Family Food

At last, back to see family who we always miss loads, especially around Christmas time. So, here we all are stuffing our faces with amazing food in an Italian restaurant in Fareham to make up for our time away.

Will and I, before Will got that awful virus that stopped us getting to see everyone we wanted to. Sorry, we will see you all next time!

Two cheeky chappies, clearly enjoying their food too much!?

National Space Centre

On our way back to Scotland we stopped at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Will had wanted to go for ages (having previously wanting to be a space man), so Debbie and Mick bought us some tickets for his 40th birthday present. It was really interesting, even for me and look forward to going back. The 360d surround cinema was the best.

Oli & Nikki get Married

The day was really great and everyone had a fab time. Congratulations Oli & Nikki!

Oli, Will, my sister Debbie, Mum and me.

My nephew, Liam, was really sweet reading out a love poem at the ceromony. He was so emotional he burst into tears, but amazingly managed to read it all the way through really clearly. Anyone who wasn't already crying, was by now. A moment in his life to reflect on always, or at least we will when he gets a girlfriend.

Freddie his brother, meanwhile had literally a hair rasing experience to come. Busy with all the groovy dancing on the dancefloor, little did he know that a few days later he would be getting his appendix out at QA! All better now thank goodness.

Will, being the best man prepared a suitably silly speech, which included using a 'South Park' style mask of my other brother Phil to deliver his message as he couldn't make to the wedding being that he was in Cananda serving in the army. A usually confident Will, was thrown a little after Oli's really touching speech, but still managed a few laughs during his own speech :-D

After the celebrations, Oli & Nikki were off to Durdle Door, in Dorset for a camping honeymoon, but then after counting their wedding vouchers then went on to another slightly up market honeymoon in Cuba.

Stag Night

Another stag do, but just a few drinkies at Port Solent before the big day. Oli made sure Liam came along to make sure Will didn't do anything naughty with him, but Will did succeed in making Oli really nervous about what he 'might' do....

Hec, it must have been a rough night, there's a dinasour on Southsea seafront, having just left the wedding venue, The Queen's Hotel??

Back Home to Portsmouth Again...

Back again, this time for my brother, Oli and Nikki's wedding. Before that it was great to catch up with everyone again. Here's our nephew's Freddie and William painting, my goodness, mum needs a house clearance if she thinks she is going to move into a caravan! Loving her pinny on William though :-)

Had meals out for all but one day while we were down - naughty but nice. Here we are with Will's family in The Seagul pub at Portchester.

Go Ape Stag Day

My brother Oli, is getting married this August and he chose a Go Ape day, well in advance of the big day in case of any injuries. As we were down south for Will's dad's birthday, the gang went to the Moors Valley Country Park, Ringwood. Great fun and not a broken bone in sight, phew!

Happy 60th Birthday Mick

It was Will's Dad's 60th birthday so we travelled back to Portsmouth for a really quick visit to wish him a happy birthday.

Forest Hunts

We took our neices and nephews out in the forest for some treasure hunting and lunch in our campervan. Here's William and Amy asking the forest faries for the treasure with their magic wands in The New Forest, and Liam and Freddie in the Forestry Commission park at Hundred Acres in the Forest of Bere.

Family Holiday

At last, a well needed holiday after successfully passing our mountain bike leader course and yet another confidence and presentation course (I hate role play :-o), so it's been great to have some time off before the silly season starts again at work. It's also been great to see family again after six months, but it's been a serious food and drink fest. Oh well, we can always bike off the calories in the Scottish hills when we go back. Here's our nephew, Freddie hiding behind a knickerbockerglory and Will's family; it was Will's Mum and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary recently, aah, they don't look old enough do they!

Back to Portsmouth

Really nice to catch up with Will's family, hadn't seen them since March and that was really brief. We camped in the garden with the kids and had a campfire with marsh mallows, mmm.

Phil Passes out the Army

My little 'tall' brother Phil passed out the army, so we travelled down to Pirbright to see him after all his hard work. A really proud day and good to catch up with family if only really brief!

Here he is marching on the left after collecting his prize for best shooting. Mum and us kids on the right. Phil's now in Logistics in Germany.