Our Majorca holiday

We love to go to Puerto Pollensa in Majorca and after our 2 weeks last year we said we would take Hannah and Megan this year for a week and have 9 or 10 days after on our own. This was agreed with the children's parents and schools and then we realised how unwell our lovely daughter Kaye was and thought it might help her to come out for a week with Sebastian too. We all set out for the airport with much excitement, our wonderful friend Mike chauffeured Andy, the girls and myself to Bristol airport and Simon brought Kaye and Seb to meet us there. We checked in and got priority boarding which was great, the girls were sooo excited as they had never flown before. We had a lovely meal before boarding and very soon we were winging our way to Majorca. The girls loved the flight, looking out of the windows and giggling at the fluffy clouds. It was getting dark as we landed and the sparkling lights of Palma were wonderful from the air. We collected the 7 seater hire car and set off for Puerto Pollensa. We got to the apartment and had a quick drink and a biscuit or two and went to bed. We have stayed in this fab apartment before, 3 mins from the beach, just up the road from the British food & Hire shop. It has three big bedrooms, 2 large bathrooms, lounge diner and fabulous kitchen, fully equipped laundry room and has a pool shared by the other block residents. The girls thought it was heaven. The week was spent, swimming in the pool, on the beach, snorkelling, eating ice creams and dining out in our new holiday threads. Evenings were spent mixing with the locals in the square until very late, the culture is very much about including the kids in everything and evenings of course are cooler. The girls turned a lovely bronze colour and looked gorgeous, they were made a fuss of wherever we went and they behaved beautifully the whole holiday. We were so proud of their manners and social skills. Little Seb turned out to be proper water baby and wasn't content to just paddle...he wanted to be in up to his neck!! He loved making sandcastles with Gandy and then running off for Gandy or me to chase him. He delighted the staff in every bar and eaterie and is a dreadful flirt with the girls, cheeky smiles and giggles galore. We went to the market on the last day the girls and Kaye were there and they bought gifts and souvenirs with their holiday money, tried lots of local goodies and I treated us all to a gorgeous fish lunch on the square. As we were leaving the girls asked if we could look at getting their hair braided by the Senegalese ladies in the market, I said we would go and look but nearly fell over when they asked for 60euro each for the girls. I said no and they reduced the price to a 100euro for both. Still too rich for my blood. She asked me how much I would pay and I looked at how much cash I had and told her no more than 30euro for both! She almost spat at me and I said sorry but I didn't have any more to spend and walked away. We had only taken 5 steps and they were coming after us shouting "Nanna, Nanna, OK 30 euro for both." So they had their hair braided and were totally made up. We arrived back at the apartment and all they could tell Gandy was how Nanny had argued with the women to get their hair done. Gandy explained it's called 'haggling' and the girls decided between them to try it out next time they bought anything. We'll see how that pans out. All too soon the week was over and we all wished that we had booked for them to stay the whole time, but we tearfully waved goodbye at Palma airport, ditched the hire car and returned on the shuttle bus for a less strenuous few days. Poor Andy's Sciatica had been playing up and we had to make 2 emergency appointments with a local physio. Thank goodness our friends Sam and Ian who are residents there had a number for him. We enjoyed the rest of our time but perhaps didn't do as much physically as usual due to Andy's pain. We paid for it when we got home with a significant weight gain of over 7lbs for each of us...aaaaarrgghh! The trip home was horrendous as Andy couldn't stand for any length of time even when using his walking stick so we had to have a wheelchair and assistance through the airport and on and off the plane. He was so embarrassed but I couldn't manage everything so we had to have help.

Thankfully we got home and he had an appointment with the wonderful Wanda who has sorted him right out ( I don't know how, it's on a need to know basis evidently)

We thoroughly enjoyed having the girls,Kaye & Seb with us and will definitely do it again and hopefully with all the Grandchildren soon, maybe a very big villa to share next time...sounds great to me. It's all about family for us and the special memories that are left after sharing lovely family times together, bigger and better next time me thinks!

Here are a few pics to give you an idea of our fun....

A miracle has happened....

It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce to the whole world that Daniel and Lula are PREGNANT!!
This small miracle has occurred against all the odds and is due to make an appearance around the 10th December 2012.

