. . . .
Christmas
day with Danny and Karen - 25 December 2018
Hi there
folks. Jean and I were invited round to Danny and
Karen's for Xmas dinner prepared by Karen. Here is a
few snaps of the festive occasion.
We arrived just in
time for the opening of presents. Who has got the
biggest pile?
Wow!
Look what I have got - a super XBox One
S
Guess
where Lisa and Danny are going at
Easter.
Danny
gets a colourful abstract from
Lisa
and
Jean got a useful pair of
loppers
Lisa
has her own little Christmas tree
upstairs
Karen
and Jean checked the turkey which was really nicely
done. Yummy
We all
tucked into Karen's Xmas dinner which was
excellent
Then
we walked it off around the millpond
Photo taken by a kindly passer
by
Pre-Christmas
gathering in Emsworth- 22 December 2018
Pete, Julia
and the girls came to our place for a night's stay on
their way to London to meet up with Mary and Lola.
Jean laid on a
nice lunch for us all.
Pete arrived later
after watching Pompey with Danny and Joe
Day
trip to Cowes - 14 October 2018
Jean and I had
an enjoyable day trip to Cowes despite the inclement
weather. When we arrived Lily and Iris were busy
making, baking and icing gingerbread animals. We had a
good lunch then had a walk around the allotments when
the rain eased off. Thanks to Pete and Julia for a
nice day.
We
all sampled the biscuits which were crisp and
tasty
The
girls could not resist the
icing
Lunch
time with me using my remote control for the photo
After lunch Pete
showed Jean and I around his allotments, including the
poly tunnel
Finally a selfie which
I asked Pete to take of us in the allotments.
Jean's
82nd birthday - 13 September 2018
Danny and family
came round to our place for an Indian take-away which
we all enjoyed.
This was followed by a
birthday chocolate cake with candles.
EMSWORTH
- 8 September 2018
Lily and Iris
stayed with us while their parents went off to a posh
wedding at a Cambridge College. They celebrated
Grandma's Hawthorn tree (behind Iris) and Papa's new
wheelbarrow display.
Later we had fun with
some acrylic paints, cheaper than gouache and I can
see why - not nearly as nice to use. I set everything
up on the table outside. Iris painted a brown ceramic
pig she bought in the charity shop bright pink - 'Pigs
are pink' she says. Of course. Lily did a clock and
sword painting while I did a messy countryside scene.
The best bit was at the end when Iris introduced us to
the gentle art of flicking paint onto the paper - much
more in my line.
The girls discovered a
pot of slime I had forgotten about in my room. Lisa
came round and they discovered they could blow slime
bubbles. Is that an original use of this addictive
material?
EMSWORTH
- 3 September 2018
Mary and Lola
came over to Emsworth for the day. Lisa and Joe jined
us for lunch.
Lola and Lisa still
have their own art/colouring books at our place
After lunch, the three
kids wanted to go to Brook Meadow for a paddle in the
river and they loved it.
Lola and Lisa
crossing the river without getting feet wet!
Joe took the plunge
while the girls climbed on a favourite branch
Video clip of the kids
have fun in the river. . . . https://youtu.be/sSxIF0oAsXQ
Then we had a look at
the Oak tree that I planted in year 2012 which is now
about three times our height. That's where my ashes
will be scattered when I am dead, I told them. They
seemed quite impressed with that!
Meanwhile, Jean and
Mary dug out most of the plants from the left side of
the garden where Jean planted her Hawthorn tree and
put them into bags for Mary to take back with her for
her garden in Kingston. Sad to see them all go, but
Jean is keen to get on with her new layout for that
area.
Now, just which ones
have I got?
Jean is very proud of
her new Hawthorn tree
KINGSTON
- THURSDAY 26 JULY 2018
Jean and I
spent a very relaxing the day at Rough Down Kingston.
The weather was much too hot to do anything, so we
just stayed in and tried to keep cool. George was away
working, poor chap. I measured 27C (80F).
It was so nice to see them all settled back in their
old house after a year on the boat in Brighton Marina.
Mary made a lovely fish pie with French beans for
dinner which we had outside under the canopy -
followed by grilled pineapple!! We spent an hour in
the cool of Lola's bedroom chatting, though I dropped
off to sleep! Lola had fun with a large blow-up
Flamingo. We took home 6 freshly laid eggs while we
brought her a picking of out home grown tomatoes.
Lola and Jean
keeping cool in the sitting room
Mary serving up her
lovely fish pie
Lola's new bedroom
with her splendid Lego castle - all handmade by
her!
The blow-up Flamingo
had to be moved from the front to the back
There was hardly room
for Lola and the Flamingo in the pool
Mary and Jean keeping
cool in the garden
Lola collected 6
freshly laid eggs for us to take home
Courtesy of these
ladies
COWES
- Sunday 17 June 2018
Jean and I had
a very pleasant day trip to the Isle of Wight courtesy
of Mary and George who drove us over with Lola and
Dinky the dog.
Pete showed us
around his allotment including two rows of vines that
he has recently acquired.
