Thursday.

This is probably the last entry regarding this year's Scandinavian trip. The day before we left Sweden for Denmark Freja announced that she'd been looking at the map and had a request to make of her parents.  She explained that the area where we planned to spend  our last night in Sweden was very near to the longest beach in Sweden, So could they drive down there with us, so that we could all spend the afternoon on this very long beach (several miles long).  Her parents were agreeable (as were her grandparents) so the following day we had an early lunch and set off in two cars. We arrived at the beach, above, and found that despite it being a gloriously sunny day, the beach was not (by our standards) at all crowded.

The girls ran into the sea, which Ruth afterwards reported was the warmest she'd ever known the sea to be.

There was a strong on-shore breeze blowing, so the three ladies waded out until every wave lifted them off their feet.  A very good time was obviously being had by all. When they eventually returned to the shore, Ann and I said our goodbyes, and drove back  to our hotel.

The following morning we began our homeward journey  (the reverse of the outward one) and eventually got home a fortnight ago last Sunday. My apologies for the broken and 'bitty' nature of this journal. I'm beginning to get the hang of this thing ( I hope) but the machine has been playing up quite badly.
Will persevere and, hopefully, normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Wednesday.

This one should have gone in yesterday's blog entry. It was taken last Wednesday and shows -Elsa, her uncle Matthew, and her Great Grandmother Ann. Matthew seems to have inherited the family tendency to like- and get on with- very young children.

Tuesday.

Last Wednesday we motored to London to introduce Elsa to her Great Grandmother.

Above shows (from centre - clockwise) Great Grandmother Ann, Grandmother, Liz, Mother Geogia, and Elsa.

P.s. Sorry, made a muck of that one. Will redo it Ack Emma.

Sunday 2.

Ronneby Church, a lovely, early Church with quite superb wall paintings inside.

Our two Swedish granddaughters in a doorway of the above Church, making a fairly creditable stab at being resident gargoyles. Not entirely convincing, perhaps; but a good sporting effort nonetheless.

P.s. I mean; would any sensible man who valued a quiet life, describe any of his female relations as 'looking exactly like gargoyles' ?  Quod erat demonstrandum, as we used to write at the end of theorums in maths (and yes Crowbard/Rog, I know that last word should probably be theora)

Pedants !!!!!

Sunday.

Still struggling to publish pictures. However - took this photo of a striking looking butterfly near Ruth's cottages in Southern Sweden three weeks ago. Don't recall having seen one like it in England, and that's not altogether surprising, having looked it up. It's called the large copper butterfly, and the last recorded sighting of it in England was in 1851 !!!

Will keep trying to publish photos.

Thursday.

Just to give you a well earned rest from our holiday snaps (and I know how boring other peoples holiday snaps are supposed to be, although I must admit that I can't remember finding them so meself, and I usually learn something from them) here is a :-

                                 MYSTERY OBJECT.
                                 _________________

It is made entirely of wood (although there are a couple of old replacement nails in it now) and is nine inches long. Mechanical instrument; and  complete.
I purchased it in Denmark, two weeks ago, although similar ones were made and used in England.
Its purpose and date please?

Tuesday2.

 Above is the house we usually stay at in this area of Denmark. It is a very well run Guest House owned by a pair of semi-retired farmers, Elsa and John. The door on the left of the picture opens onto our room and bathroom. Elsa half wants to retire, but loves her home and knows that if she retired she couldn't afford to stay there, so soldiers on.

The following morning we drove on to try and find Ruth's new  (holiday) home on (or rather -near) the South coast of Sweden. We had to stop and take snapshots of the Trolle Lungby Slott (above).

 Above is one of Ruth's two new homes, which occupy a site of almost an acre. They look similar and both look rather like dolls' houses.

 Speaking of which, here is a real doll's house, the last one of four in Ann's collection of dolls' houses. We bought it with us in the back of the car ( under a blanket) for Ruth's girls; they have always loved it..

We took a walk along a river bank near the cottages. Above shows Tuva, Freja, Ruth, Ann, and Nipa.

During the walk Freja found and caught the above photographed frog. There is a good deal of fauna to be seen in the area, which the girls have been quizzing me about. In fact, earlier in the day they'd seen, what can only have been a slow worm from their description.

Think I must knock off now. More - probably tomorrow I think.
Good night Everyone.

Tuesday.

A fortnight or so ago we set out for Harwich (the Esbjerg Ferry Terminal) to sail to Denmark. On the dock we passed the above mobile home with a father/son team at the wheel.