Nugget our little miracle

Dan is insisting it is a boy and will tolerate no girl thoughts...he'll have what he's given and I know he'll love it either way. He was so ecstatic during the Ultra sound scan..the baby was waving it's little hands and he was in total awe!
Lula has had a bit of morning sickness but that has now passed  for the most part and her little bump, affectionately called 'nugget' is now very visible and causing all sorts of wardrobe problems....so pleased and excited, we are truly blessed and so very very grateful.

Spring has definitely sprung !!

Well the smell of spring is in the air and the temperature on the whole is warmer. Been a very busy month for the Pretty Suns crew. Working, gigging with Joe Schmo, having Grandchildren to stay, weddings and parties....whew I'm worn out again just recalling it. 
I'm now working on Labour Ward/Triage 2 days a week for 9 hours a time and I have to say it is exhausting. I have however re-discovered the pure joy and privilege of helping a new little person come into the world and yes, I am still moved to tears. 
Joe Schmo are busy as ever and I have spent several nights dancing my socks off, great exercise and such fun. 
Grace and Tom (Danie's youngest two) came to stay for a few days. Danie and Charlie brought them down with Will and Kate and it was lovely to see them. Tom and Grace settled in straight away and got very excited about the coming Easter egg hunt we had planned. 

Fun with Gandy

All too much for Tommy!

We were joined by Megan and played lots of games, cooked super food and generally had fun. We went to the beach with Tink and fished in rock pools for crabs and then had an ice cream before heading home...Karl came with us and we all squished into Gertie, with Tink on Karl's lap in the front. We sang songs all the way home and made up silly verses when we couldn't remember the proper ones! 
On Sunday little Tink had a doggy Easter Egg and she loved it! 

Tink with her Easter egg...mmmmm

Andy had asked if he could have an Easter egg this year even though we are fatfighting..he specified that he just wanted a BIG chocolate egg..no sweets or chocolates in it, just the chocolate egg.....so this is what I gave him..

The HUGE egg!

It weighed a Kilo and he ate it all!!
Sunday afternoon the kids went out in the garden to hunt for the eggs that the Easter Bunny's little helpers (Andy & Karl)  had hidden....bags full of fun and chocolate, it was great....We all had a meal at The Gower Inn in the evening with Dan & Lyndsey and we let the kids watch Gandy doin' his thing with the band...Grace and Tom's faces were a treat to see and they haven't stopped talking about it since!

 The evidence of Tom's sneaky egg eating!

Watching Gandy!

We didn't realise at the time but little Tom had smuggled contraband into the gig..he was caught out when Karl picked him up and felt something soft in his pocket, when asked what it was he replied, "it's just goo" Karl had a tentative peek in the squidgy pocket and there was indeed a lot of goo...cadbury cream eggs that had been squished and melted over the course of the evening and were now a sticky mess!! Kids!
Karl drove up to Aberystwyth on Monday to collect Hannah and got back in really good time...we decided it was too good an opportunity to miss so planned a BIG Easter dinner, Danie and Charlie joined us as did Mike and Sue and Sam and Rhian..turkey with all the trimmings for 15...siiimples, it was a breeze and everybody had a great time..best of all was playing chinese whispers at the end of the meal, made very interesting by the fact that both Mike and Andy don't have the most acute hearing in normal circumstances let alone when the hubbub of noise reaches over 70decibels(Feels like it anyway).What starts off as "Lyndsey is very pretty" ends up as "Lyndsey smells of putty" and that's one of the kinder ones!!
Meg and Hannah and Karl stayed the rest of the week and it was lovely to go and get all the bits and bobs we needed for our upcoming holiday to Majorca later in May. We are all very excited and the girls were worried about the first time on a plane. Then something incredible happened and their very special Uncle Ashley took them flying over Gower in his plane...he even let them have a go on the controls...two super excited and delighted girlies really had a tale to top all tales of 'What we did in the holidays'. Wow... so much and I've only covered the first two weeks!  more in a little while!

Directions.....

It dawned on me recently that there are many ways to give directions to people regarding the complexities of finding one's way on Sandy Lane.

There are and have been for a very long time some landmarks that are obvious...The Water Tower, The Notice Board, The Orange Elephant and The Entrance Sign for example. However, once you get past the entrance sign, giving directions either means via a chalet to chalet route, OK if in the light but difficult to see names in the dark! Various bear left or right at the fork are a little ambiguous....which fork...is that a fork???

