Lunch

Lovely to catch up with everyone yesterday. Yes we were lucky with the weather.
Watched some of that Nadal- Murray match. Great game, but just can't seem to warm to Murray. He always seems such a miserable bast**d in interviews. Maybe he just can't get over being scottish! Anyway look forward to the next meet up. Mark x

That was fun

It was great to see everyone today. Well, almost everyone - would've been a bit of a hike for you Andy! Bit of luck with the weather meant a quick stroll round the park was possible which helped to blow a few cobwebs away. Also it was great to get the next few dates in the 'ole diaries - I know we are pretty hopeless as a family at getting 'organised'. I can't believe we've already booked up a Christmas meal - I don't think we've *ever* been this organised!!

Meanwhile, in another browser window I'm following the Murray / Nadal match it sounds a really close one. Latest score (cut & paste from the BBC);
US Open
Semi-final latest:
R NADAL (Spa) v * A MURRAY (GB)
2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 4-4
* denotes server

Speak to all soon!

***STOP PRESS ***
MURRAY BEATS NADAL!!!
US Open
Semi-final result:
R NADAL (Spa) v A MURRAY (GB)
2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 4-6

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!