Why have I got a big smile on my face?

Because I'm off to South Africa for 2 weeks! The main purpose of the trip is being with my folks for my dad's 60th but I am going to try and catch up with as many people as possible.

Mike's 50th

On Saturday morning we made our way to the little village of Norton St Phillips, near Bath, to celebrate Jackies uncle's 50th birthday. It was a big family affair and a lot of fun. Turning 50 brings with it a family tradition that seems to have really evolved over the last decade. Mike is the last of 5 siblings to reach the milestone and he received the most formal welcome into the club. He was handcuffed, put in the stocks and interrogated for various offences and there he was marinaded in all sorts of concoctions including egg, bacon and beans. Hugely entertaining.

Gardening for dinner

On the weekend we caught the train up to Hertford to visit Paul (and 'our holiday home'). In exchange for a bit of gardening from Jacks he provided us with dinner and entertained with his usual banter.