Storytelling Sunday–Sporting Prowess

OOps! A day late, but never mind, here’s my story for this Olympic month of August 2012'.

I am inspired by the wonderful tally of gold medals (now 16!!) that it got me thinking about our sporting prowess.  The only really sporty one is Lucy.  Maurice does a little running, and once ran a marathon, but Lucy was an England Champion!

Lucy and her cousin Izzy started to play volleyball when they got to high school.  Thanks so much to Freda Bussey, the PE teacher who loved volleyball and got them playing to such a high standard.  They won the under-16 England championship in 2008.  We all trooped off to Bath University to support them.  They were the under-dogs having been well and truly beaten by the other side previously.  But they won!  Wow, we were so happy for them!

 

Here’s the moment they won:

Team photo with coach Freda Bussey:

Lucy and Izzy holding the cup.

Sadly, Lucy doesn’t play any more, but Izzy does.  In fact, Izzy’s friend Megan just missed getting into the England women’s team this year!  Watch this space, she will surely be a future star.

Freda was well and truly recognised for her great work for volleyball when she was picked to be an Olympic flame torchbearer.

Let the (London 2012) Games Begin!

What a spectacular opening ceremony!  Hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!  Pop over to www.shimelle.com for more pictures like this:

More pictures at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-19020830

Our games began in style yesterday as we went to Earl’s Court in London to watch the volleyball.

The place was swarming with ‘games makers’ – volunteers to help us find our way around.

If you look carefully in the background you can see some of our wonderful soldiers helping out with security.  The ‘airport style’ security was strict but we breezed through with no queueing.

We got to hold a real Olympic torch!

Our seats were right up the top, but we had a great view and the atmosphere was brilliant!  We saw Argentina beat Australia and USA beat Serbia.  The second game was of much better quality as USA are the defending Olympic champions and Serbia are the current European champions.  We had our very own expert on hand to explain everything as Lucy used to play volleyball at school.  She was part of a team that won the Under 16 England championship!

The USA team did some fantastic ‘blocking’ at the net:

 

The sweepers looked quite comical as they ran round with their brooms to clear the court during time-outs!

What a great experience to actually be there at the Olympic games!  Bit of shame that it wasn’t in the actual Olympic Park, but never mind, it was still the Olympics!!!

Don’t think I’m going to get much done over the next 2 weeks, you’ll find me in front of the telly!

Garden Update

After a very wet and dull June and first half of July, the sun has finally come out to play!  And with it my flowers!

Here’s an update on the patio:

First a view from the back door over to the south boundary.  The fence has been cleared of ivy and some old trellis, which makes the garden look much bigger.  Not sure what we’ll do about the horrible old fence, it actually belongs to the neighbours, and they don’t overlook that part of the fence.  As you can see the patio laying is coming along really well, just a small square to do in the middle behind the greenhouse.  I spent some time last weekend clearing the gravel (to the bottom left of the photo) and raking it.  It looks heaps better

Here it is this morning with work in progress.

View to the north boundary across to my summer house.  I can’t wait to get in there and clear it properly so we can sit in there.

Here’s the inside of my greenhouse:

I love these orange nemesias and begonia flowers.  In the west facing border I have 2 tomato plants and an aubergine.  All are doing really well!

Next to the summer house is my little vegetable patch with runner beans – finally taking off up the poles of the wigwam, French beans, beetroot, courgette, cabbage, tomatoes and leeks!  Phew!  That’s quite a lot for such a small plot!

Here’s the border that was under the tree so was completely dry and shady before.  I replanted it rather haphazardly, but look at it now! 

These 3 photos were taken while sitting on the bench in the middle of the patio.

Finally, how exquisite is this rose?  This is called Irish Eyes, and Mum bought it for me as I was admiring the same rose in her garden.  It looks like it has a light inside the flowers and they cahnge from yellow through orange to red as they age.  Perfection!

10 on the 10th–Nicholas’s graduation

Nicholas graduated from Bath University last Wednesday.  He gained a first class honours degree in Computer Science.  Well done Nicholas!!!  Here’s 10 photos from our day:

How lovely to have a photo of us 4 all together!  This photo was taken in the Computer Science department at the university where we went for a buffet lunch afterwards.  The ceremony itself was held in Bath Abbey in the centre of town.  It was really lovely, and not too long!  They actually held 10 sittings, can you imagine the poor Chancellor having to say his speech 10 times!  Afterwards we caught the bus back up to the university and it was a lovely sight through the town with students in gowns and hats with their families everywhere.  What a happy occasion!

This last photo shows Nicholas in front of his poster for his final project.  He was getting fed up with having his photo taken by now

Nicholas is home full time now, and has started his new job yesterday!  The start of a new era for him  Wishing him the best of luck in his career.

Doll’s House

This one is for Sian!  Sian has asked after my doll’s house several times after seeing it in the corner of photos of my dining/hobbies room!

My Dad built 3 doll’s houses for his granddaughters when they were quite little.  It was originally just the left hand side up to the bricks.  Later he built a side extension, and a basement.  My daughter Lucy didn’t play with it much, so eventually I took it over as a ‘grown-up’ doll’s house, and for several years we used to visit doll’s house exhibitions and buy and make new furniture for it.  Dad used to love to have a go at making miniatures

A couple of highlights are the miniature painting that dad did of the ‘Laughing Cavalier’, and the gorgeous miniature chest of drawers that he made.  Can you see he even made dovetail joints in the drawers?

OK, here’s the Grand Tour!

 

I’m linking up with Sian’s Storytelling Sunday