Getting up todate

The Pied Piper near Pakenham Mill

I'm going to try and bring you up to date! Over the last 3 months we seem to have been very busy, no one big thing but lots of little ones. Keith's been away a lot, in Warsaw, Addis, Singapore etc! We have said cheerio to Phil as he headed off to S Korea to teach English as a foreign language;

After a party!

and welcomed Tim back home from uni, enjoying his graduation en route (Keith flying back specially from Singapore and then heading back the next day!)The ceremony was in sheffield, and Tim was able to get a an extra ticket for Meriel, so she was able to join us. We stayed in Sheffield overnight and Tim took us out to a Pub that specialised in pies 'The Wig and Pen', it was great and we enjoyed delicious pies - I'd love to visit it on a winter's day with snow on the ground and a howling wind. Meriel came home with us and stayed for a few days, Phil and Bridgie took her out to Olney one day, and we also visited Francie and Jonathan for the day; spotting crocodiles, a hippo

Crocs

and a huge spider

near Jonathan's tranquil mill! We also had a delicious lunch at The Butt and Oyster... we're about to tuck in to the puds! Bridgie's been home too, experiencing the joys of commuting to London for a two week work placement at Simon and Schuster alongside working as a volunteer in the Oxfam bookshop and The Salvation Army shop. I've been playing lots of golf with my handicap now 20 which I am delighted about, I've also enjoyed three trips to Yorkshire to see Meriel. We had lovely trips out to enjoy walks along the river by the Bishop's Palace in York,

where there were beautiful buttercup meadows.

Most recently, we have ventured up on to the North York Moors,

enjoying stunning views and swathes of beautiful heather. We drove along gorgeous moorland roads, spotting things in the distance which we went on to explore. This is Roseberry Topping - a brilliant name - asking to be walked up - but not for us that day. We enjoyed a pub lunch at its foot, Meriel particularly liked the flowers in the bath!

I've tried to upload a little film of the moors but it won't work, so here are a couple more pics... and my favourite...

Now you're up to date :-) Keith's home but away again to Addis soon.