Albama 2023 - July 14 - Sad News

We had some bad news - Jo's mum passed away, and news reached us in the early morning, just after midnight.  We were, understandably, up late. The day started with watching Wimbledon.  A lot of the time was spent talking about our families and their history - what we could remember.  Robert showed us his grandfather's rifle with the presumed Japanese writing on it. It is a historic object and cannot be fired.  We were unsuccessful in our translation attempts.

Staycation - Despicable Me

Due to various planning difficulties, and Brody having his treatments, the second week of my holiday will be at home this year.

So, starting with Saturday.  Liz had arranged a visit with Leo to see "Despicable Me 3" at the cinema.

I had won 4 tickets to the Odeon in the raffle at the Carousel concert at St Mary's recently, so we had to go to either Chelmsford or Southend.  Chelmsford is closer, and I don't like the Odeon in Southend, so it was an easy choice.  Not realising we could have book, we arrived at the cinema in time to get the last 4 seats together (2 in row A, 2 in Row B).  Things were going our way as I had driven straight into an available space in the car park on the ground floor near the entrance.

We were soon settled in the theatre, enforced toilet breaks taken.  It was FULL.  The noise was horrific.  Next to me two young girls were 'nesting' - they had a blanket, had removed their shoes and were huddled together like birds on a cliff edge in a storm - except they also had mobile phones.

The film started, and the volume it was played at mainly drowned out the noise, only during quieter parts could you here the inane chatter.  Next to me two skype sessions were in full swing, they weren't interested in the screen it seemed, they couldn't see it from under the blanket for part of the time.  Meanwhile, Leo sat in his seat eating his sweets and was properly engrossed in the film.  Surely that's what you go to the cinema for.

Ah, yes, the film. It is popular today to talk about fictional universes - so here goes.  The Despicable Me universe containing Gru,  Dr Nefario (who is still a man (#DrWho), but not in this film), Lucy,  the three girls and the Minions is not as consistent as it should be.  As the minions are looking for the 'most evil  boss' surely they should switch from Gru to Dru (the twin brother) but they don't.  Nevertheless, the story is good enough, the jokes are reasonable, and the animation is very good.  There are also some nice asides and cross-references for the adults.  Dr Nefario in Carbonite - for example.  So - enjoyable, if not brilliant.

Meeting Madelyn

The plan was to be in Alabama in plenty of time for the birth. Madelyn had other ideas, after I booked the flights she was born 3 weeks earlier than expected. So she is a 2016 baby, not a 2017 baby.

The journey to Alabama is never quick. From the taxi to the airport at 9:45 to leaving Hartsfield Jackson airport sometime around 2am the following morning, it is a tiring trip.  The 'returning ESTA' automated entry certainly cuts the queues, and got us through without too much delay.   After more than a 100-mile drive,  with a break at a Wendy's for refreshments, we arrived in Auburn and finally met Madelyn.  A while later,  around 5am, we checked in to our hotel.  After about an hour of sleep, I began to wake up.

In the American morning, we had a good breakfast and were picked up by Karen and taken to their house. That set the pattern for the next few days, until Robert's mum left for a while, and we moved into her room.

Our time has mainly been spent playing with Robbie, in the house or in the play area (where there are swings  and a sandpit) and feeding and comforting Mady. I have a reputation for being good at getting her to sleep. Our presence has allowed Karen to get some much-needed rest, too.

Studying the information board
in the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve

We have had a walk in the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve where there are climbing frames in the playground and at the top of one of them a 'bring and swap library' that I was very impressed with. We saw a turtle in the lake which moved too fast for me to get a picture, and a lizard of some sort running between the planks that make up the back of the seat.

An unknown lizard.

We have also visited a park called Hickory Dickory,  where there are larger climbing frames.  Robbie enjoyed running around and climbing up the steps, but the park is really built for older children, many of the activities require longer legs.

We watched Finding Dory on the TV,  I'm not sure whether this was for Robbie or us, as a sequel it is a good film.  We also watched Jurassic World, which was much better than I expected - and definitely not for Robbie.

There were occasional breaks from the children.  We visited the Red Clay Brewing Company to try their beers.  They are a small craft beer brewery,  the site is tiny, and the tour is hardly a walk.  We tried five beers each, all were good, but one was not to my taste - that's why I try things - to find out what I like. The beers are on a chalk board because they change regularly. Their distribution is very local, but they have plans to increase production by 500%. I wish them well,  it is good to see craft beer flourishing outside the UK.  

We visited a new local cinema to see 'Rogue One',  a Star Wars film.  It was surprisingly good, so was the cinema.

