Gemma Bowen is born in South Africa.

Elaine went to the Dr on Sat morning and has had flu this whole week. It has not been getting better so he suggested a caeser that same day (after Bert's funeral) so that they could then treat her effectively.

The baby was big enough and in no danager (2 days earlier than planned)

Gemma is currently in neonatal ICU (about 3 times bigger than any of the others in there) as she has a lowish blood sugar (in the normal range but low). The paediatrician says she may hve a sudden drop in glucose levels within 48 hours as she is a big baby. They have here on a glucose drip and are monitoring glucose levels.

Elaine is okey - just sore.

Gemma is so cute - very nice and cuddley, not fragile at all.

Grandpa Bert 1812-2007

We'll miss him. A great husband to Gran and an important part of our family.

Gran, we love you and pray for your comfort and peace.

Harry Potter Ruins Family

Not content with destroying the hopes and dreams of a previously disadvantaged wizard from a troubled background, Harry Potter managed to ruin what was otherwise a fairly good weekend.

It all started with a 300 person queue in the local shopping mall at midnight on Friday.

After a brief but sharp marital spat Gillian declared herself winner and settled into bed for the long haul. Sustained only by bowls of fresh popcorn she read for hours, dozing occasionally with the book in a death grip in her right hand.

Just before midnight on Saturday evening - she having hogged the best seller for most of this time, letting out occasional exclamations of delight - she finally succumbed to sleep and I was able to remove the book using a crowbar and a lot of dishwashing liquid.

I knew I had to act fast. She could wake at any time and reclaim it using nothing but her feminine charms and steely glint. I read like a man possessed and just as I was enjoying the closing pages I noticed that the sky outside was light and the sun had risen.

Cheers

Pete

Bonfire's Burning

The locals take their braais fairly seriously.

Every year on the 12th of July the Protestants build huge fires and burn Catholics (well, perhaps this year they won't burn any as peace is supposed to have broken out).

This one is outside a local housing estate called Kilcooley. I think that's derived from some ancient settlement rather than from a bias against Indians.

Speaking of braais our neighbours gave Cheryn a rabbit. It's amazingly soft but quite frightened as it had a fairly rough upbringing being dumped in an alley in a cage during a storm.

After a few almost all nighters I launched my new online business this week. It was exciting to wake up in the morning and find that people had bought while I was asleep. You're welcome to take a look at http://www.NoMore247.com and tell me what you think.

Gillian finally got tired of me borrowing her car and bought me a Kia Rio. I wanted a boy-racer car or perhaps a Porche for my mid life crisis and instead I got a purple hearse. I'm saving fuel because I'm embarrassed to be seen driving it.

Cheers

Pete

Good to be home

I have just spent ten days in England looking after Roxanne and Vincent Baxter (my sister Angela's children) while they were away in the USA on a holiday. She lives in a very forested area of Surrey and I was treated to seeing squirrels and foxes in her garden. She also has a huge swing in the back garden and I spent a few hours swinging on it and admiring the view. It was also boring at times though because there is not much to do in someone else's house while the children are at school. I missed the children quite a lot this time (as I have been away from them before) and was glad to get back to them. I think the highlight of my trip there was the Lavender field, we were driving down the road and all of a sudden there was this bright purple field, and I didn't know what it was. We stopped and ran through the fields and just enjoyed the lavender assault on the nose. School is over now for the Summer and I am looking forward to sleeping in some more.

Gillian.

Dear Gran,

Who would have thought that at 36 I'd be a broken old man? We helped Donovan and his family move house and in the land of minimum wage and social benefits you can't just drive down to the station and pick up 10 strong black guys to carry your stuff while you shout orders from a deck chair under a shady tree.

We were the labour! It was hard! And because the internal walls are made of plasterboard instead of brick you've got to be careful least you bump anything!

I had my first sale on my internet business this week - it is really exciting to be able to be a one-man multinational. My team spans the globe - Cape Town, Russia, India, Norway and the United States. Things that were only dreams a few years ago are now possible and even ordinary.

Cheers

Pete