May produced some extraordinary flowerings – after a wet winter and a showery spring:

and as the deadline for the text of David’s book loomed (30 May) the half term holiday brought some excitements for the younger members of the family (books AND cricket!!) :

June was hot; very, very hot (but not as hot as Europe was going to get in July):

Some happy faces around the table:

And the roses! Extraordinary this year !

June and July were very busy months – especially for David who managed visits to Asolo in the Veneto; Paris; Dresden and Wiesbaden in Germany while Janet enjoyed a short visit to Exmoor before the ‘loose ends’ visits to Piemonte began around David’s birthday, and spanned the final processes of editing and proof-reading.

August flew by; trips to London, trips to the seaside… The weather was kinder in the UK than in other parts of Europe though the final weekend of August was surprisingly hot…

By the end of the holidays – all sorts of achievements…late evening sandcastles; look! No hands cycling!

And finally: my birthday and the book launch:

Not forgetting other special birthdays – Lucy’s in August…

and with Emma and Jez for his celebratory lunch on a very hot September day in Brighton !

Sardinia next!