We had a day out at the Georgia Aquarium -  all of us, an amazing experience.  The sea lion show and the dolphin show were both great, but the 4D experience, a shortened version of 'Happy Feet', was really a waste of time - the movements, the wind and snow were poor and there was way too much waiting around for things to get started and then to get going. The food at the aquarium was ridiculously expensive - but as Karen said, they have to support the aquarium somehow. Nevertheless, it was a really good day and Robbie talked of the aquarium every day after our visit.

When in America, do as the Americans do - eat out. We have been to lots of restaurants and had some really good food.  Perhaps my favourite was Ted's where I once again had Bison (listed as an American super food as it is red meat and low in cholesterol). Karen has also fed us well with some American breakfasts - biscuits and sausage gravy,  for example, and many dinners - she is a good cook. 

The other American experience we had was less special.  A tornado alert put us in the bathroom, in the middle of breakfast. The bathroom is the most 'inner' room in the apartment, so provides the most protection.  The tornado touched down about 2.5 miles from us and moved away, this one did not cause much damage - just a few trees uprooted, and it did not last long, but in other places people died as tornados in the same weather system caused serious devastation.

The flight back should have been via Detroit, but when I tried to check in there were two flights, both ending in London.  A long call later, we found that we were transferred to the direct flight for ATL to LHR, which left 2 hours later.  That made for a much easier departure day as there was no need to get up early and leave for the airport by 9am.  It took only 10 minutes to get through security at ATL, and that included time to go from one desk to the other and back again because the printed boarding card and the computer system it had just been printed from disagreed on our status.  The flight was OK, and comparing Virgin (back) to Delta (out) both Jo and I thought Virgin was slightly better.
Can't wait to see them again, unfortunately that will be at least months away.

This is my first picture of Mady awake, she was about to have a bath, an experience that she really did not like.
During our stay, her eyes changed from black to dark blue, and I expect they will get lighter in the next few weeks.  The other noticeable change was in her face.  Her cheeks filled out quite noticeably, a good sign that she is growing.
She is a lovely wriggly baby, but don't argue with her - she will always get her own way.

Algarve family holiday Part 1 - Preparation

Arranging a family holiday when your children are all grown up and have children of their own can be difficult.  By now they all have commitments in their lives and may not be able to get away at a particular time.  I wanted the family to get together as a celebration of my 60th birthday.  We settled on the last week of May, the one leading up to the bank holiday.  So, a big thank you to my children, and their spouses for making it possible.  I know there were some difficulties and I appreciate the effort some of you made.
Then the question is "Where to go?"  As one of our party does not fly, the first choice - Florida - is not an option.  We agreed on the Algarve.  Then to find somewhere to stay. I found and offered a selection and the choice was unanimous, so the Villa was booked: Villa Ana. Next, Brody also needs his holiday, and we are wary of kennels.  We heard about PetStay, and decided to give them a try.  As the dog / dog sitter must meet prior to the holiday, we arranged a time to travel to see the sitter.  There was some sort of mix up, so we had to reschedule and the eventual meeting went very well.  Meanwhile we received a notice that the Villa is no longer with HomeAway and we have to deal direct with the owner. 
Now I'm starting to wonder if there even is a Villa Ana.  Fortunately in the internet age it is possible to find out and Liz managed to find it on Street View, even if the address we were given could not be found - it appeared to be 800 metres from the location we had found.
Finally we needed transport, arranging drivers and cars had to be done as well.  I used RentalCars.com, because they offered a wide selection.  I was looking for space, seats and comfort.  Their site does not handle two rentals at all well, and it got very confused on the second booking, so much so that I had to close the browser and start again.
Flights had to be booked too.  We started by doing a few basic comparisons, we wanted to fly from Southend, but the cost was very high, however while I was waiting for various passports to arrive the costs at Stanstead rose significantly, so Southend became worth the premium.  Booked with EasyJet, and we were pleased with their treatment of families with children. 

All booked and ready to go two weeks before travel, but there's still the question of the Villa - have we really booked Villa Ana - the one on the website, or somewhere else, or not at all?

