Sunday, August 12, 2012

Well, I'm not Sir Francis Drake, but when in England, as they say.

Yesterday I spent the morning learning how to play bowls at a lovely club in South London. It is more complicated than it looks, and there are lots of rules. There is also a dress code, gray trousers and white shirt, with special flat shoes so as not to scuff the green. It is all very 'proper'. But I seemed to fit in very well with the other ladies, and we had a good laugh. I went along with my grandson's other grandma and her friend, the power of three had nothing in it.

Earlier in the week, as I arrived back in London from a trip up north to see the other half of my family, I found myself at the base of the tallest building in London, (and probably Europe), The Shard, it was very Jack and the Beanstalk, towering right up into the clouds.

Today, Sunday, we all had a leisurely morning, then, not to be done out of my daily exercise, Jo and I took Jack (or it might have been, Jo and Jack took me) ten pin bowling. Grandma lost, mainly because the move from bowling green to bowling alley seemed to affect my delivery, I think I'll stick to the green, but it was fun.

The weather, wherever I have been for the past three weeks, has been very good, sunny, warm with only the occasional shower. In London, there is a constant sound of the coming and going of planes in the sky, and traffic on the roads, with a shuttle of trains every now and then. Worsborough Dale was quieter, but every now and then a police helicopter went overhead.

Well that's my news for today, I am going to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games tonight, and enjoy a sit with Jo and Jack.

I wish you all a pleasant evening, and lots of fun in the week ahead.

Bye for now,
Love Jane x

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Ancestry Hunting in Yorkshire

Hello Blogwatchers,

I am sorry for my absence, but have been rather busy enjoying myself with my family. Plus the fact that I have only just been able to get on line, not having a super phone, an i-pad, laptop or any other internet connection. But now all that has changed since my son has just opened a Laptop Repair Centre, and I was his first customer. I feel almost a complete woman! The next thing is to find a job. It is not too easy to do that as a) I shall draw my old age pension in November, and b) there are not so many jobs around Beckenham, where I am living. What a bummer! But I have located the local music center, and come September I hope to get involved with what I can there.

I am enjoying being in England, and the weather has been lovely. OK it is cooler than Crete, but hey, that is not such a bad thing during August, is it?

Yesterday I did a bit of Ancestry hunting in Monk Breton, a little village near to where my son lives in Yorkshire. My mother was born there and I went to trace my roots. Her name was Brenda Royston and she was born in 1925. My great auntie Dorothy (nee Clarke) was my nannie's sister, and she married a man called Jim Richardson. His father, I was told was once the Mayor of Barnsley, so you can understand how surprised I was, when walking around the churchyard in Monk Breton, I found the grave of a Alderman, Thomas William Richardson, born in 1888, who was Mayor of Barnsley in 1943-44. Was this my great aunt's father in law? I am now encouraged in my quest to find a little family history, and see if I can locate any more distant relatives.

So, you see I am keeping quite busy. Tomorrow I am going to Manchester to visit my sister, and I will return to London on Wednesday. Hopefully, I will be able to afford another trip north before too long, to visit friends. And, if you are reading this, gang, I will  send you an e-mail later.

How wonderful it is to have children who love you, feed you, and sort you out with a lap top!

So, have a good Sunday everyone, I don't have a camera yet but working on it, so photos later.
Love and best wishes to all,
Jane x