Reading and writing.

I love reading, when I have finished reading a book, I like to look it's author up on the Internet, some of them have got brilliant web sites, with all sorts of things one them. Some offer poems, their own or ones that they like. Other people give Links, which can lead you off in a different direction altogether. I find something I like and save it into my favourites. A few of my favourite authors are: Ian McKewn, Markus Zusak, Joanne Harris, Jeanette Witherspoon, I have started a pattern of getting anybook out of the Library that is up for some Prize or been shortlisted. I am also looking out for books by foreign authors. This way I am reading better quality books.

Reading has led me into writing bits and pieces, I am part of a writers group. Which has turned out to be a wonderful experience. The Members are so clever and interesting with know and what they write. Hopefully, over time, as I get more experience in writing, my pieces will get longer and longer.

Been to Garden Class.

Today we have been discussing friends and foes in the garden.

Friends = Hedgehog, spider, toad, some butterflies, Robin, frogs
How can we encourage these into the garden? Put out drinking water in suitable containers, some on the ground, or build a little pond. Put out suitable food (hedgehogs should not have bread and milk). Build some form of protection housing for frogs and toads. Toads and birds eat insects. Spiders eat smaller insects. Birds eat bird nuts, seeds and fat balls (winter time).
Various kinds of plants specifically encourage bees and butterflies into the garden, look out for them.

Foes = Rabbit, mole, caterpiller, slugs, snail, rodents, various insects.
How can we control them, = by use of barriers, by use of netting (in case of rabbits, it needs to be buried at least six inces under the soil.) Snails, can use traps, bait, copper strips, eggshell, soot, thyme scattered between you plants. Protection of plants by covering with fleece.

There are various books, c.ds., T.V., programmes and classes that you can find to help you understand and learn.

Wednesdays' Writers Group.

This was the last class of the of the term, lots of our group wanted to read out their work. We have a retired miner who writes lengthy but beautiful poems. There are several sweet looking older ladies who write so well, about their life experiences.



The lady who really intrigues me, is very slight, with dark brown hair and eyes, always has a little smile on her face, in front of her on the table is a little thermos flask, with tea in, and beside it a cup that says "f--k" you, sometimes she brings a beaker that also says "f--k you". Her work is always dark and menacing. It makes me wonder what goes on in her innocent looking head.



Another of the group is an Irish man, who likes to write love poems. This week we were unsure about his reading, at first it seemed it was a love affair with a car, but turned out to be an affair between two work colleagues who were trying to keep it secret!



The lady who sat next to me, read her poem about Grandmas' Garden, I assumed she was the Grandma, but it ended that she was the grandchild. It was very evocative, you could really imagine the garden.



One man who wrote a very clever five line poem, about a lady travelling home by train after Christmas shopping, looking forward to a cup of tea. He took ten minutes "setting the scene"



We have an "aging hippy" with the long hair, in pigtails, lots of beads and wearing long skirts, Jesus sandals just peeping out underneath, she read a poem that she had written in her teens about meeting a "Yeti" family of four. Which reminded me, at that time there was always talk of Yeti and Abominable Snowman, but they do not get mentioned now. Are they still there? Or were they figments of imagination?



The best poem was read last, a poem written by a Polish man in English, he came to England during the war, and stayed on to be a miner. The theme of his poem was the Explosion of the Big Bang Theory v. Christ and Christmas, but also encompassed wishing the group Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, thanks to the Teacher and aked the question "was she happy with the Groups' progress"? It was oh so clever, his use of language is fantastic - many big words!



Me, what about me? I sat quiet and did not read my work! There are so many eliquant and clever people round me, I felt a little intimdated.



After all this, we shared food, we had all brought something, that was our end of term party.
Yes, teacher was pleased with us, and we have funding for the next years' term.

Christmas started for me today.