He's hoping to make wine from them
Taking it easy on
Pete's seat
Jean and Julia
admiring Pete's hard work
Pete, George and Brian
posing on the allotment
Iris watering Pete's
plants in the poly tunnel
Now just what is going
on here
I was interested to
see the old Fellows Road sign that Pete rescued from
the tip
I climbed to the top
of the house to see Iris's hamster
who has a nice cage with lots of activities
Video clip . . .
https://youtu.be/Dp3MWGE_RFM
How sweet she
is
Video clip . . .
https://youtu.be/SYhieUnJn7Q
Mary gave Julia
some eggs laid by the chickens in her garden
They have a laugh over
Lily's Father's day card
The girls have their
lunch on the patio
Pete made a simply
scrumptious summer pudding
Time to say cheerio to
all in Fellows Road. A lovely day
FAMILY
GATHERING in Emsworth - Monday May 28 - 2018
We had a
lovely gathering of almost all the Fellows family on a
beautiful May Bank Holiday. Freddy and Reggie were
away engaged in 'educational activities' while George
remained in Kingston to pack for their Venice holiday
the next day. Here are a few snaps I took firstly at
Nore Barn where everyone went canoeing and secondly at
Danny's BBQ.
Relaxing
in the sunshine at Nore Barn after canoeing to Fowley
Island
Mary
cleaning out her blow-up canoe in which Lola went to
Fowley.
Pete
having a paddle - he arrived
later
The water looked so
idyllically calm that I asked Danny if I could have a
go in the canoe. He helped me in and paddled around
with me for about 15 mins. Jean could not bear to
watch so she came home with Mary. Danny and Will
hauled me out of the canoe at the end, but the whole
experience was so good. It must be over 30 years since
I last canoed.
Julia
arrived with Lily and Iris in time for Danny's
BBQ.
Three
lads at the BBQ
Everyone
enjoying the grub
Rachel had to leave
early with Nell, but left a delicious rhubarb cake for
us to enjoy!
Back
home Lily and Lola having fun with their
phones
Lily
explains the intricacies of the phone to
Grandma
TO KINGSTON
- Monday May 7 - 2018
Jean and I had
a nice day in Kingston, returning to Mary and George's
beautiful home. We got the train to Brighton where
Mary and Lola met us. We drove to the Roebuck Inn at
Laughton just outside Lewes. Jean and I had coffees
while Mary had a soft drink and Lola a homemade ice
cream.
Then we had a long
walk through Laughton Common Wood with Dinky the dog
scampering around.
Masses of lovely
Bluebells and my first Greater Stitchwort of the
year.
Back home to
Roughdown, Kingston. Mary served a splendid lunch on
the patio outside, surrounded by the rolling downs and
birdsong. I really enjoyed having a rest in my
favourite summerhouse.
MARY'S
TREAT - Saturday January 27 2018
This was the
day of Mary's Christmas treat for the whole family -
tickets at Chichester Festival Theatre for 'Jungle
Book'. Everyone was present except for Jean who could
not sit down due to sciatica from the plane journey
from Canada and Freddy, who had more pressing
engagements as a calcitrant adolescent! Present were
Mary, George, Lola, Pete, Julia, Lily, Iris, Danny,
Karen, Lisa, Joe, Will, Rachel, Nell, Reggie and me
(Brian). Before the theatre show, Mary organised a
spendid lunch for us all . Danny, Pete and Joe had
gone to the football at Fratton Park but joined us
later at the theatre.
Mary serving up
Jean's apple pie to keen customers
Iris, Lola and Lily
have theirs on the coffee table
The girls really
enjoyed playing with my collection of fidget spinners
and managed to get all 60 odd of them going at the
same time on the big table - so pretty and colourful.
Here is a short
video clip on YouTube of the spinners all going .
. . https://youtu.be/ZbBGcsAoi3E
Iris balancing a
mini spinner on her nose.
We all enjoyed a
lively and colourful rendering of 'Jungle Book' at the
theatre though I think we all missed the familiar
Disney tunes. Everyone tucked into ice creams during
the interval.
We assembled in the
foyer at the end of the show with Joe was prominent as
usual in his Pompey shirt. Everyone came back to
Emsworth, except for Mary, George and Lola who
returned to Lewes where they are house-sitting.
Next morning some of
us went for a walk in park mainly to get some energy
off the kids. They played on the skateboard park,
where Joe and Reggie drove their remote control cars.
Here is a short video
clip on YouTube of the skateboard activity . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVlEpTRf348
They played
basketball
Reggie, Lily, Joe and
Iris had a bit of a rumble
Jean cooked eggs and
bacon for Will and the kids, great smells from the
kitchen.
A final goodbye as
Joe, Danny, Pete, Lily, Iris and Julia left for
home.
Thanks to Mary for organising such a great family get
together.
GLENYS DIES
- 20 January 2018
On January 12,
we had a phone call from Helen to say that Glenys had
been diagnosed with liver cancer and was in hospital
in Pointe Claire. It proved to be terminal and Glenys
was admitted into a local hospice for palliative care
- she had refused chemotherapy, etc. Mary booked air
tickets for herself and Jean to travel over to Canada
on Jan 17. Jane, Helen and David were also present as
well as Dai and Myuki. Glenys was treated very kindly
in the hospice and was so happy to end her life in
such a attractive and comfortable surroundings with
the family around her. She died at 5am Canada time on
Saturday, January 20. Here are a few photos of Glenys
with the family taken on the day before she died.
I have created a
special web page with a selection of photos of Glenys
with Jean and other members of the family.
Go to . . .
Glenys
For photos from 2017 go to . . . Family
photos 2017
Photos
for all years . . .
see Family
Index page