Once aboard I took a quick snapshot of our cabin with Ann admiring the view.

Took much the same sort of shot, with Ann unpacking, and meself reflecting near the window.

The following day after an excellent on-board breakfast, took the above shot, again from our cabin window. We are nearing Denmark with the sea full of wind generators - Don't know how the Danish can make these things pay, and we (reportedly) can't.

About a mile out from Esbjerg realised that the sandbank we were passing was full of seals (common and grey seals I think) sunning themselves on a passing sandbank (as Wodehouse might well have put it).

By late afternoon we had motored as far as Kerteminde, which is a lovely little harbour town, with, as it happened a recently opened fish buffet bar, where we ate. Then on to a Danish village antique shop where I usually seem to find goodies - this year was no exception.---- Thought I'd got another photo held in reserve, but perhaps not - or perhaps the machine is displaying its usual reluctance about allowing me  my picture ration.

Back in a minute - but no guarantees these days. Anyway - some success so far.

Monday.

Got home yesterday afternoon from our (more or less) annual visit to Denmark and Sweden. Took lots of photos with the new camera, but regret to admit that you won't see them, as the machinary refuses to print them on the blog..  It was a good journey (both ways) - took photos of seals sunning themselves on sandbanks just outside Esbjerg.  Bought reasonably well - two clocks, some nice treen, early brass, and, in Denmark some neolithic stone implements. Met up with Ruth, Lasse, the girls, and Nipa the dog, after which a good time was had by all. If I can find some knowledgeable person who will teach my computer to behave itself - then normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Don't hold your breath though as I fear that - once again- this blog will now  have to continue in verbal form only- well pro tem anyway. Looking at things philosophically, that will leave me with lots of time for  work, i.e. cleaning and repairing the recently acquired hoard of goodies (and I shan't even be able to show them as 'mystery objects' due to the machine's misbehaviour!)      Very annoying.

Saturday.

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There are two parts to this blog entry :-
You may remember that on June 18th I reported a dreadful road accident in our town, which resulted in the death of a three year old girl.  Her funeral was on Thursday in the United reform Church here. It was one of the most moving funerals I've attended. The church was full (about four hundred people, I would think). Her parents had suggested that as it was a child's funeral, cheerful colours should be worn. Her father joined in the service, friends read the lessons, and her older sister who is just ten gave the eulogy!  She was incredibly brave. She almost broke down a couple of times, but, supported by Paul, her father,  she carried on to the end of what she'd decided to say about her little sister. When she'd finished, a spontaneous round of applause broke out (in which, I confess, we wholeheartedly joined - never known such a thing at a funeral - but somehow, it felt 'right'). After the funeral, the hearse drove off towards the cemetery   at the other end of town, followed by about ninety- nine  per cent of the congregation (all of us who could physically make the three quarters of a mile walk along the High Street). It was a surprising sight to look along this colourful procession, winding its way along the High Street on foot, headed by the hearse, and as it passed all the shopkeepers came out onto the pavements and stood to attention with bowed heads in respect and sympathy. After the  words of the burial service had been read almost everyone scattered a little of the very dry earth onto the three foot long coffin.

Afterwards most of us walked back to the other end of town via the River Walk, which was restful.

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Yesterday, Friday, fourth of July, we were woken by granddaughter Georgia on the telephone at just after six a.m. to report that at five a.m. she had given birth to Elsa Elizabeth Gumley, our first  Great-Grandchild;
So, OF COURSE, in the afternoon, I went to London by train to make the young lady's aquaintance.  First picture shows Georgie, Andy and Elsa. Next three photies are, I should think, self explanatory.  I DO like very young babies.  It's so easy to keep them happy.

                                 I wish you  all a very good day!!!

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Wednesday.

Spent most of today at the monthly antique fair at Long Melford village hall. Looking at the above stand (although this is only a part of the stand) Ann said to me "Takes me back a few years. That's just the sort of stand we used to put up at Snape, or the Atheneum, isn't it?".  "So we did." I replied; "and so we still can, occasionally".  It was a good fair. Like all good antique fairs, it started out as a business ooccasion, then rapidly turned into a social occasion. We bought a little, sold a few bits, met a good many old friends, and had a decent lunch (the caterers being our good friends Ros and Simon Cook, ably assisted by their son Sam). After the fair we motored over to Sudbury and bought some shocks (which were a socking price- well you know what I mean) and  a couple of ties. It's difficult to find decent ties, these days, especially of the paisley pattern, which is a favourite of mine. Got home a little after four (pip Emma, that is. Or p.m. Lori). .