LIAM IS BACK - me again

HI ONE AND ALL, Well back in circulation and best of all LIAM is back from his holiday visiting Ouma & OUPA Retief in South Africa, so we will be posting a few photo's or videos of him soon. Or if you want to beat the system and Billy then go to Leon & Elizma's blog - click here- there you will see plenty

watch this space

Snowing 28th Oct @ 22h30

Yip, just had an Eskimo Pie ice cream and went outside at 22H30 - its snowing, I skype Leon and tell him, suspiciously he replies REALLY!, he looks outside and skypes me back "WOW" he says, its all white outside. Well the last time it snowed here was 6th April 2008, at the end of last winter, now it snows at the beginning of winter, brrrrrrrrrrrrrr its going to be a cold one.

who knows - A WHITE CHRISTMAS ??????????

When we woke up this morning everything was " as white as snow" but freezing cold, then at around 11am after the clear skies and sun shinning, i wondered outside to video the wonderful Autumn garden with the left-over snow on the plants, was a beautiful site to see in the bright sunshine.

The BBC has a website where you can send in a news item, they check it out and if ok and good they use it. Well my video above was on the 8 O'clock BBC World news, so that makes me a famous celebrity and YOU KNOW ME, isn't that great.

TOUR DE FRANCE - OCTOBER 2008

A Holiday in the Countryside of Northern France, near a small village called Willencourt.

Up at 4am 11th October 2008 and travelled from Woking to Dover, just under 2 hours to catch the ferry over to Calais in France. Tania was joining us just for the week-end and Leon-Elizma & Liam joined us from Saturday -Tuesday. We all met at Dover in the car park, Tania parked her car and went on the ferry by foot, Leon & I drove our cars on. Wow, what a size of a ferry, then the amazing view of the White cliffs as we pulled out of the docks into the English Channel, ( a better view of the cliffs is on our way back).

Bonjour - Bonsoir - Merci (beaucoup)

Ferry from Dover to Calais - France

Then arriving at Calais, the fun/holiday gets off to a big bang, Driving on the wrong side of the road. I must say, this time I was in our own car and the only thing to adapt to was the wrong side of the road, last time we were in Italy and we hired a car. Everything is on the wrong side, the steering wheel, the rear view mirror, the gear lever, the hand break, the indicator switch and even the wife was on the wrong side. This time I was much more comfortable and relaxed and adapted very quickly. Off we went, first stop a Supermarket to get some supplies and then onto the motorway and small country roads to the cottage - about an hour and a half away. Arriving there we were greeted by this quaint little wooden cottage. A nice bowl of fresh flowers on the table and a cold bottle of French wine in the fridge (yummy).

ARRIVE AT COTTAGE

We arrive at the cottage in the French Countryside, pack out the baggage and get off to a cracking start with a Braai .( barbeque) . We sit around with a good bottle of wine, a wide variety of cheese & biscuits and talk the evening away. The next day (Sunday 12th Oct) we are off to ARRAS a town about an hour away, Mr White ( the village caretaker, what a nice guy) told us about an Annual market that takes place and it is worth a visit, they close the town square down for this. We arrive but NO MARKET - wrong date, we walk around and then find a smashing sea-food restaurant for lunch - MUSSELS and SNAILS a speciality. We all tuck in and enjoy it immensely, then sadly Tania must bid her farewells and I take her back to Calais to catch the ferry as she must work on Monday morning. "Au revoir" Tania and Bon Voyage.

SUNDAY LUNCH in "ARRAS"

Then Monday off we went to a sea-side holiday resort " Le Touquet" a very picturesque town with plenty of pretty boutiques, not to mention the 1000's of restaurants and cafe's. the most important being " CREPES " yip Ria had a field day with this. Although the weather was not on our side we all enjoyed the outing. A high-lite of the trip was OUPA playing with Liam on the back seat, for the one hour trip. While Mom and Dad upfront were moaning and groaning the he must go to sleep. Oupa & Liam won that round SIX-LOVE.

