Rally driving!

Today, we (Keith Gill, Nicki Gill, Paul Crosbie, Rachel Crosbie and me [Tim]) went rally driving at the Rally School Ireland in Co.Monaghan, Ireland.

Click here for pictures

It was a brilliant day, leaning how to drive fast on slipery serfaces, with handbrake turns, and lots of going sideways, pedal to the metal. We drove Ford escorts Mark II, and keith had a go in the Subaru.
Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Christmas

This year, Christmas was spent her in Bristol. We love having family around, especially for Christmas. We had Mum and Dad, Paul and Elisabeth from saterday till boxing day. A lovely time catching up and just spending time together.
check out the pictures below.

Christmas pictures

Going the Distance

I (Fiona) got this speedometer last Christmas so this is the distance I have cycled this year. I'm rather impressed with myself. It is in km not miles but even so it is over 2,500! Not bad for commuting. It is amazing how it all adds up. I have managed over 40km/hr on the hill past the BRI (down hill obviously). Don't worry it saves what the top speed is - I wasn't watching it as I cycled.

The church building in Blois

During the first week in December, we went to visit my (Tim's) Parents (Michael and Catherine Brooks) in Blois, France. They have been living there for nearly 7 years now. They are missionaries and God had called them to serve with France mission in this area in the Loire valley. They have been working with a group of churches there. The main congregation has been worshiping in a "foyer des Jeunes" (YMCA hall) in Blois. It has never been the best of setups as it is quite hard to find, they are not guaranteed of having that room every Sunday and it is getting too small and ill equipped.

After a long time searching, they found a radiology center that was being sold. It needed a lot of work to change its use from medical to a place of worship, but it was just the right size and about the right price. This time last year, the church completed on buying the building and plans started to convert it to a place of worship.

Progress has been very slow and punctuated with problems. But the end is in sight...

Pictures of the Blois Church Building

the building is on 2 levels: on the ground floor you enter by the lobby, through to the main hall. off the lobby are also some toilet facilities which will need tiling and painting at some point. The ground floor also has a kitchenette (tiling, painting and a worktop and cupboards to be fitted) and an office area.
Upstairs, there are a few rooms for Sunday school and meeting rooms. there is also a fully equipped bathroom with shower!
Outside, there is a garden, most of which will have to be made into car parking spaces. there will need to be some serious space planing and possibly earth moving for that!
There are still a few issues to do with heating, doors and windows not quite fitting. The main hall and the lobby will be decorated by a professional, but they (with a bit of help) will try and do the rest.
Ever since the building was bought and I was aware that it would need work done on it, I have thought that it would be great if a group from Ebe might go over to help out... a french "noise!" maybe something could happen at Easter or in the summer of 2007... a work/holiday week... let me know what you think!

Holiday in Spain

We went to Spain for our main holiday this year.
We stayed in a campsite, about 1h30min south of Barcelona, in a coastal town called Salou (map)
It was a long awaited and very needed break for both of us, so quite a lot of what we did was relax, read books, and stop to watch the world go by for a bit.
we did do some sight seeing: the nearby Roman town of Tarragona had a Medieval market on when we went which was very nice of them. Along with the foods stuffs (smelly cheeses, herbs and spices and smelly smoked meats)and craft items, there was a falconer with an impressive collection of eagles, hawks and even an owl! One of the hawks flew past me so close I could feel the air movement. It came from behind me too so it was a bit of a shock!
Also saw ruins of an amphitheater (spelling issues... sorry if its wrong). Also some cool street art: a big mural and some black and white stencil people having a party in a half knocked down building. Click on the picture for an album of the day.

Holiday in Spain - Day 3

One of the main reasons for going to where we went was so that we could visit Barcelona. After an early start and a train ride, we hopped on the metro to find Gaudi buildings. Almost as soon as we got out we found some! That Gaudi fella was mad! But I think we need more mad architects like him... Though it would be a very brave town planned that would give permission to build I would expect... Anyway, click the pics further down to see what I mean.
Had to go see the Sacrada Familia. This Modern Day catherdral, designed by Gaudi has been under construction for over a hundred years, and wont be finished till 2028! Its already HUDGE! Very impressive. Would have liked to go inside but the cost was a little steep... An other time.
Next stop, Gaudi's Park Guell, via some outdoor escalator, that were working thankfully! That was a magical place. Had our lunch there, and although we were surrounded by other tourists, we felt relaxed. I think the sunny weather helped!

