Mr and Mrs Poopoo-Head

They've only gone and got married.

more photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/groups/chrisandlaura/ If you already have a flickr account I'll add you to the group and you can share any wedding photos you like. If not, you can easily create one by following the links on the flickr home page.

Good News

The Henderson family are very pleased to annouce the engagement of Emma and Michael. This photo was taken at a friend's wedding

where Emma was bridesmaid. They are just back from a romantic break in Paris where the question was popped at the top of the Eiffel Tower!

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And this is Laura and Chris in relaxed mode this summer. They are due to get married in November this year at the lovely setting of Mar Lodge on Deeside. We are all looking forward to the occasion.

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Scottish Summer Sorties

This may look like Emma is about to deliver a fascinating presentation about life as a cutting-edge designer, but it is in fact the high point of her wet weekend, atop Ben Lomond (974m) earlier this afternoon. We saw two huge birds circling the cairn in the mist as we completed our Sunday jaunt. We didn't see much else, what with being in the middle of a cloud. Emma assures me you can see lots of other hills and stuff on a nice day, and sometimes crazy men in vests...


Emma is clearly overjoyed to have rekindled fond childhood memories, I'm clearly concentrating on taking the picture, and Kippen is clearly not keen to be seen. Perhaps she's hiding from the circling birds of prey.

Back to sea level, and here's Emma making friends with a horsey on Saturday beside the beach at Troon. He wasn't very friendly, instead concentrating on his task of advertising tools and timber. Even when the heavens opened after our nice walk on the beach, he didn't budge an inch, or even blink. Mr Horsey gets top marks for dedication to duty in the face of inclement weather and the attention of Emma and the ever-curious Kippen.

So, two rainy dog walks. One by the sea, one up a hill. Here's hoping for many more damp drives home in the glorious Scottish summer of 2007! For those of you whom I haven't met, I'm Michael, and I have the privilege of being Emma's driver, and packed-lunch-carrier.

Silver Boot Ride June 2007

My friend Yvonne and I completed the Silver Boot ride in the first week of June this year. The ride is organised as a competitive team event with rather odd rules. The main rule is that you have to get to a certain place by a certain date and each team is free to work out their own route of whatever length and complexity they wish. We started out with a team of 3 from Spey Bay on the north coast of Moray on 4th June and headed south on the speyside way and then into forestry and hills to get to Aberlour that night. Bill and Rob (Barbara's husband) were crewing for us, i.e. driving the horse trailers with all our stuff to the night's stop. Next day we set out over more forestry roads over Ben Rhinnes and into the estate of Glenfiddich and Glenlivet (think whisky country!) where we passed the old and abandoned Glenfiddich Lodge an old victorian hunting lodge where Queen Victoria used to stay, where we saw huge herds of red deer in the mist - very atmospheric. That day's goal was Tomnavoulin, another distillery town, where we left the horses and had to go to Tomintoul for accomodation for ourselves. We lost one of our team at that point. Barbara had had a riding accident the day before we started and had been gritting her teeth and bearing it, but it got too painful and she had to quit after day 2. She got herself checked out the following Monday at the hospital in Aberdeen and found out that she had 4 broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade! How she managed to ride for 2 days I do not know - she is one tough old bird (69 actually!). Day 3 took us over Cairn Daimh (pronounced Die) and into Tomintoul - a shortish day of only 13 miles and we stayed at the same hotel as the previous night. The horses stayed with a friend who runs a trekking centre in Tomintoul. Day 4 saw us heading due south from Tomintoul down the river Avon and along an old drove road to Inchrory - where an arab sheik has bought the old hunting lodge of Inchrory and done it up as a summer retreat, apparently with gold taps, etc. It is a lovely old house in the middle of nowhere! The track then became a footpath past Loch Builg and over the hill of Culardoch and into Deeside at Braemar, where we stayed the night. The fifth and final day took us through Balmoral Estate, over Lochnagar to Loch Muick and onto another drove road called the Capel Mounth which climbed up and up and then dropped down steeply into Glen Doll and finally to Glen Clova hotel, which was our destination. In all we rode more than 100 miles and climbed over 14,000 feet. There were 11 teams in all and they all finished, the winning team doing 240 miles over 11 days with no crew! I must say I would have hated to do it without our crew (ie Bill and Rob) setting up electric fencing for the horses and bringing our luggage from place to place - a bit like the West Highland Way! I really needed that shower after a long day in the saddle. We enjoyed it so much we are planning our route for 2008, but the venue is on the west coast north of Oban so logistically much more of a challenge!

