Hi J
Just logged on late on Sunday night. What no camels?? Your trip sounds very very good to me.
Domestic news. Pam getting much better - got prescribed the "fast track" drug - so although not quite gone, she is left mainly with a few scabs on her scalp and forehead - very itchy. Katie now home - so our previous calm has evaporated. Very brown but I think glad to be back. Saw Kirsty for the morning before she got picked up. Completely unchanged - it was as though she had never travelled half way across the world for half a year - amazing. Katie completely unchanged likewise. Talked so much on the way back that I missed a turning - something I never normally do on a familiar route - unless Katie is in the car!
Back to your travels. Katie says her silk liner acts as some proof against bed bugs, for what that is worth. What sort of vegetation on the high tops - rock & scree - or anything more lush? Any good birds? Any animal life? Did you solve the map problem or are you doing it all by dead reckoning! It's getting a bit late now- will log on tomorrow - so will be back soon Pete
posted by dixon family news 9:24 PM
Hi J
Just logged on late on Sunday night. What no camels?? Your trip sounds very very good to me.
Domestic news. Pam getting much better - got prescribed the "fast track" drug - so although not quite gone, she is left mainly with a few scabs on her scalp and forehead - very itchy. Katie now home - so our previous calm has evaporated. Very brown but I think glad to be back. Saw Kirsty for the morning before she got picked up. Completely unchanged - it was as though she had never travelled half way across the world for half a year - amazing. Katie completely unchanged likewise. Talked so much on the way back that I missed a turning - something I never normally do on a familiar route - unless Katie is in the car!
Back to your travels. Katie says her silk liner acts as some proof against bed bugs, for what that is worth. What sort of vegetation on the high tops - rock & scree - or anything more lush? Any good birds? Any animal life? Did you solve the map problem or are you doing it all by dead reckoning! It's getting a bit late now- will log on tomorrow - so will be back soon Pete
posted by dixon family news 9:24 PM
John
Posted a brief message to you but it's got itself tangled up with a prefatory message to Katie so you ned to read through the Katie bit to find your bit. Sorry. My mistake. Pete
posted by dixon family news 12:25 PM
Hi Katie
Are your flight plans still unchanged? If so see you Manchester 7.40 am ish on Friday. Poor old Pam has got shingles around her right forehead, in her scalp and around her right eye. We thought it was an allergic reaction to an insect bite intially, as did the practice nurse, but a couple of days on antibiotics wasn't touching it so off to the GP - who sent her to the opthalmict A&E clinic there and then with the advice that she ought to pack a bag as she could well be in overnight. Doom !!!. However, she got an immediate diagnosis, has been prescribed the "fast track" cure that John Snr had when Margaret was very ill, and things should be a lot better by the time you get home - meanwhile her poor old right eye is one red blob which she can't open - so we are treating her with loving care.
Spring has really arrived - feels summery - everywhere in flower - trees breaking into leaf - what a great time to come home.
Fancy that being Anne Fine that I met - had I known I would have curtsied - or at least struck a deal with her to visit Tom's shop! Grandad rang - very chuffed with your card from Nepal - will doubtless want to see you once you're settled back home. Precious little else happening - Hamish hunting bees again - life goes on as normal - we are all looking forward to the grand homecoming. You will see from other bits of the blog that Mel and Nick are having a camping weekend in Beddgelert in May as their parting family "do". I've invited them to join the blog - not sure if they have yet - but Ange has - so if you want to find out more lob your questions in that direction.
Thats it for now - see you very soon - Pete xxxxxxxx
Hi J John snr got your letter from Tangiers - very appreciative - thought you were doing exactly the right thing with your PJD's £1000 - " that's just the sort of thing I hoped people would do with it". How far have you got? Found a good camel in the small ads yet?. Your claim form despatched a promised. Only interesting mail that has arrived turned out to be your final salary slip and P45 form Space Place. So your free!!!
Keep in touch when you get chance. All those small Berber villages in the High Atlas are bounfd to have internet connections surely.......Pete x
posted by dixon family news 12:23 PM
Hi Angieroo!
