60 years later

For his dairy on 31st August 1948, my father wrote 'Knighton today calling at Ludlow, Mocktree (to find Grandfather's cottage, but failed) Coverland and Leintwardine.'
Yesterday, 22nd August 2008, we searched for great-grandfather's cottage along with my second cousin Alan (son of my father's cousin) and his partner. We think we succeeded where my father failed. Which is not surprising as he was only four when his grandfather died. Only a patch of nettles remains, and a piece of building timber, a bedhead strengthening a fence. We liked to think it was from grandfather's bed in a cottage high up by a lone pine with a wonderful view, but very remote.
There are times when time travelling is really appealing.
Today I had another walk, joining others at Bucknell Station to walk five miles through Shropshire Hills to Knighton, and return by train (costing all of £1.50). The weather was wonderful, but has deteriorated rapidly now that its time to mow the lawn.

Summer beauties

here are some shots of summer before it disappears. England's beauties.

Weekend Guests

Folk you might recognise who spent a jolly weekend with us. We visited a museum called The Land of Lost Content, where we found lots of things we remembered from childhood. Things like Bayko; photos of people like Eve Boswell; Muffin the Mule. If you are over a certain age it's a good way to spend a wet afternoon in the Marches. Though we did wish they'd dust it a bit.
I went in to Ludlow today on the bus. Went to a demonstartion on compost and learned that the visiting moles have probably devoured all the worms in my heap. Then I bought some things to take as gifts to America (any suggestions appreciated). When I came home H o F had removed the range! That's the next stage to a New Kitchen. Wow!

Pub Crawl

Had an unintentional pub crawl last night. Started off in one pub where I go for my singing class, and where the Head of Finance went this week for a men's meeting (how times have changed!). Then the singing teacher decided we needed to visit another pub where we will be performing at a Bank Holiday Beer Festival. By this time it was dark, so there we were stumbling around in the muddy pub garden trying to find the best place for the 'cowsticks'. And to be polite, of course, we had to go inside after, where a fellow crossword puzzler helped me finish the cryptic from the Weekly Telegraph, over our drinks.

Here's a question for you.
Just what is church, as in the gathering of believers, for?
And can you find scriptural support for your answer?

And one for the grandchildren

Seems quite appropriate that this family should live in Powys Castle!

Grandma Di

God puts the single in families, or something like that.
How nice that Di should have a grandson. This is Gavin

Famous FIve

What a treat to receive a picture like this through the ether.
Apparently it took seven attempts to get all five looking and smiling in the right direction.

The Wedding of the Year

The Dynasty



The Family

Wedding's gone, summer too

It's pouring, cats and dogs. Strange how quickly summer sunshine can seem a distant memory. So it's an indoor day, no need to fell guilty about neglecting the garden. The H of F is upstairs on one computer, and I'm down in the conservatory on the laptop, the raindrops falling noisily above my head.
We got back yesterday from a rather super wedding which I'll tell you more about when we've uploaded the photos.
We also went to one meeting of New Life Conference at Rora which you can follow via internet radio http://media15.cqservers.com/newliferadio-live, or in our case, with the clever soundbridge. I recommend listening to an African called Gbile. You might see some familiar faces on the radio site.
We stayed with the chaotic and amusing household of Platypuses, along with Kokoshka Rowlands (let him who reads understand).
On the way home we stopped at two National Trust sites as we are trying to get our money's worth out of our annual sub before the season finishes. It's very nice to feel in credit and be able to visit a place just for an hour or so without feeling one is spending a waste of money.