Hi Max and Betty yes I had a holiday in Devon when we were on hols in 1977 and we just loved it...some lovely little pubs that we really enjoyed...we were there with my parents and my sister and her family...Hubby fortunately has a Government job which he has been in since 1975 with compulsory safe superannuation I feel he will retire when he's 60 because he gets a few more perks gotta have something working for the Government here now is awful everything is so run down with staff shortages it's so hard to believe that we have had a mining boom in this state for the past 10 years I would really love to know what they do with all the money...as you can gather I did a bit of cradle snatching and I am 6 years older than Hubby...have left a blog on the fires and one to cheer things up a bit and gross you all out LOL to you and Betty

Thank you Patsy glad you liked the easter bonnet. We have had rain all day today & high winds, but not like you have in australia we are following it on tv & our thoughts are with you all out there. You would love it here in devon a beautiful place to live & such friendly people, also a milder climate than the rest of england.

Hi Max and Betty now we know where we want to retire to if we decide to return to old Blighty...I would love to and it's not a pipe dream i've only been back twice and slotted in as if I had never been away and cried when I got back on the plane...Hubby or Steve's not sure because he hates the cold but is the first to put the air conditioning on when it gets hot...it's a bit isolated here and when we had a truth without pressure talk he did admit that retirement here does not appeal to him...so if the weather is a bit better in Devon well here we come I think...I always fancied Kent although i've never been there I think it comes from watching Darling Buds of May in other words rose coloured glasses...congratulations to both of you on the bonnet just lovely and to get a certificate is better than money because you get to keep it...thank-you for your comments on my latest the Bird I think i'll leave the Brush Work for a while and get on with the landscape that's 1/3 finished or started not sure after that I can then concentrate on learning the work properly instead of jumping in the deep end...keep well Max and love to Betty

Thank you Max and Betty for your kind thoughts. Roger is very down at the moment. His Mum had been ill for a long time and he is surprised himself at how affected he feels as he had been expecting her death for a long time. Yes, Lucy is only two months pregnant. Her second baby was born with Edwards Syndrome and died and last year she lost twins in the very early stage. She nearly lost Noah on several occasions when she was pregnant with him and then he got bacterial meningitis when he was only 9 weeks old and we came close to losing him. So she has had a very rough time and I have found it very traumatic watching her suffer so. She has been very brave. We have just got everything crossed for her this time. Our dogs have been out this morning trying to eat chunks of snow that have turned into ice. They absolutely love it - just like kids. I love the snow too. I used to be a ski instructor in my earlier days and have always loved to be in the mountains in the snow. Those days are now finally over after I had a skiing accident last year which resulted in too much damage to my knee to continue. Old age and all that! Anyway, thank you again for your kind wishes.

We a so sorry to hear of your mother-in-laws death & know what dealing with a funeral involves, our thoughts are with you. Is your daughter in the first few months of pregnancy? It must be so tiring for you running after a two year old we know how active they can be at that age indoors one minute & outdoors the next. You remarked about your dogs loving the snow...our gardener has a springer spaniel & he took her for a walk on the local common by us in the snow, she came across two snowmen & stopped dead in her tracks......thinking they were people, she wanted to play she is a lively two year old, taking a run at them she soon discovered her miskake & landed in a pile of snow .....but she loved it. Thank you for commenting on the bonnet, glad you liked it. Betty & Max xx

What a lovely bonnet and a nice idea. I can see why it won first prize! Our daffs were just beginning to poke through before the snow, but I think they have retreated as I can't see them now. Our snow is thawing today. The dogs have had a fab time in it - just like kids. We went tobogganing with the older grandsons which deteriorated into a mad snowball fight. Eldest grandson is a deadly aim - snow down your neck is not nice! I have not been painting for the last few days. Roger's mother died on Wednesday night and we are in the throes of furneral arrangements, which he is finding very difficult. I have also the problem of the younger pregnant daughter, who is feeling very icky and is mostly having to reside on my sofa while I run around after Noah. This is her third attempt at providing a sibling for Noah, who is now just over two and a half. She doesn't do pregnancy very well and we are on a knife edge about this one. Still such is the stuff of life. Looking forward to seeing your new painting.

Betty didn't wear the bonnet it was done just for the show..... yes i did grow the flowers i love daffs they are my favourite.....the bonnet won first prize & best in section, we only got a certificate no money is involved. Thank you for commenting on my paintings...i love the colours i use especially the blues. I am in the middle of a painting at present .....a yacht with red sails with "saint michaels mount" in the background....will put it on the gallery when its finished. We live in Exmouth, East Devon........ we seem to miss the worst of the weather touch wood! We saw the photo your daughter took of the "koala Bear" sitting in the bowl cooling off in a national news paper & recognised it from the one you have on your blog.....we took it to our art class this afternoon (friday) & the 13 people there thought it was a lovely photo.......we all had a laugh at him clinging hold of the edge of the bowl with a look of sheer bliss on his face. We hope you get the daylight saving sorted out.

A lovely bonnet Max I hope Betty wore it with pride...did you grow the Daffs? your paintings are so beautiful you are a natural with water colour and the colours you use are luscious...glad your weather had warmed a bit are you on the East Coast or West? we are having it much cooler at the moment giving us some sanity...we have at the moment daylight saving which sounds great but it dosn't cool down until so late so we are trying to sleep in the heat...we are having a referendum on the daylight saving and I think i'll vote no it's not for the subtropic summer...I think winter would be better