A Sunday Stroll: 19th April Wooten Under Edge

So Easter over and back to normal life which for me means back to walking whenever I can always with Mont Blanc and beyond in mind. Always great to team up with good buddies Duncan & Neil. Weather was fantastic..a taste I hope of a summer to come. Think we did nearish 9 miles ( a few off route detours meant a little further than we planned) ...with a lovely lunch pub stop at the New inn ...somewhere ' under the edge'..but not quite sure where!

Also taking in a bit of local history ...Tyndale Tower...built in memory of the William Tyndale who translated the old testament into English...now there's something you don't see every day!

Easter: ...A Time to be

Some say that Easter is all about new life and new beginnings..I was struck by radio 2's thought of the day from an archbishop who was about to retire who said that his life had been so busy and filled with so much activity that whilst retirement was a big change , that he was really looking forward to 'having time to be...'

It seemed to have a ceratin similarity to my situation. Since Robbie died I guess I have tried to mask the pain and the gaping hole that this has left in my life by being busy both at work and at home. For me this Easter all about giving myself 'time to be'......

...to be at home

...to be with family

...to be with friends

...to be me........So a whole weekend in the company of Robbie's Mum Doreen, his niece Elodie and a special visit from my god daughter Laura......people who I could just be myself with in my home....I can certainly recommend it! Here's the pics:

being local...lunch in Painswick

being in the garden...(Elodie)

being eggstravagant....(yep..all mine)

being with family..Easter brunch...

being spoilt...my Easter Brunch

Ski Holiday No 3: Chamrousse France

The Pistes

The people..well some of them ...there were 31 of us in total

Bev & me...

... on the last day I did a bold Yvonne unlike thing and ditched the carvers and had a bash at ski Touring...Mogul came for company..really loved it...and proof of my trail blazing...

...above you can see my tracks..fresh snow amoungst the trees..it just does not get any better...can't wait to give this a proper go next year.

This is a new friend Marie Rousseau who runs the restaurant at the top of the Mountain ...best food in Chamrousse!

And here's Bev & Andy having a mountain cuddle

..a couple more pics from Soll...Andy's Darth Vada impression & boys on tour!

Ski holiday 2: Soll Austria March 09

View from the top...This is the gang including my nephew Chris and his girlfriend Kerry who are reps for Crystal in Austria.

Chris, Kerry and me.....

Crystal quiz night...Steve's impression of Soll or rather the impression that Steve left on Soll's pistes!!

Girls on tour!

Anneka tries to work out which is her left and right ski

just told her about the skis.

Chris shows us how to 'tyre'

28.02.09 Training continues. Pen y Fan Brecon Beacons

A quick Saturday stroll in the Brecons with Neil ( 4 1/2 hrs). Also introducing Richard who we met en route, who was completing the last stretch of the Brecons he had left to do after 34 years of walking there.

My Birthday 14th Feb: Whithorn

I guess most of you knew that I was off to scatter Robbie's ashes in Whithorn in Scotland on my birthday with Peter & Fiona, Pam & Steve and Simon and Claire. There's no pictures of the scattering...that's too private, but I have popped one in of the gravestone.

Whilst I'd be lying if I said I hadn't shed more than a few tears, with such fantastic friends there was lots of smiles and laughter too. I couldn't have wished for a better birthday. Not much more dialogue, but a few photos :)

Steve & Peter compare bald patches...Simon's too busy indulging his motorbike hobby

This is for Robbie.............with much love

...and his very own tree in the Glen...you'll never be forgotten

......and then time for some birthday celebrations.

starting with a dip

...and of course no birthday complete without a cake...

...and a cuddle!