Can anyone explain to me why when you are young, a week seems
like an eternity and as you mature, a week flashes by in a heartbeat? It seems
only yesterday we were writing last year's Christmas news and here it is already
well into December. Perhaps we should start next year's newsletter tomorrow?
It's been another great year - lots of travels, lots of fun
and a couple of significant milestones
The Easter holiday saw us, once again, in Los Angeles
visiting with our Ben and Donna and Penny's surrogate grandchild, Aibo.
As with all canine companions, Pen had him eating out of her hand after
a few moments and promising undying loyalty, affection and devotion shortly
thereafter. We also, once again, had the opportunity of spending a weekend
with our dear friends Miles and Muriel Rosedale on the beach at San Juan
Capistrano. To the Rosedales the Easter break must seem like a horrid, recurring
nightmare - every year the scrounging Stragnells turn up, like a bad penny,
uninvited and unwanted. They then invite Greg's sisters and their children
to town, order a pizza and take over the place. We won't be surprised to
hear that they have moved and left no forwarding address. |
Sallie
and Susie take the first two prizes in the Silly Hat Competition |
From LA we went to Prescott, Arizona to visit
with Greg's parents, a visit which always means too much food and too much fun.
On our final evening in the States, Greg's mother had organised dinner with
an aunt and uncle and a congregation of cousins living in the Phoenix area,
some of whom Greg hadn't seen since they were in nappies. Great fun.
Surprise! |
We weren't back in the UK long before it
was time to celebrate Penny's 50th birthday (I know - it doesn't seem possible).
Actually, the celebrations went on for weeks and the highlights included
the surprise arrival a week before her birthday of a patio table and chairs
followed that evening by a surprise birthday barbecue. Then, the following
weekend she had a surprise visit from Ben who flew in for the weekend and
finally, the long anticipated hot air balloon flight over the Devon countryside
which had been postponed on several occasions because of foot and mouth
disease and inclement weather. And by the way, in case there was any doubt,
Penny still looks as great as she ever did. |
And
what else....
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