Walk around Le Touquet and of course eat "Crepes"

in the video there is a picture I got from Carol of a "Rainbow on fire" - amazing

Leon & Elizma left on Tuesday lunchtime and sadly taking Liam with them. Now we were on our own and Billy got down to some serious cooking, the video says it all.

YUMMY YUMMY - ESCARGOT _ SNAILS

to come

at the cottage

travelling around the French countryside

eating French "Crepes" , "Mussels" and "Escargot snails" mmmmmmmm ,with some more wine

back to Dover on the ferry

Baby sitting the BIG FELLA

On Wednesday 1/10/2008 it was Elizma's Birthday so to enable Leon to spoil her and eat-out, so we did some baby sitting, Now I have always wanted to to this for a very-very long time and the expectations were overwhelming and exciting to say the least.

WHAT A LET DOWN - WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT

Elizma and Leon are to organised to be "a new Mom & Dad", the little bugger was all bathed, wrapped up and fast asleep when we got there, one last check by Elizma in his room where he lay fast asleep in his cot, and off they went for a night out.

The little bugger did not make a sound NOT A PEEP, we just sat and watched TV, with ears pierced- we listened for that inevitable expected cry - or even a whimper - but NOTHING, when they got back at about 11h30, he did not even move then.

Off we went home, miserable OUMA & OUPA, tails between our legs and disappointed that baby-sitting this guy is a waste of time, could have stayed home and watched TV for what it was worth.

WOW - WHAT A PRIVILEGE THIS IS -

TO BABYSIT YOUR GRANDCHILD - WOW

Below is a collage of photo's, "LIAM @ 4 Months old", to view them in all their glory just

click here to jump over to Leon & Elizma's Blog - amazing and beautiful.

Oh by the way HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIAM'S MOMMY-ELIZMA

click here to go to LeoLizma's Blog

LIAM COMES TO VISIT OUMA AND OUPA

WELL, THE VIDEO SAYS IT ALL

AND THEN OF COURSE - THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE

Billy in the garden after a long hard week-end

Now that was, as they say A Task & A Half, lifting all the 450 x 450 concrete slabs, lifting the base concrete, and wheel-barrowing it away. Then I cut the shape of the front path with an angle grinder with dust everywhere. Levelled off the ground and put in 30 x 25l bags of topsoil, planted the lawn seed and gave it water & fertilizer.

Tania arrived for a vist, she light the barbecue fire and cooked the meat. All washed up, we sat down to a good glass of wine, cracker of a braai with salads and finished of with home made waffles-syrup and cream. All in between watching the Monza F1 GP. Ria is glad the week-end has come and gone, as I was just full of mud and dust and kept on calling for coffee and coke to drink, she had no peace all day long.

It was an amazing week-end of fantastic weather-lots of sun shine and even caught a bit of a tan.

Just happened this way while I was in the garden, two planes flew bye in the sky ( now here else would they fly bye??). Here in the UK with the cold air at high altitude, all the planes leave a white tail trail and these two made a cross in the heavens and sentimental me had to take a photo and say

Now that cross is a symbol of the 8cowles family love for one another.

Ria takes a shower

England has a strange water supply system, but Leon spent some time with me to explain it. The street water mains do not have a lot of pressure in them, due to the fact that the infrastructure was installed hundreds of years ago, so each house has a water tank in the ceiling, and this fills up just like a cistern of your toilet, when you use water the ball valve opens and fills the tank again. So you have no real pressure only a gravity feed from your tank in the ceiling. There are modern ways of improving this system at a great cost, so we will leave this one to another date. But what I did was install an approved dual hot/cold water pressure pump after the tank. not allowed on the mains supply before the tank. The result is Fantastic pressure in the shower and water flows much better and faster at the taps aswell installation complete and the pump is in.
so now the pressure is 2 Bar throughout the house , up from a 1/2 bar.

.

Pity Ria had the curtains closed when she was showering or you could have seen the water flow pressure.

Ria goes to a French Market in Woking

Last Saturday and Sunday we had a continental market in our Village Mall, during the year there are different themes and cultures, this week-end was FRENCH, we ate a Crepe with sugar on while we browsed through the picturesque stalls, very colourful and Oh so appetising.