Had two Christmas events today, the writers group that I go to had it's Christmas fuddle today, as it was the last day of term. Lots of members "read out" their own work, it is all very impressive, and I feel quite overawed how elequent, creative and inventive they all are. I am the new girl in the group, so I have a lot to aspire to. After the reading out, we all shared the food that we had brought, as we discussed what we hoped to get out of the next Term. The decision seemed to be play reading, writing and discussion of plays. That will be interesting. I don't think I am all that confident about being "dramatic" in public.



My evening event was my Gardening Club, when I saw the organiser on Sunday, he said that I could expect a surprise on Wednesday. I did get a surprise, he had invited a small section of a Salvation Army Brass Band to play for us. The room we use for our Club is very small, for health and safety reasons it caan only hold 45 people. The Band was a 4 man section! Any more and we would have been blasted into orbit. The sound that even 4 men can made is overwhelming. While the men played Carols, we drank mulled wine and ate mince pies. It has been a lovely evening, my kind of gardening.

One of our lady members will have her 99th birthday before we meet again, the band played Happy Birthday and we all sang for her. She was very touched. The band being there really pleased her.



My Christmas has started, I sang along with the band, it can all happen now!

Tuesdays' Tai Chi Day.

Todays' lesson was good, but the room is so crowded. Our lesson is in three parts, part one is a warm up, then we get to "do the form" = Part 1 and Part 2 of Cheng Man Ching, 37 steps.We also get instruction on a new "bit" or to refine a "bit, so that we are all doing the same movements, at the same time. Part two is, a relaxation time. Part three, we "do the form, Parts 1, 2, and 3", to the best of our ability without any instructions, and in silence.

For our relaxation today we were told about the symbolism of the Snake in Chineese Culture. It is not like the English ideas of a snake being a "frightenie thing, that may bite you", no one in China would see the Snake in a bad light, it is revered.

The Snake to Chinese is a representation of Transformation, as it sheds it's skin, it can become renewed or different, not as it was before. It symbolises many things strength, flexibility, wisdom and respect. We should attempt to model our lives on these principals.

What am I going to say tonight?

Well, have you noticed that all T.V., Reporters always start with "Well.....



I met a cousin the other day. She told me about someone who was experiencing difficulty with her marriage. The husband has been having an affair with the Au Pair, I think that is really bad of the pair of them. Adultry is bad enough, but for it to take place in your own home, must be dreadfully distressing. When she realised what was happening, and tackled the husband about it, his reply was "It's all your fault".



I cannot imagine how a husband, who when found out in Adultery can blame his wife. There are children involved, and I think it is a "full time job" looking after several small children who are close in age.



Having been married 49 years, the attitude when we were younger was "you've made your bed - so lie in it! That attitude is equally wrong, but we married with the intention that it would be for life. Now "statistics tell us, that people in the future may have up to seven partners".



There is no right or wrong to peoples' relationships, we have found that things get better eventually, although we have had a few rocky moments we have stayed together, and there have been a few gritted teeth. Neither of us have even considered adultry.



This is a sad situation all round. We shall have to wait and watch what the next few weeks bring.

I do have sympathy for anyone in this situation.

Reading and Readers groups.

Since I was taught to read by my Grandmother at the age of three, I have loved reading, as a girl I would get eight books a week from the Library. I was brought up in the era of "being seen, but not heard" reading filled in lonely hours (I was an only child until I was 17 years old).



My first job after leaving school was at W.H.Smiths in Leeds, I was the junior girl in the Childrens' Book Department, I was happy there, but Dad said I should work in an office, so I had to go for shorthand and typing lessons, I left after I got some qualifications, to work in an Estate

Agents.



At this time I read a lot of books, sort of "geographically"based stories about China, the stories about the then Siam, about Africa, dreaming about how I would visit them one day.



After I married and children came along, I had not got the time or concentration to read. As the kids grew and left home the reading came back in.



I read at this time, by Author. I read all the Jean Plaidys', the Georgette Heyers' moving on to the Catherine Cooksons' before she became really popular, I used to wait for the "next one" coming into the Library.



We joined a Network Marketing Company, and you have to do a lot of Self Improvement reading and Inspirational reading. There is also the need to start your own Library. The therory being "you are only as good as the last book you read".



