Testing

Beth kindly tested the new pram to see if it was comfortable.

The only way is.....

Herne Bay

Fruit with genitals.

Ramsgate: Beth was a fabulous shepherd in the school Christmas play, and the whole cast sang their hearts out.

Father Christmas

Beth met the big man himself on Saturday, at the school fair- it was kind of him to pop in, busy man.

Massive milkshake.

I didn't think Beth would get through this milkshake, but she did!

Cousin Ella

Beth took this pic on my phone, it's a cracker!

Dry Nights

This morning, Beth had her first dry nappy!! It's a bit early to say whether we have cracked it but, hopefully, drier times are around the corner.

First time round!

Beth went on a roundabout for the first time on Saturday and actually stayed on it as it went round. A breakthrough in the world of funfair rides!

Dumpton: Bekie hits week 26 on Monday - only another 13 to go and with Christmas coming up, the time is certain to fly past. The baby has been much more active than Beth was in the womb so, maybe, it'll be a supercharged child. Who knows?! All will be revealed in due course.

Dumpton: Ladies and gentlemen, I present into thee and desert of beautiful colour and taste. When I was a child, I used to put three scoops of ice cream into a bowl and cover it with yoghurt. I used to call it a "Florida Sunset", or a "Californian Surprise", or something like that. What is slightly concerning is that I am still doing it. Tastes nice though and Beth likes it.

Dumpton: Skool must be doing good things with Beth. I switched the computer on this morning (as it was wet and nasty outside) and she started using it and the mouse like a pro. Her teacher says she has settled well in her class and is progressing very nicely. Top girl!

Lazy Sunday

Last Sunday we ventured down to Ramsgate beach to find loads of motorbikes and quad bikes racing across the beach. Noisy and stinky, but great fun.

Jogtastic

Had a good run on Saturday that hurt quite a bit, with a biting cold wind blowing into my face on some of the long uphill slopes. It is now Tuesday and my leg muscles feel like jamón ibericos.

Route: Thanet Stroll
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/953a/a8cc/4d39/1278/Runmeter-Run-20111022-1551.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/pfoyl4
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/953a/a8cc/4d39/1278/Runmeter-Run-20111022-1551.kml
Run Time: 1:45:34
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.50 miles
Average: 9:11 /mile
Fastest Pace: 8:14 /mile
Ascent: 863 feet
Calories: 1577
http://www.runmeter.com

Dumpton Gap: I fancied an image change but I'm not sure this is a good one...

Margate: We had our 20 week scan today. Everything seems fine (touch wood) and we saw the unborn one yawning and shuffling about. I couldn't see a winky so I think it is a girl. This little one may have their Dad's nose (poor kid).

Ramsgate: It's Buno!

Strings' Wildlife Garden

As soon as we bought our house, I bought two bird hoppers and hung them up on the same tree in our back garden. However the birds have been giving it a wide berth and I was beginning to think that the local cats were spooking them. Three months later and with not a bird in sight, I decided to move one of the hoppers to our cherry tree, which is quite leafy. On the second day after the move, I spotted a Great Tit plucking seeds for the hopper. Whoooopeeeee!! Finally some bird action. Hopefully the feeder is in the right place now and I may have to move the other one.

Margate: International Kite Festival. Lots of kites and very pleasant weather. Margate is definitely starting to grow on me.

Margate: Strange birds.

Canterbury: Steve welcomes one and all.

Canterbury: Kent Food and Drink festival. Stall almost ready. Roll on the punters.

Yomp Fallout

We all had a brilliant Yomp; there was lots of male bonding, a few pints of ale and some good, honest sweat. However, there were two sour notes. The first was Steve's trainers. These trainers have been on planet Earth since the dinosaurs were tearing up trees but, unfortunately, they walked their last steps on Saturday. Steve was devastated and will have to look for a replacement pair for next years Olympic Yomp. The second is Keith's feet. Keith powered his way around the isle but his feet are now retaliating. Large, ugly blisters are giving him grief and we wish him better.

Drumming

And the award to the most serious drummer goes to........... Beth Stringer. Whilst down the harbour on Saturday, we popped in on the Firefly festival and Georgia, Beth and Jed each had a drumming lesson for five minutes. Top fun

Pegwell: Yomp almost over.

