A few bits of family news.
Within two weeks of arriving in the UK, Anita and John have managed to find a flat in Upton (which they will move into at the end of the month), buy a car and have their gear, including their computers, delivered from Austria (where they had left them at Margaret’s sister ‘s place prior to travelling around Europe).
Having found a gap in their busy schedule, they left on Friday 7th to visit friends in Kent, the Peak District and Anglesey. Prior to them leaving we all went out to an ‘open mike’ folk session at the Portsmouth Hoy on Poole Quay on the 5th. We met up with Tim, Gio and Jessica, unfortunately Janis couldn’t make it, as the girls were returning to school the following day after the summer break.
Before we arrived at the pub we paused to watch and listen to some morris dancers on the quay.
The Dorset Buttons are a well-known ladies morris dancing group. The light was fading fast by the time we arrived.
L-R: Anita, John, Andy, Margaret, Jessica, Tim and Gio at the Portsmouth Hoy.
I don’t know this ladies name but she sang some beautiful songs with a clear, yet soft voice.
On Thursday 8th Amber and Kara started back at school. Amber returns to Purbeck School at Wareham, but Kara has now left Sandford Middle School and has started at Lytchett School which is much closer. It hardly seems a year since I drove them to school for their first day.
Amber arriving at school a year ago. She says she doesn’t like this picture as she has a ‘cheesy grin’, but I think it’s rather cute.
With John and Anita away and the girls back at school, the house suddenly went quiet. On Friday 8th Kara had the day off school to attend the Taekwondo national competition in Manchester. She travelled up from Southampton with others in the club, the competitions were held on Saturday and Sunday. Kara had to weigh under 38 Kg to get in the required category and had starved herself for several days before hand. It was her first real competition but managed to come third, i.e. got the bronze medal. Well done Kara.
Kara and auntie Anita just before she leaves for the competition.
I haven’t got a photo of Kara at her Taekwondo competition but here she is demonstrating her high kicks recently on our visit to Derby.
On Sunday 9th we were invited for drink with Christine and her friend Malcolm and several of her other friends to celebrate her 23rd birthday. We first met Christine through birding but later she joined Margaret’s choir.
Christine and Malcolm photographed this time last year.
We retired to play billiards. I don’t think I’ve played billiards or snooker since I left University 40 years ago, and it showed!
On the 11th Margaret had her first choir session, which unfortunately clashed with our first birders pub for some time. Ten of us met for a drink and ran through the expected range of subjects: why had it taken so long for Dorset birders to identify (the admittedly very tricky) Short-billed Dowitcher, what was the real identity of the possible White-rumped Sandpiper on Brownsea and why can’t we get a decent view of the Swineham gravel pits any more.
Bird pub L-R: Roger Howell, Steve F Smith, Kevin Lane, Mark Constantine, Mo Constantine, Jackie Hull.
and on the other side of the table L-R: Nick Hull, Trevor Warwick, Shaun Robson.
And finally I had to include this cartoon. No I don’t think they miss me too much at work, the reality must be more like the final picture rather than the dream sequence!
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