WOW, so many varieties of Olives to choose from
Not to mention the SWEETIES, Ria said she has never seen so many sweets in one place and al so tempting, she had to buy some



Armed with her bag of nummies of we go home - broke

Liam kom kuir by OUMA

I am just checking if Mom and dad are not to far away

Ria with her pride and joy in her arms

Pictures of Liam August 2008 summary

Well here are some outstanding pictures of Liam, not to duplicate I have put a link to Leon & Elizma's blog so just click here and let Google do the rest of the magic.

THE CLEAN UP BEGINS

The move has been completed and the interior with the furniture is now 80% in place and we can find our bed at night. So now starts the garden work.

Lifting the paving blocks and removing the weeds, as the place stood empty for almost a year without any TLC. Now it's going to get it in an overdose.

Cleaned up, weeds gone and ready for a long cold one and a braai

We have moved in

18 TRESTA WALK - HORSELL - WOKING
Yip we got the keys and moved in. Starting Saturday morning 9am, Leon and I picked up a hired van and the party started.
Ria and Tania were loading the little boxes in the cars, while Leon and I did the big stuff ( two young strong lads)
While we were all busy between the two houses, Elizma was cooking up the "PAD-KOS" someone had to do the dirty work, Liam was to occupied to help us as he was watching mom make the lunch.

So after a week of moving, re-arranging and re-arranging we are all settled, and today 1 week on I started on the garden. The previous owners were elderly and they had the whole place paved with concrete blocks 400 x 400 bedded in brick motar, so I have quite a task ahead of me.

Ria has gone about the decorating, picture hanging and getting the heart of the house organised and stocked - her kitchen.

One of our new neighbors knocked on the door Wednesday night and gave us a welcome card and a nice cold bottle of welcome wine.

What a nice surprise

The sellers Tom & Judy on behalf of their Mom ( who passed away 1 year ago) sent us this card in the post.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIA

RIA's Birthday 15/08/2008

It just so happened that the transfer of our new house and the hand-over of the keys happened on the same day, so what better birthday present could she get.

HER OWN HOUSE IN THE UK

It's a dogs life - MURPHY

This was a day out, for MURPHY, yip believe it or not. Tania's little sausage Dachshund dog took the three of us to a DOGGY SHOW. The WAG & BONE SHOW in the gardens of the WINDSOR GREAT PARK. It is an annual affair and attracts Dogs from all over that bring their owners out for the day. There was every conceivable dog there from a wet rat breed to massive great Danes. Stalls, exhibitors, sales, demo's, shows, dog tricks, races etc etc.

We had a great day out and MURPHY got his MICRO CHIP implant, now he cant get lost.

MURPHY'S DAY OUT

"WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE TANIA'S DOG OR BE IT RE-INCARNATION"

its me again @ 10 weeks old

Now apart from his Grandfather where would you find or see a more happier face than this. The little fella is growing by the minute. He swings in arms around in excitement & desperation as his little brain tries to get words out his mouth, if you don't watch out he will knock your head off.

NOW LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT, AND CHECK WITH MOM & DAD, BEFORE I COMMIT MYSELF TO AN ANSWER

LIVERPOOL - a walk down memory lane

MY FATHERS DAY GIFT FROM TANIA HAS ARRIVED.

We are off to Liverpool to go on the BEATLES TOUR on 27-28 JULY 2008

Now I have been and seen Liverpool - The Home of the BEATLES something I have wanted to do since I was 16 years old...........................................

We arrive around lunch time Saturday, after leaving home at 7am. The start of A MAGICAL TOUR. this video is the arrival and walk-about the new Waterfront at the docks- amazing CITY OF LIVERPOOL at 2:30 we get on the tour bus and the fun starts.

The tour on the BUS, and We walk down Penny lane, visit all the houses of the birth places of John, Paul, George & Ringo. We wander around Strawberry Fields, spend a Penny on the corner of Penny Lane. Back in The center of Liverpool, off we go to the original club and pub in Mathew Street. We walk around gasping at the 1960's, have a pint in the pub, and look at all the places where the Beatles have been, and seen it it all we have -Together, Now it goes back to where it belongs "Yesterday". Off we go to supper at the Docks Water Front and then get ready for the drive through to "ANFIELD" the football home of LIVERPOOL.