Tom has just been talking to Melanie on the phone tonight (Thu). Gather Mel is organising a family camping shindig in a field somewhere in Beddgelert w/e of 25 May !. Someone ought to her tell her that the only thing that comes out of Beddgelert is slate and the only thing that goes in, is rain! Have to assume this is part of her advanced acclimatisation programme for the wetter bits of South Island. The real question Ange, is whether or not you are going to be camping there - in the midges - in the rain - in a small tent when home is beckoning only twenty miles away?? We demand an answer! Looks as though we are free that weekend (assuming the lost generation are invited - my bet is we will be provided we buy the beer) but haven't even thought about mentioning it to Pam yet. Softly softly catchee monkey.
It was good to see you last weekend - can only guess which bit of the UK you are reading this. Keep in touch
Pete
PS It looks as though Ric has logged on but I'm not sure if he is visiting the blog.
posted by dixon family news 7:28 PM
Katie The thing I meant to tell you about was that on Saturday morning a rather well spoken woman came on the phone wanting to speak to you. (I thought it was probably an employment agency offering you a full days work on silver service - get yourself there, provide your own uniform and "PS We don't pay overtime" sort of deal) but it turned out to be one of Will's aunties. She was at Will's Grandma's house and saw this black travel bag - asked Grandma whose it was and Grandma hadn't a clue - guessed it belonged to her son-in law who was doing some work in her house and thought it was his tools! Intrepid Auntie looks in bag and works out that it was all travel stuff and - this is where I'm guessing a bit - discovers someting of Kirsty's with her parents' phone number - rings them - they get anxious (as ever) - and then (and I'm not sure how they made this connection) rang us. The upshot being that I popped over to Hardinstone - met Auntie and Grandma - and now have one travel bag with a green fleece on top. Haven't delved into it but assume the films you talked about are in there (plus Anna's present?). Do you want them developed before you get home - or at least so they are ready when you get home? Don't know whether the Auntie was anne Fine or not - she had fair straight hair - and a fancy 4x4 outside.
That's it for now love again P xx
posted by dixon family news 8:39 PM
Saw John off yesterday morning with Fran from E Midlands. Dropped Fran off at the station on return because she had to get back to pack in order to get to Cadenet the next day. John hoped to be in Tarifa (Spain) on Monday night and heading towards Marrakesh today (Tuesday). We had a good pig-out for J's birthday - wine was drunk - roast pork - parsnips - roast potatoes - Pavlova - lots of cheese (hope you are reading all this Katie!). The Ange dropped in at about 10.30 pm - because he was staying with us for sunday and monday night - all very complicated - but now everyone has gone and Pam has had a good quiet day in her garden - I've had a happy day printing a newsletter - the sun has shone yet again (London - 26 days without rain - we must be much the same) - and I got voted onto the cabinet again - so everything is Rosy!!
Ange says Mel and Nick have bought their ticket now - going via San Francisco - setting off in May - but Ange couldn't emeber the date.. Doing a fair bit of walking/visiting on the west coast - walking some/all of the John Muir Trail - going to Monument Valley and Grand Canyon (but can't remember whether they are trecking there or just visiting). After all that they are going on to NZ via Christmas Islands.
Where are you Katie? Seen a tiger yet? More interestingly, has a tiger seen you? How's the Taj Mahal? Pam thinks it has got scaffolding up it at the moment and Tom thinks they have put the entrance price up high. Unlike them I don't have a view about these exotic places so will wait until I hear news from the true source ie someone who has actually been there! How's Kirsty's tum - is she nice to be near?? Give her our love. Realise you will be home very soon. Am starting to get out the road map to find out where Manchester is - so see you very soon - Love Pete xxxxxxxx
posted by dixon family news 8:13 PM
Hi K
Hadn't realised what a long time it has been since I last logged on. Where have we been, what have we been doing? Not quite sure really but we seem to have been very busy. Had a great few days in France - clear blue skies - lots of hacking and burning - emptied a fair bit of the barn - talked to the little kids from down the road - got the water on etc etc. we stayed in a hotel in Gueret and travelled out each day. Were meant to have taken Ric with us but he cried off half an hour before we set off (we think Janet laid down the law!). Driving on French motorways is smashing so it takes about 6/7 hours smooth driving to get there from Calais - so not bad.
