Christmas 2019

I have been remiss in not writing a post for ages, but this was James's first Christmas, so I couldn't let that pass unrecorded.
On a sadder note, we lost Carmen...my brother Chris's wife....to cancer in a German clinic, just before Christmas, and now I hear Dilys and I have just lost our school friend Carolyn who had been battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma since 2012. The same age as us. Unfortunately, I have no photo of her to share.

So here are a few photos to mark the occasions...good and bad.

A few months ago

What am I doing here?

This was Elizabeth's 40th birthday, with Carmen, Chris and family

Thought I had better show you the Christmas tree. This is its second year. Hopefully it will last a bit longer.

I'm not too sure about this!!

For James's fan club

Here he is....some of the pictures you have already seen, but I was fiddling with Picasa, and just had to do a quick collage of a few of the photos so far.
Doubtless there will be loads more to come, when he reaches other interesting stages along the way, but at this early age, here are a few of his expressions.

James in all his moods, except crying!

50th

I can hardly believe I am writing this, but we have at last reached the milestone. Yes,  our 50th wedding anniversary was yesterday....6th June, which also, incidentally, is the 75th anniversary of the D-day landings in WW2. So I was just a year old then.

We had thought of having a couple of days away, but with the weather being so horrible, we decided that we could easily wait until things improved.
So here is a picture of my bracelet, which, with the help of Summie, I am gradually filling up. Jim bought me two rose gold baubles for it, and when we mentioned to the girl that it was our 50th, she produced one with a 50 on it, so of course we just had to have that one too.

Next week is Jim's 75th birthday, so now I shall have to have a think about that. However, yesterday I made a trifle, as I know it is one of his favourites, and better than a cake, so that was our celebratory food for the day. Unfortunately, I forgot all about the bottle of champagne that had been in the fridge since Christmas, so that will be saved for another occasion.

It's gradually filling up.

4 weeks old

I think he will be a bit of a talker, judging by this picture

At a month, little James is starting to be more aware and making sounds. We say he is talking, but certainly he is looking around and things in the house interest him. So now here he is, having a 'playtime',and telling it like it is!!  He is as hungry as ever, and at this rate will be a giant!!

Telling it like it is!!

And Again!!

So here is James at 2 weeks old. We all can see a big difference in his alertness and taking note of everything.
No doubt this photo doesn't look all that different to the first ones......but we in the know can see it!!

No, I shan't bombard you with pictures of him, unless something is noteworthy.

James at 2 weeks.

James Anthony

Here he is....our first grandchild, James Anthony (after his 2 grandfathers) only a couple of days old. We went to the hospital early this morning in blinding rain, as Amelia is still very tired and sore, and she had other family members that she wanted to see as well.
So I had a little cuddle, and here are some pictures.

And it's done!

Do we or do we not have a spanking brand new back deck......at last!?

Jim has worked his butt of to get it done, and now, here we are, ready for the next 25 years!!

So one more job accomplished in the long list of things 'to do' !!  As there are with any old house.

But how wonderful to come out of the back door and not be afraid to put your foot through a rotten plank!

So here is the proof!

Finally....a job well done!

At long last!!

Finally, we have got round to replacing the rotten back deck. Several times we almost put our foot through rotten wood, so we bit the bullet and pulled it all up.
There was (needless to say) a lot of old rubbish underneath, including a pair of my old runners (who knows why?).

Today I raked up some of the rubbish, and then Jim got down to it. Of course, nothing was straight and level, and as we couldn't move the bluestone walls, we just had to fit it in as best we could. He is out there now fixing in the joists. The decking hasn't arrived yet, as Sylvan Timber had to order some more in, but it gives us a good start to be getting on with.

Naturally, a pictorial record was a 'must' for posterity!!

The first day.

It was a boiling hot day...most unpleasant for heavy work.

At last, all gone....except the rubble!

Today,s effort, and thank goodness a lot cooler.