Recent scrapbook pages.

This is a double layout with the London page on the right because thats the way you fly to Guadeloupe across the Atlantic.
I painted the paper first cos I had no blue cardstock that day.
The material is called 'Madras' (as in India). After the abolition of the slave trade they brought people from India to run the sugar plantations.
I found these flowers at the Ally Pally Scrapbook show - the label said they are frangipani. I found some growing in Guadeloupe.
Look at the shape of Guadeloupe - no wonder they call it 'le Papillon' - the butterfly.
The title is hand cut from my writing and various bits of paint and glitter added.











Pika is the name of the family land in Guadeloupe.
Cass cass liked going there with her dad while Lissa was at school.
I am very proud of my anthurium flowers which grow there. I made them by painting pipe cleaners white at one end, green at the other. The petal is a heart shaped piece of paper (2 layers stuck together)
The title is chipboard painted and glittered and the journalling patch made out of 2 different sized circles.
The larger one is cut out the size of a tin of custard lid.

It didn't happen!!

We sat out in the garden for the whole afternoon. eventually it was 'cup of tea' time and getting a little dull, so in we went.
Eventually the wind got up, the sky got darker and down came the rain. Rain? no, it was hail stones! At the end of June! Hitting the kitchen window hard enough to break it! Thunder and lightening too.
Then we put on the TV to watch Murray playing 'the young Serb' at Wimbledon.
To be honest we put it on to see the new roof close - and it didn't happen! Where did the bad weather go between here and Wimbledon?
So we didn't see the roof close, but at least Murray won.
They say you can't have everything!
The other funny thing today was Borders playing 'Santa Claus is coming to town' . You probably guessed - it was Michael Jackson singing.
RIP Michael - thanks for all the music.

In the garden this week...

Thursday 25th June

Today we met old friends Terry and Judy Bedlow. We had a picnic outside City Hall ( You didn't come
down, Boris!)
Later we walked along to Tower Bridge where we crossed over to meet some old mates of Terry's from his days in the London City Mission. They have a preaching slot at Tower Hill each week.

Tery and Judy's boys were at primary school with ours.

Goodbye, Allan.

Our dear friend is returning to live and work in Australia. Years ago he and his wife arranged this outing on a canal boat on the River Lee Navigation.

We went to see a field of early marsh orchids.The leaflet says there are 10,000 of these flowers on an area the size of a football pitch.
'These delicate flowers are one of only a few plants able to thrive in a nutrient poor soil, created with waste ash from a coal-fired power station.'

I've had these photos for ages waiting to be scrapped. Sadly Joan is no longer with us and we miss her.

Logos Hope

The Logos Hope is a ship, which is financed by Christian sources, and sails to various ports around the world 'bringing knowledge, help and hope'.
This week the ship has been in London - as you can see from the yellow spikes in the background, the 02 venue, the Dome.
The knowledge is in the form of an absolutely massive bookroom.The help depends on where the ship is - sometimes its medical, other times it is practical like building a house/school or digging a well. The hope is brought by preaching. Each person on board goes out to do evangelistic work one day a week.
Once on board we were shown around various parts and treated to slideshows and videos. Our group was lucky to get on the bridge, and even meet the captain who like every other crew member is a volunteer. There is a school on board for the children of crew members.

The ship is moored in the West India dock very close to Canary Wharf. It was a very interesting afternoon and we are looking forward to Monday morning when it sails to Cork. We will try and find a vantage point down the Thames somewhere.
After Cork it is going to head off to the Caribbean - Kingstown, St Vincent.

The Bridge

Outside

Inside

The hole in the floor.This is the part of the bridge which sticks out over the edge of the ship and the hole acts as a kind of wing mirror for when there are tugs down there- or the harbour edge.

Aloe Vera

You won't often see anything on here about cosmetics in any shape or form.A dab of oil of olay and that is me ready.But recently Menna and I ventured to Crouch End for the launch party of the business set up by our friend Annie. (We know her through Hippo Club)
It proved to be a very interesting afternoon. In case you are interested in aloe vera products here is a link to her website: www.yourinnerglow.co.uk

And just as a closing bit of useless information, it was held in the lovly flat of the lady who led the baby
music group I used to take LissaLou to 3 years ago.

Strawberry!

This is the one and only fruit on Alberto's plants which I have been babysitting.

and it tasted delicious!

An overnight visit.

On the occasion of my friend's birthday we went to visit her son and his wife.
They live not far west of London

in this beautiful flat.

We paid a visit to Hobbycraft at Reading where we were inspired by this lovely bag on display -
and spent lots of money!

We stayed in a hotel for the night. Among the things we liked -after the size of the full English breakfast - were the net curtains in our room. More like a bride's veil really.
Many thanks to all who made it an enjoyable time.

Happy Birthday!

40 years !! Where have the years gone?

E r r.... why is Dad's hand above his head, I wonder!!!

We are very proud of our first born and grateful for his skills and knowledge of computers.We wish him all the best for the years ahead.