Pam has been deep into her garden at every opportunity - along with her attentive assistant digger! Everything is early this year - we seem to have had clear cool sunny dry days for about three weeks now. Eating asparagus already!
Council work seems to be sucking me in. We are all up for re-selection this coming week. I''ve been tipped of that I will still be in cabinet but not counting any chickens yet.
This is alll reading as pretty boring stuff compared to what you have been doing. What will/did Kirsty do in Katmandu on her own while you were canoeing? Are you getting to the point where you have exhausted each others company or is this just a natural break? What have you been doing about photos - are you lugging round lots of used film or have you posted it off? What are you going to do /go to in India? How did you persuade Kirsty to go independantly on the annapurna trek against her dad's advice? Brave stuff heh?
Questions, questions, questions!!
We are just adjusting to the idea that you will be home quite soon - we wonder how you will adjust to it all again. Still, one small woolly creature will be very pleased to see you - not to mention the rest of us.
I've suddenly found myself with sciatica for the first time ever - it's like a trapped nerve deep in your bum and the pain goes down one leg - so I'm sitting on one side of my bum as I tap this out and getting to the point where i will need to stretch my leg. They all say it will go soon - so here's hoping. am just about to Hamey down the garden for al ast minute wee - on his lead because otherwise he doesn't want to come in again and tries to play catch-up in the flowerbeds - which fails to impress your mother more than somewhat.
So logging off now - but will do some more soon.
Lots of love Pete xxxxxxxxxxxxx
posted by dixon family news 10:40 PM
Hi K
Hadn't realised what a long time it has been since I last logged on. Where have we been, what have we been doing? Not quite sure really but we seem to have been very busy. Had a great few days in France - clear blue skies - lots of hacking and burning - emptied a fair bit of the barn - talked to the little kids from down the road - got the water on etc etc. we stayed in a hotel in Gueret and travelled out each day. Were meant to have taken Ric with us but he cried off half an hour before we set off (we think Janet laid down the law!). Driving on French motorways is smashing so it takes about 6/7 hours smooth driving to get there from Calais - so not bad.
Pam has been deep into her garden at every opportunity - along with her attentive assistant digger! Everything is early this year - we seem to have had clear cool sunny dry days for about three weeks now. Eating asparagus already!
Council work seems to be sucking me in. We are all up for re-selection this coming week. I''ve been tipped of that I will still be in cabinet but not counting any chickens yet.
This is alll reading as pretty boring stuff compared to what you have been doing. What will/did Kirsty do in Katmandu on her own while you were canoeing? Are you getting to the point where you have exhausted each others company or is this just a natural break? What have you been doing about photos - are you lugging round lots of used film or have you posted it off? What are you going to do /go to in India? How did you persuade Kirsty to go independantly on the annapurna trek against her dad's advice? Brave stuff heh?
Questions, questions, questions!!
We are just adjusting to the idea that you will be home quite soon - we wonder how you will adjust to it all again. Still, one small woolly creature will be very pleased to see you - not to mention the rest of us.
I've suddenly found myself with sciatica for the first time ever - it's like a trapped nerve deep in your bum and the pain goes down one leg - so I'm sitting on one side of my bum as I tap this out and getting to the point where i will need to stretch my leg. They all say it will go soon - so here's hoping. am just about to Hamey down the garden for al ast minute wee - on his lead because otherwise he doesn't want to come in again and tries to play catch-up in the flowerbeds - which fails to impress your mother more than somewhat.
So logging off now - but will do some more soon.
Lots of love Pete xxxxxxxxxxxxx
posted by dixon family news 10:40 PM