Well Christmas has come and gone and we all had a really nice time.  Well by all I mean Ann and I, Gemma Ian and Ryan,, Mary and Alan, Sheila and Chris and Dave and Michelle!  We bought a turkey that was sized like an emu so I am still eating my way through it (it’s a good job that I really like turkey)…

And just because I can here are the latest pics of my grandkids

Spent the majority of today putting together the bookcases and setting up the new wool shop.  My knees are really hurting now (it’s not all fun getting older).  We still have to get Ann the desk/counter and a chair or stool but that’s the wost of it over and done with.

Ann and I went to see Ashley & his “new” family over in the States. We had a great time and managed to spend most of the week taking turns holding Violet She’s gorgeous!  When not holding Violet we were playing with Holly (the dog) or Dominic and Vanessa … or eating

The weather was almost too hot and humid for the first 3-4 days but then calmed down a little and became much more bearable.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn hotel whilst over there as Ash doesn’t have the room to put us up (which was great as we had air-con whereas Ashley’s place didn’t, and we didn’t have any crying babies to listen to overnight). The room and hotel was nice and the staff very friendly and helpful.

Boston is a really nice place …. somewhat “olde worlde” (especially when compared to all of Florida).  We’d like to go back out in the Autumn when I am sure it would be really picturesque.

It has been talked about on many occassions in the past but Gemma and Ian finally decided that they would like to try moving to Manchester (well Salford really) to be nearer to Kim and Corinne and the rest of the northern clan.  They actually moved up there at the end of May (so they have already been there for 3 weeks).

Needless to say this is a blow to both Ann and I as we now only get to talk to Ryan (and Gemma and Ian) on the phone and we really miss them all especially the little man.  We are aiming to go up to see them shortly but it is just not the same as seeing them all as we were used to doing – almost every day

We went to Bluewater Shopping Centre last weekend and it was manic! It took the best part of half an hour to find a parking space.

As we walked out of the car park we went past a sign for “Car Valet” in the car-park.

Ann turns round and says “we should of done that, just drive up, hand over your keys and they park your car for you”!!!

Well, Gemma, Ian and I had a good laugh imagining what would of happened if I’d handed my keys over to one of the car valeting guys and said “park this, thanks”….