Evan's 1th Birthday

Wow! How retro is this! Can't believe we haven't used this for so long! Anyway here are some pics from Evan's 1st birthday.

Jack Johnson weekend

This might take a bit of following..... We got tickets for Jack Johnson's Saturday 5th July gig at Watergate Bay when they first went on sale. That sold out so he added another on Sunday 6th. At that point we were umming and aarrring about camping. Then I found out on myspace that they wanted volunteers at all the gigs for some sort of eco-worrier type thing. So we applied but didn't hear anything. A couple of weeks back we canned the camping idea and were going to drive back Saturday night. Then we hear we are accepted to volunteer on the Sunday...change of plan.

We opted for a cheap (but nice) B&B. So having booked that, I then injured my ear (see blog below) Still with me? So now I'm not sure a) what we're volunteering for and b) Whether I'm up to whatever it is!

Off we set at lunchtime Saturday having phoned the volunteer co-ordinator to say we're not sure etc. We are then oblivious to the rest of the world (we were in Devon or Cornwall) and had no idea until we reached the site that the gig was CANCELLED about an hour after we set off!

Now what???? Full refund no problem, but do we a) go home b) Buy tickets for Sunday which are still available or c) volunteer? Much more ummming and aaarrrring and an early exit from Newquay before the Stag and Hen parties got going. Back to the B&B (having paid for it.)

Next day dawned....well about half-eight it was a little brighter so we agreed to volunteer - still not knowing what we were letting ourselves in for.

We had to be at the site at 1.30, 90 mins before the gates opened. About 20 of us were met given wristbands and taken in to the arena. We were greeted and kitted out with free t-shirts which had to be stretched over the waterproofs! We were given a bag and shown the "Village Green Passports" we were to hand out. But not just willy-nilly. We had to talk to punters and get them to think about environmental stuff. If they did positive things like recycling we had a stamp to stamp their passports. 3 stamps and they could enter a draw. I said this would take some explaining...anyone still reading? Oh well!

Just as we were getting sorted a familiar face appeared through the gloom - it was Jack come out in the rain just to see me! OK to thank us for volunteering and have a picture taken. Guess who was too slow to get his camera out? Me, Starsruck?

Well, that's about it. We slogged around in the wet from 3 til 8 ( and I mean 8, the Americans sent us out at ten to eight with more leaflets even though the draw was over!) We got to hear some of the support acts and were free to watch Jack's set.


"Does my bust look big in this?"

"Does my head look big in this?"

Sam ready for launching

sssssh! You know who!

The healthy surfing lifestyle!

My eye went bloodshot on sunday night it's a .....
A pinguecula is a yellowish patch or bump on the white of the eye, most often on the side closest to the nose. It is not a tumor but an alteration of normal tissue resulting in a deposit of protein and fat. Unlike a pterygium, a pinguecula does not actually grow onto the cornea. A pinguecula may also be a response to chronic eye irritation or sunlight.....so that'll be the surfing: salt spray, sand, polluted water, staring into sunsets for 30 years

Best thing to do ? GO SURFING! Went in at Woolacombe (2ft ish hardly anyone out) about 3/4 hour in I fell off and got a clip round the ear from my board. Lost all/what little balance I had, luckily it was shallow enough to stand up and after 1/2 a minute of staggering & falling I walked up the beach. My ear was bleeding from somewhere. Sam came and got me & we headed for NDDH A&E. 4 hours later they decided that as the bleeding was coming from INSIDE MY EAR they'd keep me in overnight. This morning I gatecrashed ENT but there was nothing to do and my ear drum is intact - not clear where the blood's coming from. Anyway, now I've got more tinnitus in my right ear than my left. I hope it'll fade in a week or so.

Family get together May 2008

Some Greaves's Angela and Abigail

Emma, James and Clare's baby/little girl

Me with Ralph, Ingrid's baby. Bruce in the background

Sam'n' Ralph

Will

Me being a tourist in my Hometown!

Happy New Year

Well, it's been a quiet year! Not much in the way of news or photos until New Years Eve.

We went to Bideford as Fidel and Che and met up with Robyn (as Amy Whinehouse) Andy (Pete Docherty) and Adam (PC Plod). We had a good time and are starting to recover (it's the 4th!) Cheers Dave

Race for Life 2007

Sam did the Race for Life in Barnstaple. she was registered in Leeds but that had been postponed due to floods and we can't make the new date so she snuck in here! I was hoping to find Barnstaple's 1764 but never did. There was a short shower at the start (no not the "Tesco Ladies") then the sun came out - hence the t-shirt - kagoule - t-shirt order.

