So, here we are 3/4's of 2018 has passed and my life has changed even from six months ago. Some things like my fitness and the new grand child have been very positive but it's not all been a bed of roses. Some ancient debts caught up with me which has meant having to borrow a significant amount which in turn has meant that i've been living on beans for much of the year! Then there was all the upheaval with the new kitchen....

News from Maddy!

So here I am - sat outside a restaurant in Nordlingen eating Gnochi Gorgonzola and drinking beer, wearing shorts and sandals as it's into the 20's c!

My stint as Nena, tour guide is 80% over as we fly home tomorrow. We've had a day doing the Roman Limes (think Hadrian's Wall but longer) around Aalen, yesterday we went down to the Donau for a Keltische visit and today has been the hillfort of Ipf before an afternoon here in the Ries crater at Nordlingen.

That I wasn't able to post a new chapter today - my day trip was something i'd pretty much forgotten about but I really wanted to do.

What was it I hear you ask? Well for those who do history, specifically English history, I spent the day doing Richard III, Bosworth Battlefield, the Greyfriars excavation site and visitor centre and his last resting place, Leicester Cathedral. Just because it was there I visited the medieval Guildhall too - quite a full day!

Yup, after an unexpected visit to see my cousin in Nottingham I have made it onto the interweb and I have put together some holiday snaps for you!

So everything is Ironed Out this time, normal service will be resumed!

Sorry its a bit short - been a busy day with the chiropodist and then visiting the GC up in Leeds - more chat on Sunday I guess.

Tschussie
Mads

that isn't the half of it, the Hotel tonight has a free wifi connection through Vodafone which is, to put it bluntly, crap. What should have taken a few minutes has taken best bit of an hour but you can at least read Instant Parent tonight! I guess its not helped by the control pad on my lap top working in reverse, one day i'll have computers that actually work properly.

Yup, its that time, in a couple of hours we set off for Sound of Music land!

So, here we are, almost at the end of August and I must admit that the heat has been on a couple of times the last week - not so much against the cold but to make sure its working before it does get cold.

Well, remember I said the next Gaby book would be ready today? well its not. Why not? because yours truly lived up to her name yesterday!

Well everyone that attended seems to have arrived home in one piece. It might have been a little bijou in the numbers and the format was a little mucked about by the weather or as it turns out, non weather but first reports are all positive.

We had a nice meal on Friday evening, a chance to renew acquaintances and catch up on things in each others worlds.

A lot to include and not much time to do it!

mention of bikes in todays Gaby chapter, Fashionista. Is Gab gonna go all out Goth on us? well maybe...…

Can you believe it, Gabycon 2018 is just two weeks away!

I need some help now, whilst I know when some of you will come it would be really useful to know when others will arrive - I need to sort out somewhere to eat for Friday and maybe Saturday and I need numbers.

So if you are intending joining us for all or even just part of the weekend please drop me a line.

The programme is coming together, i've got tea shops lined up, visits to Creswell Crags for the cave art, Thoresby Hall Museum and some of Gaby's old stomping grounds.

I look forward to seeing you all

yup, hands up, I admit it! So look, I forgot the photo montage, it wasn't intentional honest.

So firstly, sorry for failing to post today, other stuff got in the way. What? Well a trip out to a Steam Fair - a lot of traction engines, fairground steamers, vintage trucks, cars and tractors all come together at Helmsley in North Yorkshire.

So it was photography rather than interweb out in the glorious weather we are still 'enjoying' in these parts.