THE END OF 2006

Between Christmas and New Year we had endured some very cold, wet and windy weather. It was all we could do to keep the lounge warm when the winds were strong. We began to think that perhaps we should install a central heating system, but then I began to think I was going soft - we had hardly experienced winter at all! We continued to huddle around the gas heater and borrowed a second one from our absent next-door neighbours.

Another new experience we had was the hunting prowess of Kedi. We had been the recipients of several little geckos (lizards) which she would bring in, chop off their tails and then chase them under the carpets, tormenting them until they died of exhaustion! But now she had moved on to bigger stakes. Just before New Year's Eve she dragged in a shrew she'd caught. This was a bit too big for my liking and I made Jeff take it out while I kept Kedi occupied. His instructions were to throw it as far as he could across the field!

Another event that amuses us is our local shepherd's daily trips up and down our lane as he moved his flock to fresh fields of grass.It is such a shame that our little boys wont be able to see this when they come in the summer, but the grass will have all shrivelled up by then.



Our friends Frank and Joan were now back from their UK trip and had invited a few of us to spend New Year's Eve at their house, with the stipulation that we should bring food, drink and a game that did not involve cards!

So New Year's eve saw 8 of us join Frank and Joan at their villa. The games were great fun.

We started with a whole pyramid of champagne glasses




and the object was to remove the glasses one by one without toppling the pyramid. Jeff was the ultimate loser at this one, lucky that the glasses were all plastic.



Sandy had also brought along her game of Tumble which involves adding and removing blocks of wood without collapsing the tower of wood blocks.
As you can see in the pic it needs a steady hand towards the end.





Pat & Bryan had brought along a great game of racing turtles.

We had three heats, followed by the finale. Joan won overall and was rewarded with a bottle of wine, not really such a surprise knowing the Layabouts.

At midnight we went outside to watch for the fireworks and raise our glasses and sing Auld Lang Syne of course, we had a few more drinks and then got out came the loo rolls to play the Mummy game. Sandy and Barbara complained that the loo paper quality was too good as it kept separating, but some of us can wrap a better parcel than others. Jeff and I were declared to be the winners, could it be that I've had previous experience?

A good evening was enjoyed by us all and nice to bring in 2007 with friends.

The following day Sandy and John had invited us to their New Year lunch time drinks. The sun shone as we mingled with a lot of new people as well as old friends.



Not a bad conclusion to our first 6 months in our new life - I think we are going to be alright.................