Big Jim

My lovely sister rang today clear as a bell all the way from Melbourne, Australia. She reminded me that today is the first anniverary of our Dad's death.

So here are a few photos of him for posterity. Most from when he came to England 4 years ago for our wedding. Doesn't he look pleased to finally get his youngest off his hands....we'd both waited a long time.

Here he is with Wendy our step-sister in Bali in 1999

Here sitting beside the moat at Kentwell a Stately home near here.

The proud Father.

I'm so glad he came.

Otters holding hands

I just found this at Kelly's blog.
My favourite animals of all time......

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

We went to the river Thet today... at William Fairbanks, just for an outing. The sun shone & we laughed & paddled our canoe. There were Kingfishers & tiny wrens scolding us as we came too near their nests. It was hard work going upstream as there was a head wind but I'm glad we went that way first & didn't have to struggle on our return journey. We stopped 1/2 way and lay on the bank & thought of Ratty & Mole, Gerard Manly Hopkins & Browning's poem 'Oh to be in England now that April's there'...We didn't have lashings of Pop, but we did have some essential provisions...

Soon, soon, Sue Thomas will be here....only three more weeks to go . We can go boating.

(it will still be April)

Hula dancing, fire walking

Speaking of T.B, have a look at what's on offer from his next amazing musical adventure in Samoa at this website.
Got any free time in July?

An oldie but still a damn goody..

The amazing Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares...many thanks to Tony Backhouse for reminding me just how good they are...

Spring has sprung

Come through this tiny ancient doorway and I'll lead you to a beautiful land.

A land of sunshine & flowers at a place called Thriplow where since 1969 come what may, they have had an annual daffodil festival (apart from 2001 when it was cancelled because of foot and mouth disease).

We went with Ricardos' brother Ray & sister in law Mary on the weekend.

There were so many daff's.

New lambs.

Thatched cottages. A 13th century Church where they were ringing a quarter peal of Oxford treble bob minor. Birds of prey including this beautiful Barn owl. Huge & graceful Shire horses with their owners who sported the most amazing sideburns I've ever seen.

And a couple of lovebirds. (Once I got over an unnecessary attack of grumpiness, looks like butter wouldn't melt in my mouth, doesn't it!!!!!!)

“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” Mark Twain

Where would I be without my buddies Zebedee & Clarissa.

Life would be boring & sad. Every day they make laugh & sometimes cry.

Here's a picture of Zeb as he watches his Mummy Clarissa & I doing 'Buns-of-steel' this morning. He's off oxygen now & has the most sparkly eyes.

Ely and Bridgham

Strap yourselves in... this could be a long one.
Long, long ago, (well 1000 years ago to the day give or take a few for the changes in the calendar that occurred in 1752), the Lady Aelfwaru died. She was a noble & wealthy Saxon widow.
In her will this pious & wealthy woman gave many possessions to the then Abbey of Ely including the entire village of Brigham. Today Ely is a large Cathedral town.

Brigham is the next village along from us here in East Harling. Here is a picture of the church from this website.

The village where Richard's daughter Roxi was conceived. The village where we celebrated our wedding.
To celebrate these milestones in it's history, our local historian David O'Neill organised a coach trip to Ely. It really was a marvelous day.

Here I am looking very prim, trying to look old enough to go on an English "Coach" trip. At least the hair colour is correct.
We had a great time gas bagging with our friends Edward & Rachael on the bus on the way there.
Then lunch at a pub where we were joined by a learned "Latinist" who has translated a huge tome entitled 'The Liber Eliensis'. It is an account of the history of the Isle of Ely compiled by a monk of Ely monastery in the later twelfth century, and includes a section on Aelfwaru & her Bridgham connection.There was a beautiful Evensong in the Cathedral dedicated to Aelfwaru.
As a singer in a choir it was heavenly to hear it done really well.
There was a guided tour of the Cathedral with its amazing treasures. How's this for a candelabra?

And this Alabaster reredos. No great Altar cloths unfortunately but some amazingly old banners falling off their brass holding rods with age.This is the main door in. You can just see at the bottom left, where there is a white square of paper, the tiny door that is cut out of this huge one for daily comings & goings.

Edward & Rachael & I with a tiny black cat underneath the tree if you look really closely.
There was something for everyone including jigsaw-puzzle-worthy English river scenes... complete with.............. BOATS...

I felt so refreshed afterwards, as if I'd had a week off. So nice to stop worrying at everything.

More new glasses...

Just to keep up with the Joneses, someone else had to get some new reading specs for themselves (Pearlescent with diamantes Kelly...sparkly things). Seen here with our friend Edward. We were at lunch on our exciting coach trip to Ely.....see next exciting installment.

New glasses

Guess who's got new glasses?
How could someone who looks so intelligent & sensitive ever fall in love with me?

Here he is making up the invites for a special birthday party that may be coming up.

Time to play...

I spied a necklace from this website on Saturday & decided I could make one almost as good. So here it is. What do you think?
It matches the new cardie too....perfectly. They are my new favourite colours.