Happy Birthday Carrie

Happy birthday dear Carrie,

Happy birthday dear Carrie,

Happy birthday dear Carrie,

Happy birthday to you










Comments
Happy Birthday! xD
Posted by: David | October 17, 2008 at 02:01 PM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM! xx
Posted by: ruth | October 16, 2008 at 06:42 PM


Many thanks. Glad to see there weren't 54 candles. They must be those magic ones because I can't blow them out. Cx
Posted by: Carrie | October 16, 2008 at 01:09 PM

happy hunting grounds

Bonnie has gone to chase rabbits in the sky...she was 17 and a half and had enjoyed three happy country years of retirement after her long metropolitan existence. She never quite got used to not being able to jump onto the tube in suffolk,,,,though memories of David nearly decapitating her by jumping onto a train without her whilst holding the lead stayed with her for a long time!

She came to live with us when she was 2 months old - Poppy was nearly 7. Pedigree name was "Our Bonnie Lass"...hastily shortened.
One of her first memories was weeing under Grandpa's chair at breakfast when she was only ten weeks old  - the kitchen swing door had buffeted her back as she scrabbled on the shiny floor.

At two she went on a horse drawn caravan holiday in Ireland and spent a lot of time trying very hard to get kicked by Bess the Big Bummed Horse eulogised by Poppy in a memorable sonnet.

Once upon a time she walked with David from Barnsbury Road to Jacobs over a weekend. Late on the first day they were still a couple of miles from the friends at Ightem Mote with whom they were to stay when a bus passed them. Bonnie decided she had had quite enough and tried very hard to get on it.

She went on many exciting holidays.....Ireland with Ruth and Trev meant the pleasure of a 12 hour boat trip = spent in a tiny box on deck where she sat and licked the salt spray in delight. Scotland was one of her favourite places though she thought camping overrated and really much preferred B&Bs (excess breakfasts always eagerly awaited to be eaten in the bedroom). Yurt dwelling was also acceptable as a form of excursion though her deep snores meant being constantly thumped with a pillow which quite spoiled the experience. Walking weekends with Trev and Jaqui and  Paul and Van were an enormous pleasure.

The South Downs way was great fun - parcels sent ahead to each B&B had the added frisson of excitement....if they failed  to turn up ...... instead of beastly tinned food out of the evening post she would be treated to supper under the table in a pub...heaven!

One of her best holidays was with Poppy and a group of her friends after their GCSEs in a friend's house on Dartmoor. She sat by the lake and surveyed the land for hours when she wasn't swimming with the ducks. Swimming was her delight  - really lovely wild green swimming (though she occasionally 'fell' into the pool when she got really hot at Jacobs). She loved to swim in the sea but always thought the taste a little peculiar - wave jumping until she shivered with cold at Camber Sands is a clear memory; head just lifting out of the water for long enough for a little boy on the beach to shout "a seal! look! it's a seal"

But the best swimming of all was in Cambridge at Barton Road where she loved to sit by the lake and just commune for hours with passing dragonflies if she wasn't in the water -  but any murky puddle would do - the smellier the better - and her long distance swimming was impressive.
She loved children, and took a particular pleasure in trying to make friends with anyone who really didn't like dogs. (Not just Mike!)

Commment
Molly will be delighted and will welcome her with open paws. xV
Posted by: Vanessa | October 11, 2008 at 09:48 AM

Bah Humbug or Credit Crisis?

I know I have suggested similar drastic measures before, and the Christmas spirit certainly runs thicker with some of you than me, but the suggestion has always fallen on barren ground.

Can we not for, for this year only, agree to have a general amnesty on inter family gifts.

I know it is hardly the attitude and it’s the thought that counts and it wouldn’t be the same without it etc., but we could give it a go.  After all we might all still have a happy Christmas. I am fairly convinced that we will all survive the festivities intact with out the extra 7 presents each, and I’m sure the banking system will take a much needed boost from us not all buying an extra 20-30 presents apiece.

Looked at from the other side of course we might be held responsible for driving the retail sector into recession!

