Anna's Birthday

Happy 40th Anna. I wish I could be there with you.

Talk with Mam 1 March 2006

I asked her did she know her Grandmother Sarah Annie Tilley, she said yes, they lived in Douglas St Hanky Park and she was very little. Her Grandad Thomas Bettles had a handlebar moustache.
I asked her how she met my Dad, she said she was 14 and she met him at Lizetta's house when they went back there with Uncle Tommy who was a good friend of Uncle Norman. Tommy and Norman were in the same regiment and they were together when Norman was killed in Tunisia. He was shot by a snipers bullet. Mam went to the cinema with Dad on Langworthy road and they used to listen to the Inkspots. Dad bought a radiogram. Dad worked for British Tarmac before he was called up. Mam left school at 14 and she left on the Friday and started in the spinning room Of Elkaners mill on Broughton road on the Monday. Mam lived in Earl street then.
When we visited Agecroft cemetary today we looked at Lizettas Grave, not only is she and grandad in there but also Roy and his 2 children Andrew (Andy) AND julie.

Wildlife in Dalsland

It is difficult to describe the overwhelming beauty of Sweden with all the forests and lakes and wildlife. Just take a look at a glimpse of we have seen in just the last two days from our house. The deer was in our garden and the elk were in the field opposite. There were actually 3 elk but by the time I got my camera, two of them had gone behind the trees.

Tony Doherty

If you read this Tony, please email me as I don't have your email address here in Sweden. Also if you have an email address for Freddie who was looking really good, considering ha ha! .............
I would appreciate that too.

click on photo to enlarge.

Took this from the edge of the forest showing the back of the house. We saw a fully grown Elk here the other day. Wow it was massive!

Goodbye Mam

Mam said goodbye to us on the 27th May having lived a good and full life. Thanks to the heroic efforts of my sisters, she was able to squeeze the last quality of life she had left, out to the end. The stroke she had nearly four years ago would have put most people in a home but they put their lives on hold to care for you every day.
Mam, you will be forever remembered by us all and although we are all still sad, we are happy you are now re-united with Dad. The fond memories endure.

Two days to go before our dog Frank has his next rabies blood test. We are sending the blood sample to Scotland for analysis as they can give the results in just a few days. These results will determine if we go to Sweden for 6 months or just a few weeks. If he is under the threshhold again, we may leave him with family or else kennels for about 3 weeks. That will give us time to get there with the van and trailer with all our spare furniture and effects. We will probably leave the van in Sweden and fly back to Spain. That way, if we get chance again in the summer we can return by air and have the car already there. Our whole itinery for the year is hanging on these blood tests. Some may say he is only a dog but to us he is part of the family. I hope he can come with us and share in our next big adventure.