30 September 2017

It's back to island life again.

Its only been just over a week since we've arrived back but seems a lot longer.   The weather has been unpredictable but what's been nice is that it's been nice a cool.  So pretty easy to settle back into things.  The dive center has been pretty quiet, just waiting on the Chinese invasion.

Si's been busy with the Bar, Diving, Photography, Social Media, being aTech Guru at the PADI award ceremony to name but a few of his talents :-D   I really don't know how he does it.  He's even managed to get a walk or two in.

Padi Pro night

Sai Nuan

I've been teaching a 4 day Reef Check course with one girl and by the end of it I was totally shattered :-D  It's the weekend now and I've managed to go for a swim, cycle, pottering/sorting around the house, have a massage, get my nails painted and today, cycling up to the reservoir for the first time in over a month.  It's a hot day and I think I'm going to struggle ..a lot LOL

22nd September 2017

The last week in the UK seems to have gone in a flash.  We managed to pack quite a few things in.   We met up with Roy and drove up to Norfolk and stayed with Simon's Mum, Del & Auntie Pat who had rented a lovely mobile home on the coast for a couple of nights and then drove back home, to the farm.

The 15th was my Birthday, another year older and wiser they say  ..not too sure if that's correct LOL
Anyway, I had a super day, got thoroughly spoilt and went out with the family for a lovely meal in the evening!  It was lovely coming home to a room full of balloons (Thank you Rosie) and lots of cards and brilliant prezzies AND my very own chocolate button cake, baked by Iona :-D

The following Sunday we drove to Croydon to visit Simons father and Kate.   We spent most of the afternoon just catching up and then in the evening we went out for a bite to eat.  We were pleasantly surprised by going to Chai-Naasto which was an Indian street style food restaurant.  Very good food, not that spicy but worth a visit.  The decor was brilliant!

Monday we met up with Rosie & Charles, Rob and his vegetarian girlfriend in London for a speed boat experience along the Thames, which was great.  I just wish we could have gone faster!  A great day out though, THANK YOU ROSIE!!

11th September 2017

  Many Happy Returns Squiddles!!  

Dad would have been 97 years young today.

Since the wedding we've been pretty active, Si's been out walking here there and everywhere, working on his social media work which seems to be never ending and driving everywhere as per usual to see everyone.  I on the other hand have been helping Rosie out in her Tea room on the odd day,  cycling most days unless it's chucking it down and have done some babysitting for my Goddaughter Iona which was great fun.   Whilst I was in bed on Sunday morning, Iona was up early creating a super hero costume :-D    Such a creative little sausage.

  

30th August 2017

Time is flying!   We arrived safely back in the UK.  Vehicle hire collected it was straight to Simon's mum for coffee and a bacon sandwich ..which I must say was delicious.  After a couple of hours catching up it was time to head of to Simon's brothers, Roy's to help with some of the wedding preparations.    Not long after we arrived, Simon's father turned up with cabling, speakers etc.  It was lovely to see everyone but after a few hours, we were both feeling jet lagged kick and especially for Simon, who's not slept more than a couple of hours of a night due to his ear infection, having to drive everywhere did amazingly well.

Setting up the sound system

Things slowly coming together

So after an exhausting first day, we finally arrived back at the farm, unpacked, caught up with Rosie, Charles and the boys and settled in.  It was so nice to sleep in our own bed and boy did we sleep well.

02 September 2017

3 Generations

The new Mr & Mrs D

The marquee

Roy & Wendi's wedding day was lovely. Beautiful venue, weather, Wendi looked stunning and all the hard work that went into the preparation for their big day, paid off.

They had a fish & chip van which was a fab idea, so simple but so so tasty and then, to top it off, an ice cream van with every ice cream, lolly you could ever wish for  ...DELICIOUS!!
It was great to catch up with Simon's family some of which I've not seen for years.

26th August 2017

Simone,

Happy 11th Anniversary!!

I love you more with each day that passes

You to me are everything, the sweetest thing that love could be, oh baby!!

X X X

23rd August 2017

Many Happy Returns of the Day Charles!!

Hoping you have a lovely Birthday

We will be thinking of you.

Sending lots of love,

Jenny & Simone

X X X

14th August 2017

For the last week or so, our house has been having a little make over.  The outside has been rubbed down and painted and I'd say 70% of the interior has painted but they still need to do a couple of more coats in our bedroom and the bathroom still hasn't been touched.  They've put new flooring in the spare room as the other was termite infested, the interior doors have been taken off and moved outside, goodness knows what they're going to do with them.  They do seem to flitting from one thing to another instead of finishing off one room at a time.   It's slightly annoying but at least its being done.   

Whilst the work on the house has been going on, we've had little or no hot water,  we're unable to unpack as we're unsure as to what still needs to be done but it's all OK.  One of our friends who won a couple of night stay in a luxury sea villa back in April, gave us his prize as he's not heading back to the island for ages, so we took full advantage.  

Cuthbert doing some yoga and taking in the view

Si busy as usual

This is our latest wreck which was deployed a couple of days ago.  

Crystal 5  ..her last journey

Helmsman - Iona & Chloe

Crystal 5 was the boat we hired for the day to go snorkeling & diving  ..such fond memories!!

Measuring coral fragments

I'm measuring corals at our artificial dive site Junkyard.  We are working with another dive school 'New Heaven'  on project to record the growth of corals / fouling organisms.