I got a bike!

and I'll ride it if you like. Car had to go back so we've downsized.

We've got a new car

I've never had one before and I'm not likely to have another. Ok yes it's only the courtesy car whilst ours is fixedbut....I've got a new car!

It's a vauxhall medina or mecca or something. You know, the one driven by the little lads with yorkshire accents on the telly.

We're on the road to nowhere

I guess this will only be of interest to absent North Devonians and Adam! They had one of those civic, round-table, jolly, charity, pay a quid to walk on a bridge you've already paid for ceremonies to open the new bridge. It isn't actually "open" not to traffic anyway. The Gazette said "up to 20,000" yes twenty thousand people were expected. Now, maybe that was enough to put off the other 19,800 or maybe it was the rain. For me it was the surf. Eventually we wandered round the corner at about 5pm and got on for free. A small victory but still a victory!

So that's the view from our bedroom window, landscaping to follow, the town fron the bridge, nut + tall = Nuttall. Very chirpy workers - must be on double-time! Finally they've built a marina, so we expect to see more yachts, tycoons and superstars than Noel Edmunds and Sally Gunnell in future.

Help the Homeless

As you probably know we're kind-hearted souls always willing to help our fellow humans and other animals, so when a poor hungry homeless person is looking for a bed for the night and his first hot meal 3 days, who are we to deny him?

If he'd only knocked on the door..........................





Instead he picked up 3 rocks thoughtfully left lying around by Nutalls or the council after the fence building and hurled them at close range at our car. He then went to the other end of the street where he set fire to a neighbour to be's (they haven't actually moved in yet!) fence panel to keep himself warm until we got the police catering dept. arrived. Seems he had nowhere else to go! I blame Thatcher!!! Oh and Sam's lost a tooth and I didn't get the job I was after. still, there's always tomorrow!

More Hong Kong pics

No idea why I can't match the pic with the caption - they look fine on the preview. BEN HELP! Anyway here are some more:
Bananas don't grow on trees apparently

The v sign is obligatory when having your picture taken in HK. Sam is being "cool surf dude" giving the shaka. I'm pre-occupied checking Robyn's pressing the right button. Ready?

We went on the cable car to the BIG BUDDHA Robyn got one stuck on her head.

Then we went on the "Wisdom Walk" and found these planks (no not Sam and Rob) Apparently they're a song or songs as we heard some parents singing them to their little girl.

Us in Hong Kong

We've just got back from visiting Rob in Hong Kong. What a mad place! It's very busy all the time and there's so much to see. Rob was in Vietnam when we arrived, so we had a couple of days to ourselves. We got the metro to Causeway Bay which is super efficient and clean. So our first sight of the street was when we stepped onto it, what a shock! Neon, people, noise, fumes and heat all assailed us at once. We got settled in and went on walkabout. Our first stop? Starbucks!!!

On our fist full day we did more wandering around then met Ben for dinner quickly followed by a trip across the water to see the lightshow. We finally met up with Robyn and had yet another walkabout. As I say there's lots to see! Here are some highlights if you're going or ever find yourself in HK: 10,000Buddha monastery,

Chi Lin Nunnery, Charlie Brown Cafe, Po Lin monastery and BIG Buddha,

Shek O, Surf's up...ish These guys had full on skimboards, not just the plywood things.

Tai O - very fishy! There were dried fish everywhere. Allegedly there are pink dolphins in the bay although we didn't see them. i wonder if they're only pink because the locals have skinned them?

The Peak (day and night) where there was something being filmed

markets - lots of stuff lots of people.

trams - excellent way of getting around for 14p!

ferries, bamboo, bananas, food, museums.

Best of all was spending time with Robyn and meeting some of her friends.

Hats off to Ben - this has taken me ages and isn't a patch on what he's doing at www.robynandben.blogspot.com Now can I sort this page out? Cheers Dave and Sam xx

Kitchen sink drama

Phew! 3 months since the last entry? What have we been up to? Answer Getting a new kitchen! Yes, that in itself is 3 months' (and ongoing) news. From low ceilings to dropped units, gashed hands, faulty electrics, gas leaks, tile shop closures right up to breaking a borrowed fridge it's been quite a saga. In fact in some ways I wish I'd used this blog to diarize the whole event! I'll try to keep up to date as we approach our trip to see Robyn (and Ben) in Hong Kong next month. Hopefully I'm now going to upload some piccies .. here goes Love Sam and Dave xx