Had a “Turkey & Tinsel 5-day break at Bodelwyddan Castle, a Warner’s resort in North Wales in December. Lots to do with dancing, indoor bowls, table tennis and first-class evening entertainment.

Nice to have an early practice at Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve before tackling the real thing with all its planning and effort !

As always, the staff made it a very authentic experience, putting on superb seasonal meals with all the trimmings, and creating a great Yuletide atmosphere.

Pics below show the rear of the castle, the indoor swimming pool and the indoor bowling rink.

Instead of our regular October break on the Red Sea at the Hyatt Regency, Taba Heights, we chose this time to go further south to the Royal Albatros Moderna resort at Sharm-el-Sheikh, as we had such a good time with the family at this resort in April, and the price was so good with a saving of more than £600, plus the advantages of an all-inclusive holiday.

We were not disappointed. The Red Sea climate, as always, was perfect with non-stop sunny skies the whole time.

 Morning breakfast, ice cream and soft drinks at the pool bar, lunch down at the beach bar, afternoon tea on the terrace, evening meal with wine when the sun went down, lots of games of table tennis in the games area, and card games and drinks in the terrace bar area before having a hot chocolate and then retiring to our room. And we managed to keep this up for a fortnight !

Pics below show part of the Water Park, the pool area near our loungers, the main pool area looking at the steps leading up to the restaurants, our room, Madge “chillling out” on the pool lounger, if that’s the correct expression at 28c, and the outside view of our apartment building near the beach.

Currently enjoying our annual September break at Estartit, Costa Brava, as guests of Niece Gayle and husband Brian in their second caravan which is permanently sited there.

As always, the weather has been perfect, sunny every day in the low 30s and balmy evenings, a perfect precursor to our November trip to Sharm-el-Sheik on the Red Sea coast.

Pics below show views of the Old Town,the harbour, the camp pool and we two chilling out on site:-

Had a lovely three-week Grandchildren experience in July.

Started with a week’s visit to Son Paul’s home in Battle, East Sussex,

taking daughter Sara’s younger son Tom to visit his cousins Jake and twins Lauren and Dan.

Although Tom and Dan live over 200 miles apart, they converse regularly as they play joint games online on the X-box several times a week.

We had days out on the beach, at the beach fairground, and the swimming pool, and with the weather being warm and sunny the whole time, we breakfasted al fresco every day on the garden terrace and had barbecues on two lovely sunny evenings.

One memorable feature of our visit was Finlay (Fin), Jake’s new Miniature Schnauser puppy. His tiny size, big floppy feet and friendly nature made him an instant hit with everyone.

When we returned home, we brought Dan and Lauren with us up to Yorkshire for a couple of weeks. First week they spent with us, along with Tom and elder brother Sam, (and for acouple of days Katie and Amy over from Cleethorpes) with fun in the garden in the tree house and a visit to the local park for a picnic.

Hard work for us, though, with from four to seven grandkids to bed and feed for a week !

At the end of the first week, we all went over to daughter Sara’s for an indoor Barbecue, after which Dan stayed over at Sara’s for the week with Tom, whilst Lauren went over to son John’s house near Cleethorpes for the week to play with Katie and Amy, John’s little girls.

All in all, a great three-week family get-together, honing up my breakfast waffle and pancake- making skills.

Now back to the quiet life !

Pics below show  Finlay looking cute, five of the Grandkids in typical Disney Channel-watching mode, and activity during our picnic in the local park back home in Yorkshire.

Having returned from our holiday on the Red Sea at Sharm with daughter Sara and family together with son Paul and his family, the end of May was the time to return to the Red Sea, this time to our regular Hyatt Regency Hotel at Taba Heights with second son John and his family.

Whilst there, we all bumped into a family, father Danny, wife Terry and daughter Grace, at the poolside. We all then realized that we had met there – at the same time of year - two years ago. What kind of coincidence is that !   Grace made a great pal for John & Amanda’s two girls Katie and Amy.

Katie (9)  had a go at Scuba diving down at the Dive Centre, and managed a full 31 minutes continuous dive. She seemed to be under water for ever !

As always, the climate was perfect, with non-stop sun all day every day, so Madge and I have better tans than we have had for years.

