Nearly

Last week we planned to get away asap - chill on the veranda with some cold beers and perhaps fire the BBQ up - all this came to a crushing halt as I walked out of work on Friday afternoon only to be called back for another three hours emergency reporting information required first thing Monday morning.

This being a life and death situation (of the 1 minute review paper variety) I had to stay -3 hours later our plans for an early lift off had gone so me and Amanda got through the wine destined for the caravan and chilled out at home instead.

It was still a shame as the weekend turned out to be beautiful yet again, if this is global warming you can spray all the Old Spice you want into the air.

When we eventually got there Ann and John had gone out but poor old Niall and his dad Tim were hard at work trying to secure Nialls car after last weeks accident for the trip home. After they left I took a wander around the beach ( where the terns have returned for another season for any of you bird nerdy types out there) and lanes whilst Amanda chilled and started the BBQ off. Clive came over for a few pints later on and normal caravan life was restored.

Sunday the four oldies went for a walk to Cors Caron - its been a long time since I had this much walking and the old legs were a bit like jelly after we returned. Cors Caron is an interesting place which we like but this Sunday we had little choice to be honest. The baking weather which had settled all over S Wales was also in the West but a thick coastal fog had surrounded Newquay and we had to drive at least 10 miles inland to escape it but it was worth the effort. The new visitor centre is now open in the middle of the marshland and will doubtless be a hit later this year for all the vistors.

After returning to lovely cooked dinner we all headed East after a quiet weekend.

This week Amanda has come down with all sorts of chest and ear infections so would not have made it to Newquy anyway but the big story of the weekend was Bronwyns formal at the Marriot in Cardiff. For months Amanda and Ann have been scouring Wales for just that perfect dress but finally after what seems like an eternity the day had arrived and what a picture she looked as did all her friends. Stretch Limos, Overnight hotel stays, Dickie Bows and double vodkas at £10 a throw all seem a long way from what I remembered of our sixth form formal parties which started in the Beach in Ystrad Mynach and ended with chips in the village later in the night.

Everyone sounded like they had a great time though and preparations for next years bash are already under way.

Bethan had a weekend with her friends who were up until 4am on Saturday watching films and chatting and would probably still be there now if we hadn't eventually run out of partience and herded them all upstairs for bed. If truth be told Amanda and I saw little of either of them all weekend (although my credit card has seen plenty of them) so I attacked the garden which was a long time overdue and fitted our new washing machine in - who needs posh parties and long nights with your mates when you've got that kind of excitement to look forward to.

Sunday the four of us went out for a meal and to say I'm stuffed is something of an understatement - the diet can wait for another week. Well the weekends over yet again and not sure what lies in store for next week- and thats just the way we like it - living life on the edge, gripper style. :0)

PS - I've posted a photo of Morgan from our Easter weekend just to even up the Lewis/ Morgan photo balance which was noticed at the pink palace - apologies all round apart from Jonathan who has deeply hurt my feelings comparing my pre mown garden to the Borneo rain forests.