Off the wall

I suppose every Grandparent will know that watching grandchildren grow up is nothing like watching your own children grow up.  Firstly, you are not as busy, so you have more time.  When you are with them, you don't have the ultimate responsibility, although it may see as though you do.  At a recent get together, I was playing with my eldest grandson (nearly three).  He is always running around and highly active, he has more energy than I do.  One of his favourite activities at this event was jumping off a wall.  Walking on and jumping off walls is one of those simple childhood pleasures that seem to be disappearing today, so I was pleased to watch him enjoying himself, while I was also looking after him.  He had a couple of tumbles at first, but he soon mastered his new skill.  He is not the sort of child who gives up at the first knock, so even when he fell he came back for more.  He was soon jumping off that wall as easily as he was running back to me to be lifted up again.  There were a couple of other boys there, both heavier and taller, but not a great deal older, I should think.  Perhaps they were impressed by my little athlete, or perhaps they just naturally like to join in.  Not being one to turn children away, I helped them up and held their hands for their first few jumps, as I had with my grandson.  All little boys want to be independent, so both of them wanted to try to do it on their own.  I'm pleased to say that both succeeded, but one got it slightly wrong on his third or fourth attempt and ended up banging his head on the grass - at which point he left in tears, and I didn't see him again.  It was a shame, because it wasn't a big accident.
Even writing this I am aware of the 'health and safety' culture that does not want to see even the slightest bump, but bumps and bruises (and probably much worse) are inevitable in this world, and are key to development.  Without knowing your current limit and trying to exceed it, no progress is ever made.  We don't need to get philosophical with small children though - all we need to do for them is let them enjoy the challenges - walking on, or jumping off the wall, or down the last step(s) of the stairs, and to let them enjoy the exhilaration of it.

Bank Holiday Monday and other farces

I promised myself I would make at least one entry per month, just to keep myself up-to-date with myself.  Not forgetting my reader, of course, so welcome to the August Entry.
Health Progress
August is the month when my periodic checks come around, so I have given blood for testing and will get the results next week.  All the normal stuff - Lipids, blood sugar, liver and kidney function.  But the main health issue has been caused by another change in the prescription process. I had a letter from the GP informing me of the new system that was available and a form to sign up for it.  This new repeat prescription process is as useless to me as the previous one.  I had already said 'no' to that some time ago.  However, I was given 9 sheets of prescriptions, which the chemist would not honour, as I was not prepared to register with them for the repeat process.  I do not always use the same chemist, so if I put all eight repeats with just one I am likely to miss out on some drugs sometime soon.  After two journeys to chemists and one to the surgery I am back on the old process - and my blood pressure is back to normal.
Some good news is that my weight is the lowest it has been since the beginning of 2008, when I was 17 stone (238 lb, 108.1 kg).  On Saturday I was 14st 10.8lb (206.8 lb, 93.8 kg), or if the scales do the conversion 94kg - an anomaly I do not yet understand.
Bank Holiday Weekend
Andy, Jess and Leo came to lunch on Sunday, Liz and Ray joined us in the afternoon and in the evening we all headed to Nandos for tea.  So much of the good health work was undone, but that is what bank holidays are for.  Andy, Jess and Leo stayed overnight, and so we enjoyed breakfast with them too.
The bank holiday is a washout (as so often happens) so I can catch up with some work on revising the History page on the church website.

Mumbling Free - Day 14 - Goodbye to Leo

Today was perhaps the least active of the holiday so far. The morning started with rain, not the promised showers. We set out with Leo and Brody, this time to Underhill Park. On the way we looked for the pet shop to buy Brody a new lead.  Yesterday after a quick shake of his head he was free, and heading out of reach, the spring on the clip is no more.  We did not see the pet shop going up to the park past the castle. After a while playing in the park, in which Brody found the ball he lost last week and Leo showed us how fast he can move in wellies, we returned towards the town.  There was a young lady timing her runs around the park, so we asked her and she said the pet shop was in the arcade.  We thanked her and set off for the arcade, but on the way to where we thought it was there was another arcade, in here we found the pet shop.  Here is Brody with his new lead and collar:

(To be added later) now blocked by Homesafe settings in TalkTalk

We went to lunch at the Greyhound Inn.  By now the weather was great, so we did not have to sit in the bar, but could sit in the garden. I quickly smothered  myself with sun tan lotion and went to get the drinks. Andy and Leo were on the swings, and later Leo had fun with all of us on the climbing frame and slide. Arriving back with the drinks on a tray I picked up the lemonade, which quickly slipped through my fingers and almost covered Jess.  Fortunately it just missed. The meal was lovely and we travelled back to the bungalow very full.  Leo and his family slept for a while, then packed their car and left (around 8pm).

The bungalow was quiet and I was missing the family already.  After a sandwich we walked a very nervous Brody through the nature reserve to bracelet bay (Castellamare) and Limeslade bay, and back by the road.  From the top of the reserve we could see land out to the east (assuming the compass was correct, it started by pointing the direction we were looking as south, but the position of the sun made it a liar.)

So now we are packing (and blogging) ready for a return to reality tomorrow.

Safe journey Andy, Jess, & Leo.

