Mr & Mrs Bananaskin.

Tim would like you all to share the story that we wrote last week.
Here it is:

Mr & Mrs banana skin and the new shop.
Plop!
a big,bright ,coloured fliyer fell out of Mr B's news paper just
missing his bowl of corn flakes and and his cup of cofee.

Open today

Kevin's Computer Shop

With cafe

1 Blog Streer, Banbury visit................

www.kevinsshop.com.

"Wow, faNTAstic, brilliant!

Mrs Bananaskin, today I'm taking you out for a nice cup of coffee"

"That's nice dear", said Mrs Bananaskin Mrs B.

Mrs banana skin dreamed of a cup of coffee .
Where is the cafe? she asked blog street said mr B let's go ordered mrs B.
Mr B turned left into the car park.
here we are he said.
Mr B dreamed of nothing but wires.
welcome said Kevin!
where are the laptops he said ?
we've sold out said Kevin
Where's the cafe said mrs B up stairs so they went up stairs. This cafe is horrible
Let's go to costa coffee Mr B said.
feel free to comment!
By tim xxx.

Good Morning Vietnam.

I actually cleaned my very dirty car today.
It did take me until 2.00pm to face the -2 degrees weather & my hands did nearly freeze in my rubber gloves, but I did it.
It does need waxing now, but by the time I'd cleaned the downstairs windows I wanted to come in & warm up. (you have to wash the windows when you have a bucket of water & a wash leather together, outside)
I vacuumed downstairs, to warm up, by which time the lounge felt really warm, so I carried most of the ironing through & made myself do it & re-make the bed before I ate dinner.
I had yet another Count on us meal followed by a chocolate mousse.
I have lost 5lb since we came back from Egypt, so am feeling quite pleased with myself.
I find that if I lie-in for long enough, I combine breakfast & lunch & save calories.
That's my excuse anyway.
In fact, the housework was more of a need for physical activity than because it was necessary.
I have had the TV on for most of the day - "Lewis day". I have seen some of about four long episodes of Lewis & really enjoyed them.
That's worrying. I did manage to almost finish the Telegraph crossword, with some help from aj; "phoning a friend".
I eventually spoke to G this morning, he's in Vietnam & sounded very cheerful.
I can open the rucksack. I haven't yet.

Friday again.

I'm watching "Embarrassing Bodies"
My God!
Enormous lumps, bumps & hernias that people have lived with for years because they are embarrassed, then they reveal all on TV.
Strange.
Anyway, to return to normality, I opted for neither the gym nor the lie-in as I had a brainwave of a third, healthy option at about 8.30am - I drove to Brueton Park, Walked across the park to Solihull, then to M&S for a nice cup of tea & a toasted teacake, half an hour potter, then back across the park before going to P & A's to pick up Thomas from nursery.
I've had a lovely afternoon with Thomas, & then Jessie after school.
I stopped at JS on the way home, to buy eggs.
I bought a few other things but forgot the eggs.
Bother!
I've had a "Count on us" dinner & a chocolate mousse. I've not had a drink at home since G went away, I've only drunk on three occasions all together.
Beat that.

I missed G's phone calls again today - he is eight hours ahead.
I haven't checked to see if he has blogged yet.

A free day tomorrow. I hope that it will be a bit warmer than today (-2degrees) so I can go outside for a bit.

Another lie in.

Not a good habit to get into, even when it is warm in bed but cold everywhere else.
After yesterday's rude awakening by a call into the bank, today's rude awakening was by G-force, delivering G's rucksack from Hong Kong.
It was amazingly heavy, I could just about carry it upstairs to the study. He's obviously been on a shopping spree!

I have finally finished unpacking my suitcase from our holiday.
Whilst hanging up dresses I weeded out some clothes for the charity shop - little demand for tweed skirts & jackets nowadays.
I've kept a few for the odd schoolday.

I was undecided about whether or not to go out, but eventually the cold drove me out, to pay the papers, go to the charity shop in Coleshill & then on to Solihull to buy some food , then to the gym.
I have not been for some weeks & found it a bit of a struggle, but felt good when I left after a workout & a nice swim.
I've had a nice healthy meal & am now ready for bed.
A Thomas day tomorrow after either a lie-in or a visit to the gym

Lie in.

