Thursday - will now start blogging again.

First of all - my apologies for the long delay in blogging. A fortnight ago today Ann and I went off to Leicester to attend a 'handfasting' in the family. From there we motored down to Milton Keynes and stayed over with Sarah and Mikey for a couple of nights. It was great to see them and the grandchildren. On Saturday we had a very pleasant lunch with Frank and Jane, Mikey's parents. A thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Then on Monday we motored down to Devon, where Ann's middle brother David had taken a flat in Sidmouth - the ground floor of a regency house with a lovely wide sea view. Sidmouth is a compact little town with pre war ideas and great self confidence. Took lots of photos and when I can get the hang of this *&+%*+£$"* digital camera again I will post some on the blog, but at the moment it is sulking. Anyway, we spent three most enjoyable days there and finally returned home last Friday. Since then have been working hard, and occasionally wasting time trying to make sense of the camera/computer relationship and failing dismally. Will get Craig to come round and exert pressure on it to behave. Weather getting colder. Choir practice this evening. Must go and do some more work now. Will say this for the computor :- it does make me feel like leaving it alone while I go and get on with things I do know how to do.

Even more Monday.

This is Ann walking up churchyard path to church in (yes, you've guessed it) Monks Eleigh. Just practising - Mike.

More Monday.

Same village as previous blog - Monks Eleigh- loved the hearty little black car. Think I've finally got the idea of putting photies on blog. Visiting friend All P went through it with me this morning - fingers crossed I've got it right. Our old friends Barbara and Alan are about to go off on their annual winter migration to southern Europe, so they motored across to see us for our yearly get together. They came in their mobile home which they parked in our friend Margaret B.'s large garden overnight. We spent yesterday afternoon wandering round Hadleigh's annual street fair, then home for supper at which Margaret joined us - Yanson's delight for main course- layers of sliced potato, sliced onion, anchovy fillets, cream, then baked in oven until nice and brown on top - swedish dish and delicious. Margaret took them back to her's in her car - they slept in their mobile home, and I picked them up again at 8a.m. this morning. Breakfast, after which I went into surgery for a blood test, returned and got Alan to teach me (again) to put 'photies on blog. Then one good game of scrabble - Ann played a cracking game - putting a seven letter word across a triple word score and winning easily. Alan and Barbara then set off for Essex to visit Alan's father, who is 93, before their winter pilgrimage. This afternoon we went and picked seven and a half pound of sloes for this winter's sloe gin. After this years wet summer the sloes are blue, ripe, but not very big - don't know good the gin will be - we'll se -or rather we'll taste. Ann's just called down that cup of tea is available so will close.

monday.

/this is very pretty locl village, Monks Eleigh. Good pub there, Good grub therein. Thoroughly recommend it. Back later.

Thursday.

Went into town first thing this morning to bank, and to purchase a decent pot plant etc. Then at 11 a.m. in car and drove over to Frinton, where we went to an at home to celebrate the sixtieth wedding anniversary of our good friends John and Ann C.-T. Took them a card and the pot plant- left these on the front door step and then wandered round to the garden to join the party. Champagne and nibbles. Their two daughters had put the party on, and THEIR daughters served the food. Sons in law served drinks - champagne or Buck's fizz. Grandson took photographs. Lovely family do covering several generations. Family and friends altogether about 60 of us. Thoroughly enjoyed it and felt very privileged to be with them. Hadn't seen the daughters for some years - good to see them again - all the granddaughters seemed very grown up - one a policewoman now - had a nice chat with her. On leaving, Ann and my Ann got their diaries together for us to go over there for supper, sometime in October (I think). Slept in car most of way home, and, if I'm honest, for an hour thereafter (effects of three or four glasses of champagne I fear.) Choir practice this evening - went well, we both felt thoroughly on song for once - further effects of champagne maybe -will try that idea over on Ann. Home and sausage casserole for supper. Nursery comfort food and very nice too. Goodnight all.

Saturday.

Today was the Deanery Fete day. Ann was helping in the kitchen so went off into town at around 9.30 am. Hilary and I were running the raffle stall so I went in at 11.30 am. the fete started at 12 Noon in the Deanery garden. The raffle stall was very busy indeed. We ran out of raffle books quite early but went on using a pad of a thousand cloakroom tickets. Someone then handed in a dozen or so unsold raffle books, but half an hour later we had sold all these so went back to using the cloakroom tickets. There were all the usual attractions except no coconut shies and no Punch and Judy show. The dog show was larger and better than ever. All the stalls seemed very busy, and Ann told me that the refreshment tent sold a hundred and seventy three ploughman's lunches. The raffle was drawn at 4p.m. and I eventually found that I had won a river trip for two along the Orwell to Harwich next summer. Look forward to it. We walked home a bit after 5p.m. both feeling thoroughly and pleasantly tired. A good busy day. I wish you all a good, quiet, night.