Mumbling Free - Day 13 - Leo in Love

I hadn't expected to see 6:30 am, but that was the time I woke up.  Jo was already about, but otherwise it was just Brody and I.  The day started slowly as they all have, but after his exertions last night Leo had almost slept through and woke in a bad mood. He needed some more sleep, but it was a while before he could be persuaded.
Our main issue for the day was the weather - we were expecting a short spell of rain in early afternoon, followed by a longer one later on, so we had lunch at the bungalow and then left for the Gower Heritage Centre.  On the way it started to rain, which was not really a surprise. We wandered round the centre, the Smithy was off sick so his demo was cancelled, which was a disappointment, but most of the time was spent in the soft play area, in particular the ball pit.  There were some very strange chickens running free, with a sort of plumage that looked like a hat, they are apparently polish. Another thing that was a little disappointing, the water wheel  was turning, but the turbine was not working.
We returned to the flat via a mini-tour of Gower.  We stopped to show Leo some sheep and were asked by a kindly lady if we were lost.  I said "No, we're just looking at the sheep"  She gave me a very funny look, and Jo added "We have a child with us".  So that was alright then, she walked on slightly embarressed - no need, if we had been lost we would have been glad of the help, I hope the incident doesn't put her off helping others.  We saw some of the diverse habitats on Gower - from salt marsh to heathland and pretty much everything between.  There were also horses and many more sheep, and we learnt from Leo that his mum does an excellent impression of a car going over a cattle grid.
By the time we got back the rain had just about stopped, but we drove to the restuarant just in case.  The Mermaid is a lovely place and we were seated in a corner, with Leo in a high chair and by now in a excellent mood.  He was talking to everyone, but his particular favourite was our waitress, he was polite and smiling when she arrived and put on his special 'angelic' face.  Everytime she came to our table he was happy a talkative, and his eyes followed her whereever she went.  Leo had met his first love.  Unfortunately his parents took him home before he could propose.
Back at the bungalow, while Leo was being put to bed, I took Brody down to the bay for a swim, the tide was in, but the water was choppy.  Initially Brody loved it, but then I threw the ball and it bounced off the top of a wave.  It ended up a very long way out, perhaps 100 feet further than normal, he tried, but was swamped by a wave and turned back.  He was about to try again when he decided that my call should be obeyed.  We talked about how sad it would have been if he had drowned. He is fine, none the worse for his ordeal, and snoring loudly as I type.

Mumbling Free - Day 12 - Bloated (in a good way)

The morning walk to the swings with Leo and Brody is becoming something of a holiday tradition.  Today we walked down the hill to  a very clear view of the bay, the light wind has cleared the air.  Today, though, there was a difference.  We were headed to Verdi's for lunch.  I had already had a large breakfast, adding scrambled egg on toast to my usual cereal, and a few çherios that Leo insisted that I ate.  He is always generous with his food and likes to share it around.
So after a while on the swings Jo departed to get nappies, and Leo and I set about learning to walk on the wall, Brody walked obediently beside me.  I should say that I was not on the wall, only Leo was.  Leo was very tentative at first, but soon got the hang of it, even managing to walk around obstructions from the boats.  We came to a man sitting on one of the seats with a dog at his feet.  Brody barked to clear the way, but it wasn't necessary, Leo managed to walk on with me at arms length.  When he had had enough we walked back to the start and shortly after Andy and Jess arrived.  Andy took Leo along the wall, he was much more confident this time.
The service at Verdi's is fast, so we had lunch about noon - pretty good afer breakfast a 10am.  Still we managed it.  I was quite over full afterwards, but the food had to last a long time.  We walked to the pier, Andy, Jess and Jo went down the pier, Brody and I waited at the top.  On their return Brody got all excited so I let him go, he ignored the returnees and dived down the steps to the beach. Conned by my own dog! - an all time low!

We wandered around the amusements and tried the radio controlled boats, by now Leo had woken and tried to join in with the boats, but neither of the ones we tried would steer properly. 

We wandered around the end of Bracelet Bay to Castellmare and had a drink, Leo played in the boat and on the slide that protrudes from it.  Sometime around  4 pm we returned to the Bungalow. 

It was Andy and Jess's night out, so Leo was left with only Nanny and Grandad.  He had his tea with us, and then we went up to the nature reserve where we 'ran for Brody' along the paths up to the view point, and down the hill a little back toward Bracelet Bay. On the way back he helped me cut down the brambles sticking out from the hedge.  I'm not sure he can identify a bramble, but he can cerainly say it, and he can certainly swing the ball thrower at them.  Back at the bungalow he had a bath, his milk, his bed time story and was soon asleep.  Jo and I had a great evening with our Grandson and I her that Andy and Jess also had a great time - they had both had two large meals today and were clearly very full of good food.  That's anoher thing holiday's are for.

Now to blog about the day - or not - TalkTalk parental settings block blogger.com, facebook.com, but not twitter.com - all very strange, so I'm trying this blog entry from the tablet, as apps appear not to be affected.  I will know for sure in a few minutes.

