Lunch next Sunday (7/9)

Looks good - even better if the weather is OK for a walk in the park afterwards.

Directions are pretty simple although we have our new 'sat-nav' toy to play with. Some of the new roads in Italy challenged it a bit, I can tell you (0;

Update from Benfleet

Hello family

Had a good laugh at Johns 50th b/day party with Mark & Kim last w/end here are some photos

Holiday part II

Just got back from a week in Tuscany (with *both* the girls this time!). Like the title says, we were doing the usual 'fortnight' holiday in two separate weeks this year. Had a great time in a self-catering appartment in a villa near San Gimignano.

The term 'self-catering' wasn't particularly accurate; when you are in a place like Tuscany, why cook? The food was fantastic, you're in the home of Chianti (say no more) and the scenery was amazing. Here's a couple of photo's although it probably fair to say they don't do the place justice!

These two are taken in the actual town of San Gimignano.

This one is in Siena - home of the famous Palio horse race which happened on the day we arrived. Race day itself is more than a bit mad, thousands of people pack the central piazza and passions apparently run pretty high! It's all about district vs district rivalry, the victor getting bragging rights for the rest of the year.
Anyway, that's the culture lesson for today - speak to you all later.

Thanks

Thanks to all for birthday cards and wishes.

Happy Birthday

Welcome to the club, Mark! It no big deal, honest (-; Hope you have a good time on your 'secret' treat tommorrow. As far as I know, Sunday the 7th sounds OK, what were you thinking of doing - a lunchtime restaurant visit or something like that?

On an unrelated matter (and because I like to get a photo in every so often) - here is one of the view from our terrace of the villa we stayed in Turkey last week.

Great view, but the drive up to the villa did make for some exciting hill starts!

Round up

Hello to all. Been meaning to post a blog for ages. Have been busy finishing a song i've been writing for a breast cancer charity, which is finally done. So hopefully i can now get it out of my head every time i close my eyes to go to sleep! Was trying to get a date together for us all to meet up on a sunday around the old 50th birthday, but it seems like the nearest one that Paul and I can make is Sunday the 7th of Sept. I know it's nearly a month after the 12th of august, but would still be great to meet up anyway. How is everyone fixed for that date? Going away for a couple of days somewhere tomorrow for my birthday. Kim's treat, don't know where yet, ssh.. it's a secret. Love to everyone. Mark x