Wales Revisited

A couple of years ago we went to Wales for Ken's 90th birthday celebration.  It was a fantastic affair in a big tent on my nephew's sheep farm.
Almost all the family was there it was truly a great tribute to a good man.

Here Ken is going on about how he found wine underground in Italy during WWll


Here he is working the room....


It was a great time.

These two snook in under the tent flaps when no-one was looking..

Reliant Stadium and the Texans

After being in Houston for almost 4 years I at last went to a game......... the fact that it was a pretty meaningless game didn't matter much to me; I was thrilled to see an NFL game in person once again.  It's been a long time.

Our favorite Real Estate lady ( also a Cameron Hughes wine fan ) provided the tickets and even though I am hurting from back pain and still suffering also from the dreadful cough I've had for 4 weeks, I went.  The tickets were incredibly good.  Field level on the Texans side on the 35 yd line,  WOW!

Here  I am approaching the colossal amphitheater......And that's the left index finger of the stranger who took the picture.

I was really pleased with the seats... here's Matt Schaub ......

Despite the dismal record the Texans have this year the stadium was packed by game time.  Here is a rather long video showing how the fans cheer each of the players by yelling their names as they are introduced....






Here's one where Steve Slayton returns a punt.  It looks like if he'd cut right about 5 yards before he was tackled he would have had a blocker and maybe gone a long way........




It was a terrific time.  Thanks Gayle.

Keeping Up

We are so busy its hard to keep up.  After spending Christmas with Emily and Jennifer and the Martins, we went to San Diego on Boxing Day to visit the Walkers.  Al and Evelyn met us and we drove the 30 mins up to Rancho Santa Fe.

We had lots of good times and good meals in their spacious house and were thrilled by the views.
Here are some pics and vids.

 This is the front of the house with the balloon in the air behind it.

Here's Beverly and the kids having breakfast in the guest cottage.  There is not much furniture in there yet but there is a nice bed and we enjoyed it.

We went to a terrific little restaurant that encourages guests to bring their dogs!  Outside dining of course.
Here are PK and EB at Claire's.

We went to Del Mar and walked on the beach there called Dog Beach.  As you will see it is aptly named.

It rains sometimes in California and we were lucky enough to catch one of those days...........................




Guess what this is.  Can you tell?

Wait for it........



Keep your shirt on........



Ah ha!

Christmas

We spent Christmas at the Martin's home this year.  We went caroling Christmas Eve and had a great Mexican style dinner.  Of course we pulled crackers and wore the silly hats, told the daft jokes and played the naffy games. We spent the night at Emily's comfortable new apartment - we had our own b/r.

We got up Christmas morning and quickly hightailed it to P'ville to watch the kids open their presents. We had eggs Benedict with 2 bottles of fizz and ate my world famous pie-lets.  Later in the day we had our Christmas dinner.
It was spectacular.  Jenn did a leg of lamb on the rotisserie and we also had smoked Greenberg turkey.  Nigella Lawson's recipe helped Jenn make the most scrumptious roasted potatoes I've ever had.  (secret ingredient was goose fat)
Poor old Anth was off-color and we all wished him well over and over as we drank the Cameron Hughes Lot 200 Cabernet that Nana and I provided.

Surprise!!!

We got a call from Steph yesterday afternoon saying that she and the kids had flown into town for an appointment.  They were on us 1/2 hour later.  We had been baking all morning and it was a very pleasant surprise.
We ate some of our cookies and then Evie took a nap.  The twins entertained themselves as they are so capable of doing.

Later that night we were surprised yet again.  After dinner -  baked eggplant parmagiana -  we were watching a movie when we heard noise at the front door.

Here's what we encountered upon opening the door....

Sausages make you Taller

Here's Little Evelyn having eggs and sausage with Nana and Grandad just the day before they flew off to California.

Yet Another Cruise

I soloed last week and did the same itinerary as Bev and I did last April.....Fla to San Juan, St Martin, and St Kitt's. 


Wasn't as much fun without her but I had a good week.  I spent the first night with Steve and Linda in Florida....

Then Steve drove me to the ship after lunch on Saturday.  I was really pleased when I got to my forward cabin and saw the room.

And the view...

 It was fantastic.  I got to see things just as the Skipper did from my spot right below the bridge.
Here is San Juan.  We parked downtown.

I saw several sunrise/sunsets...

Heading in an easterly direction that of course is sunrise.
I went snorkeling in St Martin but the weather wasn't the best with high winds and a few showers making the bottom murky.  Fortunately the crew had plenty of suds so the day wasn't a total waste.

I got home early yesterday, enabled by a high speed $77 cab ride from Miami Port to FLL  so I caught an early flight.  At dinner last night Graham, Paige and Evelyn welcomed me home with this poster.....

While I read my welcome notes, Nana and Evelyn were telling each other how the cow ate the cabbage....