We are told some readers can't guess who writes the blog - so we'll try to keep you guessing!!
We had a great two weeks back in Dorset followed by a week in Edinburgh. We saw so many friends and family - who cares if the weather wasn't very nice!
I think a list of highlights is appropriate (in occurence order):
- beer with Martin and Jess on arrival in Wareham, fresh off the plane from Rio
- customary visit to Shell Bay fish restaurant that evening for a meal - this time in pouring rain! With Andrew, J&M, William and Alice, and service from two Brazilians!
- pub lunch in Scott Arms in Kingston the next day after a sunny walk over there - Will got a sunburnt neck
- cycling around New Forest for a day with Hugo, Jess, Matt, Luke and Esther, Oliver and Paula, Gwil - great packed lunch and dinner at a local pub including Mudeford Cuttlefish!
- Bee Orchid at Seacombe, talking to Bill and Marion and Charlie's and Mark's good company at the Square & Compass (a list compiling the variety of beers drunk would embarass Patrick!)
- discovering that Swanage has a brand new recycling centre/dump that is well worth visiting. W, J & H won't be surprised to know that this made their mother's holiday!
- having Will with us during our two weeks in Worth revising for his IP exam. We were impressed with his focus & discipline and are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets the result he deserves
- solar thermal supplying the three of us with hot water during our 1st (relatively sunny) week and an annual solar generation at 3400kWhr against expectation of 3200kWhr -:)
- Pat Smith's visit: Good walk & good chats. Thanks for the delicious cheese Pat and for returning the Harmsworths so beautifully restored by Holly.
- a faultless train trip Wareham - Edinburgh
- Graeme and Irene's hospitality in their lovely flat in Queens Crescent
- exemplary teamwork from Edinburgh an HWU in the ICCR project
- Josca and Wytze's tender care and attention of the boy with bad eye and bad foot! Keep the arches supported, silly. Good to see Izzy & Marloes too
- catching up with folk at HWU. Dan's enthusiasm for teaching is most infectious.
-Graham and Moira's hospitality, Deep Heat, scanning and lift to the early flight. Good to see Harry who spent days of hard work putting up Edinburgh Food Festival enclosure only for it to be rained off! Take the money and rain!
-England and Italy performances at Euro 2012 and Murray qualifying for the Wimbledon final!
Thanks for the useful advice from Pat and Graeme - Fip (french) & Radio Swiss Jazz are useful additions to our global Radio stations.
Edinbugh tram chaos continues and glad we are missing a lot of the mess - lets hope we all grow to love it and use it!!
Heavy rain greeted us on return to Rio - no getting away from rain in the 'summer' of 2012!