Mumbling Free - Day 11 - Running up that hill

This is probably the most misleading title yet, but you'll see why I chose it in a minute.  Thanks to Kate Bush for the title.  We now have broadband so all our devices are working at last.

My night time disturbances get worse, this morning it was still dark when I woke, and the only way to cool off was to sit on the patio.  The street lights do not go off here, yet there are many more stars visible than at home, so I enjoyed by 10 minutes cooling off wondering at and about the night sky and the awesomeness of the universe - a great way to get back to sleep quickly - I don't think.

We decided to have a lazy day - so there is not too much to follow.  After breakfast Jo and I took Leo and Brody for a walk, first we went round to the road behind the house and let Leo look over the fence at mum and dad.  Then we went down to the swings and it was my turn in the swings with Leo.  He enjoyed the swings, although he spent the time watching the other children.  He also enjoyed the slide, but at first he was nervous about standing on the platform.  I got him to say"Ready, steady", but we never quite got to "go", which is odd because Andy reports that 'steady' is the word he misses out.  The slide has three planned ways up.  At first I just lifted him onto the platform, then he decided to use the fourth way - back up the slide.  He also like one of the sets of steps, a kind of arched ladder, but the rungs were far to far apart for him.  When it was time to go home we walked up the hill, Leo even ran a little.  Grandad got tired, so Leo carried him for a bit ...

 ... and then we swapped over for the rest of the journey.

Jess cooked Fajitas for lunch and we crashed out in front of the tennis, played in the garden a little, with lots more bubbles, and then we all had to come inside to watch the TV for 90 minutes (+15).
BT were scheduled to arrive between 1pm and 6pm, he turned up a little before 5 but was working outside for some time before he came to us.  It was a long job, mostly outside at the top of the pole, it seemed, but all was finally completed andthen there was a flurry of activity as the various devices that had been dormant for a few days (or over a week for mine) connected and got themselves up-to-date.

Did I mention we have broadband - no blogger save errors tonight, no slow machine waiting for I don't know what.

As I write this Leo has come to help and we have scrolled through Jo's pictures and videos, and he has identified each of us Grandad, Daddy, Mummy, Brody and You (which is what he calls himself in a picture).

Now that we have broadband, I am hoping to do a video call with Karen in a few minutes.  Life is back to normal (whatever that is, but it is better than yesterday)

Holidays are a chance to relax, which doesn't means filling them with tiring but different activities - it is part of the purpose to sleep in the afternoon and wake up and get up in the night, to think and reflect on different things and to play with children - it makes us who we are both adults and children.

P.S. Did I mention that we have broadband, well it works well and I have spoken to Karen, and She, Robert and Robbie are doing fine.

Mumbling Free - Day 10 - A Perfect Family Day

Andy and Jess wanted a beach day, so we decided is should be today because the wonderful weather is showing signs of coming to an end.  First though we had to get some shopping.

The day started REALLY  early for Jo and I.  We woke around first light - that time when you can make out shapes quite clearly but there is next to no colour available.  It was very warm so to get some fresh air we sat on the patio for a short while with a cold drink and listened to the birds slowly waking up.  If I was better at bird song I could identify the birds, but I'm no good at that - there were only three different species I think.

We returned to bed after about half an hour and (I at least) woke refreshed shortly after 9 am.  The day had a plan so breakfast was more focused than usual and we all went about out separate tasks.  Andy, Jo and I to Tesco while Jess prepared Leo for the day. This did not please Leo who wanted his morning stroll with Randad (there is no G yet), Nanny and Brody, but it was not to be - I hope he enjoyed the rest of the day more.  At Tesco Andy and Jo went shopping and Brody and I did his morning walk around the museums and the marina - a very nice area.  There is loads of grass for the dog and a fascinating swing bridge which had the coutesy to open just as we arrived.

Back home with the supplies, there is now an overflowing fridge, and we assemble the things we need for a picnic. Then off to Oxwich.  We had intended to visit Rhossilli, but the car parking isn't great there and we didn't want the O so long walk down the cliff.  At Oxwich we parked almost on the beach, there is no cliff to descend and ample space to spread out.

The initial picnic was not a great success with a random Labrador helping itself to one of the sandwiches.  Only Brody was pleased about that as he was given the meat from the sandwich.

Some time after lunch Leo took me up the beach to see the boats, then we began to go round the end of the bay and there were shoals of tiny fish ('fishes, fishes') swimming in the water.  Leo studied them carefully, taking a step towards them and watched how they moved away, he was almost scientific in his calculation.  On the way there he had leaned the word 'Rock'. On the way back we stopped to chat to a couple of guys about their boats, another of Leo's fascinations.