Hello from Sunny Scarborough

Well this is my maiden blog- and what a great achievement it will be if I can actually manage it! I am even going to try to post a couple of photos of the boys. The first one shows their excitment at finding the Easter eggs left by Easter Bunny and the second shows the result!!

This weekend saw us undertaking a dramatic challenge- requiring strength, determination and stamina. While it didnt probably quite match the efforts of some of the other contributors, it was quite a feat for us... and now we have erected in our back garden a mountain of a trampoline for the kids (all of us!!)

This weekend also brought with it a loss... yes Tommy lost his first baby tooth on Saturday. He has been wobbling it around and trying to ease it out for weeks now, so he was very proud when all his hard work paid off and he is now the proud owner of a gappy smile (not to mention the £1 the tooth fairy left- I think we were done- I am sure the fairy only left us 10p!)

Anyway, I'm not going to ramble on on this first effort- just incase it doesnt work! Best wishes to you all

Jane

xxx

Well Done the Conquering Heroes

Your photo reminded me of our wedding anniversary in September 2003 (our 32nd) when we decided to celebrate the occasion by scaling the very same Aonach Eagach Ridge. We did it the other way round by starting at the Clachaig Inn and climbing Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, Meall Dearg and then Am Bodach. Bill very gallantly ran back down the road to the Clachaig Inn and fetched our car as my legs were a wee bitty wobbly by then. Never was a glass of the strong cider more welcome! I managed at one point to slip off the path and go sliding down a steep slope, managing eventually to grab some heather and come to a welcome stop. It is quite a scary climb and one which I don't feel I have to do again! We kept coming across parties of climbers all roped together with a guide and all going the other way!

Buddies conquer Aonach Eagach

Veteran Paisley Buddies and extreme climbers John and Sheila undertook an audacious traverse of the fearsome Aonach Eagach on Saturday. Without ropes, the intrepid couple inched their way along the 3km knife-edge which overlooks enormous drops on both sides. Maybe not quite a Touching the Void story but scary enough. There are two Munros contained within the ridge and these summits were included in the traverse. Under a hot sun and facing a light breeze the couple, having gained the ridge at Am Bodach, negotiated the infamous Chancellor without incident to secure the first Munro, Meall Dearg. The next stretch, The Pinnacles, presented one or two "moments". At one stage, Sheila, who was leading had to retreat for a lack of handholds (she is quite wee after all). Later, composure completely restored, she saw the only way down a tricky descent leading her future husband to safety. The second Munro, Sgurr nam Fiannaidh, came almost as an anti-climax after so much vertigo inducing activity. Sheila is pictured there with Ben Nevis as a backdrop. A long, long, knee-wrenching descent down the loose scree of the Clachaig Gulley brought the Buddies back to terra firma after a thrilling day on the hill. A shaken John, father of three and also a grandparent was later to be seen in the Clachaig Inn clutching a large glass of Amber Fluid while his fellow climber calmly undertook some maintenance on the terrace as the last of the rays disappeared behind Ballachulish.

June is busting out all over (in April)

Christopher William Charlotte and Butleigh all looking rather cheesy and in need of a hair cut!!
and a very fetching one of Butleigh on her own!!!

Hello Hello Hello from the Southern reaches of the UK - We are all bursting with excitement following the news that 'the buddies' have decided to come clean and join forces. We will be thrilled to read Sheila's maiden blog and look forward to it enormously - she is looking in fine fettle in the piccies - glad to see 'maintenance' is still high on your list of priorities!! lippie - doing the trick!!!


News from this part of the world is dry and hot with no sign of change - ground is too hard to put in my dahlias! and potatoes are looking at me as if I am mad expecting them to chit.


