The year in pictures - August (Part 3)

Penzance

The year in pictures - August (Part 2)

Lachlan's 18th Birthday
  
We spent Lach's special day in London

It's nearly time for presents

What's in there Grandma?

It's the thought that counts.

This present was from someone who knew he was off to Japan soon:

After presents, we set off up the Thames to Central London

for a special Chinese meal here

After lunch, we tootled around the West End and later promenaded at a Brahms evening in the Albert Hall. 

There followed a post-Prom pavement party in South Kensington:

with traditional bubbly

and, of course, 18 candles.

Then it was back to Leamington and Day 1 of Max's epic ride to Penzance

The pressure builds ...

2011: The year in pictures - Christmas 2010 into the New Year

December/January
Winter came early, before Christmas. At Charlecote House (NT), it was deep and crisp and even, and much enjoyed.

Mother and (3rd) son

Here comes the fourth son

We spent the period around New Year in London, in Richmond Park

in Kew Gardens

at the Thames Barrage

and at the O2 Arena

2011: The year in pictures - February

February

We celebrated Cameron's 8th birthday in Leicester at the Space Centre

in Leamington at a Japanese restaurant

and the actual day itself (22nd) in Penzance. Here is present time

and cake time

On the way back from Cornwell, we partied in the enormous country house at Treowen, near Monmouth

Lachlan had cycled down from Leamington to join us and Max cycled back. Here is Max getting ready to set off

2011: The year in pictures - March

2011: The year in pictures - April

2011: The year in pictures - May

2011: The year in pictures - August (Part 1)

   
Alyson's birthday
  
Alyson, Duncan, Maxwell and Lachlan all have their birthdays in August. First off is Alyson, with Cam master of present ceremonies:

Richard Tuff's print of Zennor Church was one of the presents:

Several days later we went to a flower festival at the Church itself:

Happy anniversary Alyson:

Smile!

Time to blow out the candles. Get ready

Blow!

2011: The year in pictures - September

September

To alleviate the tedium of long periods in the car, Cam treated Alyson to a year's membership of Club Stobart. En route to Penzance (4.5 hours each way) we now watch out for the well-groomed Eddie Stobart lorries and note down their names (female drivers' trucks sport boys' names and vice-versa).

Here are Cam and Alyson with Bettina at the Stobart Fest at the Rockingham Race Circuit.

As we admired the shiny lorries and spoke to their drivers, loud noises and exhaust fumes drifted over from the race track. The sideshows on offer included 'zorbing' on water.

To compensate for the loud mechanical modernity at Rockingham, we spent the second half of our day out at Lyveden New Bield, an interesting nearby National Trust property of late 16th century origin.

Here's Max multi-tasking as he is about to set off for Liverpool for a new life as a university student.

Two brothers wave him off.

Time for monkey tricks at another National Trust (Hanbury Hall) before we also have to say goodbye to Lach.

2011: The year in pictures - June

2011: The year in pictures - July

2011: The year in pictures - October

October

Another boy off to university and a landmark birthday this month.

Send off

Arrival day in Cambridge

Moving into E2A Old Court

On the Ragley Hall sculpture trail

More sculpture at Ragley Hall

Max home for weekend at Coughton Court

Trevor's 75th birthday lunch at Jamie's 15 Restaurant near Newquay

The birthday company at Jamie's 15

180 degree sea view at Jamie's Restaurant

Siesta time at the Eden Project

Barn owl in the Temperate Biome

In the wishes tent at the Eden Project

Trevor clocks up three-quarters of a century

Not-so-scary skelington on St Michael's Moun

Rising tide and wet jeans after Causeway crossing