xmas 2010

It’s been a year of ups and downs

Sadly my dad died in September…after being very ill in early spring, he recovered enough to move into a nursing home, but at 87 he was just worn out.  

It was lovely being able to spend time with him over the summer when we were back in UK.

Volcanic eruptions in Iceland meant a family get together in Portugal, Saski and a girlfriend came for a few days without their kids, having to stay on for another week, and Sam got stuck in France, and arrived in the Algarve via Toulouse, Barcelona, and train from Lisbon! 

The Gregorys came back again in May, a surprise trip to Lisbon for Saskia and Byron, while Sebastian played a bit of golf...taking after his father !

In July Saski was delighted to discover she was pregnant, but then shocked to discover she is expecting twin boys…due in February! 
We’re planning to stay in England for a while to help out, so we’ve been trying to wind down activity here in Portugal. 
We are also looking forward to spending some time with Sam and Lucinda in London.

Charlie has finally finished the 50 metre mural he started last year, along with some giant collages that are now on show at the Zefa Art centre.

After we had all the plaster knocked off the side of the house in an attempt to stop the rain soaking in over the wet winters, I rather crazily started to enlarge my ‘rubble’ garden and in the last week I have shovelled 6 tons of gravel over black polythene to finish my garden makeover! Not such a clever idea when I now have to find someone to water all the plants!  

We’ve enjoyed a few trips up to Lisbon, where Charlie is obsessed by all the street art, and to Cordoba to the annual patio garden festival, Granada to the mountains, and last month a boat trip to a deserted island just off the coast!

Charlie is still writing his blog at 

www.charlieholtartist.blogspot.com

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2011