There should be some great pictures of Leo smothered in Ice Cream, but I haven't seen them yet, he seemed to enjoy it.

Another Labrador played with us for a while and put his head right under the water, which Brody has never done, so I have taught him a new trick too.  After the other dog left I held the ball under water and he put his head in and took it. 

Eventually we returned to the bungalow for a barbeque, Andy played the role of head chef, and we enjoyed too much meat, with loads left over.  As the meal was ending Leo was in fits of laughter watching Jess try to clap over all the bubbles he was blowing, he was laughing so hard at one point that could not control himself enough to blow more bubbles.

I'm not really a 'beach' person, I don't like to sit still, but today I didn't have to, there was always something to do, play with Leo, play with Brody, get water - it was non-stop.  We all enjoyed ourselves on a really hot day, with nothing to upset the mood, - a perfect family day.

Mumbling Free - Day 9 - 'Chair' & 'Train'

I didn't think starts to the day could get any slower, but the pace of life during the day is beginning to catch up with me.  The heat of the day, while very pleasant is also a factor as the afternoons are really too hot for me.  Brody is also suffering in the heat.  Once again Jo and I took Leo and Brody for a walk after breakfast.  We went down to the swings after an abortive attempt to get into the nature reserve with the push chair.  We also called in at the George and booked a table for lunch.  Coming back down the hill for 1pm our table was ready. The burgers were rated average, but my salmon was very good, so there is some variability in the menu, but the staff are friendly and efficient and it was a good experience all round.  Leo enjoyed his 'hot beans' (baked beans served very warm) with sausage and mash.  He spent his time pointing out the bikes in particular going along the main road outside.  He has become obsessed with bikes, whether they are pedal powered or engine powered seems to make little difference.

One of the loveliest expressions I have heard from Jess this holiday has been "That's a new word!", and there have been two or three already.  Today's word is 'Chair'. He wanted to sit like one of us, not in a high chair, so he said chair - quite clearly as though he had known it for years.  Developing language in a toddler is one of the miracles that shows what an amazing brain we have been given.

Leo is also obsessed with trains, so we took him up the hill a little to see the G-gauge railway that I mentioned on Day 2. Take a look at the YouTube video on that post.  There is also a tiny loop with a Thomas the tank Engine, whose eyes move to look in the direction the train is turning. Leo was fascinated, and we spent a good while chatting to the hosts about the use they had put their garden to.  It really is well worth a visit.

Returning to the bay we looked out for the Land train.  It runs about once an hour and runs between Blackpill lido and Mumbles, stopping at West Cross, Norton, Oystermouth and Southend Gardens along the way.  We could see it coming, so waited for its arrival. We took a round trip from the Mumbles - the last one of the day.  It is a good distance so we got to see some of the area we had not seen yet.

Back at the bungalow we had tea and I eventually got to see high lights of the Austrian GP.  European race high lights are supposed to be shown about 5pm, but this was shown at 7:30pm on BBC2 - so much for consistency BBC.  Congratulations to Bottas on his first podium, otherwise it was back to normal for 2014 - a Mercedes 1 - 2.

Mumbling Free - Day 2 - Over the hills and (not so very) far away

The quickest way into town is across the nature reserve.  It is a lovely walk, the paths are good and the journey short, but the descent is steep, with large steps cut into the hillside and it is a long way down.  We wandered around Mumbles village and along the sea front.  The tide was going out and small pieces of beach were soon exposed.  We took Brody to a slipway and played with him for a while before walking further around the bay.  The other owners watched us as our dog faithfully retrieved the ball from the sea again and again. Now down at sea level the path is completely flat and the walk easy. The path is split between cyclists and pedestrians so some care is required.  In the village we bought some supplies - fish for lunch and treats for Brody, because I left his big box of treats behind.
Now for the walk back over the hill. Perhaps there is another way, we tried up a small road.  It was a dead end.  At the end though was an incredible find - a garden dedicated to a G-gauge railway.

The garden runs the trains most Sundays, when the weather is good.  We spoke to Mike and Jackie for a few minutes, and were invited in, but declined because Brody was still over excited and we were worried he might damage the display.
So after a delightful interlude it was back up the steps, over the hill and a return to the cottage.
The weather is still great, so we had lunch in the garden.  We tried to create some shade, but the beeeze caught the umbrella we had rested on the frame above the table, so that idea was abandoned.
After lunch we watched (slept through) the Queens Tennis Tournament final.  Jo took Brody out (he asks to go, he doesn't like the garden) and came back saying that dark clouds were arriving, she expected rain, I looked ans said they were just clouds and no rain would come, minutes later were were moving things off the patio because it was raining so hard.  In the evening we drove to Llanelli and on a bit to a country park.  The tide was too far out for Brody to have another swim, but we had a lovely walk and tired him out.  Along the 'beach' on the outward walk and along the promenade on the way back.

