dhuhill silhouettes

dhuhill silhouettes
Originally uploaded by Fack to Bront.

This guy, who goes by the handle of Fack to Bront on Flickr, continues to produce the highest quality photography, week after week. Oh how I wish ....

The Summer Season

 
Summer had Laura and Tom to entertain her, and took full advantage of the opportunity. Laura read her book to her, and Tom provided all-purpose bloke fun.

I off course had the camera stuck to my face, and so was of limited value! 

Sue and Marisol "share a moment"

 
Of course, games were called for, and Maz had us playing the Rizla Game (which she found a source of amusement in itself!). I think we all guessed ourselves in the end, with Laura (Audrey Hepburn) winning, and Sue (Marconi) finishing a respectable seventh. 

Summer's Party Frock

 
 

Summer in full flow

 
 

Summer and Dad in a Turkish restaurant

 
 

Summer on Boxing Day

 
This may be of interest to friends and family members. We went up to London to see Toru, Sue, my Mum and her family on Boxing Day. Marisol, Angus, Jez and Summer came to lunch too. Of course, Summer was the star of the show, as the following photos will make clear! 

Christmas Day!

 
This was taken on Christmas morning, after we had opened our presents and before we started on the goose. Laura has her prized new possession (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Complete Boxed Set, though Tom's mandolin was not a Christmas present (though two books of mandolin music were!).

We look happy, don't we? 

Pearl Wedding

 
Well, believe it or not this gorgeous lady has been married for 30 years as of December 20th. To me.

And I've finally managed to keep her in the "Manoir" to which she would like to become accustomed. "Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saison", to be precise!

For our 30th Anniversary I took Judith for a surprise overnight stay and meal at Le Manoir, and it was fabulous. The service is exceptional, the rooms fabulous, and the meal beyond adequate words to describe.

We both had the "menu Gourmand", me indulging in the meat version and Judith the vegetarian. This involved a seven course meal, which we accompanied with two delightful bottles of wine. We took our time over it (as we were encouraged to do), starting at 8:00 and finishing about 11:30. Everything went down, with the exception of the petit fours with coffee, which we just could not manage.

If you ever get the chance, go, as we intend to do again. Here are some photos of us and the venue, including the lovely gardens. 

Le Manoir

 
Just to prove I was there.... 

Le Manoir - Waiting Girl

 
A wonderful statue, very graceful and flowing. In the knot garden. 

Le Manoir - kitchen garden

 
Despite appearances in this photo, the garden was still producing lots and lots of fresh vegetables in the depth of December. Most things were leaf vegetables, which are clearly harvested daily as soon as any leaves show themselves. But there are also cool and green houses full of stuff, and a new area 'seeded' with mushroom and fungus spores which they hope will be producing in viable quantities next year.

Just in time for us to go back, maybe? 

Le Manoir - Boy Reading

 
Another sculpture in the grounds, with the main house behind. 

Le Manoir

 
The main house. 

Le Manoir - Bird Sculpture

 
The grounds are full of statuary and scupltures. This bird is in a fountain on the way to the bedrooms. 

A bedroom in the grounds

 
This circular building is a bedroom which stands alone between the main house and the building most of the bedrooms are in. 

Le Manoir - at night

 
A 'corridor' on the way to our bedroom.