India and Nepal

Two of the highlights from our trip to India and Nepal last month: Mount Everest and the Taj Mahal. We cheated on the Everest approach of course, as we took the small plane flight out of Kathmandu along the Himalayas to within 5 miles of the summit...unlike the much more adventurous route taken by Bev! It was magnificent anyway and will keep me going until the day we visit Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side.  And it was so lovely to share the Taj Mahal experience with Dara. It has been almost 40 years since I was there in my backpacking days and I have always wanted to show her the most perfect building on the planet. It doesn't disappoint. If you are foolish enough to want to see more pics of the trip, I am putting them up on Pinterest and you can see them using this link; www.pinterest.com/TravelShow

New Cottage - October Update

Lots of progress on the new cottage build this month! Here's a pic from my kayak in the middle of the bay... It looks more finished than it really is of course, but it's just about closed-in now and weather proof. Lots to do on the interior now, from wiring and plumbing to kitchen and hot tub installation. The fall colours have been radiant this year, which has been very distracting! We have closed up the old cottage for winter for the last time and sometime in the spring when the new one is ready to move in, we will transfer everything across and knock the old one down. And then Chateau Robinson will open for family visitation!

I CANT IMAGINE WHAT ALL FUSS WAS ABOUT AT HELSINKI AIRPORT ! ! !

WHO KNOWS WHAT JAMIES HOLDING THEN ?

ANSWERS ON A POSTCARD TO  MR McGinley

THE BOUGHTON BUMS....

JUST A QUICK UPDATE FROM BOUGHTON       NOT POSTED FOR AGES     NAUGHTY BOY.....     APART FROM THE USUAL OBLIGATORY TRIPS I'M FORCED INTO MAKING TO VISIT MY OFFSPRING IN PORTUGAL AND FLORIDA (WHY COULD'NT IT HAVE BEEN AFGANISTAN AND UKRAINE FOR EXAMPLE )....BY PAULINE.  WE HAD A COUPLE OF FAR MORE  STIMULATING OCCURANCES RECENTLY...  ONE WAS A LONE VISIT BY TYLER FOR A STAY WITH THE OLD FOLKS IN THE UK....TO TRY AND BREAK HIS DRUG HABIT .....AND THE OTHER WAS A FATHER AND SON FISHING BONDING TRIP TO THE KOLA PENINSULE IN DARKEST RUSSIA.. WHICH WE FELT OTHER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES PUSHED US TO ARRANGE (THE JIM FACTOR)    SO JUST A QUICK DESCRIPTION TO COVER THE VARIOUS PHOTO'S POSTED   .   TYLER  WE DID A LONDON TWO DAY VISIT AND A FOUR DAY BARGE TRIP ON THE NENE OUT OF OUNDLE......   TOOK ME BACK TO CHILDHOOD DAYS ON BOARD ANNECY  ! !(JIMS OLD BOAT )         THE OTHER MORE RECENT FISHING TRIP  WAS..... FLY TO HELSINKI OVERNIGHT  THEN ON TO MURMANSK   FOR A NINE HOUR BUS TRIP TO THE VARZUGA RIVER ON THE WHITE SEA ON MOSTLY UNMADE ROADS ! !  STAYING IN CABINS WITH A RUSSIAN  COOK.....NOW I KNOW WHY THEY DRINK SO MUCH VODKA  ..ITS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN EAT THERE FOOD ! !  AFTER FREEZING ALL DAY FISHING IT WAS VERY WELCOME TO USE THE BANYA   ...APPARENTY A RUSSIAN SAUNA WHERE YOU GET BEATEN WITH HALF A PINE TREE......WHILE YOUR SO HOT YOU COULD'NT CARE LESS ...   LIKE FOOLS WE LISTENED TO THE LOCALS WHO TOLD US IT WAS NORMAL TO THEN RUSH NAKED AS A JAY BIRD STRAIGHT INTO THE MIGHTY VARZUGA RIVER........WHAT THEY TOLD US AFTERWARDS WAS THAT NORMALLY TAKES PLACE IN JULY     ..NOT IN OCTOBER AT 8 PM IN THE PITCH BLACK JUST SIX WEEKS BEFORE THE WHOLE BLOODY RIVER FREEZES OVER ......THEY HAVE SAID IF THEY FIND THEM THEY WILL SEND THEM ON TO US !!!!!
ANYWAY ENOUGH MUTTERINGS FROM ME     HOPE YOUR ALL WELL AND ENJOYING LIFE TO THE MAX......KEEP US POSTED AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE CLAN McROBBO'S....