I did retire from work in December 07. I was now able to read when I liked, proving the housework, shopping and washing were done.



I joined a Readers Group, through which I started reading better quality Authors and Non-English Authors. A lot of the books I really would not have chosen to read, but having read them, it has brought a richness to my reading. I would say to anyone "join a book reading group", there are benefits in meeting new people with the same interest as yourself.



I am currently looking out for books by Ian McEwen, Joanne Harris, Ainta Diament plus many others.



A lot of my books come now from Charity shops for under a £1., I can read them and take them back, or if I like it sufficiently I can keep it. Up to now (late November) I have read over 60 books this year.

Winter draws on!

We have needed some warm clothes on today. It has been really cold, or as my father used to say "harry and willy" = chilly.



I would not like to be living rough on a day like this, it must be truly awful. Yet I know there are hundreds of people without homes. There are so many empty flats and houses now, going to Leeds on the Train the other day there was block after block of empty flats. On "the estates" there are boarded up and empty houses. Some of these houses that are being re-possessed must be standing empty. WHY?



It is obvious that Communism didn't work, because not everybody was equal. I have seen Easten Berlin, after the wall came down. I have stayed in a flatblock there, where every room was identical, where two to three families shared bathroom and toilet. Everyone had the same carpets and furniture. No individuality, no self expression. Yet other "Comradres" had houses on the Black Sea Coast, and black limos.



It is obvious now that Capitalism doesn't work, because not everyone has the same opportunites.

We have the "Haves" and the "Have-nots".



There must be a sytem for us to live and work together - why can't I think of it? Why can't somebody think of it?

It's not only cold weather, there are cold hearts and minds out there.

German Christmas Market Leeds.

I thought that I would use my pensioner pass today, it doesn't get out much.

I went from the train station five minuts from my house, the catch the train to Leeds, met a neighbour to chat to while we waited. Then came the announcement that the train was delayed by 25 minutes. Shame about that, I was meeting my cousin in Leeds she wouldbe kept hanging around.

Once on the train it only takes 25 minutes into Leeds Centre, I walked to the meeting place, there she was waiting for me. We went across the road for a coffee, I was really ready for that!

From there we walked over to Millenium Square, Cousin had not seen a German Market before and was entranced by all the pretty things the stall holders had to offer. We bumped into some friends of mine, who said that "they knew I was in Leeds as they had seen me board the train"
Cousin got on really well with them, they had a "new puppy" type conversation. It was strange meeting them, because two weeks earlier they had been on a twinning trip to Germany with me.

We went then into the Bier Keller to have Spicey sausage sandwich, they were gorgeous. After another walk round, it was time to head for the Station. Cousin came with me as she could get a bus home from outside the Station, and I could get my train. Unfortunately, my train had gone, so I had an hour to wait for the next one.

As Cousin bought my coffee and sandwich, all I spent was 70p on train fare and 40p for a paper to pass the time. I had a very good time. Bus pass enjoyed the experience too. It wants to go again next week.

Writers Group.

This morning was my Writers Group, a lot of people had work to read out. As the new girl, I had not realised that in the half term break, they write ghost stories. Two in particular were very good, a bit more spine chilling and frightenie than I would have preferred. I am not very brave - the sort that hid behind the sofa when Dr. Who was on, or now I am older I stick a book in front of me, so I cannot see something I don't like.

The writing of the other Members always seems so much more accomplished than mine. I do read out something whenever I can, because I think it is the only way to improve. I did a piece on the decline of the small shop since the sixties. They did receive it very well, the teacher suggested that I submit it to a Newspaper. That made me feel really pleased, I now have to find out how to approach a Newspaper.

Our homework is to choose one of four subjects and write a piece in the 1st person, I have chosen to write about a five year old boy getting lost. Then write a piece about his mother, in the 3rd person, and finally the piece done from the omniscient point of view. I rushed off the first piece easily, with no difficulties, but am struggling with the second version. Will definately have to think about this.

been a funny day - strange, not ha ha.

