Had a bigger than usual Grandparents’ session this weekend; in addition to the usual Sam, Tom, Lucas and Jackson we had Katie and Amy, John & Amanda’s girls staying over Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights whilst their parents enjoyed a quicky weekend in Prague.

To make keeping them amused easier, we arranged for the usual four to stay over Friday night too, so Madge had six to feed and bed down for two nights. It was mostly a rainy weekend, unfortunately, but we did manage to arrange a few outdoor games in the few fine sunny periods.

Lots of boisterous  indoor fun and games were had by all, and, by some miracle, no tears to speak of !

Pics below show Katie and Amy sporting my reading specs, Katie and Amy having a moment or two together, and Katie and Tom pausing between wrestling on the sofa. Aint life grand ! 

Now for a few days chilling out, in peace, in a quiet house !

Last weekend Madge and I were invited over to visit son John and his family on the East Coast.

The weather was fine, so after a pleasant lunch we all had an afternoon out on the seafront at Cleethorpes, strolling along the promenade and spending some time in the amusement arcades. A nice al fresco salad tea completed a fun day out.

First two pics below show Katie and Amy enjoying themselves on the play frame in the garden at home; next two show them having fun at the seaside with Daddy and Nanan. The simple pleasures are always the best !

By special request of my friend Shirley (see comments on last blog) here are pics of the interior of Granddaughter Lauren’s Doll’s House :-

Hope you like the pics, Shirley !

Here are more pics from our recent visit to son Paul and family at Hastings on the South Coast.

Paul’s garden has mature woodland attached, and using cane from one of the exotic trees we made bows and arrows and had great fun with target practice in the garden and in the meadow below the woods.

Jake became Robin Hood, whilst Dan was Will Scarlet and Lauren was Maid Marion. I, of course, became Little John !

First pic shows Lauren playing with the doll’s house we bought her last Christmas, second and third show Dan, Lauren and Jake practising their archery in the garden with Nanan keeping an eye on things, and the last pic shows all three having fun with Dad Paul on the tree down in the meadow below the woodland. Great Springtime fun !

   Well, here are the pics from our recent visit to the South Coast.

First pic shows Jake, Lauren and Dan sitting on a low branch in the nearby meadow; second pic shows the gang on the pebble beach; third shows Nanan with her Birthday cake at the party kindly laid on by her family, and the final one shows Nanan and I with the Grandkids on the front step ready for the journey home.

Aint life grand !

Just got back from a weeks’ visiting elder son Paul’s family down at the South Coast. They will shortly be moving home, so it has been our last chance to see them all in their present house in its lovely woodland setting.

We were blessed with blissful summer weather rather than the usual April showers, with every day warm and sunny. As it was the final week of the summer holidays, we had lots of time to spend with Grandkids Jake, Lauren and Dan.

One of my roles was as chief Pancake Maker at breakfast time: lovely to see the grandkids tuck in to pancakes and jam just like the regular weekend gang of  Sam, Luc, Jackson and Tom back up here in Yorkshire.

Lots of pics to come in the next two posts, as soon as I get them uploaded from the camera.

Just got back from our regular March visit to the Red Sea coast on the Gulf of Aquaba, part of our ongoing campaign to increase our four-month summer here in the UK by another couple of weeks at each end.

Pics below show Madge relaxing at the poolside, followed by myself also relaxing at the poolside; the jetty giving access to the coral reef, and finally water aerobics in the Sculptured pool.

I did my usual snorkelling off the reef, which is absolutely fantastic, but we both ducked out of the water aerobics on the grounds of pure laziness, although we did play table tennis several times a day.  Nice work if you can get it !

Great news ! I’ve just found out that I am perfect !

Here’s the logic.

We all know that nobody is perfect.

I am a nobody.

Therefore, I am Perfect !

 This week is the school holidays here in the UK. Sara and Adam are having a six-day break in New York, which leaves Madge and I in charge of Grandsons Sam and Tom along with cousins Lucas and Jackson for a few days, with Luc and Jackson’s parents helping out on the days when we have “expired”.

Fortunately, the weather has been relatively mild with some sun, so visits to the local park and playing out in the garden have filled in the first day nicely, with a bit of telly, video games and cake-making taking up the first  evening.

Pics below show games of “tigs” in the garden and Victoria Sponge Cake and Brownies being made in the kitchen.

Will we last out for the week ? – only time will tell !

This advert, probably the most successful “lonely hearts” ad ever printed, appeared in the Atlanta Journal on Valentines day and attracted 15,000 replies from interested blokes:-

“Single black female seeks loving male companionship. I’m a very good girl who loves to play. I like long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips and cosy winter nights lying by the fire.

Candlelit dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I’ll be at your front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me.

Call 404-875-6420 and ask for Daisy. I’ll be waiting !”

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So, more than 15,000 fired up but very surprised blokes found themselves talking to the Atlanta Dog Rescue Society.