Hi Brian,

Glad the car all back together again and  you will not now starve as MrsB has been able to replenish. I stocked up before I went on holiday so was able to sort myself out when I returned.  Got home late yesterday and had the most amazing holiday.  Stunning scenery, friendly locals and travellers and many 'boxes' ticked.  It seems the time was right for me to make some new memories. Pictures are of my hotel and lake front just five minutes walk away.[[]]

Sounds as though you are doing very well with your woodturning and glad the new equipment is helping.

My Mum stayed much the same whilst I was away so will go and see her as usual tomorrow and then visiting my daughter and family for the weekend after my mini return to work ha ha.

Take care, Jules

p.s. Top temperature we were told was 44.4 whilst in Venice but keeping hydrated and walking in the shade meant everything was doable (just a bit more slowly than my normal pace!!). Helped enormously by plentiful shops selling beautiful fresh fruit and icecreams.

Hi Jules, 

So very pleased you had a fantastic holiday and that you enjoyed yourself. You are brave going on holiday om your own. Had things changed much since your last trip years ago? Dont things seem strange fot a day or so after you have been away?

,Managed to trim our hedge yesterday and then in the afternoon made a trip to the tip to get rid of the trimmings. No they didnt keep me there ha ha. They are building houses right next to the tip and are putting news roads in Almost got lost ha ha. My son has seen a little owl over at the archery field. It has a nest in a tree so last night he was goingto go and see if he could get some photos.

Just sent this months news letter out for the wood club. I ssaw a program about India on Sunday night where they make bridges out of living tree roots. So I looked it up on my computer and this will now be next months feature for the newsletter.

Am just about to clean our windows as the rain has made them quite dirty We used to have a window cleaner but he made so many smears I decided to do them myself. Luckily the upstairs windows open right out so I can do both sides

Hope you mum is able to look at your new photos. Sending kind thoughts to you and you family and hope you have a goos week, Brian

.

Hi Jules

I hope you have had a fantastic weekend with your familyand hope they are well..

I have just completed 8 more penquins with the movable heads. I now glue timber together to turn two bodies and two heads in each piece of timber. Much quicker. I have also put white eyes in this time as black eyes in a black head just dont show up. I also have come up with a better way of putting the eyes in. I slip one of the eyes into the end of a drinks straw with the dowel end projecting. and have a thin piece of timber that fits inside the straw. Put some glue into to hole and then place the eye in place and push down on the timber. Didnt get any glue on my finger for the first time ever. Hooray Will post a photo when I have time to take one. Going to need to make another trip to the tip as the sawdust is building up fast, At least it was more workable today

Have our next wood club meeting on Wednesday and this time it is members talking about jigs they have made so I am taking along a jig I made to cut circular discs. I had seen some jig on YOU TUBE so I took the best of each and then added a couple of extras of my own. I can now cut discs quicker than I can on the lathe and if I want a quantity, they will all be the same size. 

My son won gold in his clubs archery competition for the longbow and now has another medal to add to his others. Apperntly if the second and third places had combined their score he would still have won. He hasnt yet been able to get photos of the owl as when he went there were some kids who were being very noisey and he rekons it frightened the owl away. 

Another weekend over and done with and we now face the start of yet another week. Where does the time go to??

Take care, sending kind thoughts to you and you family, Brian.

Hi Brian

You have been a busy bee with all your woodwork and do like the way you find new ways of improving your techniques and passing on hints and tips through the Club. Look forward to seeing the photos when you have time to post some.

I had a lovely weekend at my daughter's; very varied and always good to catch up.  All doing well.My son in law has been in a new job for a month and it appears to be going ok and the journey just about half an hour from home.  Youngest grandson is due to be presented with a special achievement award chosen by the school governors/teachers for his work in his first year at mainstream school.  He particularly likes his forest school lessons on a Friday morning and my daughter helps out too. We were at the school's Summer Fete on Saturday both 'volunteering' on a stall for three hours and then taking a look around. Good fun and they raised over £1200 in the four hours.  Of course we spent a few pounds too!!

On Saturday evening I stayed in to look after the children whilst my daughter and son in law went out for a meal to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary.  We were also dog walking for one of the neighbours who had had an eye op and could not take the dog out himself.  Twice a day walk in the park so got plenty of exercise.  On Sunday morning we were at their allotment for a couple of hours and then the rest of the morning was watching eldest grandson and my son in law at their radio controlled racing car event (every Sunday morning when they are free). Good results in their group as finished 2nd and 3rd in the final.  Once lunch had been had I was dropped at the station and then they were off for more dog walking!  

With the continuing lovely weather I had  breakfast outside this morning and then did a couple of hours gardening before going to the gym.  Came home and after a quick drink was back in the garden and pleased to say the lawn is now mowed and edged and have filled another three recycling bags with branches that have been cut off the unwanted tree (result of bird dropping seed my neighbour reckons as nobody planted it!!). My neighbour is hoping to finish lopping by this weekend so there may be an end in sight as to his fencing being totally replaced and the gap between our gardens finally filled.