Tuesday is Tai Chi day. We did our usual class, there were less people there today, so we each had a bit more space. If you you have never tried it, give it a go. It is deceptively strenous. Your body knows it has had a work out.



We had a longer relaxation time today, which is nice. Some people lie down, others like me sit on a chair. It is lovely just sitting there and breathing. It sounds ridiculous because we all breathe. There is Breathing and breathing.



The place that I stand in the class, I can look out of the window and see the trees, mature ones, today they were full of little bright coloured birds, mostly blue and great tits, they were flittering and fluttering around, in and out and round about the tree, adding to the experience.



In the middle of the day, I did some gardening. Chopping and shaping a conifer, clearing and tidying an area before the winter comes on.



Plus as a wife, I did the cooking, washing and cleaning routine of things.



This evening we went to a Library for an Event, of an Author, after writing book No. 1, talking about and reading from his book, he was accompanied by his Publisher, who talked about, well basically, "you haven't got a hope in hell of getting your (unkown author, unkown sales potential) book published, it was all down to the "big publisher, and celebrity book, or misery memoire book" published.



As I said, "it's been a funny day".....



I hardly dare say, that I am hoping to finish the, rather specialised book I am writing. It does not matter whether it gets published, I have had the fun of doing it. Most people have a "book in them" I am almost finished mine, HAVE YOU STARTED YOURS?



As I said at the begining, it's been a funny day.

Sunny Sunday.

What a beautiful day we have had for weather today. It makes you feel better.

Been on a learning curve, my other blog is on the growsonyou social/gardening blog site. It is fantasic, lots of new friends. They all post photos of their gardens, pets and birds, so the husband has been showing how to use the camera, load it onto the Computor, then download my photos on to the blog.

I felt so proud of myself, when I saw the photos I had taken appear on my site. It was just so exciting. I found it quite a challenge, but I did it. It was my "climbing Everest". Now I am no longer the person with no photos.

Keeping up with new technologies is so easy if you are a ten year old boy, they just seem to "just do it" no thinking required, but then, they can't knit!

I was taught to knit by my grandmother, when I was three year old, "Don't be idle" was her Mantra.

Grow with Joe.

A couple of weeks ago, my Garden Club had a speaker, Joe Maiden, who is the "Garden man" on Radio Leeds on Wednesday mornings. We had a really good evening, the room we use is quite small so we could only fit about 40 people. The atmosphere was good, Joe was and entertaining and informative Speaker. At the end, you could buy plants and talk to Joe.



We wanted to plant some fruit bushes at the back of the garage, because it is block paved they will need to go initially in tubs, but as they grow bigger they will need to be planted in something the size of the old black plastic dustbins we used before the wheelie bins came in.



We rang Joe and asked if we could visit his Nursery at Huby, and arranged that we went this morning. It is not a fancy garden centre, but a real working Nursery. Joe showed us round, told us what he was doing in various parts - mostly preparation and progergation work for next year.
He is very proud of what he does.



We bought four bushes from him, a black currant, a gooseberry, a logan berry and Raspberry.
It was agreed we would go back in February to collect some seed potato and rhubarb, there was another thing, but I cannot remember what it was!

It was a very enjoyable visit.

Reading Group

A desperately cold day today, the wind chill is severe, it feels more like Siberia than West Yorkhire.

Today was Reading Group Day, it was the second meeting today, we had read Michael Frayns' "Spies". There were ten of us in the group, nine had found it "difficult reading", but eight had persevered to the end. The last half dozen pages being the most exciting! "Perhaps we got excited that we were coming to the end of it" was one comment.

I did not think the book itself was that bad, some of the descriptive passages seemed a bit laboured. The story was about an elderly man returning to a street where he had lived during the war as a young boy, and his friendship with the boy accross the street. I did not know my husband as a young boy, but what he told me about his boyhood frienships and activities, they were of a similar type as in this book. Then the story progresses to Keith telling Stephen that he thinks his mother is a German Spy. Of course, in true Enid Blyton fashion, the boys follow her and log her every move.