Broadstairs: Yomp on!

Isle of Thanet Yomp 2011

On Saturday we will be yomping our way around Thanet. Steve, Kaiser Keith, Eddie and myself (and maybe even Deano) will be risking blisters and cramp for the satisfaction of completing a marathon walk of about 22 miles. Hopefully Parkes will be able to join us at some point, to inject the female point of view into our conversation. This will be the fifth time we have marched around Thanet and the event never seems to lose its appeal (well, maybe for Steve and myself).

Dumpton Gap: Beth starts school tomorrow. Where did the time go?? The parents are quite chilled about this as she has already done the school-thing in Spain and she coped brilliantly. We think she is ready and will love it.

Ash: It was the East Kent Golding hop harvest down on the farm in Ash today. The wheels of industry were turning rapidly early this morning and we were gathering large amounts of fresh hops for Gadds' Green Hop ale. A good crop this year? We'll have to wait and see, but the smell coming from the copper today suggests things should be just dandy.

Ash: Ladies and gentlemen; I present to you the Hop Picking Machine.

Ash: The hop picking machine hoists another vine skywards. There was a lot of romance in seeing a machine, used for many decades and for many harvests, cranking away. Did I feel safe? Yes, I think so.

Ash: Drying the hops over hot air. Eddie looks on lovingly.

Captain Dog's ears may be getting larger and hairier but they don't compare to this pooch. He'd have trouble trying to find headphones to fit him.

Singapore Noodles

Over the last four evening I have solely eaten Singapore Noodles (3 M&S dishes and 1 courtesy of Mr Charles Oniye). I had better learn how to cook this dish as buying ready meals costs too much.

250g rice vermicelli noodles
vegetable oil
150g pork fillets , cut into strips
12 raw peeled tiger prawns , fresh or frozen
3 garlic cloves , crushed
2cm piece ginger , grated
1 onion , cut into thin half moons
1 red pepper , sliced
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
300g beansprouts
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 bunch fresh chives , chopped
4 eggs , beaten
2 red chillies , sliced
2 limes , quartered

Soak the noodles following the packet instructions and drain. Heat some oil in a wok and fry the pork until it is browned and just cooked through, tip onto a plate. Add the prawns and fry until cooked. Rinse out the wok.

Add a little oil to the wok and fry the garlic and ginger until light brown. Add the onion and pepper and cook until just beginning to soften, then add the spices and cook for a minute. Add the bean sprouts, noodles and about 2 tbsp water and toss everything together.

Add the soy sauce, some seasoning and chives and stir for another minute. Push the noodles to one side of the wok and drop in the eggs. Cook, stirring for 1 minute then stir through the noodles.

London: Beth with crisps and film.

Margate: Spent the last few days in QEQM Hospital getting Beth checked out. She hasn't been well and hopefully we are close to finding out why. Natalie, Linda and the rest of Rainbow Ward staff have been brilliant and hopefully it will be only a couple more nights before we are home.

Somewhere????

Popped to the Monty on Saturday night for a couple of jars with Strings and found this double rainbow- beautiful..

End of Summer / Future Projects

The summer seems to have fizzled out - intact I am not even sure whether we had a summer or not. However, I am really looking forward to the autumn months. I have lots of things that I am planning to keep myself occupied with;

1) The Isle of Thanet Yomp on September 17th is something that always challenges the body. Really looking forward to this and maybe we'll have some new yompers this year.

2) Improving my beer and brewing knowledge. We'll be brewing brews I have not seen or tasted yet like Dark Conspiracy and Green Hop Ale. Not to mention casking the Doppelhop.

3) I have just started my Linguaphone Spanish course which I bought 15 years ago and never started. The coursework itself was compiled in 1976 and really is quite different from 'modern' Spanish courses; it predominantly uses 'usted' rather than 'tu' and is very conservative. I am also listening to Radio Nacional de España each morning to improve my real flaw which is my listening/understanding.

4) I am hoping to start using my camera a little more in the autumn. With the trees turning all sorts of wonderful colours, it should present a good photo opportunity. Parkes also starts her camera course in September, so hopefully it is something we can do together.

