Family Abroad - the travelling siblings

There are five of us little piglets, as we used to be known. I'm the middle child of the syndrome. We go girl, boy, girl, boy, girl - lefthanded, righthanded, lefthanded, righthanded, lefthanded. Anyway, my older sister and brother have a touch of the traveller about them. Older brother lives in America, arriving there via Canada, Mexico, Chile and Wales whilst older sister is, next week, moving to Spain but has also lived in a variety of countries including Wales, Majorca and Germany.

Big Bruv, Chris, has invented an innovative oil-drilling machine called The Roustabout (see picture to the left - it's the blue bit, and look at the Roustabout link for info if you're in need of one for your oilfield).

Big Sis, Lynne, is going to live in the middle of Spain - this is her brand, spanking new house - where the weather is always hot, hot, hot. She's got about 20 'O'-levels, 8 'A'-levels, umpteen degrees and is a perpetual student because she can! She's dead clever, our Lynney.

Not a lot to report re the barn, except it's progressing well. Lots of debris flying around in the wind today, including Steve's helmet, but they kept on working. Stalwarts, they are.

Brain-wise, had a very tired and headachey day today after yesterday's exertions (please note that back seat passenger, 5 minute stroll on the beach and taking pictures are exertions to a subba) so had to sleep today and Fiona said I was grumpy - how very dare she........

PHOEBE ON DA FLOOR

Would you just look at that - a proper floor and patio doors cut out. We're cooking on gas! Phoebe the great explorer has inspected the work to date and approves.

Well it's a wet Sunday morning and I would, in the old days (three months ago), still have been tucked up in bed. Sub-arach = quality sleep deprivation. No problems with cat napping and randomly nodding off but no inclination to lie-in; my brain's very 'jangly' and won't switch off so it's much less stressful and less tiring to occupy it gainfully than lie and think randomly which, quite frankly, hurts. Strangely, skull seems more lumpy where the surgical black & decker went in; guess my forehead modelling days are over.

Visited another part of the country yesterday - indeed, ventured abroad into N Wales to see F's Aunties. Aunty H lives in an old Welsh farmhouse stuffed to the ginnels with books, crockery, antiques, collectables and not-so-collectables. She is so eccentric and ever so interesting - a local historian and genealogist. In the new year she's going to point me in the right direction for tracing the history of our farm. Then went on to visit Aunty M who's in a nursing home following a severe stroke. A great improvement from when we last saw her; her mind was really active and pretty much spot on, unlike last time when she could only remember us sporadically. She usually mistakes Fiona for her mum which doesn't do much for F's sense of humour.......

Spent the rest of the evening researching septic tanks and alternative drainage systems with Dad - boy, do we know how to live!!!