With the increasing demand for our now Internationally known Gower Bird Hospital a new development has taken place. The wooden Bird Signs, showing the  route to the Gower Bird Hospital from the start of the lane to the bottom field. Now we direct people with 'follow the bird signs'  'turn right at the owl' . Common place enough for us 'laners but imagine my surprise to see Simpson's Estate Agent's property pamphlet with directions to 'Sundowne' (Mrs Goldbourne's old place) given like this 'Upon entering Sandy Lane proceed for a few hundred yards, turning right at the sparrow sign and shortly after bear right at the duck sign, Sundowne can be found a little way down on the right hand side' 

Sundowne (rear view)

Sundowne March 2012

It really made me laugh and then of course I saw the asking price of £200,000 for the plot as the chalet is condemned...that wiped the smile off my face, it is a sad fact that the lane has become so expensive now that the people who were born and raised here cannot afford to own a property here anymore ..only the rich can shell out that sort of dosh for a plot to build on...a far cry from the days when they changed hands for a few quid or even swapped for a guitar!!

But that's another story in itself..... 

Welcome Wenny & Kev's little Peanut!!

What excitement over the weekend!! My dear friend Anne in USA has been awaiting the arrival of her newest Grandbaby...affectionately referred to by his Mamma, Wenny and Papa Kev as 'Peanut' !

Nine days overdue and wanting a home birth of course things were a little near the wire. Sunday was Wenny's Birthday and lots of Happy Birthday wishes were sent in many forms both paper, electronic and verbal...and many wished it to be a happy BIRTH  DAY too. It seems those wishes were heard and in the early hours of Sunday morning Wenny was in slow labour and by 10.00 am things were happening....the result of all her labours (to coin a phrase) was the safe arrival of little 'Peanut' who weighs in at a whopping 10lbs!!

Look at these very special and beautiful pictures of baby peanut and this loving family.....so lovely..I cried

Wenny's Mum Anne has been my friend for over 30years and when the kids were little they all spent loads of time together. Anne has two gorgeous Grandsons, Dylan & Dawson, from her elder daughter Massie,  and this was the first child for Wenny. Massie, Wenny and Maya are all strong, resourceful women, thanks in no small part to the example and guidance of their truly amazing Mama.

Wenny is a firecracker, full of light and life, love and laughter with a deep sense of social and political awareness. Straight talking and sometimes controversial with strong principles, Wenny has shown she has 'True Grit' on many occasions....not least this wonderful accomplishment to bring her beautiful baby boy into the world.

She and her husband Kevin are a loved up couple who are going to be such fab parents, that little peanut sure is a lucky little guy!!

I want to congratulate the whole of their family on the addition to it...the ever growing circle within which they are all bound by blood and love is a shared blessing and I know that each addition enriches them all.

My only regret is that they are all the way across the pond....we are with them in spirit, miss them keenly and can't wait to see them all again as soon as circumstances allow.

More blessings in my life and I am grateful.

New pics on Chalets Page, Pics of Tink & Local Views pages

Now uploading new pictures of Sandy Lane and local views, Chalets and Tink the little Chonzer. 

My new shoes are causing a stir!

These are my totally gorgeous new shoes by Moda In Pelle, adorned with Swarovski crystals they are the ultimate in statement shoes!

I liked them so much I put a pic on Facebook and was quite astonished at my two daughter's reactions......they both think that they belong in a Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and asked if I was going to wear something unseemingly tight and short in a fluorescent colour to go with them!!

How could they be so conservative? I have told them both that life is too short to hide your light under a bushell and that they can stick to their sensible Clarks shoes and I WILL have my bling.

They are really beautiful and superbly well made and plus they are amazingly comfortable. Today, I tried them on with the complete outfit for an upcoming wedding which consists of a divine purple dress and shrug jacket with a tiered ruffle effect and jewels under the bustline, hot pink small saucer hat and hot pink satin bag. It looks fabulous!!

I will wear the wondrous shoes because I really want to and as I get older I become even more acutely aware of a tenet that I have always tried to live by...be true to yourself and if you have regrets make sure they are for the things you have done...not the things you didn't do.

I haven't always done things the right way, but, I have always tried to do what I believe to be the right thing and what is true to myself; After all it is me living my life..in person..here and now, it's not a dress rehearsal and we only get one turn of this particular wheel. 

So with that in mind, I WILL WEAR MY SPARKLING, GORGEOUS, SHOES AND ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!

The enigma of sleep.....

