Hello new pastures Whilst you are away for eons at a time, managed to get on a sailing course around Lanzarote last week with a couple of friends, under the impression of what we believed to be a potter from marina to marina. We were shocked to find a force 7 gale blowing with up to 5 metre swells, and Captain Ahab as our instructor, with full-on, hard-core sailing the order of the day. As we were "pottering" nay half drowning, we had the privilege of seeing dolphins (not too impressive whilst barfing over the side of the boat) and Minky whales which were impressive as the weather was calmer by this time. But what really marked out the week was coming home to find that A) a number of competitors in the Cross-Atlantic race retired in the Canary Islands due to the heavy weather, and us mere beginners survived and B) a 2 -1 win over the Monkey Hangers. Life doesn’t get much better than that. Anyway, it’s all quiet here on the farm.
Heady Days Playing rubbish down at Griffin Park, only a nil nil draw against the bottom team but still 4th. If my bet that we will win League 1 comes in, well you know the rest. Good to see the travels are going well and you guys are enjoying it.
To Mia mia jake i hope you are having a good time.
I have made you a bracelet and two cards - but I cannot send them as I do not know your address. I will save them for when you come back.
I am now at school - its fun and I am learning lots. Not too grumpy. I can now swim with out armbands
Sounds like you are having great fun - when I play with my toy camper van I can pretend it is you
Imogen xxxxxxxxxxxxx
hello Just caught up with your latest blogg - thought I'd missed loads - what on earth is preventing you from filling it in daily!! Lifes a beach eh!
Your accounts make great reading - the kids look wonderful and it all sounds so interesting. Carry on enjoying every moment (weathers better here at the moment - hah!!) and I look forward to your next update. love to you all xx
Hello! Taken us a while to check the blog but good to hear and see that you are all doing well. Glad you loved the night safari too :o) Hope the weather gets better in NZ and you all love it as much as we did.. We are well and in Bangkok heading to Changmai tonight on the night train, have checked and no floods reported so should be all good. We loved Cambodia and the temples of Angkor were well worth the hype even if the roads were hellish... Will check for updates again soon and love to mia and jakey xxxx
Hello Mia I miss you Mia. I'm having great fun at the new house.I hope you are enjoying yourself. I made lots of new friends at my new school. As well, do you like it there?
I love you so much.
Octavia (dictated by a little girl of 5)
Thanks for updating us on your travel and we're thinking about you.
The cheney family.
They're getting closer - shh, don't answer the door! Sounds great so far, i'am envious!
The kids will love playing with other children here in Sydney.
We have a range of activities lined up for you - in case you get bored.
Thought I'd try adding a comment as I haven't done so yet. Sounds like you're all having a brilliant time. I was very envious to see the photos of the places you'd been. Matt and Fiona had a baby daughter on 5th. Hope he managed to get an email to you? It's actually a lovely day here for October. Keep us up to date, Matt. Love to you allxxx
hello hello, just found out how to use this blog thing. I am still in Denmark and matthew and fiona have had a baby, it's going to be called Sofia, so I assume it's a girl. I am running and swimming and start work soon. Take care. I promise to look up this site once a week at least. love Dominic
What a nice long blog - all sounds fascinating. Also sounds as if Mia and Jake are learning a lot in the primary school and nursery of life. Glad Mia was persuaded (how, I ask myself?) to remember us. We most certainly remember her and Jake.
Glad you found your fin Matt, even though you missed the shark. Or did it miss you?
I agree about Singapore. I liked it, but it seems in some way unreal.
Hope you've adapted to cold NZ by now - think you'll enjoy it.
Love and kisses to all of you.
bonjour Mia et Jake Hi,
I miss you and can't wait to see you again. Love to read you are having a good time out there. Any big, hairy spider......
I've started school and really like it. Made some new friends, not as nice as you, my teachers are strict but friendly. I feel very tired in the evening and make my mummy very cross!!!! as usual.
Say Hiya to your mummy and Daddy.
Octavia
E-mail: robdeb.cheney@blueyonder.co.uk
Hello all of you!
