Whoo hoo ...

 Congratulations David!   Very pleased for you - here's to many successful driving years and you driving me around Norfolk later on ... hur hur

Happy birthday ...

Hope you have a great day today and get lots of lovely things ... love you stacks, as always ...

The Memory Post - January - 2013 to 2016

I have decided to do a monthly anniversary type post throughout this year, looking back at some of the stand out  things that have happened to us as a family in the UK since we arrived in December 2012.   I won't have mentioned everything and I apologise if I've forgotten things that may have been important to anyone reading this - but these are from my diaries, in some cases I've also included my thoughts. 

January 2016

Kevin started his new job – his Ford wouldn’t start, so he took Hayzel’s Citroen and she borrowed my Astra.

Leigh told us her baby boy would be born on or about 10^th May (Mags’ birthday).  Andrew has enrolled on an degree level course via Stellenbosch University.

Sold a painting that I showcased on Facebook – called ‘A little bit of Blue’ to Allyson!

At the end of this month, we bought tickets for our South African holiday May/June 2016.  My ticket cost about £556

January 2015

Got our Ginger boy, Teddy from a lady in Pulham St. Mary – he’s quiet and watchful, has a loud purr and seems to be settling in nicely.     Needless to say, Hayzel has taken all his stuff (food/water bowls and litter tray) to her bathroom and he is going to end up sleeping on or in her bed, whether he likes it or not.

I put a painting on eBay (the Old Barn) – (more about that in next month’s memory post).

It snowed a bit in the middle of the month – just a flurry.
I purchased domain and hosting for Speedy Transcriptions.com and website went live on January 20^th

Hayzel bought Ewan his fishtank - £20.  I bought him extra glass stones and plastic plants but they wouldn’t sell us the fish!!!  Said we had to wait 3 days for ‘water conditioning’.  Er no.  Kevin went back later and bought 2 tiddler goldfish – they look suspiciously like Carp to me. 

Booked the coach to and from the docks for our cruise later on this year £25 each (Jean and me)

I got a ‘balance of fees’ for one of our straggler Relocation Alliance clients.   

Hayzel, Kevin and the kids went to London to the Natural History Museum – they had a good time but it was very tiring for the kids I think.

January 2014

Spent a good deal of this month planning our holiday to SA.

January 2013

Had about a week of snow – off and on and it’s sitting on top of everything – about 5 inches.  

I fell down the stairs and badly grazed the inside of my wrist – it took a month to heal properly.

Andrew’s work are going to send him down to Durban.     Leigh is 9 weeks pregnant with Daniel. 

More photos from Whatsapp ... and all over the place

Faye making biscuits

A hat I made for Ewan - I'd already made Faye a 'cat ears' one ...

Ewan lost another bottom baby tooth

Leigh at her new school ...

The chaps who now have my painting - the first one I did when I came to the UK!  I'm so chuffed, Toni took this over to the States (it was purchased in advance as a wedding present)

Allyson has been given a promotion, she is now in charge of other carers and will be training other people as well - so she is now a senior.  Well done sweetheart, that is such a great achievement.

I have at last started working again - after a very long Christmas holiday break.  My main client didn't contact me to do any typing until yesterday!!  I'm very behind on my turnover but hope to make it up between now and the end of this month. 

Faye is doing really well in her music lessons - learning the piano.  She is doing a GCSE recognised curriculum.

I sold more paintings - although one of the 'clients' paid me short £5 :(
I have some more work that's available for sale and some potential buyers lined up.

Happy birthday Leigh!

Hope you have a lovely day today - lots of love from all of us here in Norfolk!

Happy birthday ...

 It was great chatting to you this morning ... don't stay up that ladder too long in this weather!

Hope you have a great birthday today ... looking forward to see you later on this year :)

Video - kids around Christmastime and snow

I had to join the two videos of the kids, it was so spontaneous and I thought it would be nice for you guys back in SA to see - Ewan really gets into it ... he loves that Justin Timberlake song! Faye was very cross with me for filming her dancing but I don’t care! I think she looks wonderful.  

Snow!

Yes we had some snow this morning, started as the kids were going to school, got to about an inch thick but then by half past one most of it had melted away ... hopefully there will be a little bit more this weekend, so the kids can play in it.

Harleston Hall, Ipswich

What a great time we all had today with Sharon at her 'digs' ... 'scuse the 'vignetting' on some of the pics, I put the wide angle lens on and it always stuffs up the edges of the pictures.