Up to visit Tx sister on erm... Tuesday, which coincided with Waddesdon manor being closed. Should have remembered that the majority of NT properties are closed either MOnday or Tuesday, so that b*ggered our plans for a picnic lunch.
The house is only about 10 miles from their home outside Aylesbury and an hour and a half from here, so given that G can only accommodate us for a couple of hours it made sense to fill the day with something else.
Instead, I picked out Brill Mill, just eats of Oxford and found it easily even though its 20 years or more since I last went there.
Weird old place. A spectacularly uninspiring post mill in itself, but in a stunning location, overlooking absolutely miles of beaustiful English countryside. And set on top of a load of old brickworkings, making it uppy-downy and great fun for the kids for a couple of hours

On the way up I knew we were going to see Red Kites over the A34 - but it was amazing to see THREE together, just around Chiltern as usual.
Then a couple more in the Hundreds as well, out towards Aston Clinton. Always stunning birds. In the air with NIINE buzzards at this point to which was worth the hassle of stopping the car for.

Best of all though was the one that flew right over the house while I was out playing with the kids in the garden. Very low, mobbed by a couple of crows. That special birdwatchers instinct kicked in and made me look up and behind myself as it passed.
Once a birder, always a birder?
How exactly does that sixth sense work??

G is not at all well,and the prognosis is not good. They are talking about lots of modifications to the house to improve her lifestyle. Very difficult to understand her speech now as the MS takes hold. Sad to see, and Tx especially was quite upset to see such a dramatic decline in her condition. Suspicion is now that their dad might outlive his older daughter.

What else?
Days at Mottisfont on the Test, random bits of shopping and local 'stuff'. Friends for dinner, friends parties, visit from Kink last weekend.

Oh yes, that...


As usual a week off from the office proves to be more exhausting than time in the office, and I haven't managed to get much of a break from the stuff in my head.
Which is occupying far too much time since D's 'announcement' a week ago. That he intends to move on and focus on the work at the Cruise Terminals is no surprise, but I am struggling to come to terms with his attitude to the rest of the business.
The only reason at the moment that nothing else is proving viable is because we have allowed CM work to dominate everything over the past six months and it is suppressing the genome of the company. Stifling and oppressive.
We had a long meeting on Tuesday night in the pub discuss the way forward an where we go from here.
I see it as a very exciting opportunity and one that will relieve a lot of pressure on a lot of people, but we will need to re-group, re-structure and seriously look at the viability of projects over the next six months while we undertake the 'division' of the company into the two constituent cells.

Challenging times.

So even now I'm writing about work when I should be catching up on some of the stuff I brought home to do this week. It's our first quiet afternoon in really - so busy with days out, visits, makes etc etc (and fixing the drippy shower that started coming through the kitchen ceiling last weekend...)
First time I've even turned the computer on for a couple of days, which is quite satisfying.

Last time was to finish off the pre-publicity for the gig in September in time for Bunday's party this evening. Bob Pearce and his band are playing at this, and we want to give everyone a flyer to push the gig in the Autumn.
I was over at the church (again) for an hour this morning, showing round a local historian who is working with a local youth group making a film about bygone St Denys. he intends to come along to our Memories tea next weekend and interview some people, take a few pictures etc.
Seems we have really captured an idea with the Tea and it could be the beginning of a much more significant archive project.

Cut the grass again on Wednesday, and blew up the mower...

Yesterday was Paulton's (Park), one of the leading members in our Hampshire Top Attractions group. Picked up half a dozen free tickets a while ago, used to great effect with the kids on a sunny holiday. most excellent, but I'm not sure it would have been worth the £80 entry fee for all of us otherwise.
boy was really excited all day and made me go one just about everything with him (most rides are suitable for six-plus year olds provided under 7s are accompanied by an adult)

This is the ride that beat me.
No problem at all with the roller coasters, even the round and round tea-cups (I can't do round and round as a rule) but this Pirate Ship was horrible. That feeling that you are going to fall out the front when it gets high turned me green.
Even Boy didn't like it much, so that was compensation!!

What impressed me most was the amount of space around the park - lawns and landscaped gardens, aviaries and enclosures.
Their collection of hornbills is a real bonus.
I was totally not prepared for this, and it was a joy to see the Ground Hornbill conservation project at least.
Such amazing birds - I didn't even know there was a collection so close by.

So much to catch up on, but everyone is so tired.
Lots of aching arms and backs today with all the "hanging on". That Dragon Ride is seriously fast.
And no queues. Made such a difference. We went on everything (except the cobra) at least twice.