End of the invasion and a fool in the sun

Well that is the visit - or invasion - over, Sister and family are back safe in the Swine Flu capital of the UK, Leicester.

We all had a great time and I think they all seemed to enjoy themselves. The cats are already missing the extra grooming that they lined up for each evening. Oh well something for the parents to continue this coming week.

Off to the UK tomorrrow for a week running some training in the London facility, hopefully time to get out and have some fun with friends

whilst I am there as well - not all work and no play.

Seem to be accomplished at making an arse of myself this year, and no sign of it letting up, you sometimes do things that on reflection you should just leave well alone and not knowing an answer is often better than finding out the truth.

Hey ho, working on the basis that you can only go so far in the wrong direction before you realise that you need to turn around and sort things out. Also that you cant always read things wrong and at some point you will make the right choice and decision and life might just start to come together - sounds like bollocks but what the heck.

Will it happen, who knows...

Love this picture of the sunflower field with Ginny and Lily.

MONKEY!!!

AT LAST!
With the help of Lily we managed to track down the elusive monkey at the bottom of the garden!



Managed to get a couple of snaps of it as it sat in the tree...













Still unaware we were there, we tried to get around the other side of the copse...














Tricky focusing through the leaves in front of the animal...











AH HA - there it is MONKEY













Seems to be happy, will be putting bananas out to see if it comes back!!!!

Wrinkled as a prune? Reclining and fun

Invasion two has started and the pool is getting more than its fair share of use, even with the temperature significantly lower than in recent weeks.

This doesn't seem to bother Lily though, ans it is likely that she will return to England in a similar condition to a prune!

Been a great couple of days so far, and today the new sofas arrived - in six boxes... spent an hour with Dan putting them together - funnily the cricket was on at the same time, so that helped keep us busy.

The reclining parts are fantastic and they are going to come in all sorts of use.




A few pictures of the family - Lily and I enjoying some evening sun.























Lily looking out over the French countryside, the Gers in the background.

Lily enjoying the pool.

http://toulousearlydays.blogspot.com/

A typical morning...?

Get up; shower; put coffee on, find a pastry.

Wander outside and fish out 3 frogs from the pool and sundry leaves after the most amazing storm last night - lightning and thunder for about 6 hours, forked lightning was spectacular, but the lightning inside the clouds during the sunset was amazing, wish I had a video camera - anyway back to the morning.

Catch fledgling Redstart flying/hoping around the living room! - not sure how long he had been there - Release to anxious parents perching on the balcony making all sorts of encouraging (for birds I guess) noises, he managed to fly to the trees so nothing wrong by the look of him.

Red Squirrel back again that's three times this week, along with about four green woodpeckers, and was awoken by the haunting sound of the Golden Oriole - still not got a good look at it, it's about as elusive as a Golden Snitch!

Set off to work 8.49 - arrived 9.15 as traffic better at the later time.... hmmm, maybe a longer lie in can be had...

Anyway off to pretend to work until the cricket starts, and then collecting Sister, husband and daughter this afternoon - already had complaints about the rain...! I am sure it will clear up...

Golf day pictures - deserved their own comments...

A very nice swing for the Stag to start the day... but did it continue?
















A rare picture of Steve not in the bushes taking relief... not the golfing kind...



















Stance is very important apparently...

Post game debrief over a beverage

The Elephant and Castle, Old Amersham, continuing the debrief and starting the hunt for the BB...

"I can hang here all night, look one hand!"

"She hasn't got one, honest..."

Something deeply interesting no doubt...

And finally FOOD - or more food in some cases...

Indian(s), Golf and missing belly buttons

Well what a great weekend, got back to the UK on Friday and after paying a trip to Hings for Haddock, Chips and Mushy Peas - cant get anything like that here - spent an afternoon at the house and meeting the agent to discuss what needed to be done to bring it up to rental standard.

Then ventured up to the golf range for a first swing at a ball in anger, 60 balls £3 or 59.5 if you are Mr H... - I later realised that having said I never played I wasn't including time on the Wii, does that count... - After the range a little putting practice and then back to Chez H for a shower and get ready to go out. Half an eye on the Ashes test as well, was looking to be slightly disappointing after such a strong looking start.

Went out and had a wholly enjoyable evening in the company of Mr T; Mss B and Mr H; venue the Rajhastan - and my what a fab meal that was. It has been at least two months since Indian food has passed my lips and it was a joy to again taste the peshwari nan, Tamarind chicken and sundries.

