We are family, get up everybody and sing (Sister Sledge)

Star of the show: Irene Purdy

Wie geht's?

Nine years ago, in August 2011, Jacky and I took a trip from Al Ain to the UK for Irene Purdy's 90th birthday celebrations.

Yes, you're right - that means Irene's 100th is just around the corner! Covid permitting, we aim to be back to Bury for that one as well.

While there, we loved catching up with my northern hemisphere relatives and, afterwards, going on a road trip to the Lake District, and back to London via Yorkshire and Castle Howard. More to come of the road trip in the next few posts. 

In the bosom of the family

Jacky and Christine's Samantha

The Kirkham Three

 

Next post: that beautiful spot by Lake Grasmere where William Wordsworth lived with his sister, Dorothy.

Love and peace - WNP

Riding on a long blue paper plane (Status Quo)

Wie geht's? 

This one's about one's hobbies!

Bruce Springsteen was asked recently about what he did outside of music, what were his hobbies?

He said something along the lines of, I'm not really a hobbies guy.

No surprise there! 

My brother though, certainly is. He loves flying remote control planes (pictured on the right above). Has done since he was a youngster - starting with those model kits we both used to do as kids.

Except as his model building got more elaborate and bigger and bigger in scale, mine stopped.

As a hobby it suits his fastidious, pain-staking, inquisitive personality. He's amazing at it!

That he's still doing it 50 plus years later is, like the Springsteen answer, no surprise.

I'm the same! As I type this, I'm listening to a record album I first heard and bought in 1972 - Emerson Lake and Palmer's Trilogy.

The buzz of excitement I get listening to it is the same (From The Beginning instantly transports me back to 1972)

So raise your glass to hobbies!

Jacky has her horses (still going strong), my brother-in-law has his vintage truck, my father-in-law has his videos and Little Theatre, Ross has his planes, our mother loved flowers - floral arranging and gardening, our dad loved electronics, and I collect and listen to music (including the new Sprinsteen album).

You don't know what you're missing Bruce!

Love and peace - Wozza

I want to get back to my city by the bay Ooh, Ooh (Journey)

Samantha always knows where the camera is!

Wie geht's?

This post is our final stop in the return to 2007 and our first trip to San Francisco.

In the wash up after the wedding dances we went to the zoo, the Hard Rock Cafe, a diner with everyone to watch the Golden State Warriors, and then it was back to New Zealand, leaving our hearts in San Francisco!

The sisters cutting a rug

Watching the Golden State Warriors

Jade was there! True fact!

Love and peace - Wozza

When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay I want to be there in my city, Ooh, Ooh (Journey)

The stage is set

Wie geht's?

And so to the wedding of 2007 - Jesse Rowbotham and Samantha Purdy in Marin County at Jesse's mum's stunning place with views of Mount Tamalpais and the bay.

Americans have some different traditions when it comes to weddings, such as a pre Wedding get together called a Rehearsal Dinner. Of course, I thought this meant a rehearsal of the wedding - who stands/sits where, who says what and so on. Nope.

Instead, both sides of the family mix and mingle over drinks and a meal in a semi-formal fashion. An ice-breaker, really.

Then it was the wedding in the beautiful Californian sunshine at Cathy and Dan Kennedy's house. First - pre-wedding drinks by the pool.

And, finally, on to the post wedding photos.

Next post - post wedding knees up and wash up of the SF trip.

Love and peace - Wozza