Walking a wee bit - not scaling heights but trying distance instead. Off to the peak district shortly to do a bit of 'up'.


Both Christopher and William back at school with A2's and GCSE's looming. William starts next week and Christopher not long after - the easter holidays has been rather dominated by negotiation on timetables! William's was predominantly 'rest periods' and Christopher just wanted to check on Englands rather disasterous performances in the cricket World Cup. Charlotte has had a hair cut and had it straightened - the highlight of her holiday.


Our big mower has given up the ghost so we are trugging up and down the garden with the rotary trying to fight our way through the knee length jungle that pretends to be a garden. Tulips looking magnificant.

Thurlestone is booked for the end of July if you ever fancy a beach holiday (nice walks) down south - plenty of golf, swimming, tennis, surfing, cowrie shell hunting, vegging, pubbing etc etc.

So you have now seen some of the family - can't find any of David or I at the moment - don't want to break the blog at this early stage of its development!!! but good to hear the 'engagement' news and looking forward to keeping abreast with developments up in your neck of the woods. Love to everybody Vicki x

notes from the south

We fair livered Southern cousins are cock-a-hoop about John and Shiela's news and are looking forward to extended celebrations in Jove's bosom - before or after the main event in Feb 08. Shiela clearly proved her fitness on the munros (what a relief!) while John, evidently impressed by the gleaming state of Sheila's downstairs taps, has wisely elected to make Candren's farm their new nest . . . This union is great news for all and am delighted to welcome such a fit chick as Shiela into the Henderson bosom.

Here in the south the bumble bees have emerged in a very premature manner - bouncing along on top of the ground expecting to find clover flowers but instead hitting grass strands and disappointment. It is so seriously hot (beware aging aunt comment about to emerge) that the peonies are almost in bloom, while the Giraffe, the Bishop and HS Winks (dahlias) are thrusting up in my green house as if on growth hormones (you see I am aging indeed).

Talking of which Rory is growing fast, now 13 and swotting up on his common entrance by occasionally engaging his brain in one of the many piles of A4 paper which litter the household. Had a hockey tour to Holland pre easter and won all the games - hopefully I'll manage to upload an image of a front and back view (he's 4th from the left). Angus (11) continues to write poetry, re-enact the crimeon war and build lego . . . so there's no knowing which direction his brain is going yet.

Work thrives and I note Neil that you are doing websites. Please do send me a link with some examples as Dowie+Co works with two web builders and are in need of more - would be good to keep it in the family. You'll see our own website is pending (have to take a whole load of photos for it and just no time!). The flour packs we designed are now in Fortnum & Mason (for those of you in the nether regions, that's the Queen's local) - will try and upload an image. Also in midst of doing a boating catalogue, dental website, green machine brochure and various school prospectuses and magazines.

How are Emma and Elaine and all the wonderful Henderson girls?? Please post your latest. Hope the new Henderson wee one is thriving and that mum is gettign sleep too??

Will sign off now to do some work.

Love to you all everywhere and please do visit Suffolk at any time

Miranda

ps have tried and failed to load jpg images - all under 1.5m - not often defeated . . .all tips welcome

The Buddies go to Auld Reekie

On Good Friday Sheila and John set off for Edinburgh to visit Daisy Robinson (plus Kate and Rob). Daisy took us all to Cafe Truva for an alfresco lunch in high winds and sunshine. Keftedes and moussaka were consumed in abundance, all washed down with retsina despite Daisy's wish to see most of this fare on the pavement.

The Buddies, now well fed, moved on to Kirriemuir which was base camp for three sunny days of munroing in Glen Shee, Glen Esk and Glen Clova. Kirriemuir seemed to be overtaken for the weekend by stalwarts of Siol nan Gaidheal, the "Scottish Cultural and Fraternal" Organisation who are not exactly supporters of anything that happens south of Carlisle (just do a google to find out more). The hills were the best and probably the safest place to be.

