of new rules! I can see that we will have some rows over this during the next few months. One bad one is 'should any person not be on the lane at two thirty the match will be considered forfeit, and all points cancelled'. Yes, nice one, especially if I've travelled in on the bus which is a journey of around an hour, to find that some idiot is late and I've had a wasted trip!!

THEN.........they decided the fault line is to be used during all match games. Not such a problem but I bowled and received a foul. I know I never went over the line and went and complained. BLAH, BLAH, no, you must have gone over the line. Ok, I tried again, making sure at least three people watched me including the mechanic.........FOUL!! I rarely lose my temper but I was almost at the stage of picking my ball up and going home. Thankfully, just before I had a screaming fit, Shippy, agreed with me and the fault line was turned off. It didn't help my game though as I only had ten points on the third frame.

Not to worry as it might help in regard to another new rule. Handicaps aren't decided until you have played three matches. It's all so STUPID!

Sorry to whinge but I'm still well cross.

A New Series

I've just watched the first of a new series of 'who do you think you are' which looked at the family history of Barbara Windsor. It was interesting and a little sad in parts but it just goes to show how far you can go when the professionals lend a hand! I think it's safe to say that she's a real Eastender!

My friend John, who I thank for reminding me to look out for it, isn't too keen on the interest it generates as it takes so much longer for certificates to arrive and research sites tend to get a little clogged up. I best get a wriggle on too as I have 43 files to upload for FreeBMD! (Thanks also to the BBC for allowing me to pinch their logo!).

My favourite site has been taken off for repairs this weekend. No photo comp, no photo quiz and no late night debates. Missing it already!

The School Bus

I really couldn't resist blogging this little tale.

As I mentioned on a previous thread, Jamie has just started Senior School and now needs to catch the school bus (pictured). It put her mum into memory mode and she confessed to a couple of childish pranks............first I've ever heard!

She attended the same school and did the daily journey just as Jamie is doing now. Scary stuff really.

Anyway, it appears that all the kids on the bus, around fifty or so, decided to have an away day. They planned it weeks in advance, most of them took a change of clothes and instead of going into school they jumped on the ferry and had a lovely day in Plymouth. Unfortunately, a few got caught and the rest got a lecture the following morning but as pranks go, it deserves ten out of ten! Cool!!

Best we don't tell Jamie and I've just grounded Sam for the week!!

I Forgot to Mention.........

6) Dead DVD player!!

Toaster works.........I shouldn't have said that should I?

Most folk have problems in threes, we double it!! Fortunately, the fridge freezer did revive over night so that's one less thing to worry about.

It's still well hot. We are all suffering and I have awful heat rash. Thankfully, there is aircon in the bowling alley. Not that Martin or I played too well today, but never mind, better luck next time.

Jamie starts senior school tomorrow. I really can't believe she is almost twelve. Best of luck, Flowerpot, do well and enjoy xxxx

Would You Believe It?

I'm sure that we have some crazy leccy gremlin living in our apartment. We have had so many poorly, sick and bad appliances this year it's hard to keep up.

1) Computer - Repaired twice and now has a bad 'a' drive
2) PS2 - Completely dead
3) Dead kettle - replaced and the new one is looking ok so far, finger's crossed
4) Iron - struggling
5) Washing machine gave up the ghost and was replaced three weeks ago - needs the repair man come Monday............grrrr.

THEN we came home this evening to find the kitchen flooded. The fridge freezer has packed in!!!

Luckily, we hadn't done a big shop so not much to spoil but there isn't any cold water for 'im indoors' whiskey! Talk about priorities, what is he like? Telling him to 'chill out' didn't help (hee hee).

All mopped up and towels spread around and we'll see what it's like when we plug it back in. I'm always so hopeful!

September........already!

As my Nana used to say 'rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!!

I haven't any of those but I do have this pic of young Pepper. He's now wide eyed and on his feet........with a little help from Maisie by the look of things! Thanks Sam xx

Well, our cunning plan to win enough money to pay the locker fees flopped, even though we were both close. Ron won with 189 points with Brian a close second having 180. I had a split which included a green random pin. All I had to do was to knock the white one down............grrrr.......I missed it by a coat of paint! Two hundred euros out of the window. Not to worry as we both enjoyed our evening. Better luck next time!