The book goes into a lot of emotions felt by the boys, as they struggle to adjust to the change from childhood to adolescence and trying to come to terms with what adults are actually thinking, saying and doing as oppossed to their "half baked" notions of what is going on. Quite nostalic in the remembering how I felt during the war years and struggling to understand what was going on round me, things unexplainded and misunderstood, is the basic theme. The ending when it comes is not what you would have thought of yourself.

All of the Reading Group said, "it was not a book that they would have chosen to read, but were glad that they had because of it's very different writing style. Most said they would not have chosen read Micheal Frayn again". One new gentlemen this week and myself said that we would be interested to read more.

The new book to read this month is "The Book Theif" by Markus Zusak. We shall have to see what we all think about this one.

The Group is turning out to be spirited and lively, all prepared to express opinions, some quite forcefully. Bodes good for it's future.

What do we think about Bonfires?

What do we think about Bonfires? Should we have them or not? Good points: A social occassion, during a wet cold season. The brightness lights up the darkness. Opportunity to dress up warm and go out in the fresh air in the dark. Smell that evocative "Wood Smoke smell". To see the expressions of fear and/or delight on small childrens' faces. Opportunity for Grandma or Grandad to get in crafty cuddle as they offer safety and security to frightened children. If you are the right age, first romance, first kiss, first fumble! Chance to eat parkin, toffee apples, jacket potato, sausages. "What would you like to drink?", is a welcome question, alcholic? or tea, coffee?

Excitement, noise, music, fireworks, people, movement. The joy when you get home, have a hot drink maybe a shower/bath, put on some somfy clothes, turn the T.V., on, settle down.



Bad points: Comes at wrong time of year when everywhere is wet and cold. Got to put layers of clothes on and boots. That awful wood smell that clings to your clothes for days. Dealing with over excited or over anxious children and dogs. Oh! the dogs, the panting, dripping and shivering that goes on while they try to find somewhere to hide. All those greasy sausages and buffet food, that drip down your best jacket. The marks where sparks have burned your cclothes. All the excess alchol, the hang over? Don't those fireworks hurt you ears, and make your headache. Why bother going out, when there is something good on the telly, why not just chill out?



Well, what do you think? Are you for ? Are you against? Is the jury still out? Is there an "age" for going to bonfires? Do you get too old and grumpy? Is it just too dangerous? Should Health and Safety ban it?

Been to Garden Class.

Been to Garden Class, today we learned about fertilisers. I know it sounds boring, but it wasn't. It turned out to be interesting, and there was a lot to laugh about, plus a lot of notes to take.
Leading to lots to think about.

Compost = What is it? It can be 2 things. One a growing medium, or Two Decaying matter (as in compost bin useage). That the soil needs to be warmed to six degrees for anything to grow in it. You need to understand your soils'composition, is it too wet? Is it too dry? Is it in good heart?
Do you need to add anything to it? Does your soil have "frost pockets"? Does it have a "Micro climate?"

Manure = A natural Organic matter, or inorganic = this is manufactured or mined. These are added to the soil to improve condition, water retention, or drainage . Digging over soil and digging in manure and/or fertiliser is puting nutrients back into soil.

Plant requirements: Leaves/foliage = colour and growth need Nitrogen
Root development need Phospherous.
Flowers/fruiting need K = Potassium/potash.
Timing of fertilising plants is important, you have to think ahead, not all plants need feeding at the same time, and not all season. Some need feeding before planting, some when plant is growing, sme in the dormant season. (i.e., something like Camillas need feeding in the summer before they flower in the spring.) Understand your plants requirement.

Discussions on feeding 1.root systems, is there sufficient in Seed Compost? 2. Plant growth stimulants - a lot are phopherous added to water. Bio Stimulants = Seaweed based. 3. It a packet is labelled "Organic", it has to be approved by, or produced by The Organic Soil Association.

We nned to undertand, that when we plant a new plant, it needs to have time - Year 1. Sleeping.
Year 2. Developing root sytem. Year 3. Leaf development. After this you can expect Flowers and Fruit.