If you have got thus far with this virgin blog you deserve to read now that The Buddies have decided to join forces in matrimony on 23rd February 2008. The ceremony, a small, quiet affair will take place in Glasgow rather than at the top of a Munro, underwater, or on a tropical beach. Sheila has shown some enthusiasm for joining clann Eanruig and taking the Henderson name so yet another potential contributor to this newsletter has been recruited. This decision could of course be reversed if there's any pushing and shoving in the ranks. For the avoidance of doubt it should be stated that no further recruits can be expected as a result of the aforementioned union. The happy couple, who will start married life at Sheila's farm (another bull calf born yesterday), give notice that they intend to give relentless chase to Henderson minimus on the hills of Alba hopefully overtaking his Munro tally before the time they get hitched.

GROWN UPS CAMP

Just back from Riding Club Camp - a bit like Pony Club Camp but with booze! Also not camping as such - took my caravan along and shared with a friend. The horses had stables of sorts - rows of 25 loose boxes with canvas roofs that flapped a bit in the wind. Luckily it wasn't too windy, but we had a heck of a frost each night. No washing facilities just a toilet block with icy cold water! We had some good instruction and some competitions and my friend and I sneaked off one afternoon to explore the tracks and woods of the Brechin countryside. Glad to be back to a hot bath though.

Neilie New Job

Well I have started a new job today, it is very similar to my old job in that I will still be working for old boss for half the month doing the same old stuff, (websites, printed stuff etc). The other half of the month I will be working for a new company doing 3D animations, static renders and multimedia presentations.

The good thing about my new boss is that he is allowing me to work freelance so if anyone knows of anyone who needs a website then get in touch.

Cheers

!

This blog is going to die a death if no-one else puts any posts onto it!

Come on everyone - we want to hear your news.

New Baby

This is to let you all know that we have a new baby in the family - a great niece to Bill and I and a great grandaughter to my mum. Her name is Lilanya Rubi and she was born on Sat 24th March 2007 (correct me if I am wrong about that Eric!) in Australia. Her mum is Julie - my brother Eric's daughter - and dad is Glen. She is a sister to Jorja. Congratulations to all concerned!

Winter Returns

Snow has returned to Aberdeenshire with a vengeance. It isn't lying to deeply as the wind is blowing it horizontally and it's freezing cold. Hope the rest of you are a bitty warmer.

Post holiday blues

Chris and I have now returned from our fabulous week's holiday snowboarding in the French Alps. Pleased to report no major injuries although Chris does have a split lip and a numb foot - but am sure these will heal quickly! There was plenty of snow and hot sunny days so it really was paradise.

The chalet in Tignes was very nice and came complete with a nice young snowboarder called Will who cooked us lots of lovely food in between competing in big air competitions.

Unfortunately I didn't manage to get any photos of me and Chris looking cool or glamorous in our snowboarding gear so will post a couple of scenic shots instead.

Emma, Thanks for letting us know about your craft markets. I will be in Edinburgh on the 24th so will come and visit your stall then.

Cheerio everyone, Laura

Kirkhill Ride

This is a professional photo taken at the last ride. My riding partner was somewhere around, but her horse spooked at the photographer so didn't get in the picture!

We are expecting storm force winds and snow for tomorrow. Hopefully Bill will still get away as he is flying to Houston again first thing Sunday morning.

Happy Mother's Day all you Mums.

weejim from the colonies

Hi there can you send food parcels and drinking water out to your poor rellies in Australia, as you get hit we miss out and our dams are down to muddy puddles, we will fix that with a new rainwater tank which arrives tomorrow. All we need then is some rain to fill it then we will be self suficient and wont need your food parcels, great to see your blog up and running, I'll try tp post something really interesting next visit, meanwhile email me mums full postal and phone details. CYA

craft fair

I thought I might use the web space formally known as henderblog in a shameless attempt at promotion. I'm taking part in a couple of markets over the next couple of weeks and would love to see as many hendersons and associates there as possible. The first is this Sunday (mothers day I'm told, don't worry dad I'm on it) at Oran Mor in the west end of Glasgow 11-4 and the second is next Saturday - 24th, in The Caves in Edinburgh also from 11-4 if you need any more info try clicking here

much love emma

re heap hot in Houston and video!!!