It would seem that in our house there have always been some issues surrounding sleep...Danielle slept in 2 - 3 hour shifts for the first 2 years of her life and Kaye didn't sleep through the night until she was 4 years old. She often awoke in the early hours to get up and ride her tricycle around the lounge, in the dark!! Karl would sleep any illness off from a very early age, taking to his bed and staying there until he felt better. Daniel loved his bouncer swing that hung from the door way and I felt guilty every time I turned away only to turn back to see him dangling there, blonde head lolling to one side..fast asleep!!

Andy and I both managed on very little sleep for years due to kids, bands, working shifts and general partying. Andy worked night shifts for many years and during this time he often had to have the children during the day when I was in work and they were off school. Kaye particularly remembers a day when he took them to the park in Derwen Fawr and she was on the zip line, squealing about how clever she was, when she eventually got the hang of it. She excitedly called out 'did you see me Daddy?' to the seated figure in sunglasses on the bench...no response came back so she went over to find him snoozing away behind his dark glasses, Kaye being Kaye she slapped his leg to wake him up, which it did with a bit of a start. 

Not too long after that we took Karl.,Kaye & Daniel to The Grand Theatre to see 'Pinnochio' we sat in the front row of seats for a better view. Andy had done a night shift and this was the afternoon matinee. During a bit where Mr Fox is leading Pinnochio astray he addressed the audience for some participation. In the middle of it all he held up his hand and stopped the performance. His finger pointing directly at Andy he said in a very loud stage whisper..'Look at him..he's asleep, WAKE UP!' The whole room erupted into peals of laughter and roars of 'WAKE UP'  much to the embarrassment of the children and I. Andy woke with a start and tried to sink lower in his seat but he was a marked man and us too by association!! Oh the shame at the interval as went to get ice cream and every one giggled as we passed, the whispers of 'that's him isn't it?' were almost too much for Andy to bear.

The kids have never forgotten it, nor have I and I know it is not one of Andy's fondest memories but it is often the subject of hilarity around the dinner table.

Speaking of dinner tables, during a particularly difficult time when the children were young I worked 4 jobs, cycling 112miles a week within a 3mile radius!! Working 7 days a week I was often exhausted and the children would wait in hushed silence as I nodded off at the dinner table..just waiting for the moment my face actually went into the food on the plate and on the odd occasion it did the screams of laughter could be heard as far as Pennard. I always thought it a strange thing when my parents and grand parents fell asleep on Sunday afternoon after a large roast dinner. My Dad and Grandad covered with a broadsheet newspaper in their respective chairs, the paper would flutter slightly every time they breathed out. My grand mother snored, not an offensive loud snore, more like the sort of snore a doormouse would have, if a doormouse was to snore that is! My Mother would sit dozing but somehow still aware of what was going on around her and my sister and I thought it was some kind of voodoo that she knew immediately we were up to no good, looking at us with the immortal words,'I was just resting my eyes, I was not asleep'.....I now sometimes succumb to an evening snooze but mine of course is a power nap....naturally!

Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty!

Brrrrr the weather is so cold at the moment, going out for a walk needs full preparation with hat, scarf, gloves & warm socks for the human beans and thick cozy coat for little Tink. That done Andy & I set off with Tink for a stroll to the castle. How beautiful everything was, the sky was fantastic silvery blues with scudding mackerel clouds and the sun was sparkling on the water, the river was high from the run off from the heavy rain earlier and the ground was looking green. 

The trees are still bare, but spring leaves are coming through and soon the heads of crocus and daffodils will be nodding in the breeze over by the castle. They have appeared over the years in the strangest of places around the area, I think it is lovely that someone has committed this act of senseless beauty. When the kids were little we often had quirky sayings up on the wall and one of them was ;

Practice random kindness 

and 

senseless acts of beauty

It always appealed to me..random kindness seemed a wonderful idea and when I thought about it I realised it was something that actually happens more than we think....giving someone the odd 1p at the petrol station, stopping to help when someone is broken down, taking a stranger home who needs a lift. Not big things necessarily but things that make a difference to others never the less. Senseless acts of beauty are committed all the time...the planting of bulbs in public places (not by the council!), laying stones into a circle maze, the placing of a bench to sit on, making a mosaic sign. Little things and bigger things that put a smile on people's faces. I think I'll put the saying up on the wall again as I like it so much.

