November 2007

November seems to be hectic. Melvyn is as busy as ever. He still doesn't understand the word "part-time" and I'm doing lots of supply teaching at school. The extra money is great, but we are counting down the days till our next holiday for a rest.
We went up to Yorkshire on a flying visit to see family and deliver Christmas presents and I managed to meet up with the "Ladies who lunch" from good old Keighley Girls' Grammar School days. It's lovely to catch up with all the chat. Any old school friends from way back recognise anyone in the photo?

October 2007

Before we left Florida this time we had decided to remodel the kitchen. We used a company called Home Depot which is the US equivalent of B&Q - same store lay out, same overals - and they did a good job, finishing just before it was time for us to leave. We still have to buy a new cooker (range for our American friends) and coffee maker etc. when we're over next, but the main work is done.
Some people who know our Reading kitchen might be confused by the similarity, but when you like something, why change it? Despite loving life in US, I still haven't got used to the "country kitchen" look.

Septembet 2007

Once September started we were back on a plane flying west, for a 6 week stay in Florida. It was our first long stay this year and we were both ready for it. During the holiday we visited Peru for a week, flying from Tampa to Lima and then on to Cusco and finally Machu Picchu. Originally we'd wanted to walk the Inca Trail, but the doctors weren't happy about it after Melvyn's heart operation last year. I have to say I'm glad we didn't. I'm finally accepting that I'm not as young and fit as I'd like to be. However the train journey to Machu Picchu is well worth it and the place itself is absolutely magical. We both agreed it was one of the best places we'd seen.

August 2007

Most of August was spent in Reading. It's something to do with retiring from teaching that stops me wanting to holiday with the rest of the school population. Sarah came back from a trip to Iceland with friends. and Melvyn and I went to see Paul and Laurraine (friends from Keighley days) in Ripon. While we were in the north, we had a couple of nights in the Lake District and called in to see family on the way home.

July 2007

We spent most of this month wondering if Katy was going to move into her new flat. Complications seemed to occur each day. Finally on 27th of the month she was able to move out of Upper Belgrave Road into what seemed like an enormous two bedroomed flat a short distance away.
Other events of note were the flooding at school, afternoon tea at the Ritz with Susie and panic extra SATs marking in London.

June 2007

The first two weeks of June were exhausting for me. I was marking KS2 English SATs again and had agreed to do two weeks full time teaching. As I write this, I can see piles of marked papers waiting to be posted to schools and I am able to sleep in without fear of the alarm going off at 6:30am. So just waiting for the money which can't be bad!
Lucky for us Carole and Clem invited us to their holiday place for a short break, so I managed some "me" time after the shock of work!

May 2007

We managed to have a restful week with Bob and Hilary at their place in Crete, during which we walked the Imbros Gorge and spent a day seeing parts of Chania, we'd previously missed. The rest of our sixsome stayed in England to become grandparents. Congratulations!
Other highlights were a day trip to see my brother-in-law on his 70th birthday, Melvyn and Sarah's trip to "Porgy and Bess" and Melvyn and I saw "King Lear" in Stratford. Some of the staff at school started a scrap booking group...really an excuse for a monthly natter out of the classroom and a lovely meal.

April 2007

We spent the beginning of April in Florida, leaving earlier than usual for a friend's wedding in England. The day of the wedding was beautiful and, as it was in Nottingham, the four of us had an overnight stop there. I went with Sarah to see "Equus" in London; rather strange to see more of Harry Potter than we see in his films! It was Sarah's Christmas present to me; she gave us all a trip to the theatre as her broken leg before Christmas had made shopping rather restricted. I wasn't complaining!
Katy had her 30th birthday on 26th April. She started celebrating by a spa trip and dinner out, followed by a tea party (in true Jane style) at our house on the Saturday, then camping the following weekend with friends. Katy still likes to make celebrations last a long time.

March 2007

Near the end of March we flew out to New York with Katy for a few days before flying south for Easter in Florida. It was Katy's first time in New York and we had great fun showing her the sights and seeing new ones for ourselves. When we were there before it was just after 9/11 and there were no trips to the Statue of Liberty, so it was good to spend a day there and at Ellis Island this time. The weather was good enough for a lunch break in Central Park.

February 2007

During February we had our annual holiday with the Spences and McCartens, which started when all our girls were young. The only difference is that now we are children free, the destinations have improved from a farmhouse in Dorset. This year we spent a week in Budapest in Hungary. It's a beautiful city and well worth a visit.

January 2007

Once Christmas and the New Year were over, things started to get exciting in preparation for Eileen's big 60. We had real fears that the gazebo would been demolished by the rain that persisted all day, but by some lucky chance the weather calmed down by the evening and we had a great time dancing to music from the 60s and 70s. Room in the house were decorated in the theme of different decades and lots of brave people came dressed in the most fantastic outfits.