There was a lot of notes to take, which has lead to a lot of things to think about and understand.
A good Class, enjoyed by all.

Oh dear!

We have been to visit our friend this evening, to take some things for her from a mutual friend from our German visit.



Our friend and I , at the begining of this year went for a mamogram at the local testing centre, mine came back negative, and hers came back positive, she has breast cancer. It was fortunate, it had been caught at an early stage, she went for tests, had her operation, chemotherepy and now radiotherepy. Currently she has to go every day for 21 days to go into a machine for a short time. With the transport to and from Leeds the round trip takes more than five hours.



She has to go to bed about nine in the evening, because she must be up early, to breakfast and shower, then wait for the Transport scheduled for nine o' clock. It may not arrive at that time, but she must be ready.



What a difference in two lives, mine goes along as it always has, I am retired with lots of interests and activities that I follow. Hers has been devastated. Her married daughter, son in law and two gransons live in France, who in the past, she and her husband have always visited and spent their summers in France, but not this year.



Things in her favour, she was fortunate it was diagnosed early, and that she has had access to good treartment, the outlook for her is good. She is bright and has a good attitude.



What a cruel illness this is. Why does it affect so many? Why do some get it and not others?

A lot of our German friends have died from this disease, but they were heavy drinkers, heavy smokers, and had a diet heavy with cream, butter and cheese. You could take this as an explantion?

There are so many "WHY QUESTIONS", does anyone have the answers?

Historic day.

Some years ago I heard Martin Luther King give his "I have a dream" speech, I also have a book about him with his speeches in it. I think maybe today his dream will come true. We have a new American President Elect. All these months' I have seen Barack Obama on T.V., and heard his speeches, his voice had a familiar ring to me, it wasn't until this morning that I remembered Martin Luther King,

Seeing tonight on the News, that Africans are celebrating his win, carrying his photo through the streets, already people are showing more confidence and hope for the future. There is much excitement and optimism in America. In England today, I have felt a sense of excitement and history.

I have heard others commenting about Baracks lack of experience, how he will install people into Office that lack experience, how he has not acheived much as a Senetor. That he is a blackman, and like other black men will do nothing. Is this sour grapes of defeated politions?

In the current economic situation, we are all in need of something to boost our flagging spirits, I hope that this young, family man will be the one to lead America, and so the rest of the world from the muddle of poor politics and greedy business men to a more properous time for all, and not the "have and have not's" situation. That there will be equal opportunity for all, whatever skin colour, whatever sex, and from whatever country.

We need to make the "DREAM" live and succeed.

If this young, family man, who as a skinny black kid come from the back streets of nowhere, with attitutude and determination has lifted himself to the 44th American President. With the same effort, we can attain our own Dreams.

We can be anything and anyone we want to be, the choice is ours. Aim high.

Historic day.

Tuesdays' Tai Chi Day.

Maybe 10 or more years ago we joined a night school class for Tai Chi, we were surprised to find that it was held on Tuesday mornings. However, my husband and I went along. We enjoyed our first lesson, but it was apparent that this was no "quick fix" Our teacher said it was a ten year process, to learn Tai Chi to any degree of competence.

We were told the style of Tai Chi she taught at that time was the Yang long form, as brought to the West by Gerda Geddes, who our teacher had trained with. This form was broken down to Parts 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Our first year was devoted to learning the first part.

We learned some Qui Gong excerises to warm our bodies up. Did some intial training on feet and hand/arm movement, did some relaxation, had a little reading from a Tai Chi Book = 365 = daily readings for a year. Went back over the minute bit of the form we had learnt, and that was the end of the hour.

We went home feeling really baffled, and worried about the next ten years. We had enjoyed it, and intended to finish the term that we had paid for.

Increasing blog knowledge.

Today, because it was too cold to garden, I thought I would improve my experience with blogging. I had by enquiring about a plants' identity, joined a gardening blog. It asked me to type in details, then ask my question. Within ten minutes I had received 4 replies, it dawned on me, I now had a Blog on "grows on you" a social gardening site.

