SPRING DOG WALK

Our dogs might be aging a bit now, but the walks

show how fit they are.

Bella is 8 this year, Arthur 10, and Shep unknown.

Maybe 9/10ish.

Shep not pictured here as he had gone off on 

his own scent trail for 20 minutes,

FOGGY AND WET

Sunday 13th March.

The ground is still too wet to rotovate the

vegetable patch, but at least the first

mow of the year has been done on the grass,

The weather is foggy in the mornings, but it soon burns

off, and the past 3 days have been sunny.

Hoping to crack on with all things that

grow next week.

TRIP TO LISBON

Just back from a 4 night stay in a 

surprisingly warm Lisbon.

It was Bob and Lesley's 25 anniversary,

so we met up and stayed at the lovely

5 star Tivoli Hotel.

A good time of year to go, with not so

many tourists.

At least you can get served quickly.

Each day was certainly around 75F,

so obviously plenty of liquids

were needed to survive.

Days were spent in the square by the

Triumph Arc, where there is a good

selection of places to eat and drink.

Good to eat fresh Med seafood again,

some old favourites as well as new.

The flat stuff at the very top of this platter

is sun dried tuna, an experience not to

be missed.

HOME BREAD

The new bread machine has made it's debut.
Pretty good start as well.
Sun dried tomato and parmesan bread, which was
delicious, especially when hot.

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY CAKE

Marie's latest effort was for

Mikhail and Natasha.

Their birthdays are over the same weekend.

NEW COCK, AND HE's A BEAUTY

Sadly, Rolf the Cockerel passed away at the 

weekend. No apparent reason.

Seemed fine in the morning, but in the 

afternoon he wasn't moving, so we bought

him in the warm, but he died overnight.

He laid in state for a few hours, before

interment at a simple service near the

compost heap.

So a replacement was needed to keep all
the girls in check.
So from the other side of Lamballe,
I give you "Sid" our new Silkie Cockerel.

He's settled in well and will be up to
performing his duties very soon.

THE GRAND SOUTH OF ENGLAND TOUR

I went back to Trowbridge for Paul's funeral,

then headed back to Pompey to catch up with

a few old shipmates.

Marie then joined me in Pompey before we both  

went down to Weymouth for the weekend

of Jock Rennie's leaving the Navy run.

It started on the Friday in Weymouth high street at 1200hrs.

Hell, the first hour was exciting as the host was adrift.

But it picked up and Friday was a real laugh.

Saturday being the main day, we all dressed up

in our King of Tonga T-Shirts to pay homage

to our hero.

I had learnt the Tongan national anthem, and sang

it with such passion that I closed my eyes

to avoid crying.

In the afternoon we decamped to Portland and the

famous Green Shutters Pub.

Many a night I have spent in there over the years,

but my first visit for 22 years.

More drinking, a bit of dancing, and more drinking

till we retired around 2-30am.

A damn fine weekend.