I am having a lazy day after a couple of days in Bicester; a KP day on Monday - always "out to lunch" & a lot of chatting, then an early drop-off at nursery & school on Tuesday.
T comes in for a chat early in the morning, 6.00am is a lie-in!
We then have to write a story. T illustrates them, in a naive style!
I came home yesterday tea time, via Marsh Gibbon, to deliver a haggis.
Unfortunately there as not a haggis to be had in the whole of Bicester, so I settled for scallops, salad & oatmeal rolls for a Burn's night starter for J & G.

There were a couple of messages from G when I got home - he sounded very cheerful.
He cannot receive incoming calls but intends to start blogging now that he is in Hong Kong.

I rewarded myself with a lie-, a chat to aj on the phone & nearly completing yesterday's telegraph crossword. This came to an abrupt end just after 10.00am when the bank phoned to see if I was able to come to the meeting, booked for 10.00am!
I had thought that it was tomorrow. Bother.
I was scrubbed, coiffed & there by 10,45am, did the business, bought milk & came home.
During the half hour I was in the meeting my mobile phone, which rings about once a month, rang twice - B, then G.
I came home afterwards as G was going to phone back.
He didn't.
Anyway, I had intended to have a day in, so I have - brunch, cups of coffee, a little daytime TV, the paper & laptop.
I feel really guilty.

How about Harry Cunningham's reincarnation? That guy must have a fairy godmother.

Luxor photos

The avenue of sphinxes which joins the temples or Karnak & Luxor - 2 km - still being excavated now that the land is all cleared.

Horus with g.

A butchery in Aswan.

Feluccas on the Nile.

The first calendar.

G with a lucky scarab aka a dung beetle, circa 25000 BC.

A vegetable market in Aswan.

Aj "done up" for dinner.

Vendors at the felucca.
A mausoleum & tombs across the Nile.

" Our ship" - The MS Da Vinci.

AJ at Karnak temple, at sundown.

Horus with aj. Two-timing hawk!

Feel free to comment.

Posted by Tim.

G & T.

G has landed at Bicester after 2 days with JR.
The journey is divided into 3 parts: beautiful countryside until Baldock, junctions to Milton Keynes then roundabouts every half mile for the remainder.
G is now at T & K house and is watching the TV and picked T up from school.
T & k hope G has a nice time from T & K xxx xxx.

Up & running....

I really was not counting the days of G's absence, more the days of his big adventure.
China does not allow blogging, so we will have to wait until he moves on, to Hong Kong, I think.
He phoned yesterday whilst boating on the lake with the cormorant fishermen, as seen in the HSBC advertisement.
Aj & I have just spent a week cruising the Nile from Luxor to Aswan in the sunshine.
The sunset at about 5.00pm, after which it became quite cool in the evenings.
We visited the Valleys of the Kings & Queens & the temples of Luxor, Karnak, Kom Ombo, Philae & Edfu the ollossi of Menmon - all amazing spectacles - as well as the souks in Luxor & Aswan.
Aj was wary of the harassment in the souks but is a born haggler, leaving the traders in tears.
This puts me to shame as I forget to haggle after the pressure of deciding that it's something I want to buy.
Anyway, we had a great time & met some really interesting people.
Lesson learnt: don't have a cabin on the lower deck near to the engine as it is noisy when sailing overnight.
I had a Thomas day yesterday & an early night, having slept on the settee for much of the evening. I have a sermon to write & JR to visit before the weekend.
We are looking forward to a visit to Ringsted, which coincides with family involvement in a gym display - I see MK as an Olga Korbet, for those who remember the 80's.

Spellcheck didn't like this blog!

Day 3.

A nice quiet day - aj arrived this afternoon for a break.
We have had steak for dinner & we are now finishing off a nice bottle of wine, watching TV.
It's a good job that I am not relying on comments for contact with the outside world.
I am taking a week off to write my first novel & do the illustrations.
I have settled for "Healthy Helen", which will obviously have a message .
Lunch with B, E T & KP tomorrow

Day 2.

I intended to go to the gym today, before collecting Thomas from nursery.
I didn't wake up until 8.00am, then spent too long in Knowle on the way, leaving only an hour, so gave up on the gym.
Disgraceful!
T & J were on good form, despite a soaking on the way home from school this afternoon.
G e-mailed, just stuff to forward.

