Happy Birthday Lou

Despite all the wedding preparations there was still enough money in the kitty to take Lou out for dinner to celebrate her birthday. After collecting our wedding rings on Saturday in Totnes, we went to Dartmouth. Here we are having drinks on the quay.


A sea food banquet was on the cards. And here we are enjoying it. By the end of the meal we were both sweating out only garlic and butter. By then the sun had set over the harbour and we could try to walk off the sea bass.



This car, however, wasn't one of her birthday presents. A shame though as it's a perfect match. We found this in Clifton during the 'open doors' event at the old Clifton Rocks Railway.


We have also been out with the family in Bristol...


We look foward to seeing everyone who can make it at the wedding, and hope you are enjoing the start of autumn.

Necessary Wedding Pre-formalities

Here is conclusive proof that our wedding is imminent. Firstly, a picture from Lou's very refined hen party in Bristol.



Also, some evidence of Chris' debauched jaunt on the river Wye, drunkenly drifting between Wales and England and generally disturbing the wholesome tranquility of the countryside.



Yes, thanks to everyone who turned up and contributed to these great events. Chris will try to gain a court order against any more pictures of his party coming out, but may well be unsuccessful.

The next task is to get the guest list finalised, so please reply to us if you haven't already. Also we should make sure the gift lists are accessible from next weekend. Please call us if you need anything.

One piece of information about the wedding is that there is a field for anyone who would like to camp at the site, please contact me to arrange this.

Upfest - Streetart in Bristol

Here are some pictures from the Upfest street art festival in Southville today. This was on over this weekend and was complete news to me. Apparently it's the largest festival of street art in Europe - if so that doesn't seem to be difficult to achieve, even though Bristol is known for this type of thing.

Here is everyone milling around outside the 'Tabacco Factory' venue checking it out:-


Some samples:





These were particularly bristolian:-






BP came in for some abuse;-





a few more favourites...





And here we are, obviously enjoying it too much to look at each other...

Ballooning

Unfortunately, we didn't get to go up in Balloon this week, we just got to mind the children while Lou's sister and her husband rode across the skies. Solomon sat on my shoulders and tried to remove any hair I had left whilst we watched it inflate.

Here is Paul inflating the balloon with his strong lungs.




Ah well...we just watched as they flew off into the sunset, leaving us with their offspring wondering if they would ever return to earth.


We did make it down to the beach in Devon that weekend though - and here is Lou in her native habitat.


So we do do some travelling, just not in balloons, yet.

Bank 'Holiday'

Well such is the bank holiday, during which Lou and I have been working harder than ever getting the ground prepared at the allotment. As we've only just got the plot - still not officially - we are trying to plant as much out as early as we can to reap the rewards. The only things growing in it when we arrived were 2 leeks and some strawberries.


After planting out the some peas and some old runner beans left for dead by the last occpant, it rained hard on Saturday night, which saved a lot of water carrying. Here is Lou trying to work out what to plant out next.


Despite some hail, today was mostly sunny and we looked out over to Aston Court Estate thinking that we should have a party on the plot during the Bristol Balloon festival which is held in August - as we'll see the whole thing and watch them fly right over us from the ridge.


The view takes in most of Bristol - here is the Clifton suspension bridge behind a poplar tree.

So it's starting to look like something might grow there - one day - hopefully.


I suppose I better get back to planning the wedding now - as much as I am enjoying this distraction. It's the 16th October for anyone not in the know yet...

Dig For Victory

Time for that rarest of things - a blog from us.

We visited the Imperial War Museum 'wartime food' exhibition last month - which fervently advised us to grow our own food to win the war. There were even some amusing propaganda films and posters to have a look at.


So, forgetting the decade, Lou and I enthusiastically claimed an allotment on Bedminster down yesterday, and despite a hangover set to work today turning over tilling the beds for this year's crop. The plot also comes with a free shed (slightly rotten), which is necessary for reading the paper when the rain comes down, and Lou has shirked off home to get some 'rest' from her temporary illness. Thankfully I had some coffee and the rain eased off, otherwise I could have spent too long watching the trains go past behind the plots.


We managed to turn over two beds today and get some plans together for the year ahead. Hopefully this will be the ideal place to escape from wedding planning or work induced stress.

Happy New Year

Hope you are all enjoying a great start to 2010. Ourselves, we had a great Christmas in Bristol, allowing all our family to come round and enjoy Christmas. Lou's family came for Christmas Day, and some of mine for boxing day. I shall try and find some photos but unfortuantely my camera was wiped.

New Year was spent in Cornwall, with a gang of unruly youths. We celebrated the new year in style in a rented cottage. This was the same venue as last year, but with even more people, including several we hadn't seen for quite a while as they're living in Australia.

Here is a picture from our New Year's morning. We were all in (controversial) fancy dress. I found this the ideal costume for launching fireworks at passing shipping. Lou and I dressed as Somali pirates for the evening.