Went down to Tim and Kim's house on Thursday night and played Rumikub. They were too good and trashed us.

We were off the following day and so we spent the night at Carl and Mavis' house and and stayed with them on Thursday night and all day Friday.

Friday morning broke bright and cold. I went into Donaghadee early and had a walk. Nice bright but cold morning. Came back and had breakfast.

Later we all went to Donaghaddee Garden Centre and had a look around and a coffee.

Then Carl and Lilian and I went for a walk around Portavoe. Lovely Autumn afternoon as we walked around the lake.

Carl having a walk in his front garden.

That evening Timmy came over and we played Dutch Blitz. Came home late and got to bed about 1.00am Lovely day off with good friends.

Eventually made some jam with some of the blackberries and elderberries we had picked on holiday. Got six or seven jars of jam out of it!


Had some hospital visits to do in Belfast on Thursday afternoon and so I took Lilian with me and we went into town between visits and had a cup of coffee in the Victoria Centre.
That was my first time there. Impressive views of the changing face of Belfast from the viewing gallery.











We had been invited out to Pearl and Archies' for a barbecue. They have a sort of Scandinavian "Barbecue House" in the garden and so we had a good night there with them and Joan and Geoff. Left about midnight as they had to catch the boat at 5.00am to Liverpool!

I was preaching in Ballycrochan Baptist in Bangor on Sunday and we went to Pearl and Archie's in Newtownards for lunch.
After lunch we sat out in the Autumn sunshine in the garden.
After church that evening we went back for supper and played on the Wii.

Well Done Olympus!
I bought a great wee digital camera in California last year. Waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, the works! Had it everywhere, in the sea on the beach in the pool. Hammered it around America, Canada, Albania and Macedonia on my Sabbatical and went surfing (body boarding actually!) with it in Portstewart during the summer. It went everywhere with me and I took, literally, thousands of pictures with it. I was back in Canada in June and suddenly it leaked in a kids paddling pool, (I was there with Caleb my grandson) in about 12 inches of water!
I managed to dry it out over three or four days and continued taking pictures with it, but I sent it back to Olympus last week before the guarantee ran out.

Got delivery of a brand new camera yesterday! The next model up, the 850SW! Boxed with all the gear! With this sort of service an old dyed-in-the-wool Canon man might be converted!

It arrived in time for Rick's 30th birthday party, hence the pictures.