We strolled on to the castle and saw the next generation of golfers out on the golf course, complete with all the gear! I'm glad I didn't have to shop for their Xmas lists.

I have had a bit of a thing about taking photo's through things...it all started with the archway of the old slipbridge in town and now I'm obsessed!

Have a look at these 'through the aperture' shots from around my own backyard.....

We met our neighbour Boris as we arrived at the castle, his head popping up from the steep bank he had just climbed with the very excitable Mungo...Sian's naughty younger doggy.

Before Christmas Mungo had on a regular basis wreaked havoc and destruction in Sian's chalet The Mayhouse and pictures of his absurd eating habits were posted on Facebook, they included things like CD's with or without the cases! Rugs, cushions and anything else Sian may have left in reach! I think he's improved a bit since then and I often bump into him wearing his fluorescent green collar romping around the lane. He knows I have treats in my pocket and makes a bee line for it, nuzzling his nose in until I give him one..or three!! Tink loves the big black dog but he does get a bit heavy handed..mmm...should that be pawed, with her when he gets excited, she is faster on the turns than him and weaves a quick retreat back to the safety of my legs if this happens.

We headed for home after I explored the castle a bit more with Tink and Andy strolled on ahead.

We headed towards home and I turned back to look at the majesty of the ruined castle and although I have seen it more than a thousand times I always see something new when I really look.

We headed on back and paused for a moment by the signpost, known by Candy as 'The P***ing Post' because of course ALL the dogs stop for a wee there! I think it's just the dogs anyway! It's developed a bit of a starboard list lately and doesn't really point where it should anymore but I love its quirky old fashioned look..... 

We got home and cooked a lovely roast dinner and then settled down for the evening, cuddled on the sofa with a little ball of fluff cwtched in as well.....
Pure bliss.

A Beautiful walk in the cold sunshine to start off February

On the 1st of the month I awoke to find that the grey skies and rain had given way to a crisp cold and brilliantly bright day!
After lunch when it had warmed up a little I took little Tink all dressed up in her winter coat out for our usual walk. The ground was hard underfoot, a pleasant change from sliding in the mud! The birds were singing their little hearts out and the sky was a deep clear blue. As we left the middle field to go onto the golf links I stood for a while to look at the Snowdrops all nodding their heads in the gentle breeze on the bank....Tink was playing chase with Dai's new Jack Russell puppy aptly named 'Dut' which means little and she is really little. They get on really well and have a rare old time together.

The lovely Snowdrops

We headed out onto the links and turned left, the sun was bright and Tink seemed to be even more full of beans than usual, gamboling on the grass and running circles around me. I couldn't run though as I am still recovering from a particularly nasty Urinary Tract Infection and running really hurts. We climbed the hill and Anna and Nigel's place was looking fabulous, they really have a great view from up here.

Nige & Anna's in the sunshine

We walked on, the castle to our right with the sun streaming around it and a bit further on the water tower standing like a watchman against the blue backdrop of the February sky. It's such a landmark for us, it even gives Tower Field it's name and I'm so glad it has not been taken down....long live The Water Tower.

Walking on we met up with Marta who was walking Missy and Coco Chanel, Missy is a grumpy baggage who barks all the time but is really harmless. Coco is staying with Marta while her owners are abroad and looks like Tink's sister only slightly darker....Tink plays well with Coco and tries to include Missy but she isn't having any of it.

Tink & Coco Chanel

Missy

We walked to the castle and the views took our breath away, the water was sparkling like crystal and once again I felt that deep sense of thankfulness for the beauty of my 'back yard'.

There are some rare plants that grow around and on Pennard Castle and some of the flora is starting to come back  by early summer there will be lovely little sprigs everywhere.

My back yard!

Plants on the castle wall

We strolled home and my thoughts were rambling as my feet were walking and I got to thinking about a John Denver song I used to play that had a line in it that in my youth touched a bit of a chord with me....'serenity's a long time coming to me' and I used to identify with that during the tumultuous times of my earlier life. I now know that some things are worth waiting for and the serenity I always craved has come to me for the most part and it gives me a deep and wonderful sense of peace and calm....perhaps this is one of the benefits of growing older in a place that you love.

We got in and I had a nice cup of tea before curling up on the sofa with my book, Tink and Tink's 'Bun Bun'....he's her baby bunny and she has had him since we had her, he always goes in her bed at night and she loves him! A bit like I love her, I guess....I am truly blessed.