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Quick bits...

18/11/06 - Youth Moves

Today Emma went up to Nottingham to take part in a 'Youth Moves" dance extravaganza. She had to be on the coach by 7am...poor Emma...she's not too good in the mornings...she just made it! Anyway, all went well and she got back around 8:30pm safe and sound, but, absolutely knackered!

01/11/06 - Arsenal 0 - CSKA Moscow 0

Louisa and I won some tickets to the see the Gunners in the Champions League. It was a good game and we had Club Level seats. Arsenal should have scored at least 5 times, but, it wasn't to be their night. I enjoyed the experience so much that I want to go again - I am now on the waiting list for a season ticket! Photos

What we've been up to...

A summary of our year 2006

The year started with a quiet New Year at home with the kids. We were a bit miffed that we hadn't been invited anywhere (so we thought) but it turned out we had been invited to Phil and Anne Pages' house - but didn't get the email. But, I hate New Year anyway so it suited me to stay at home.

February saw Katie's 10th birthday closely followed by Emma's 13th and Louisa's 39th (yep - next year's the big'un) in March.

Also in March we made our annual trip to the Alps for a weeks skiing. The snow was excellent, best they've had there for 20-years. The company was fantastic and huge quantities of beer, wine, and schnapps were consumed...that was before dinner. As usual the hotel staff was great and we all had a brilliant time - apart from poor Bob, who managed to crack a rib on the first day, and couldn't ski for the rest of the week - and he came all the way from Texas. I thought that would put him off for life...not a bit of it, he and June are joining us for more this New Year. Photos

Nothing much happened between April and July, that I can remember. I did play a lot of golf though, and the 'hard-work' actually started paying dividends - my handicap dropped from 28 to 21 in the space of a few weeks. My best was a round of 91...and a got close to breaking 90 (the next goal) a number of times.

At the beginning of August we went down to Devon for a week. Paul's mate Ian and his family were there as well and also Aiden, Liz and kids. Again, we had a right boozy time! I came back mid-week for work because we were shortly off to Malta, but, in between it was Lewis' stag weekend - a trip to the Rugby 7s Tournament at Twickenham. Apparently, I gave the Devonshire farmers a great laugh...playing human pinball in the middle of a packed night-club! The following weekend we were off to Malta with Celia, Gary and kids. It was the most relaxing holiday I can remember having in long time. Photos  

The weekend after we arrived back in the UK was Hannah and Lewis' wedding so we were back down to Devon. Photos. It was a great day and the weather stayed fantastic all weekend.

Little did we know that Celia's son, George, who had been to Kenya before coming with us to Malta had somewhere picked up a mystery virus. The virus struck heavily in the week following the wedding, so badly  that he ended up at Great Ormond St hospital in intensive care for nearly 12-weeks. He is now back at home, although not yet fit enough for school, and is making steady progress to full fitness...we all wish him well over the next few months for a speedy recovery.

I had my 41st birthday in September...a bit of a subdued affair owing to a cold, poor George being very ill, and the fact that I felt b****y old!

In October Katie took her 11+ exam. The results were out at the end of November. Unfortunately, she didn't get the required mark to get into Grammar school but she seems happy enough to be going to Great Marlow - with her big Sis!

Now roll-on Christmas 2006 and New Year 2007. I hope  it's a good one for everybody!

Events up and coming...

25-26/12/06 - Christmas

We're off to Jim and Janets for Christmas Day, my sisters on Boxing Day, then back to Jim and Janet's for Harry's 21st Birthday party. It promises to be a sober Christmas!

30/12/06 - Skiing Trip

Straight after Christmas we fly out to Austria for the annual ski-fest over the New Year period. 21 of us this year, lets hope the snow comes early!