Today is fathers day.  I was hoping to  speak to Karen, but there is no broadband here.  They have provided a dongle, which allows some basic internet sometimes, at other times there is no signal at all.  Both the dongle and my phone are on the 'Three' network. Sometime one or other works, sometimes neither.  Better than nothing, but no where near fully functional.  The broadband is due to be fitted on Tuesday

Family at Christmas

With Karen and Robert visiting from America there was a chance that the whole family could be together at some point over Christmas. We did not expect to be all together for Christmas day or Boxing day, and that is exactly what happened. Grown up children with boyfriends and wives have commitments to other families that must be taken into account. So Liz and Andy spent time with their 'other halves' families, but we did see each of them for some time either on Christmas day or boxing day.. Robert and Karen were with us for the whole time. This arrangement means that there are several "present opening ceremonies", and if it continues that way it will be good for the children. Neither of them is old enough to have anticipated Christmas, although Leo (~15 months) was exited about having presents to open.

The really big family gathering - my sister and her family and my family took place on my nephew's birthday, which falls between Christmas and New Year. The (grown up) children's favourite game at the moment is 'Sing Star', a kind of karaoke that measures how close the singing is to the original. The one I tried drew the comment "Dad is singing flat and is doing better than he should because the singer is flat as well". Compliments indeed!

All great fun, and the best Christmas break for a long time because all the family were together.

The value of family cannot be underestimated, it is the way God intend us to live, although we often do things that make it harder for the family to come together and enjoy time together, I am pleased to say that - so far - this family can still enjoy time together, and can still look forward to the next time they will all be together.

We pray that it may always be this way.

Here we all are:

Visiting the American dream - Babies

I had forgotten just how tiring a baby can be. We do 'nothing' all day and end up exhausted. Yesterday we went to a small park called Hickory Dickory Dock, there is an elaborate climbing frame made to look like a fort and some space to play, most of it is not flat enough for ball games. Robbie is not up to playing in the fort yet so we walk out of the back of the park around the subdivision (estate) and looked at the housing. While the houses are big the yards (gardens) are very small, however it is a nice quiet area just a short way from the highway.
In the evening we went to Country's Barbecue for a meal. Robbie was awake, I didn't get my food until it was almost cold and I hate cold french fries (chips), the meat though was very tasty.
Now we are preparing for the long journey home.

posted from Bloggeroid

Visiting the American dream - The day America stops

Well almost. America is the original 24 hour society, but on Thanksgiving most of that is put aside and for one day being with family takes precedence. This is similar to England during the Christmas holiday. The difference is that America will do it all again in about a months time, because Christmas is also celebrated. Another difference is what follows - Black Friday, but more on that later.

We were privileged to be included in the celebration. Partly due to Robert's work commitments, partly due to the lack of schedules that a new born baby imposes and partly due to the distance to be travelled, we arrived relatively late in the day. A warm welcome awaited us as we met people we had not seen since last Christmas. Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", t were soon eating foods we had never tried before, and many that we had. This was not the 'sit around the table turkey dinner' that is so prevalent in films, but a buffet style, with a wide choice of different foods, so that there was something for everyone. I now have some new favourites. Green Bean Casserole is especially worthy of mention, as are the sweet potatoes, which I don't usually like, but these were very tasty although the texture is still a problem.

To understand Thanksgiving we must ask what is the thanks for and who is being thanked. The holiday was instituted by Abraham Lincoln to give " Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens" (Wikipedia). That tells us who we are giving thanks to, but not what for, although giving thanks and praise to our beneficent Father is purpose enough, I think there is likely to be a more specific origin. A further scan of Wikipedia suggests that the celebration comes from the services usually held to give thanks for arriving safely after a long and difficult voyage. This became mixed with harvest thanksgivings after some bumper harvests and later military victories. What established it as a national celebration was the various government authorities supporting the celebration. Today, there is no religious service specifically for Thanksgiving, the only distraction is the need to be at work, this is mainly true for the service industries. There is also the Macy's parade, which is televised and provides a centre piece for some.