Finished the day by wondering arround the older, Gothic part of Barcelona. through narrow roads, past expencive clothes shops and into squares. stoped in front of the gothic cathedral. A very good saxofonist was busking, making very good use of the accoutics of the place. Magic.
La Rambla was full of people. I'm glad we were not there in the middle of summer. It would have been impossible! wandered into a great undercover market. you could get anything in there! great displays! I guess that is why they don't have so many supermakets there!
picture of Barcelona:

Holiday in Spain - Day 4

We were shattered by the time we got home. The next day, nothing much happend. :)

We did visit a few other places, but most of the rest of the time, we spent resting.

to finish of, here are pictures of an evening strol and sunset.

Holiday in Spain - Day 2

Lightening

This morning I was woken at 5am by a fantastic sound and light show. I got out of bed and got my camera out to do something I have wanted to do for a long time. Take pictures of lightening!
I sent a couple in to BBC bristol and they have posted this one on the website!
It was also on this evenings points west! I missed it but Mum (watching by satelite from France!) saw it was so excited she phoned me to tell me all about it!

Isn't creation great!

Awesome clouds as well!


The end of a stormy day.
This was taken the same day as the rest of these pictures but just before I went to bed. I was lucky enough to catch a distant lightening blot far of in the distance while taking a picture of the night sky. :)

A harvest!

This is our first proper sized courgette! It tasted as good as it looks: really sweet and jucy!

The potatoes we grew in a rubbish bin turned out to be nice new potatoes even though the slugs eat all the leaves and chewed on the storkes of the plants... grrr!

we have capcicum pepers growing in a pot and they are looking promissing too!
hurrah!

Sunflowers! thanks Beth! I though the slugs were going to get the best of them but they fought through!

A short break in Cornwall

The first weekend in July, we went to Cornwall, to celebrate our 4th wedding aniverssairy.

Of course, you can't go to Cornwall without going to the Eden project

But what is missing? look closely! There is no one there!!
We visited the eden project as England were playing Portugal in the football Worldcup. Had the place to ourselves! We had heard that this place can be heaving with people. But this was great!

The tropical Biome was defenalty the best for me(tim): I saw lots of plants that reminded me of Reunion Island, where I grew up.
lonely planet guide to Reunion island

You could almost be there!

We even found a bouganvilier bush for a "Stu and Wendy" like picture!

We also went to the Lost Gardens of Heligan

We spent a whole day there! and still didn't see the whole place. Many photo opertunaties,


but also some wide open spaces to just sit and relax.

Fantastic plants

but some that were, well not quite made for Tims.


Mevagissey, the day after feast week. Lots of memories of Pete and Rebekah's wedding day.

and to finish of, a trip to St Ives

Timber!

Tree lovers, look away now.



This is what will happen if a not so nice looking tree cast a lot of shade on our garden, stops things growing under it and blocks our view of other nices things in the garden.


Its not a very nice looking tree isn't it?


Glad you agree, cos its gone now! See! Better already!


We cut the top off,


removed all the branches,


Uprooted the rest of it,


Chopped it up into lots of little pieces,


And made a preatty stack of logs.
Quite good exercise as well this tree felling lark! Might do it again some day...

Mmm Strawberries....

These are our 'almost first' strawberries...the very first one was so yummy looking that we ate it before even think about taking a picture.

A rainy and foggy, but lovely day

Our Natioanl trust Days are getting more and more popular!



This is Tyntesfield...


in the rain...



but with friends like these, who cares! It was great catching up with everyone. Nat and Jon had been round the world since we saw them last!

Snow in March (in Bristol!!)

Winter is really dragging its feet this year.


On sunday the 12th of march we had about 1cm of snow!



Although the Snowdrops have come (and almost gone) the Dafodils and crocuses are having a hard time getting going!




Come on spring! We've had enough of winter now!

Forcast: Cold untill at least the 21st of March (the spring equinox!)