Saturday met a friend over coffee in the morning and then the afternoon was the start of Mr Smiths Stag... Mr H and myself met up with Mr T; Mr F and drove (courtesy of Mr F) over to Wexham park club.
Found most of the other participants already onto their first/second drink and first/second meal by the time we got there. So ordered a beer - nothing "proper" on the pump, grrrr - and then a Roast Beef sandwich and fat chips, something else France lacks - Beer; roast beef sarnie and fat chips!

After some of the guys had hired clubs and we all payed our green fees, we headed off to the range or putting greens for some pre-match warm up. 20 Balls a £1 and not to many wasted ones!

Off to the course - after what seemed like a walk to the next county... we all arrived at the first tee, so the first group lined themselves up and started to swing at the ball, there was a lot of swinging and not a lot of hitting at various times in the day, but eventually they made it away, followed by the second group and then finally our four.
Well first clatter went fairly well with it staying on the fairway - not overly distant but at least it was playable. So ensued a very enjoyable 2 1/2 hours of 9 holes of golf, a little drizzle on the 6th - unless you Mr T who had a little drizzle on the 1st, 3rd, 4th 6th etc, etc. - but other than that a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Once we had all gathered at the 9th it was back to return clubs, make sure the beer was still okay and then plan to retire to Amersham for the evening.

Got to Amersham about 6.30 and went to the lovely Elephant and Castle, great pub and actually had people in it who could communicate and were not slumped over bags of post benefit cheque shopping, unlike Chesham at the moment.

Well a few well deserved libations and conversation - at least on our side of the bar - turned to the location of the barmaids belly button or even the existence of one, low slung jeans and a top rolled up, showing off an extremely flat and toned tummy if we are fair, and yet no sign of a belly button - inny or outy - so was it very high, very low or could she be a test tube clone...
After contemplating and deciding that it may well result in a slap if broached we moved of to the Indian restaurant that was booked... the numbers it was booked for seems to have gone astray during the booking process was it 8 at 10 or 10 at 8... whatever we all eventually made it around the table - Second Indian in two days and the opportunity to have the other favourite dishes, fantastic.

Food was great, company entertaining and a great evening was had by all, eventually replete and happy we made our way back to the Elephant and Castle - still no sign of it... - and had a further round or two of libations.

Then a weird thing happened a bell rang at just before 11... had we inadvertently stepped through a rift in the space time continuum? No Old Amersham has Old Licencing - to be fair it is very residential, so drinking up time and last orders were still going strong.

We then made our way home - again courtesy of Mr F. What a star!

A big thanks to all the organising committee and good luck to Matt - you surely won't need it... - and see you next as Mr Smith - no change there other than you might not be allowed out I guess...

Apparently the complex scoring, handicapping and general convoluted rules used means it could be several more days before the overall finishing positions are revealed... There may also be some pictures posted here if Mr T official snapper manages to download off his camera - hint, hint!

Bats, Hornets(?) and gardening

A really busy week at work, was good to get to the weekend and time to relax(ish).

The garden flower beds and roses and all the climbing plants have been taken into hand - not by me, but the owner was visiting from Australia and decided to come over and do some maintenance.

Also ended up with four children in the pool for the afternoon, courtesy of next door, they seemed to have fun, and I didn't end up charging the €5 a head I thought about...

At least I know have an idea of which are the weeds and which are the plants, so hopefully can keep it in check from now on.

A rather large hornet type thing decided to try and make a nest in the railings of the balcony, was quite fascinating watching it build a spit and soil nest - although I did get rid of it as the thought of a hornets nest on the balcony didnt seem condusive to relaxing times, watching the sun go down, which is does so well!.

Saturday night was livened up with the visit from another bat, although this one decided to hang around - literally - and I ended up collecting it off the wall and taking it out to the balcony to release. Stupidly failing to take a picture of it when I had it so the only one I got was on the wall so a little odd as it hangs from a crack in the plaster.

Was great seeing it unfold its wings just before it launched itself out my hand and into the darkness.

Sunday started on hands and knees adding some nourishment to the parquet flooring in the 2nd bedroom downstairs, getting it ready for visitors later in the month. Then a spot of gardening and pool chores, followed by pool testing.

The sun was obviously a little stronger than I thought and I have slightly red thighs... think I caught it in time though...

Looking forward to being back at the weekend for Matt's stag, still not convinced on the golf front, but we will see, should be good fun whatever happens.

Also hoping to meet up with a few more old friends and catch up over the weekend.

Hopefully will be an easier (quieter) week this week!!!