Gek Getting Ready for German DH Fair

You know who with his bandaged ear.  In a couple of weeks we depart  for the Rhine valley via a doll house fair in Rheda-Wiedenbruck.  This is one big event with over 200 stalls.  It is going to be very interesting to see the different slant the northern Europeans have on miniature making as a craft.  And whether Gek's efforts will be as much appreciated as they were in Milan.  Surprisingly we can fly direct from Cardiff to Dusseldorf.

Has Summer Arrived?

Lunch in the garden.  Must be summer. 

Staick House, Eardisland, 80 Years On

 Finally we have cleared the loft at the Litchard bungalow and retrieved Granddad's original photo album of his Border counties cycling trip, dated July 1939.

And the man himself, Wilson.

Granddad did selfies.  This is 1939, a selfie with his trusty bike.

 Me in 2017.  A little over grown in the interim.

The oldest part of the house dates from the 13 hundreds.  We trespassed to get the photo, not aware that someone still lives here.

Eardisland 80 Years On

 Bridge over the mill stream.

Perhaps the trees are a little more mature?

By the mill stream.

The day of our visit it was a little wet, to say the least.  Hence we had some difficulty finding the right position to shoot from.

Pembridge 80 Years On

The New Inn in July 1939.  Granddad's black and white.

May 2017.  Much the same, save for the car.

The Bell Tower built in  the 14th century.

Again, not much change.

Book - Russia

All you need to know to understand the Russia of today.  Oddly, Martin and I may have been in Moscow at the same time, back in 1972.  4 on the door for this work, a surprisingly easy read, given the complexity of the subject matter.

Ystrad Mynach Quilters Biannual Exhibition

Hosted by the Llancaiach Fawr, Nelson, a four day event.  Gek's contribution, the light green bolster cover on the table.

 Gek has two years to create a full size quilt.

Pinner Visit

Lawyer turned  sculpter.

 Revisit Gek's painting from her time at Emerson Collage,

 enjoy the spring garden,

and, of course, part take of fabulous food.

Richard's Birthday

 With the van parked in Pinner, we trained it across London to Greenwich.  Futuristic Canary Wharf station. 

 Tough looking doods. The birthday boy.

Richard invited forty of us to cruise the Thames for a couple of hours on our own boat, The Edwardian.

 All the iconic structures visited.

A bonus to see the bridge opening.

The lads had prepared a speech to honour their Dad, delivered by Toby to fits of teared laughter from the rest of us.