Arren back to Southampton

Took Arren back to Southampton University today after lunch with Vicky, Arren, Sue and Ella.

Shopping with Ella

Went shopping with Ella and bought her shoes and a handbag! (well - she paid half towards the bag). Ella likes "dolly shoes" the flat type. Also got two shirts for me.

Genes Reunited

Started digging into my family tree with Genes Reunited.
Found a fourth cousin that I knew nothing about - who had details about my great, great grandfather.

Cinema with Arren

Took Arren to cinema to see Grand Torino (Clint Eastwood). Good film, but not as compelling as some reviews suggested.

Visit to EV

Travelled to Ebbw Vale for Easter Monday. Sue did most of the driving as I still didn't feel to good. Dylan and Ella came with us, while Arren went to a gig in Sheffield (The Prodiigy).

Most of the conversation with my parents seem to centre around a planned wall to replace a hedge!

Easter Meal with Jill and Simon

Had a really nice meal today at Jill's. I was still feeling unwell (some sort of virus which then made my stomach go into overdrive!) so I left early (around 7pm).

Borrowed a DVD from Simon - "The Sweet" a 1970's glam rock band.

Ella home

Ella home - she got back at Lunchtime after a long journey by bus from France. Only one incident happened on the holiday - she fell off the drag lift and the instructor told her to wait for him and then forgot her!

Devon

Visited Devon on a day trip today and had lunch at Sandy Park Inn. I had a duck salad - delicious.

London - Natural History Museum and Theatre

Visited the Natural History museum in London to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition exhibition (run jointly by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Museum). This was an inspirational exhibition with many remarkable photographs. Sue loved on called "Polar sunrise" which showed a polar bear backlit by the first rays of sunlight. I liked the "clash of eagles" where two white-tailed eagles fight in a snowstorm. This was taken at 1,000 sec with a long lens (500mm). The most popular camera seemed to be the Canon EOS 40D (10meg).

My favourite was "Orcas at sunset"; three fins sticking out of the water at sunset. The water looks captivating.




After the museum, we went to Leicester Square and bought reduced price tickets to see "Entertaining Mr Sloane"
with Imelda Staunton at the Trafalgar Studio theatre. Tickets were from LondonTheatreBookings.com.

Visit to Kent

Visited Jim with Dylan, Charlotte and Sue. I started the day in a bad mood, especially as we left later than planned (around 10am) and forgot to take the pizzas, sue had bought for our lunch.

Arrived at 1pm, Sue took a wrong turn after Ashford (we switched drivers at the Clacket Lane service station and I went to sleep!). Asha is back, and Tony, Calluma nd Franncesca were already there. Jim made us coffee while I let Poppy into the back garden to chase Lulu. After a coffee I took Sue to Sainsbury's to buy more lunch and some vitamin C for Jim. His white blood count is too low for him to continue with the Chemo.

After lunch we chatted, then Dylan suggested a walk with F&C to the beach.

Holiday at home - two weeks over Easter

It's Saturday and it's the first day of my two week holiday. We walked Poppy together in the morning. Dylan arrived from Salford University in the afternoon. In the evening I went to the cinema with Sue to see SlumDog millionaire.


A teenager who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" and is arrested under suspicion of cheating.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1571460352/tt1010048

Ella goes skiing

Ella went on a school trip today - skiing in France for a week.