Discovery of the week - it's much easier to iron with the ironing board set at about waist height.

Why can't they put something good on the TV - anything with Nicholas Cage is rubbish.

Day 1.

It's been a good day - I should be in bed by now as I'm really tired.
This morning Di came in for a cup of tea & a chat, the Volvo man came to collect the car for it's service, Jan came for a cup of coffee & a chat & suddenly it was lunchtime.
Strangely, the Volvo man left a car in the drive all day, despite the fact that they didn't have one to lend to me. Also, he looked like a mass murderer.
He returned the car at 3.00pm, without attempting to do away with me, so perhaps I misjudged him.
I've washed all of G's clothes, emptied, cleaned & tidied all of his drawers & put everything away again. I've even binned the odd thing that I hope that he won't miss.
The cards are down, the house cleaned & a bag of things out for the charity shop.
The car has been cleaned & vacuumed - I haven't seen the bill yet, but I suspect that I wont like it.

G phoned this afternoon. He has met up with his group & had enjoyed a Chinese lunch for about £2.00. He sounded very upbeat.

A Thomas day tomorrow. I plan/hope to go to the gym first. This will require planning &self-discipline.

I'm watching a programme about weight loss.
The secret would appear to be high protein, liquidised to form a soup as this stays in the stomach for longer.
Thick soup is the secret for successful dieting!

I broke the jug from the coffee maker by putting it under the tap when hot.
Bother.
Any advice about a good replacement - plain, not multi-tasking!

Home alone.

G is off on his "journey of a lifetime", presently in Beijing, then set to travel in China.
Keep abreast of his adventure on his blog -" journey of discovery".
I left him at Heathrow very early on Monday morning, along with two rucksacks, one large, one small but dense (I know a few people like that)
I drove to Bicester, bought a large box of doughnuts from Tesco, making the sign of the cross as I entered the establishment.
Tip - shop at 7.30am on a bank holiday if you want to shop alone.
The family were such good company & the food so good that I only left today, mid-morning.
E did a Jamie Oliver 50 minute meal with scallops & egg-fried rice, which was superb.
Tonight I settled for a Count-on-us stew from M&S, followed by a couple of G's chocolates.
I have just sussed the BT vision box to watch a recording of "Wonderful China" as the normal channels are rubbish. I was afraid that the technology would be beyond me, but I haven't even needed the guide book yet. Recording may be more challenging.

I have a busy week planned; confined to barracks tomorrow whilst the car is serviced, Thomas on Friday & aj arriving on Saturday.
Tomorrow I intend to wash, iron & clean, then relax.

I filled the car with diesel tonight - £1.309 per litre!!!!

I have been reading "Horrid Henry", it has inspired me to write my own stories.
I am considering "Mercenary Mohammad" or "Porky Pauline" or "Soppy Sophie" or.....
Any other ideas?

Phew!

We had a great New Year party yesterday lunchtime - I thought so, anyway.
Over thirty friends & family here for a few hours of eating, drinking & catching up on the news.
The grandchildren were brilliant - KP & Thomas munched through most of a box of After Eights, KP having decided that no-one else wanted any.
She was probably right.
The dishwasher worked overtime, & with aj at the sink, we were all cleared up by suppertime & had a lazy evening. (I think that I was asleep for most of it)

Today we have put out the Christmas tree, breaking with the habit of a lifetime of keeping everything in place until epiphany.
I have vacuumed up an entire Dyson gutful of needles - there are sure to be more hiding in the pile somewhere, to keep appearing until at least July.
G took us out to lunch at The Bull at Meriden, where he & aj tucked into roast beef dinners; I had fishcakes.
Not as good as home, but less preparation & clearing up.
Aj has just departed & I'm sitting by a nice fire with a second cup of coffee.
The holiday has all gone very well, mainly thanks to family & friends & M&S.
Thank you all.

We have not vastly over-indulged, but I've seen enough of food now for a little while - a few hours anyway.

I can think of nothing that I want apart from some decorating done.
Is there a brilliant decorator/plasterer out there who would like to oblige in return for bed & board?
Happy New Year.