Thanks for adding us to your list of readers. That's a pity about the National Park. (We are sure there must have been floods of tears from Alistar before you left. Was he OK?)
So now we are wondering how the Malaysia trip is going...We are back in Japan and start work again tomorrow. That will be a SHOCK!
We didn't quite get from your email what the airlinie of choice is for Derby County. Your computer must have timed out before you had a chance to write it. Oh ha dee ha. We hope you continue to enjoy yourselves! Love Hans, Alison and Nicholas
green with envy just got the hang of this blogging thing - great to read about your travels and am busy planning my retirement so I can do same. As this is likely to take some time I shall just enjoy reading about your adventures for now!
Look forward to hearing more.Get some pictures up - specially ones of Mia in her braids!
lots of love from us all...
Happy Birthday Claire Glad to hear you are all well and having fun. Happy Birthday Claire for today 21st. I hope you have a fun exotic day! Take Care of yourselves.
John x
Comparisons It is better to have seen the comparisons brought about by time than not to have seen at all, and it is endemic of the travelling (or chattering) classes that for all their talk of getting to see the real deal (like Brentford at home to MK Dons) they also want home comforts. If we were all as brave as yourselves, and voted with our feet, Starbucks etc.. would not survive. Alas, the local populations aspire to the riches we have in abundance, not realising that we are poor in time and simplicity.
But (don’t start a sentence with but as it is bad grammar), but, life is all about experience and broadening the mind, there is no better lesson we can teach our children than to experience what this earth has to offer and what a story it has to tell. Never mind the tale when their peers (in their early twenties) bleat on about going on holiday for a couple of weeks to the far east, and the retort is “something I did when my age was in single digits, but how the world has changed”, an old head on young shoulders is a joy to behold, as long as it’s not Victor Meldrew’s.
Well done.
Oksob.
PS.. I’ve been teaching my boys how to make spears and kill wild rabbits down on the farm, they haven’t caught one yet but it keeps them busy for hours, and the knowledge may come in useful one day.
Hello to Mia I have made loads of pictures for you and I miss you! I also miss Jake. I have some purple hairbands as I am starting school on Thursday.
Send you another message soon
Love IMOGEN XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(luckily met Jo in Tuckers and she gave me the web address!! Sounds like you are having a great (and not too stressful time). House still looks OK - have only seen the inmates(!) once
Deb)
Fantastic We all love reading about your adventures, sounds like you are having a fantastic time (although not quite in some places). Give Jake the braids he'll look great!!! Claire will email soon, have fun, speak soon. JoX
Well what is there to say? Six braids, wow Mia. See what travel does for you. Would be good to see a phot of this. Why no braids for Jake?
Maenam sounds good - too late for us all to join you now though unfortunately. Just as we were getting ready to come,too. I'm sure the thought of the tribe descending will ensure you let us know in good time where you will be in the future....
Look forward to the next blog (not to put pressure on you though. I understand how busy sitting on a beach can be.)
spare the rod i think personally you're overindulging Mia and Jake. Still, you always were soft-hearted.
Hope you enjoy the relaxation down south.Look forward to the next bulletin with great interest
xxxxxx
Oksob
non-member comment
Hello new pastures
Whilst you are away for eons at a time, managed to get on a sailing course around Lanzarote last week with a couple of friends, under the impression of what we believed to be a potter from marina to marina. We were shocked to find a force 7 gale blowing with up to 5 metre swells, and Captain Ahab as our instructor, with full-on, hard-core sailing the order of the day. As we were "pottering" nay half drowning, we had the privilege of seeing dolphins (not too impressive whilst barfing over the side of the boat) and Minky whales which were impressive as the weather was calmer by this time. But what really marked out the week was coming home to find that A) a number of competitors in the Cross-Atlantic race retired in the Canary Islands due to the heavy weather, and us mere beginners survived and B) a 2 -1 win over the Monkey Hangers. Life doesn’t get much better than that. Anyway, it’s all quiet here on the farm.