Just gone 1pm so am now settled with lunch in front of the tennis for a couple of hours and then maybe will be back enjoying the outside (depends on who is playing).

Congratulations on your son's brilliant sporting achievement; he must be chuffed.  Hopefully he will get another chance to photograph the  owl but nothing beats actually watching them in the wild.

You're so right about the weekend flying by and I am beginning to wonder whether time really does move faster as you age ha ha!!

Hope you and Mrs B are both keeping well and have a pleasant week ahead.  Best regards.  Jules

Hi Jules

Hope you have had a good week, and didnt get lost in you new department. You could always give guided tours once you have found your way round ha ha.

Had a very good club meeting with lots of member brought in jigs they had made and everyone told me how much they enjoyed the evening. Another good point it was a free evening as we didnt have to pay for a speakerso that helps clubs funds. Hope we can do more evenings like this in the future. Dont think I shall be my garage today as its already quite warm and my garage have a low slung asbestos type roof and always get got in the summe but is like a freezer win the winter. 

My yound grandson is off school yet again. My son is becoming convinced its air polution thats resopsible. When he has been bad and they have gone on holiday to Scotland within twenty four hours he is right as rain. To get to schoo0l he has th travel the most used roads in town plus when he gets to school all the mothers take their children to school in their cars and often leave the engins running so he breaths in all the bad air. As he has a tracky, it goes straight down to his lungs so cant filter out the bad air like we can. I suggested to my son to see if he can find a mask to put over his tracky and see if that helps. He has lost a lot of schooling over the past few months and has more time off during the summer than he does during the winter.. But despite this time off he somehow manages to keep pace with the other children.

I hope you enjoy the weekend and your time off. Sending kind thought  to you and your family, Brian

Hi  Brian

The only problem of being back at work was I wanted to be back on holiday ha ha.  Oh well, there is always next year ha ha.  New outlet has been well received and has bought a fresh feeling to the store as a whole.

Hope your grandson will soon be feeling better.  It is the last week of term around here so hopefully the Summer break will give him some more time to recuperate.  Obviously a very clever lad as he does not let things knock him back.

Nice that the Club meeting was so interesting and cost effective too.  I dont suppose you ever stop learning from each other which is part of the joy of such a hobby.

With good weather over the past weekend and no plans I did plenty of walking and enjoyed the local woodland/lido plus the usual gym visits and food shopping (needs must).  Met a friend for a cuppa and chat yesterday as her birthday today and she is working.

A busy weekend coming up as going to the RIAT event at Fairford with my son and grand-daughter on Saturday and then joining family for a picnic in the park (weather permitting) for my youngest's grandson's 1st birthday (still wondering where that year went!!).  Not often we all manage to get together at once so really looking forward to this.

Have a pleasant week and hope you both keep well.  Jules

Hi all

Just to say I have ticked another box (on a very long list) and this weekend returned to an event I last visited with my hubby after his terminal diagnosis in 2012.  I went along to the RIAT air show event (with fond memories in my heart) with my son and 3 year old grand-daughter.  

The following day was a celebration of my youngest grandson's 1st birthday this week.  My hubby never met my son's children but how proud he would be of how the family is growing and moving forward now. I am humbled by their love and support as they also work through the grieving process.

Hubby would have loved the following shots (though my son's photography would amaze him more!!)

Jules

[[]]

oops sorry for the repeat shot but my internet went down midpost and thought it had not made it to the cut ha ha

Hi Jules,

While i have not been on much the last few days, I have finished four stories and halfway through another. I now have the smallest amount of stories under constrution for a long time. I was nearly up to double figures  I only need another 20,000 words added to my short stories and I will have completed one million words (66 stories) 

We have our two day show this weekend at Wakehurst Place and I have just been informed by one of our members he has recruited two new young lady members, for our club and both want to ehhibit.  one who does pyrography and one who is a furniture retorer. Looking forward to meeeting them

Hope you are coping with this spell of hot weather. Bet yourmother doesnt like it. Mrs B does not like it and I cant say I am overkeen on it. Makes it difficult to sleep at night  Just had my small battery holders arrive complete with switch and am very pleased with them Will use one on the model wind turbine I am making. They take two CR2032 batteries at 3volts each giving an output of 6volts. nice and thin si I can inset into the base quite easily. Just need the weather to cool down so I can ccomplete it now.. 

The other day I had someone purporting to be TALK TALK saying thet were going to cut my internet off. I havent been with them for several years now. I had 13 phone calls from them in one day. I have now found out how to block these scam calls. If you dial 1 as they ask to sort the problem out, you are often put through to a premiem line where the rate is exhorbitant. I have heard from another club member he had the same thing regarding British Telecome and he had far more calls than I did.

Take care Jules and keep cool in the spell of hot weather. Sending kind thoughts as usual, Brian

Hi Jules,

Sorry I forgot to complment you on your great photos, Brian