Cottage Update

Cottage update: lots of progress - but now we are in a race to beat the snow!

Well done, Iron Man Steve!

Congratulations on completing the Weymouth Iron Man on Sunday in 13:04........we're all very proud of you!

Guess who came to dinner with us................

 

................and read stories with me?

Cottage Build

 May

 Juune

 July

 Aug
Sept                              

This has been the Summer of the Build! We are building our new cottage in front of the old one which though much loved, is definitely feeling its age. As you can see, we have gone from grass to hole to filled hole to foundation to walls over the last few months. We will be ready for Robinson Visits by next summer for sure!

98 Years young........

Love you, Pop.  xxxx

It's all Greek to me!

Even older than I am!

Lovely weather, lovely food, lots of walking.

Anneli & I are UK bound!

Hi everyone!
Anneli and I are planning on being in the UK from Saturday, August 30 - Thursday, September 4th. Wanted to conduct a general census to see which, if any, Robinsons will be in the Country at that time..
Let me know, we would love to see anyone who will be around!

Greetings from Bali

Here for festival of Nyepi, day of silence.......don't know how we're going to cope, let alone the children! No noise, no lights, no leaving hotel......watch this space!

Happy Birthday Kate

Always remembering...  Story telling with Pip at Eastbourne Avenue in Toronto in 1996.

LOOKING SMART AND PRETTY FOR HER BIRTHDAY......WE MISS YOU LOADS...
                                                       LOVE PETE AND ALL    X X X X

Brief Encounter

It was lovely to see everyone last week!  Sorry it was so fleeting.  We are back to the winter that keeps on giving... minus 24 again yesterday... Photo credits to Finn for the bottom shot (that's the second photo, Pete, not the one of you mooning...)  Lots of love,  Chip & Dara

Flash visit!

Lovely to see you, Chip and Dara.......however briefly (45 minutes!).

Love you

xxx

The Farm 1963-2014

1964: Cheese, Jenny and happy, innocent days...
Thank you Pete for all your hard work and perseverance.
I hope the Farm's new family will be just as content there...

PROUD NEW OWNERS OF BOUGHTON MILL.  THEY WERE LIKE A PUPPY WITH TWO TAILS...WE HAVE BEEN PROMISED TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL THEIR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.   IF THEY FORM HALF AS MANY HAPPY MEMORIES AS OUR FAMILIES HAVE FROM BEING THERE  THEN THEY CAN COUNT THEMSELVES AS VERY LUCKY FOLKS  AND I AM SURE THEY WILL. GOOD LUCK TO THEM I SUGGESTED THEIR  FIRST TASK SHOULD BE TO BUILD AN ARK    AS THE MEADOWS WERE RAPIDLY FLOODING AS I HANDED OVER THE KEYS..  LOVE TO ALL.    PETE

THE BIG SEVENTIETH BASH ........

LOVELY 70TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

 

 

SURPRISE GUESTS

BIG CAKE

GRAND  FINALE ! !

 



 

AND FINALLY TO BED........

21 AGAIN!

Happy BIG birthday, Paul.

Lots of love. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

8 YEARS LONG...........

........8 years gone. How can that be?

Love you as ever......

Thanks again

Sorry I forgot to thank Bev, chip & Pauline for sorting it all out it couldn't have been better. apparently Gabi, Hyde, and pip or Tim are doing the organising of the next one (good luck with that). Cheers woody

Thanks

Hello all, 

Just a quicky to say thanks from the fivewoods, much fun had by all, already looking forward to the next one in 4 years?(thinking of Bev, if we wait 5 years she'll be over ninety & I'm not changing her nappy). Unless we meet up in the summer of 2015 where we plan to drive from Toronto (forgot to mention this to chip & Dara but pip said it would be ok to stay with you on our night at coco bongos) to Florida (forgot to mention this to Hyde but jamie said on the afternoon of the game of sevens that we could stay for a few weeks and to bring as many people as we wanted, so I thought I'd have my works do at your house) so half the people would be around be good if everyone could make it.

See you all soon cheers woody.

From Owain

Owain has asked me to post this for him:-

 

 

Dear fellow travellers,

 

May I say, straight away, how much I enjoyed and appreciated your company, your banter and your antics. Although this was my first meeting with many of you, your welcome was very generous and always inclusive. It was fascinating to admire the way that the various generations picked up on their friendships, despite years of separation. Let's hope that tradition may long continue. May I also thank all those that helped arrange the whole event and those that organised the various expeditions we undertook. What a memorable holiday!

 

Love from Owain.

It Was Great!

Safe and happy homecomings and we'll see each other in 2018/2019 !