Pics below show myself and Madge with Granddaughters Katie and Amy on our way to the Hotel Manager’s cocktail party (we’re invited to this every year as repeat long-term guests); the whole gang of us lounging at the pool; Katie, Amy and their Girl Gang in the hotel lounge area, and finally Madge and I having our last meal at the Pool Bar before setting off home.

What a great year this has been for us wrinklies in terms of family holidays. And we ain’t finished yet – there’s still Spain in September and back to Taba Heights in October, if we don’t weaken !

Enjoyed a new experience of the Red Sea in April this year. Madge and I were organized by daughter Sara and family on a fortnight’s stay in Sharm-El-Sheik in an all-inclusive at the Pick Albatross Hotel. On the second week we were joined by eldest son Paul and family.

The hotel was first class; we were upgraded to a first-floor King Suite sharing with Sara and family, whilst Paul and family occupied a neighbouring suite, both having balconies overlooking the main pool areas.

The hotel complex included an adjoining  Waterpark which had terrific slides and flumes, and no queueing !

All in all a first class relaxing family holiday, enjoying watching the Grandkids and occasionally joining them in the pools and on the slides and flumes.

Pics below show a shot of the main site and pool area, a view of our King Suite room, Madge and I relaxing over a meal in the Beach Bar, Sara and family in the dining room, Madge and elder son Paul with wife Silvia,  a shot of the Pool Bar, and finally a view of the 700yd. long jetty over the coastal reef.

Had our early Spring break at a Warner’s Adults Only venue as usual at the beginning of March this year.

For a change, we went down to the border of Norfolk and Suffolk on the East Coast to visit Corton Village. Unlike our usual Nidd Hall, Thorseby Hall and Bodelwyddan Castle breaks, Corton Village is right on the coast, and the apartments are laid out in the grounds of the resort rather in the main building.

We followed our usual routine of  just chilling out reading the papers, reading novels, playing table tennis, dancing and being entertained in the evening in the excellent entertainment suite. The first night was particularly memorable for us, as we were entertained by a full Swing Band playing all our favourite stuff from the Thirties, Forties and Fifties.

Pics below show the interior of the Dining Room and Madge at the door of our Bungalow Apartment.

Only a month to go now before we go to Sharm-El-Sheik on the Red Sea. Slight lift in ambient temperature from 6c to 30c……..Bring it on !

 Just got back from a pre-Christmas “Turkey and Tinsel” break at Warners’ Thorseby Hall, near Nottingham.

A couple of days to chill out and be spoiled by good seasonal food and entertainment in the lead up to a family Christmas.  With the majority of the country under a thick blanket of snow, we were very lucky to have clear blue skies and no snow on both journeys, and even enjoyed a winter walk in the extensive grounds under a winter sun.

Pics below show a view of Thorseby Hall, the interior of the Great Hall, a view of the dining room and a couple of outside shots on our walk through the grounds. Lovely Jubbly !

Here we are, Madge & I, soaking up the sun on our regular Autumn break at Taba Heights on the Gulf of Aqaba, the northern tip of the Red Sea.

Pics below show two views from our balcony; first, over the saltwater pool just inland from the beach, and second over the shrubbery to the Red Sea itself.

Videos show the pool area we are using at the moment and a part of the kiddies’ disco party held in the evenings on the patio outside the restaurant. (This will get a lot bigger when all the kids appear next week during the school holidays)

The weather, as always, is non-stop sun, but dry and fresh in the shade. I think we can cope with this for another couple of weeks or so !

 The Ten Rules For Being Human
Like The Top 10 Rules of Life, these aren’t necessarily funny, but they’re true.

**  I used to try to hammer home Rules 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10, especially 2, 4 and 10, to every class I took when I was teaching :-

1. You will receive a body. It may or (more likely) may not be perfect.

2. You will be presented with lessons. It’s up to you whether you learn them or not — but life is a lot easier if you do.

3. Some lessons are randomly repeated until learned (and sometimes after that).

4. The real world doesn’t care as much about your self-esteem as your school does.

5. Learning does not end.

6. “There” is no better than “here.”

7. Other people are only mirrors of you.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. If it’s “boring” that’s your fault.

9. All the answers lie inside you.

10. Life is not fair. Get used to it.