What are your thoughts?
Comments
In the Hardy family we buy only for our parents, our children, neffs & nieces under 18 and anybody we're spending christmas day with. We're very happy with that system.
Posted by: Carrie | October 11, 2008 at 03:24 PM

I thought that we had all agreed this, at Paul's instigation, a couple of years ago. Is Paul getting early onset Alzheimers? I plan to send no presents to my bruvs and sin laws, I'm even excluding older neffs and neeces ..... I think 21 is a generous cut off age. Maybe 17 this year.
Posted by: George | October 10, 2008 at 04:01 PM

Kilimanjaro

This summer Dad, Tom, Ted and I along with some friends climbed Kilimanjaro! The first few days were fairly easy - a team of around 30 porters carried all our overnight bags, so we were left with only a small day bag during the day and going at a really slow pace so we didn't get tired (about the pace grandpa will be running at ten years from now!)

I think the only difficulties we had on the first couple of days was the temperature at nightime. My friend and I hadn't done enough research into the trip, and had thought that as we were in Africa we would be boiling overnight, but in fact it was absolutely freezing and every night we were bundled up in all the clothes we had brought with us (at least six layers on both the top and bottom) as well as a hot water bottle made from a water bottle. The other difficulty, particularly for the girls, was the loo situation. As we were at altitude there were luckily no flies, but that didn't take away the fact that our bathroom situation for nine days was a long drop. Luckily, as I was about to brave it the next morning, one of the porters pointed out a tent to me which happened to be our very own portable loo - amazing! [Click Continue reading to read the rest.]

Update for The Keeling Field Game Match

Recently, I had to make some very difficult decisions...

Being completely honest, and with the best interests of our family name and reputation in mind, it has to be said, some keelings will be, alas.... unfit for battle. There I've said it. And I know it will be upsetting for some of you to be rejected from the Keeling XI, but allow me to console you. (I'm really talking to the younger keeling grandchildren and the keeling women). Really, you will be laughing when you see our opponents, laughing with happiness that you will NOT have to form up against some pretty formidable giants in, what we call, the bully. Another, reason you might be more able to accept rejection is that we do want to put out as physically strong a team as we possibly can, and I reckon that any keeling man is strong enough... just. And as the great French writer and physician, Louise Celine, once said...

"All great innovations are built on rejections."

So please dont be disheartened if you are not quite big enough yet or are the wrong sex. Am I being sexist? Well, I just quoted a French lady so pipe down any feminists out there.

Also another point that Tom Keeling, the older (or elder?), wisely brought up is the issue of showers after the game and football boots. Well basically we might be able to use the football pavilion showers, but I have not really done anything about that yet. And with regard to boots, yes I think I probably could rustle up several pairs but really you would be much better prepared in digging out an old pair or going buying some for £20/£30. But we can cross that bridge on the day.

The game kicks off at 11.00. but I think that all players (not necessarily supporters) should be there at literally 9am. this is because you are essentially re-learning (or in some cases just learning) a game that our opponents will have been practising for the whole term. and we'll need quite a few people in order to demonstrate easily what is supposed to be going on for people that need to know.

I am really going to start properly recruiting in about 3 weekends time when I'm at home and I've got more time to think and do stuff. So if you have been sitting by the phone all  this time waiting for my call then alas I'm afraid you must wait a little while longer!

Lastly, I know that everyone's feeling quite pessimistic about actually playing but let me assure that no matter how crippled you think you are I garauntee you will enjoy thrill of playing this sport! Also, we are playing the 4th XI and I really believe that we can be better than them and are more capable of beating them. Remember that most of them will probably be fat and unfit and probably hung over, and none of them will be that great sportsmen. and even if we dont win, who cares, its just a great way to celebrate granny's 80th!

lots of love,

Archie.

Comments
With a pep talk like that, how can we fail to beat them. Go Captain Archie!
From Cheerleader #1
Posted by: ruth | October 03, 2008 at 02:57 PM

Archie, Great update and yes we have crossed in the post, sort of. Wily and cunning we shall be versus raw youth and the spoils will be ours! On the hangover note that you made...if you arrange a bash at Tap the night before the match for the 4th XI then we may have that clear-headed advantage over them that could bring victory to the family team. Does Tap still exist?
Posted by: Tom | October 03, 2008 at 10:01 AM