Good heavens Bill - what an impressive display! have seen the photos and watched the video- not sure which were your feet crossing the winning line but I am sure they were the lighter ones!! what talent we have in the Henderson family - can't add any more talents at the moment except that I can now say roundabout in spanish!! never know when it might come in useful. Just had a nice time buying cushions!! bye for now to all you fit people - are there any photos of people lounging on sofas and eating chocolate- I am sure I have one of me!!! love to everybody Vicki xx ps. David and I are thinking of visiting the gym this evening.........as to changing name of the blog I quite like the name! but will get thinking

The Henderblog is Changing

Hello there, in a move to make the henderblog a more welcoming place to the less hendertitled among us I have decided to rename it.

This is to make the site more of a whole family site that will appeal to everyone in the family as I think the name is maybe putting some people off.

So if anyone has any ideas for a new name for the blog then please add a comment to this post with your suggestion and we can put it to a vote.

Cheers

Heap Hot in Houston

I was in Houston in February and stayed there over the weekend at the start of the Houston Rodeo. They start off this show of steers, horses and other sundry animals with a 10K running race. One of the beast of burden was captured by a roving reporter (image on left). The 100% humidity gave all competing in this stampede an excellent excuse for taking so long to get to the finish line.

Great organisation, though.

Finishing video clip here http://w3.conocophillips.com/RodeoRunResult/IndividualDetail.aspx?rn=3665.

Away to the Hills

I had a tremendous 17k ride today - the first endurance ride of the season. It went very well with an entry of nearly 50 riders and the route was over Kirkhill Forest, which is also a mountain bike and walking route. It was extremely busy today and quite a few narrow squeaks between horses and bikes!!

The photo is not from today but from a long distance ride done a couple of years ago when 2 friends and I did a 5 day ride ending up at Mar Lodge in Deeside. This was taken after the long climb up from Glen Mark and on the way over to Mount Keen.

We are looking forward to seeing Mar Lodge again this November as Laura and Chris have chosen it as their wedding venue!

I'm very keen to see a few more photos and posts from folk so get posting everyone!!

Eric the Pirate?

Eric takes to the high seas like the salty sea dog he is.

The Girls

Hi All

Zoe, Kes and our rather elderly cat Cassie wanted to get their photo on the Henderblog. Here they are posing in front of our recently revamped house this morning - note the beautiful blue sky! We were battered with rain and galeforce winds last night, but this morning was lovely.

Great to see all the lovely photos appearing on the blog. Kate - Lovely photo of Daisy with her handsome cousins Tom and Cameron.

Neil, Laura and Emma's cousin Julie, who lives in Australia is expecting her second daughter this week. Julie is my brother Eric's daughter and he also lives in Australia near Brisbane. She already has a lovely wee girl called Jorja. Will keep you posted.

Carol

Who is Neil Henderson?

Ok, since my first post was about really about Emma and not me I guess it is time to put up something proper. I thought I would start the with some things about myself as I'm not sure everyone out there in Henderland knows who I am. Right so I am Neil, son of Bill and Carol brother of Emma and Laura, I am 26 so that makes me the youngest in the family but If there is ever and argument I will always walk away the bigger man.

I live and work in Aberdeen, actually I live and work in the same building as my boss has no office right now. I work as a graphic designer for a company called TryBlue Media, although I think the name is changing soon, so If you have any suggestions for a good name let me know. Just about to start work on a in-flight magazine for a small airline up here called City Star Airlines which I think will be a lot of fun, better than all the boring oil related work I tend to do.

I started an online magazine a while ago called Autopilot Magazine (nothing to do with planes) which is aimed at showcasing various artists and doodlers that I know, here is the link.

I look forward to hearing more from everyone in the future and If you have any more email address of Henderson's or Henderson relations please send them on to me at neil@tryblue.co.uk and I can add them on as authors for this blog.

Right well since it is a lovely day up here i'm off to go cycle round Aberdeen.

Cheers

Neil

4 more sleeps!

Thought I'd better keep up with the Jones's (Hendersons?) and post my first blog to share with you my excitement about going on holiday this Friday. Chris and I (plus 7 friends) are off to France for a week to go snowboarding. There has even been a fair bit of snow recently! We are looking forward to a week of no work and no domestic duties in our catered chalet. Apparently we will even be provided with wine with our evening meal. Although with 9 wine guzzlers to feed, I'm not sure that will stretch very far!