Yip this place just echoes out with YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE and then the sun sets on a wonderfull week-end, built of so many dreams and memories.

THANKS "MY MADAMPIE" - LUV JA LOTS

Cant buy me love, down penny lane, in strawberry fields forever. YEAH-YEAY-YEAH..... get back, get back, get back to where you belong and I send ALL MY LOVING - FROM ME TO YOU...... Dedicated to " MY MADAMPIE " you will never walk alone "

CREDITS -: background music to all my video's purchased on-line from ITUNES and from my own personal collection

Like Father - like Son

The APPLE does not fall far from the TREE, take a peak and see what I mean.

7 WEEKS OLD 20/7/2008 - Its ME AGAIN

Yip can you believe it, little Liam 7 weeks old already, I am sure and have told Leon & Elizma, where do they go - To trade him in for a bigger one every day. The answer I get is " Love and mothers milk" Here is a peak as to how he has grown from day 1 to day 49, special day because Oupa Billy was born in '49. so that makes us birthday pals. Sounds good to me anyway- Think what you like. Ouma Ria just can not stop looking at the Video on Leon & Elizma's Blog (click here) of him smiling from ear to ear.

LIAM - 7 weeks old TODAY- 20th JULY 2008

A CASE FOR "SHIRLOCK HOLMES"

Ria and I popped over to Tania's place in Reading about 40minutes away, she wanted Dad to build her some picture frames for the posters that she had just bought. On arrival, we did some measuring and went around to the local hard-ware shop " HOME BASE" an d bought the required Wood, glue screws and a mitre box. Back at her place it was cutting and fitting and then assembling. when all was "done and dusted" we then opened the beer and settled ourselves into a lovely summer afternoons braai. Tania made the most fabulous salad that Ihave ever had at a braai, this is a trade secret so don't even ask for the recipe.

A practice run - Have'nt lost my touch in 34 years

Well, the last time I did this was with Tania 29years ago and with Leon 34years ago, This was a dry run under the watchful eyes of Leon & Elizma. The big question is, Has the "OUTOPPIE" lost his touch???? The proof of the pudding is in the bottle and the look on his face,,,,,,,,,, If I must say so myself I passed the test "cum-laude"...... Now I have my licence to BABY SIT. Wow, can't wait for the night that MOM & DAD want to go out to paint the town red. Then its ME - RIA and the little fella. Maybe I should buy them tickets for GONE WITH THE WIND, that was a very long movie, then treat them to a supper somewhere.........................................

CATCH YOU LATER, HE HAS JUST WOKEN UP AND TIME FOR HIS NEXT BOTTLE
also to avoid duplication, for the latest updates on little LIAM you can click here to go to Leon & Elizma's blog, they have a whole lot more...................

DIT is 'n ROTS waar op ONS HUISIE STAAN

Many things happen along the way in our lives, and unfortunately a lot of them we take for granted, but when we look back and really think about these things we realize that they are meant to be and they are some form of DESTINY in one way or another. Just over a year ago we made that all important decision to move, and move we did. To the UK. Now many things have happen in our lives, as the old wedding vow goes " FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE" & " FOR RICHER OR FOR POORER" well what could be BETTER or what could be RICHER than what we have got now. It is almost impossible to put it into words. There is also the Worse and POORER, Your age counts against you and according to the powers that be in a new country this age is documented as just over 1 year old, with no history and no credit rating, no matter what you have done or achieved in your past life. Now comes the SECOND most wonderful thing that has happened since arriving in the UK is that we have bought a new house, I am not even going to mention what the FIRST most fantastic thing is, YOU GUESS. Now back to the richer/poorer/better/worse. There is a hidden factor in these wise words and that is our three wonderful children, the support and motivation - LOVE and dedication can not be described. Tania in her special ways has been an inspiration, Leon and Elizma have far exceeded expectations and the way they have helped with this major decision ..... now lost for words............. Never mind we have signed up for a mortgage, and that "WE" is a team of the kids and us. Now we set about on a new venture in our lives and if all goes well we move into our NEW HOUSE at the end of AUGUST. This is when the RICHER and the BETTER shine through when one looks back over your shoulder and you see your kids in the background....... WONDERFUL to be a Mom & Dad and then of course there is that FIRST MOST WONDERFUL THING and that's "LIAM". He is going to spend many a happy hour or two and of course that baby sitting over night and long week-ends for a LEOLIZMA getaway. Join us in the celebration of our NEW HOUSE. Listen to the words of the back round music and mentally change the words of Sea, wind, ocean & waves to Leon-Elizma & Tania, and the ROTS to LIAM.


