Pie, Mash and Peas!

Well today many things have happened, starting off with more paperwork for our trip, an early morning walk, then a decision to pick up some lovely local meat pies for lunch, and feed Auntie Beryl, Cousin Stephen and his wife Glenda - Pie, Mash and Peas. We wanted to catch up with Auntie Beryl and Steve and Glenda before we left, Steve is Auntie Nalda's eldest son, and he and Glenda drove up to stay in her apartment on Broadbeach for a couple of weeks - of course his older sister (Ails) is in Iran right now. Anyway Steve bought up the photos of Auntie's Wake, taken by cousin in law Robin, so have put a few on this blog. It was a really pleasant place, chosen by Auntie a long time before she passed away.

My "slightly" younger brother (Pete) and I catching up.

(l to r) Cousin-in-laws, Sue and Ann with Ailsa and Susan

Below - the 2 on the left have now got head scarves on in Iran, with cousin in law Ann (not on the trip to Iran!!!)

Below, my eldest God Daughter - Jo - born in England 40 years ago this July to Ails and Rod, and Susan and I were there.

A group of Cousins at the Wake - unfortunately my brother's flight left before this photo was taken.

ROYALTY

My Mum and her sisters, have always enjoyed the Royals, and Auntie Beryl has just bought out all her special souvenir plates etc. to install on her wall. Ann and Wayne just had one shipped from England. Anyway, this year on the day Auntie turns 86, Prince Willian and Kate marry - 29th April. I was looking for something special, but didn't have to go too far, thanks to that clever duck friend of mine Sandy, Auntie will get the card below for her birthday. Unfortunately it has not scanned well - looks so incredible in real life, and it does have jewels on it, and I know Auntie will just love it.

So we had the Pies, peas and mash, the Brig made gravy and it was a delightful couple of hours. I did drag out Mum's box of "all kinds of history" and we talked about the "70th Memorial of the Rats of Tobruk in Libya" this weekend. I have some information on it, to go on the blog tomorrow, but of course Ails and Steve's father (Auntie Nalda's husband) - Uncle Fred - was a Rat - and a very proud one - and of course it turns out that Auntie Beryl's cute man (Arthur) was also a Rat -more on that before we hit the skies tomorrow.