Chris has been busy recently gutting the bathroom - he calls it the rustic, minimalistic look! He has been getting on ok and we now have a new bath and toilet. Hopefully not too much longer of cleaning my teeth in the kitchen sink and flushing the loo with a bucket!



Anyway, this blogging lark seems pretty good - especially now mum has talked me through how to log on! Notice how I've tried to rival Elaine's stunning photo with a picture and me and Chris in front of the Matterhorn (taken on our holidays last year). I'm not looking too glam but it was a fair hike up there!

Looking forward reading more blogs from the Hendersons.

Laura

Jahmel

I hope this works. Thought I would upload an image of Jahmel -my Arabian gelding. He is a real sweetie and enjoys loafing around and doing the odd bit of dressage when mum wants to show off! We went for a 10 mile ride up Pitfichie hill on Sunday and I nearly died of hypothermia! I underestimated the weather and the windchill factor. We stopped off for a hot chocolate at Monymusk Walled Garden where they do lunches, coffee etc.

Next Sunday is the start of Grampian Endurance Riding Club Season. We start with a short ride of 15 miles over Tyrebagger Hill. Only hope the weather is a bit kinder than today. It is windy, cold and threatening rain.

Lovely photos and posts everyone - keep up the good work.

Novice Hendo

Hi Hendos!

This is my first ever blog contribution, slightly nervous it may all go wrong. Very nice to hear all your news though and Emma, I had to laugh at your eclipse photo - brought back a few drunken memories of my Saturday night. Vaguely recall trying to look for the moon, but not sure if I was incapable or if it was actually quite cloudy. That's what you get for having too many drinks in the gay bar (but shhhhhh....don't tell Dad, he'll think I'm a lesbian again!)

Anyway, glad everyone is well (or at least on the road to recovery if not). I had a brilliant time in Aussieland and various stops en route - photos are on http://www.flickr.com/photos/hendoblog/ if anyone is interested. There are loads though so be warned!

Most amused by your interest in my love-life, I suppose that's what comes with being the only single Henderson left in the whole family. Well, above the age of consent that is. Mind you, at this rate Daisy is going to be married off soon enough too. First tooth, first wave, first munro closely followed by first boyfriend haha! Anyway, to satisfy your curiousity am still seeing belfast boy although after his excitement over visit to aforementioned gay bar at the weekend am beginning to have doubts about our future. Going to a manly rugby match on Saturday, so will see if he can redeem himself.

Hey, are any Hendersons going to Arran this year? Was going to try and book a week in Blackwaterfoot at some point in the summer and would be great if it overlapped with other Hendos. I always seem to arrive the day after everyone has gone home. Not taking it personally....honest! Anyway, am thinking of setting myself the challenge of cycling round the island and climbing up goatfell in one day. I reckon it can be done if I drag myself out of bed early enough, but might need to put in a few sessions at the gym. Does anyone else fancy giving it a go?

How does one sign off on these things? What is the blogger etiquette?

Hmmm....ok "Lots of love, Elaine" it is!

eclipse

Us last night pointing at the space where the moon should of been before deciding it was far to cold and scampering back to the pub. Michael's pulling a silly face on the far left and I'm the one next to him with the big feet.

images

Kate - what a gorgeous and robust looking brood - bet you have loads of spare time in the day . . . .

you'll have to tell me the trick of uploading images - either I haven't explored the options or am just showing my 44 years.

OK Elaine - we are waiting for news. . . . (no pressure of course)

Miranda xxxxx to all

Hello Hendersons

Hello Hendersons. Lovely to see such a flurry of postings on the Henderblog and great to hear all your news.

Life here in Edinburgh is non stop at the moment and wee Daisy is keeping us occupied by reaching all her developmental milestones at once. Shes eight months old and has discovered crawling, waving, standing and has sprouted a couple of teeth all in the last week. Not so keen on sleeping and eating...