To me it seems that this unique holiday is much more about celebrating family at all levels, which in itself is a healthy thing for a nation to do.

posted from Bloggeroid

Visiting the American dream - The Baby Snatcher

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" seems to sum up the idea of the American dream. It means living in a culture where you can flourish by your own efforts, and where the environment is not set by your background or origin. There are some fundamental issues with the idea, but now is not the time to discuss them. The reality is that starting a family is a crucial part of the dream for many people. We are visiting as our family grows, which includes a new family starting.
I have acquired the title 'The Baby Snatcher' because of my enthusiasm for my grandchildren. Children can be cruel even in their 20's. Robbie is wonderful, and I am having a great time with him. Watching the expressions on his face as he dreams, and having him stare at me while he is being fed are irreplaceable experiences. He and Leo hold the promise of the future, a longer distance future than my own children and one that I have less influence over and an even bigger investment in. Robbie has as much of a 'right' to the dream as his parents and the other 300 million or so Americans, but now I am staying towards the problems with the idea.
We pray that he will flourish as he grows.



As I write it is early morning, at the start of Thanksgiving. I have never been in America for the Thanksgiving holiday before, so l am looking forward to meeting with Robert's family later, they have always been very welcoming and make us feel at home.

Yesterday was a day for recovering from travelling for 24 hours, so little happened, apart from caring for a baby. We went out in the evening and had a meal with Robert and Karen's friends and their parents. It was a good evening and nice to be invited. I don't recall drinking Samuel Adams beer last time we were here. It has a strong flavour, but is smooth and pleasant drink.

posted from Bloggeroid

Home at last

Although the title may sound negative, it simply reflects the long journey we have undertaken, but first I must talk about the Atlanta Aquarium. Our day began late, Jo and I overslept by about an hour, then we had to pack and drive to Atlanta. Time was moving on, we finally entered the Aquarium about 3pm. It is an amazing place, with separate Aquaria for different types of habitat. They have dolphins, Beluga whales, mantra rays, and various sharks. Those are just the large creatures, there are also lots of different types of small fish, frogs, and American alligators. We went to Gunbeaux for food, before heading to the airport. Atlanta airport has a new international terminal, it is about 10 minutes drive from the existing terminal. We arrived at the gate about an hour before boarding. The flight left on time and arrived in Amsterdam early, so we had an easy transfer to the little BAe 146 for the 40 minute hop to London City. After a short wait for our bags, which we began to think were still in Amsterdam, we passed through customs. Going through customs is an experience I hate, I'm always expecting to be stopped and detained for no better reason than they can. Then we took the DLR, the Jubilee line and the main line to Billericay. The total time in transit was about 13 hours, I slept for barely 2 of those.

American New Year: Last full day

Another reasonably quiet day because we have to return the car to Hertz by 10am. I took Karen to work and returned home. About 20 to 10 we left for the car rental place. I have driven 1271 miles in the two weeks we have been here. There are some things that I'm still getting used to - there are normally no sidewalks (pavements), nor are there always borders between properties so it can be difficult to know where to turn. I have missed the right entry a number of times.
I spent some time looking at the passage for next week's sermon, and drank one of the beers Robert brought me.
We picked Karen up from work and got lunch from Firehouse Subs. They got Karen's order wrong, but the food was OK. Once Karen was back at work we returned home and watched the Liverpool game, then went for a walk. Jo had been out this morning, so we walked around the estate, the went towards the Village Mall. Only about 15 minutes later we were crossing the vast car park on this side of the Mall. It takes about 1200 cars. We went through the Mall and into Applebees for a desert and a coffee. They had no cream, so the coffee and tea had to be drunk black. Then we returned to the house as the sun went down. Sunrise was at 6:44 and sunset at 16:49. By the time we got back it was almost completely dark.
For our evening meal we went to Olive Garden, the food is excellent, and for once the service was also excellent, there's always a down side though, in this case it was the young people in the next booth, particularly the one in the middle facing me. who were excessively loud. Then Karen drove us back home in time to watch Moonshiners.

American New Year's Day

When we returned home yesterday the TV had arrived, so this delivery at least had worked well. Today is a quiet day, we were late home last night, but still awake at 7am. Time to catch up with the blogging, and enjoy Karen's American breakfast - pancakes, maple syrup, bacon (freshly cooked), scrambled eggs, and cinnamon bread. Then more time spent learning the tablet while Job finishes her knitted blanket.
We went out to the local Crackerbarrel for lunch. There was a long wait for a table, and an even longer wait for food. Karen spoke to the manageress, and the service improved. She also gave us our meal for free.
As it seems impossible to get to a drive-in, I will have to settle for seeing The Hobbit in a regular cinema. There is only one in Auburn, so it is an easy choice. The next 2D show is at 8:55, which is rather late. It means that we won't be back until midnight. The cinema is a huge multi-plex, our theatre is almost empty. The seats are very comfortable, and the building is reasonably clean. The Hobbit has been criticized for being too long, everyone agreed, except me. It is so long since I have read the book that I can't remember a lot of the details in the story. The key points I recognize, but the dwarf history I do not - time to re-read the book.