It has been on a daily "need to know" basis that I have explored this site, it is wonderful, lots of people sharing their garden photos, pet pics and wildlife photos. They are not just in this country, they are from all corners of the world.

Because I have recently retired, in looking for interest to follow I had joined a reading group, a garden club, a garden class and also a Creative Writing class: one of the homework items of the Writers class was to research and set up a Blog - well, I now have my Blogspot and my Garden Blog. I think that covers that piece of homework! I am not proficient, but I always think it is better not to wait until you are good at things, but to get on with it - practice makes perfect.

This computor has revolutionised my life.

Twin Towns.

Our village, an ex mining one is twinned with an ex mining village in Central Germany, near to Wuppertal. The visits have been exchanged over the last 28 years, I have been on 25 of them.

It is a great experience, as you stay in private houses. There are two schools of thought on this, 1) you should stay with a different family every year, and 2) if you are fortunate enough to "gel" with your host family you go back to them year after year. We have done the latter. Our families got on so well right from the start. We were "children of the war", my feeling was that the Germans had spoilt my childhood, we soon relised that they felt exactly the same way about us.
It was decided there and then, we should make up for lost time.

The pattern of the visits is, that we travel by coach, using North Sea Ferries from Hull, to either Rotterdam or Zeebrugge in the earlier days. (Later on we used the Channel Tunnel or the Dover/Calais crossing, but that makes it a longer, harder journey.) You have the weekend to get to know your family, then, for the next three days you make visits to places of interest, while the Host family goes to work. After the evening meal is when the real "Twin town Party machine" swings into action, for some, it is wild, riotous parties, others it is visitis to Pubs and Restaurant, others may simply have a quiet drink and go to bed.

Next morning on the bus, there is much talk of who did what and where, and to whom!
When we first started, we had a group within a group, of seven English families and seven Germany families, we were always the ones with the biggest hangovers, having been at the parties that finished latest - four hours sleep was a bonus. "You can sleep next week" was always the cry.

This last visit, there was only my husband and I representing the seven English familes, we did meet up with four of the seven German ones. It was a much quieter affair - one bottle of Chanpagne between four of us! There was more on offer, but we declined. "I don't believe it!" a trip to Germany and turning down alchol! Must be getting old.

We did have a great trip, visiting Venlo in Holland for a meal break on the way and on the way back. What a lovely shopping centre it has. Our Monday trip was the longest, down to the Rhine at Leutesdorf for wine tasting and a meal, followed by an hour and a halfs boat trip down the Rhine and back. Got a peep at Koblensck, and where the Mosel runs into the Rhine.

Tuesdays' trip was the the Regional Government centre. We visited the Chamber, toured the building. We were privillaged to be shown their "Catastrophe Room", where a major accident or emergancy would be coordinated. We were able to see the control room for their Fire and Rescue Services. They get 2000 hoax calls a year from mobile phones, three came in while we were watching.
We also got to visit a Brewery and taste its' product, served with brown bread and smoked bacon, which we wouldn't put together here, but it was very tasty. Very interesting day.

Wednesdays trip, our last, was to visit Essen to the Axel Springer Printing Works (Das Bild and Der Welt.) This didn't sound very promising, but it really was super, I am glad that our visit was on a quiet day, as the machinery was big and noisy. We saw the automated fork lift robots trundelling round, they were a bit scary because the could come up behind so quietly, we were told they had sensors and would not actually bump into you, but it made me nervous. We had a super lunch in their Canteen (Schnitzle and chips.) Our afternoon was taking up with shopping in their latest precinct. On our last day we always take flowers for our Hostess, the bus takes on a festive air for the return to our families, for a last meal and packing for the journey home.

Happily the weather was better for our Ferry crossing home, the sea was flat. So it is all over - until April 09, when the German families visit our village.

All in All, this is the best experience in my life, so many visits to so many places, so many people to meet, and in their own homes, gives you a perpective of a country, that otherwise we would never have known.