We had a very nice weekend in Arran last month with Jane and the boys - the next generation of cousins all seem to get on very well and I'm sure they will be sneaking off to the pub together before long. Rob is already planning Daisy's first Munro for the summer although the serial Munro 'bagger' in the family tells me it doesn't count if you get carried up!

I'm just trying to make the most of my last month of maternity leave before going back to work next month - not sure if I can cope with life in the real world again!

Hope to hear more from you all soon and we are all eagerly awaiting an update from Elaine on the man situation!

Kate x

Crunchy Day

Hello all and for those of you old enough to remember, Friday is 'Crunchy Day' - the end of the week when you can hit a crunchy bar without fear, distress or reprisal.

Suffolk is singing. Full of daffodils and canoodling robins and work work work. Have one mother wobbling around on two sticks up and down stairs and wondering whether I should erect some type of temporary safety net. Shortly to receive elder son (Rory) with pulled knee ligaments and knee the size of a grapefruit for weekend - not ideal timing - he has a scholarship assessment on Sunday for Oundle, part of which is two hours' sports assessment. Hum

We have just finished a packaging assignment which is to appear in Fortnum & Mason (that's the Queen's London grocer for those northernmost Hendersons)! It is the first truly organic flour produced in the UK (ie not any part imported from Canada) and is called Alice & John's Flour . There are four variaties, including a herb flour and a seeded flour (all herbs and seeds UK organic too!) - maybe cousin Bill will want to work his way through some when he next gets fed up with chewing cud? Do buy some - will roll out nationwide during the course of 2007.

Younger son Angus is turning into budding poet - will persuade him to add some of his latest creations to the blog. Has also written a book called 'Ready, Aim, Fire' which is all about shooting. Feel it is a development from his Zen stage when he only sat cross legged, convinced he was Buddha's reincarnation. He is 11 next week.

Better stop rambling. Neil I think this is fantastic that you are spearheading the Henderblog. Love to you all. What is everyone's news? Emma how is the design world? Elaine what is the man situation? How is Kate getting on with Daisy? Jane how is all? And having conquered the bulk of the Munro's, is Dad now planning to join Mr Fiennes up the Eiger face?

Miranda XX

HELLLOOOOOOO

Hello everybody up there - How are you all? Hope all fit and healthy and smiling....we have just seen the sunshine - its terribly exciting we have had nothing but rain rain rain. However on we wade!! no risk of hosepipe bans now (surely) Mum Henderson been a bit dodgy just recently so Miranda and I winging up various trunk roads to visit her in Addenbrokes - she is coming out today and recuperating with Miranda (she may need some recuperation shortly!!) David and I hoping to maintain our walking fitness by doing a spot in the Peaks in May - When are you abseiling John and doing your dare devil stunts in Skye - should we come and watch??? Any marathons in the creation Bill? we will have to try and conquer at least one munro before too long - what an accomplishment that would be for us southerners!!! Our elsdest Christopher off to Buenos Aires in August for 5 months so if there are Henderson contacts out that way please let me know - also he would like any info on shipbroking if anybody has any?? Otherwise all well with rest of family. I am doing the odd bit of running although when in my running gear (if you can call it that) Charlotte tells me it is best if I don't get out of the car when dropping her off for school for fear of embarrassment!!! I am not in the least embarrassed!!!!!!
Bye for now and hope to see you all again soon. Vicki xx

Spring?

It's a lovely day here in Leschangie. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the daffodils are almost in bloom. The snowdrops and crocuses certainly are in bloom and are looking splendid. The horses have their winter rugs off for the day, although the forecast is for rain and possibly frost tonight so rugs back on again in an hour or so.

Bill has just returned from Houston where he has been for the last 12 days.

Look out for a total lunar eclipse tomorrow evening (Saturday 3rd March) at approx 9.30pm. Hope the skies are clear for it - we are invited to a lunar eclipse party in the village!

Carol

P.S. come on all you Hendersons - get posting!

Happy new year everyone, I hope you all have a fantastic 2007.
It would be great to hear what everyone has planned for the year ahead, or let us know how your Christmas was.
I'm already looking forward to the wedding of the year in November, I hope Laura and Chris will allow the henderblog exclusive coverage of the event.
much love, emma