Jon in Bloxham

Great to have Jon visiting us in Bloxham (albeit just for the night) before he jets off to Canada to the Krobster's wedding. The kids were very quick to rope him into a game of "Pop-up Pirate" in the playroom. We spent the afternoon punishing the credit cards at Ralph Lauren (Bicester Village shopping centre down the road) and we're off to Amy and Benj Hector for supper tonight.

Otherwise gearing up for our trip to South Africa on Monday. I did my last London rusk delivery of the summer today and Philip's academic year ends on Friday so it's all go with the endless parties and end-of-year functions (all being held in the soggy rain - it's been an awful June!)
Brrrrr to all those of you feeling the effect of the snow in SA and look forward to seeing you all soon!

Camping in Picardy

Although the weather was changeable (ie it rained quite a bit!), we had a great time camping in Northern France with Cathy, Mike, Greg and Abi: lots of French wine, cheese and baguettes; visits to the Somme World War I battlefields and memorials; a ride on a steam train around the Somme Bay; a traditional lunch of mussels at a French restaurant and plenty of splashing about in the campsite's indoor pool.

In Delville Wood: site of the notorious WWI battle where many South African soldiers lost their lives. (The oak trees leading up to the Sir Hubert Baker-designed memorial in the background were grown from Cape acorns.)

Commonwealth WWI Memorial.

Hiding out in one of the WWI trenches.