Zoonie

Very best happy birthday wishes to our own Tanya! xxx

I would - please I'll ask Lea to make you a mod on here if you will. Not that it takes much, just someone to keep everyone going and together...it's much quieter, but there's a nice group of people who want to stay in touch

Gosh - I thought I'd missed it - I hardly know what day it is any more!!! SO

Not taking all that many photos, probably because everywhere's so close to home. This is the spot we had our picnic yesterday, although the sun wasn't showing itself much, so it probably looks a bit dull. The views over the Weald are stunning.

Tanya, with all this going in to my shell, I missed your birthday - am so very sorry! forgive me?

Thanks Tanya. This will be the fourth time we've worked with each other, so it's not as though it's an unknown quantity - just that things are so much more difficult that when we've done it before, all the red tape and rules and regulations etc. - not to mention worrying that your money's going to be safe. Of course, if there'd been any clue at all that this might be coming, we'd not have had the massive spend up doing the house etc. But, it seemed he was doing really, really well in his new job and that's why it was such a shocker.

Next week off here http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-sheffieldparkgarden/w-sheffieldparkgarden-photo_gallery.htm - again just for the day.

Oh wow, well we'd be very pleased to see you - and, yes I can give you any help you might want about, well, about anything really Luckily IMOM and I get along really well, so we're enjoying it - just concerned for the future, but what can you do?

All the places I mention are near us. We've just been going out in the morning and spending all day out. Ightham Mote is about a 45 min or so drive that's all - and most of that is because it's slow driving on some little lanes, until you get to the main roads.

Oh wow if you're visiting, I'm lobbyist for the local tourism - the south east has SO much to offer. We must liaise if you decide to come over. I must make some time to read back and see all the details of your recent get together, it sounds like everyone had a fantastic time together?

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-ighthammote/w-ighthammote-photo_gallery.htm Because over the centuries this home had been owned by well to do, but not stinking rich families, it stayed pretty much the same, no one had the money to knock down and rebuild. After WWII an American bachelor businessman was on a cycling holiday and saw it, and loved it - years later, back in London, he saw it for sale in a magazine (it'd been purchased by a consortium of local businessmen to save it from being knocked down and the land developed) On the way back home he changed his mind about the offer he'd made for it, as it was too big a commitment, but his family persuaded him to go for it if he wanted. (that's the very brief story) The National Trust have just finished a £10million renovation project there.

We had been to most of them, not all - but not for years, and some of them have opened up new rooms or done more restoration etc. We're very luck where we live, so many in a short distance. Let me get you the link for Ightham Mote Tanya, it's incredible! - and we've been lucky enough to have some lovely weather too, so we thought our first break in over 5 years would clear our heads a bit.

Thanks Tanya, we're both still really shocked and angry, but what can you do? it seems dog eat dog these days. We're planning to start up on our own, hopefully we can earn enough to get by and at least we can trust each other. Thanks for your kind words. How are you doing these days? it's been ages!

Over the past 10 days or so, apart from doing some really long (for us) walks from our front door (whatever the weather) - which we thought would be good for both body and soul, we've been using our annual National Trust membership, which we'd been neglecting to use the past few years. We've been to Scotney Castle and Gardens; Ightham Mote, Chartwell (former home of Primeminister Winston Churchill) Emmett's Gardens; Knole; Bateman's; Sissinghurst Castle Gardens (former home of Vita Sackville-West, lover of Virginia Woolfe) and Wakehurst Place, where the Millennium Seedbank is located. Phew! (walled garden at Wakehurst Place) All those venues are on the NATIONAL TRUST Website

Good Morning, after a couple of weeks of either going out and having a 'staycation' or, rushing around, am having 2 days working at home before a day out on Friday. Anyone around?

1620 Hi everybody

EEK! I completely missed last week's list, sorry, will Google around when I get time. Novia sent some parcels over which are in IMOM's first room.

Hello everyone, Hi Nancy Sorry I've been off all week, and kind of withdrawn. I'm not going to be around very much and was wondering if someone would perhaps take over the Gift Registry and also be a mod for the group (not that there's anything much to do except admit anyone who wants admitting) I've lost my heart for the game and I don't have the time to 'play' We've had a bit of a stunner - IMOM has been laid off from his job - WE thought it was going incredibly well, hence all our work on the house etc. but it turns out that the company wasn't what it seems at all and he's been used and then stabbed in the back. So, here we are - neither of us working! what a bummer. It's my birthday at the end of the week, and as they let him go immediately with pay to the end of the month, we took last week off and this week, and have been going out each day just for a break. We haven't had any time off for over 5 years and it looks even less likely now. I didn't want to say anything while you guys were having your meet up and then settling down back home, I hope you understand Love to everyone xxx

A quick Hello from me - been having a multitude of computer and connection issues and a few things going on that home which have meant I haven't had the time to persevere like I would normally. I need to take some time out, but nothing to worry over. Am so glad that the trip has been a great success, it sounds so much fun ladies! Love to everybody xxx

Marie, not a great game so far. Evening everyone - lovely your PC fixed itself, the way you describe it is like trapped wind! (gas) rofl. Will try and read back tomorrow, I have my new router, but have had such problems like you wouldn't believe Expect me when you see me and don't worry if you don't is the best I can say for now - sorry. Love to everyone, can't wait to see pics of the meet up xxx

BG you know if you miss anything there'll be spare for you honey - hope the trip is going well.

I'm going to have to go sorry - not sure when I'll be back as it depends on the routers - if you don't see me, you know why! (violence may be involved) Have a nice day ladies x

Did you bring supplies Marie? (I just have apple juice)

I do have wireless Frannie, but to install it I was hard wired in. My speed is so slow anyway the bit that drops when I'm not, is hardly noticeable.

Sorry I dropped off, the router kept cutting out, so I decided to go for it and install the new one - well, what a performance, it's an update of the same model, but just not having it at all - so I had to undo and go back to the old one what a waste of my time! (and I had to heft a really heavy antique desk as well) Girls are doing fine thanks Marie. As per usual ED is mulling over her career (it's like ground hog day)