5) Finally, we will be readying the house for the new arrival in February. Can't wait!!!

Bier festival in Antwerp. Something definitely to aspire to.

Ramsgate Brewery presents......Mr Clive "Atlas" Stow.

Dumpton Gap: Busy afternoon (and a band too!) at the Gap.

Scan

Parkes had her 12 week scan at QEQM on Thursday and got confirmed as being pregnant with kiddy number 2. Everything seems in order and we have another scan booked for October. Exciting times! Not sure how Beth truthfully feels about it but I'm sure it'll all work out. Beth starts school in a few weeks so I think her mind will be elsewhere.

Meanwhile, at work, everything is going really well. New seasonal brews are afoot and getting to smell and taste lots of new things.

Dumpton Gap: Little Trev 1 Fitted Wardrobes 0

Too much

When it all seems like a bit too much, just sit back, relax and catch some flies...

What's up Doc?

Dumpton Gap: It's a double first for Beth today. We picked up her glasses from the opticians earlier. She seems to be getting on well with them. Also, she is sleeping tonight without a nappy. Could be a wet evening but I reckon she'll be okay.

Ramsgate: this time last week I was up with the lark, selling my wares at the Haine Road boot fair. I made £80 which was pretty good considering the rubbish I had.

Broadband Ahoy!!!

And then there was broadband. And it was good. Finally we have a broadband connection at our house. God, it has been a long wait but finally our lives can continue as normal. It has been six weeks since our house move and we have done loads of stuff. Parkes has started her new job at M&S, which she seems to be enjoying. Beth and Parkes have celebrated their 40th and 4th birthdays respectively. I have been to the Kent Beer Festival and the Great British Beer Festival in London - both of which were thoroughly enjoyable. I have also been to the Open Golf championship which was wet and windy.

Beth starts school in September and we are in the process of purchasing uniform, shoes, name tags etc for the new term.

Meercat

I now have my very own meercat called Beth, it's house trained, well almost.

Isle of Thanet Yomp 2011

This year's Yomp will take place on Saturday, 17th September. Participants are Deano, Steve, Keith, myself, and this year Parkes, Eddie and Coyote Chris will be joining the throng. Hope the weather will be dry and the chat invigorating.

Messing about on the water

Day at Herne Bay beach- what a scorcher!

Hop Farm Festival 2011: Sheikh Abdullah Abdullah.

Exchanged!

So, we have exchanged contracts and move on Friday (hopefully as we have changed our addresses on almost everything). We will be moving to a Broadstairs address but I still think it is more Ramsgate as it is on the Ramsgate-side of Dumpton Gap. It will be sad to leave our current house as we have many happy memories and it's where Beth spent her baby days. However, our new house will be a proper family house and it is still within easy reach of The Monty. Phew.

We have also just been to the information evening at Beth's new school. Scary times - where did those four years go?

Castleton: Granny B took us all to Castleton in the Peaks. It's a lovely place with a good number of pubs and lots of walkery-types. We managed to dodge the showers and explored the town. We also took a drive through Winnat's Pass which was very pretty.

Beach hut

Borrowed the Silks beach hut this week, Beth seemed to like it...

Margate: Bikes, people, bikes, people, bikes, oh, and a steam fair. Loads of stuff going on in Margate and the seafront really had buzz about it.Great to see - let's hope the Margate phoenix will rise sooner or later...

Margate: A nice day for a walk in Margate. It really does have a lovely beach.

Ramsgate: Had a lovely morning at the Royal Temple Yacht Club open day. Martin and Jo, skippers of Magnum took Keith and I out on the water and showed us some sailing bits and pieces. Although I'm not sure sailing is for me, I really enjoyed the experience.

Ramsgate: Beth making oatcakes.

Ramsgate: Beth and a long-overdue appointment at the hairdressers. Lank hair out - fringe in. Looks so much better and she can now see!!

Updaaaaate

Not much to report really (like always). I'm working very hard in the brewery but enjoying it. Parkes is still looking for work but things seem to be picking up. Beth has another ear infection and has more antibiotics. The Eurovision Song Contest takes place this Saturday. Oh, and we've bought a house in Broadstairs! There goes the neighbourhood.

Cranbrook: Happy birthday Molly-Mae!!