Oct 07 Went to Italy and Germany, had the 'misfortune' to have lunch by Lake Garda (picture) as we had a little spare time between appointments. Germany the following week was completely full on, with little time for anything. Blake and I both have a hacking cough which will not go away, and is quite intense when it attacks.

Sep 07 Back to normal, several trips abroad, including Turkey, picture is of the Bosphoros in Istanbul. Lydia dressed for a local charity event one evening, themed around the Rio Carnival only one of the four promised schools attended, but she had fun with the drums and dancers 'wearing very little'. Sorted out the Bannister (see May), which went surprisingly well. Ana decided the dining room should be redecorated, as it would be easy! Completed it in October as smoothing the walls took somewhat longer than expected.

Aug 07 Holiday in Greece with Mark Warner, excellent holiday, kids enjoyed the clubs, parents enjoyed the rest, and playing on the dinghies.

Jul 07 Went to Italy and Spain this month, although going anywhere is proving difficult as Europe moves toward the holiday season - they're either going, on, or preparing for holiday - see me in September sort of thing. Ana had more work done on her teeth.

Jun 07 Went to Portugal for a week to the apartment. Relaxing, if cool time, the weather hadn't made it to the summer temperatures we were hoping for. Blake decides he wants to take up cricket so we enrol him in the Royal Ascot Cricket Club, whose pitch is in the centre of the racecourse, all very impressive. Ana had a root canal job done on one of her teeth.

May 07 Had the bannister, downstairs doors, and kickboards done. Made the mistake of employing a local carpenter who couldn't paint, and made a hash of the upstairs rail. The picture here is after I had redone it in September, previously we had the sixties horizontal boards. Pleased we went for the oak rails though, even if I had to paint everything again, and managing some of it from Germany was interesting!

Apr 07 Travelled to Switzerland, a new experience as we went by car. Visiting friends, we stopped off in Nancy on the way, and intended to stop on the way back, but decided at the last moment to just get home - about 630 miles in a rather long day. Stopped in Colmar on the way and the way back, filling the car up - well, every available space - with wine. Did Zurich, the lake, and a couple of local mountains whilst there. Also did the U12 tour to Bognor Regis, that was an experience that some of the other parents were definitly not expecting. The uncontrolled antics of the U15s had the local riot police out, despite the fact we were contained within the Holiday Camp. Lydia went to Lakeside in Cumbria with the school, throughly enjoyed the experience, lots of activities and late nights and she slept all the way home on the bus.

Mar 07 Did more than go to Germany, just can't remember what!

Feb 07 Travel for work continues unabated, California, Ireland, Sweden and Finland this month.

Jan 07 Went to Malta for the Sales Conference, managed to fit in two sales visits through a contact I made in Lyon last year. Upside was I had a quick scout around Valetta, very strange seeing English post boxes, Police, telephone boxes whilst in the sun - in January. Go to Italy, and had an evening in Venice, in the fog. Upside was everything as empty.

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