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What's New...

03 January 2006:
As, hopefully, you've noticed I'm having a major overhaul of this website. It'll take some time to put together and to make sure all the links work as they're intended. Bear with me .......!

05 January 2006:
My niece Katie was 18 on Thursday 5th January. She held her party the following day for family & friends [which was my sister Bev's birthday!!] and obviously I fitted in so well with such a young crowd .... !! Erm, perhaps not. To see photos of the party click here

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
in London 15th-17th November 08
with jamie on Sunday 16 Nov 08 William Stone's wreath - one of the 3 remaining veterans from WW1  
in Torquay 16th - 19th October 08
visiting Sidmouth, Dartmouth, Brixham, Berry Head & Cockingham
at Sidmouth on the Thursday boat rip on the river Dart - Friday Simon Drew & his dog [of 'Simon Drew cards' fame] taken outside his shop in Dartmouth - friday hidden behind trees of her estate, it's Agatha Christie's house - taken from our boat on the Rivr Dart
Lynne & Ian - our trip on the River Dart the usual pose overlooking the River Dart's mouth - Friday 17th Octay Dartmouth 17th Oct 08 Joy & Lynton on th River Dart
the intrepid sailors - bring on the Atlantic ... !! Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the river Dart
overlooking Brixham bay , taken from Berry Head - Saturday 18 Oct 08   yet more tea ...
at Cockingham - Sunday 19th Oct 08     who's been a naughty boy then??!!
at the 35th anniversary of the 3rd Halesowen, Boys' Brigade - held on 4th & 5th October 08 
Margaret Hoole, me & Rita Shaw
Paul Armson, me & Paul Maley      
a Macmillan Nurses "Big Coffee Morning" held at Bev's 26th September 08 
   
a Catshill weekend - 4th/6th July 08 
with Jack Duck and the sticker I picked up in Boston in 1999 .. refers to Bill Clinton's time!!
"we are gatheed together ... " at rebuilt church at the Avon Croft museum, Saturday 5th July 08
at Joy's 5th July 08 - a champagne toast with a hint of Plymout Sloe Gin .... nice!! Joy & Lynton preparing our meal on the Saturday evening 5/7/08 over the Lickey Hills - Sundat 6th
Joy's daughter Katie on the left after our fireworks ...
in Wales - 30 June/2nd July 08 
me in TARZAN mode ....
a cow looks over the wall where we were sitting reading the church on the beach overlooking Barmouth harbour - July 08
     
at the National Tram Museum, Critch - 23rd June 08 
 
walking from Arley to Bewdley [and back!] following in part the river Severn and the SVR route - 18th June 08 
Arley SVR station .. isn't it gorgeous? Redolent of yester-year sheltering under the trees during a downpour .. both eating their cakes!! stopping for lunch in Bewdley
from the SVR     it was only 2 days into the new fishing season .. the river bank was crowded with fishermen. This guy looked particularly well equiped!
walking in the Wyre Forest - 11th June 08 
me, Terry & Dave our first glimpse of a deer in the Wyre Forest   a hos & trap in the Wyre Forst on 11th June 08
two weeks in Majorca - May 08
Saturday 10th May - arrived to 3 days of rain!
taken on our 1st day showing the rain pouring down the steps at Cala San Vincente, our nearby village OUR CAR FOR THE 2 WEEKS: as the brochure says "The Berlingo Multispace is the famously tough, practical and versatile multi-purpose vehicle . Fresh and eye-catching styling inside and out, plus many storage and safety features and ergonomic design adds to the all-round brilliance of a car that has no worthy competitors." But it was an ugly brute .. !! can't understand why no one's on the beach - don't they like rain?? William, the Villa's owner, coming to make sure we were settling in
  renewing old acquaintances - William the Villa's owner on our third time there    
Sunday 11th May
enjoying the first sunshine! the sun shone for 2 hours - yipee!! Joy & Lynton came to find us .... the sun may be shining, but I still need my jumper!  
Monday 12th
it's 4 o' clock so it's G&T time ..... 2 German walking who wrongly walked down our drive thinking it was the way to Lucc Monastery!!   not letting a little rain put me off wearing my shorts!!
Tuesday 13th - a trip to Palma [and the sun came out!!]
Palma cathedral, taken from the car .... in Palma, where the sun shone!! Hallelujah in Palma , nr the cathedral Joy & Lynton in Palma
Wednesday 14th - Puerto Pollensa market day & yet another birthday celebration!!
Joy examining the silks taken from Joy & Lynton's hotel balcony Joy trying on Lynton's hat ... with my birthday decorations
a cake ... oh joy I can manage 2 candles but not 60 ... fire hazard anyway ...  
Thursday 15th May
is it in the family genes?? The walking style ... ?? in the bay at Cala San Vicente ... when the lottery comes in, eh?? in Cala San Vicente in Cala San Vicente
Friday 16th - an outing to Soller
 
Saturday 17th May
the cooling waters of the pool   the 2nd of my 3 books read
Sunday 18th May - the Pollensa market; a visit from the family who own the Villa; our 1st barbeque
relaxing in our favourite street cafe in the village of Pollensa William & Katrina, with their family
 		 Gabriel senior with Gabriel junior
John's famous BBQ Punch it almost melts the glass it's so strong!! getting quite merry before eating and half-way through the punch!!! June in BBQ mode ....
Monday 19th May
  during the meal at the 'Bar Grill'
 
Tuesday 20th May - a visit to the Lucc Monastery & choir school; our traditional picnic [improvised!!] & traditional visit to the leather factory
within the Monastery at Lucc

from the Choir School at Lucc

 

 John being silly outside the monastry
Joy & me walking in the hills above Lucc monastry at Lucc monastery
  at the Leather factory .... our picnic area was closed ... so a lay by was all we could manage!! We were starved ....
Wednesday 21st - Saturday 24th May. (I lost my camera at the airport on 24/5 but luckily I'd swapped my camera's memory card on the Tuesday night, but it does mean I only have a few photos of the last 4 days, from friends' cameras)
'reading my book' in my favourite reading place @ Cala San Vicente

making the most of the sun on our last full day ...

