December ..rain and other things

Most of the month of December has been very rainy...heavy rain. The latest roofer to look at our leak on the flat roof says the roof is rotten...not what you want to hear for the new year. We will have to try stop the leak with sealant and save to do a bigger job when we are both working full time in a few years time.

Grandad and Axel reading together.

Juno eatting a yoghurt herself, nearly walking now...

Myself and Steffen got to go out to this great gig in hollywood followed by a very quick hot port in tuttys bar. It was a very special night, wonderful music and setting.

Granny feeding juno.

Thorben making a lego present he got from Tante Heike.

Elke colouring in.

The four guys playing with presents from heike on Christmas eve. We had a lovely Christmas,  my parents and sister rebecca stayed for 3 nights, we watched old episodes of Downton Abbey, played the concertina and ukulele, played with toys, planted 100 hedging plants in a lull in the rain, and sang carols. 

Roundhouse at Castletown House

We went away for 3 nights at the roundhouse in celebridge. It is a landmark trust house.

A wash out gathering in Avondale...

My dad and Uncle Tom in Avondale

The leaves were still a beautiful colour even in the rain.

The boys lying around in their pjs enjoying long breakfasts and star wars films...a much needed great October break.

The pair looking serious, they often sit like this together hugging each other. They are very close. 

Jonas playing the new piano...note juno in pink leggings crawling around in the back ground. 

All the scary faces Thorben knows! 

Gold dust...manure...polytunnel work, turning circle nearly finished

We got manure from friends, amasing quality,  dry with straw mixed with it.

View of polytunnel from door, we have manured and covered 4 beds so far.

The work completed at the front, our diggerman built up our bank near the road. We have never been able to put hedges in so now we will be able to. He also buried rotten wood piles we had down at the shed. 

At the back, the turning circle now in use though it still has to get stone on it. Note steep banks. Any suggestions about what to plant would be lovely as grass but too much maintenance.

Our large stones at the entrance way to the field. 

The space beside the garage for our caravan and tiny home shed project of next year.

New piano and new haircuts

Granny and Elke reading , new piano in the background

Granddad took the boys for 10 euro haircuts in dunlavin.

The boys dressed for last day of school. Captain america and a storm trooper

All the guys together

THe JOY of learning something new. ..concertina

Juno and me playing concertina in the photo. I took up the concertina in march, i have really enjoyed it. A great concertina teacher Rachel Conlon comes once a week for my lesson for 30minutes on a saturday.

Produce from the tunnel and my dad and his brothers..

We cleaned out and covered most of the beds in the polytunnel in preparation for getting some manure on them next weekend.

Peppers all from one plant

Apples all from one tree

TOM, MY DAD, SEAN

Aunty Becca staying for the weekend and the dinosaur outfit

A lovely outfit for the birthday boy from Aunty Marg and Uncle Andy

Birthday boy is three and work on our yard..

Playing outside

Axel speaking on the phone showerhead to his captain from his boat bath. Note caravan steps from my parents being used to get into the boat. 

Elke using the spade as an oar, Axel steering with the taps.

The orange net looks like their fishing net.

The two older boys hanging out on the rock, jonas is cutting grass with a scissors. The colours were autumnal this morning.

The gang lining up.

Juno in a sling under my arm

Table tennis on a Sunday afternoon

Once in a while we clear the kitchen table and play table tennis. This tournament lasted 2 hours, it was great fun. Jonas is getting much better. We are thinking of getting an outdoor second hand table , we might find one on done deal.

 Juno had a ring side seat. 

Majella and Axel clapping the players on.