 

 the owner coming to wave us off ... at 7.00am [no wonder I look bleary eyed!!! - I don't do early]
the Villa and its gardens
taken from the garden, of the front of the Villa the outdoor dining tabel at the front of the Villa

looking at the side of the Villa, taken from the driveway

 

 looking at the hills surrounding the Villa, taken from inside the house [and looking towards the pool]
a weekend in Torquay - 2nd/4th May 08
Friday 2nd May -arrived @ Lynne & Ian's
  a nice glass of wine after a long journey south Ian & Joy  
Saturday 3rd May - at Berry Head and then my birthday celebrations & gifts
overlooking Berry Head overlooking Berry Head
present-opening time!! the champagne toast to me, the 'birthday boy' ... !
a lovely crown of lamb, cooked by Ian & Lynne a '60' cake for my birthday celebration
Sunday 4th May - at Paignton's Bikers' Festival & then relaxing @ L&Is
a relaxing morning reading the papers in their garden Joy getting excited at the Bikers' convention motor bike with its side car converted into a herse!! Why??
a rather unispiring mountain bike demonstration ... oh yes, the Baggies just confirmed as Championship winners
     
a week's break in Manchester - April 08
well, it was St Geoege's Day .... I had a card in time to bring with me from mom & Lynne [plus the 'sniff' tissues!!!]
I could have brought 'Jack Duck' with me - I didn't know his cousins would be here! part of the atrium of the apartment block the trams of Manchester overlooking Salford Quays, on the way to the Lowry museum and the Imperial War Museum North
a mobile anti-tank platform @ IWM North at the IWM North  
feeding the horses - on our walk on Wednesday 16th April 08 @ Seven Valley Park
Terry @ feeding time  
walking from the Stewpony locks along the canal towards Swindon/Himley - 2nd April 08
watching a heron as the narrow boat came towards us a surprise meeting with John taylor, a former usher colleague at Dudley Magistrates' court, who was walking the opposite way to us along the canal ... !
my weekly walk - at Arley & Trimpley Reservoir on 27th March 08
the Victoria Bridge - used in the remake of 'The 39 Steps' in 1978 one of the Severn Valley Railway engines  
Good Friday, 21st March 08
after the 'egg hunt' and in brilliant sunshine after the hail & snow!!! Mrs H's annual simnel cake ... in the wilds of the Wyre Forest terry, me neighbour, and me walking in the Wyre Forest
  desparately trying to find the hidden eggs so we can get back into the warmth ... !!! We had to be given big hints!!    
at Torquay Saturday 15th - Monday 17th March 08
Torquay 16 March 08
     
at the Albion v Plymouth game - Saturday 1st March 08
Stphen Bradley, me & Jim Price both teams in a 'minutes appluase' before the game - 1 March 08   me with mr Jim Price - after the game
Peter & Leonie's wedding @ Nottingham - Saturday 23rd February 08
Shirley in contemplative mode before the service started the rent a congrgation crowd
the travelling Overend mob proud mom Shirley, with wedding boy peter himself, and his sister Kirsty
    Kirsty's boyfriend & Shirley's sister, Roberta
a bacon sandwich & a cuppa over Clent Hill on Tuesday 12th Feb 08
Peter looking enigmatic ... Pete & me over a gloriously sunny Clent (with bacon sandwiches!!) on Tuesday 12th February 08 McBain the 'hoodie'
  over Clent - taken with a mobile phone!!    
a quick visit to see Alexander at his office in Ofcom when Bev & I were in London - 6 Feb 2008
walking over Southwark Bridge St Paul's cathedral as seen from Ali's office @ Ofcom Bev & Ali - taken from the top floor of the Ofcom building [6 feb 08]
our visit to the House of Commons for a tour, PMQs and then lunch with my MP, Lynda Waltho, on Wednesday 6th February 08
(sadly we could not take photos in precincts of the Commons, only in the historic Westminster Hall)
walking passed Windsor castle early Wednesday morning on our way to the rail station @ Windsor - destination Waterloo safely esconced on the train for the hour journey Windsor->London Bev & me on our way TO our visit to the Commons - Wednesday 6th Feb 08 in Westminster Hall, the only major part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in its original form
taken as we left the Commons - you can see what a glorious day it was within Westminster Hall (the only major part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in its original form)
  one of the many plaques in Westminster Hall, demonstrating its superb history the gents at the Commons .... [I 'snuck' a photo!!!]  
a meal at Paul & Deb's on Saturday 2nd February 2008
 
the Lickey Hills on Thursday 31st January 08
'the castle' at the top of the Lickey Hill a memorial to a now defunct Army regiment .... !   in the depths of the woods at Lickey Hills
another walk, this time round a flood-stricken Bewdley, where the flood defences can clearly be seen - 23rd January 2008
 
my second walk of the year, the route around Himley Hall park - Wednesday 9th January 2008
my fellow walker & next door neighbour, Terry
  himley hall    

to see more  photos... click here

 

 
© William Tromans McBain 

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