music from "FORTUKSIMO- CD" 4 students from TUKKIES - Pretoria University SA

WHO SAID " YOU CAN'T WIN THEM ALL" I DID

To win them all is no secret, but just in-case any of you have forgotten how, here is a quick reminder. All you need to do, is to look at your kids and then you can say with PRIDE - "I HAVE WON THEM ALL" When we look and see what our kids have achieved and what joy they bring back to us, for all our moans and groans when they were growing up and the time we had to use TUV-LOVE.

Today I realized once again how proud it is to be a DAD. Not withstanding the fact that we now have little Liam in our midst but we also have a New FATHER who celebrated his first fathers day today with Elizma in the background for the day

Then there is Madampie - alias Tania, who helped me celebrate a fantastic Fathers day. This card had a wonderful message of devoted and endless love and to end it all, also had a written present that was in the inner side of the card.it states ------ Join me for an overnight road trip on Saturday 26th July 2008. Pack comfortable clothes. We leave your house at 7am sharp. Its a FATHER-DAUGHTER BONDING SESSION.

After I opened and read the card, she gave me a few guesses what its all about _ I was miles and miles away, down some LONG AND WINDING ROAD from the event, she then let the cat out the bag. We are driving upto to LIVERPOOL, staying in a hotel and going on the Life of THE BEATLES TOUR. well with all the songs that come to mind I must mention a few... Cant buy me love and Love me do, so please please me. YEAH YEAH YEAH -- GET BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG and I wanna hold your HAND. etc etc etc.

Ria must stay behind at home and baby-sit Tania's doggy for the week-end, so she is making a major impact on the success of the TOUR and adding VALUE to the BONDING of "OU GROOTE & MADAMPIE"

Now if that wasn't enough, I got the card from Leon & Elizma with a loving memorable little message from both of them and a ...YES! A PACKET OF SMASHING BILTONG.

That made the OUTOPPIE'S DAY and once again made my shoulders that little much broader to be able to say, That's my 3 kids we are talking about + Liam + Ria.

THE WILLIAM DANIEL HALL OF FAME

WILLIAM JOHN COWLE, born in Gateshead-Newcastle Upon Tyne in the north east of England on the 26th July 1917.

Then along came junior, William John Cowle, born in Germiston -South Africa on the 23rd September 1949.

Adding to this, Daddy Leon William Cowle was also born in Germiston - South Africa on the 22nd June 1974

and then to round the whole thing off, William Daniel Cowle "Liam" was born in Woking- Surrey, England on the 1st June 2008

from England to Africa and back again to England

it's ME AGAIN - here are my BIRTHDAY PICTURES

just click here and see me with my Mommy and Daddy

Oupa Billy will be putting a whole story together toninght if he does not have to much CHAMPAGNE

Cheers and talk to you later

LIAM COWLE

LIAM - William Daniel Cowle - its me again!

Let it be known to the world that the registration of the birth of the first born, a son, of Leon and Elizma will be taking place. The witnesses to this historic occasion will be the proud Grand-Parents - Billy & Ria. Now, if my calculations are correct and the XL spread sheet of the whole families birthdays are correct, with some minor mathematics and we add up all the living family members, from Molly through to Kevin with all their partners, kids and grand kids - LIAM is NUMBER 50.

LIAM made his appearance at around 02h10 on the 1st of June 2008

Leon-Elizma-and the bundle of joy-Liam

MaRia and PaBilly are so proud of you

WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW

It's "A DOGS LIFE"

I just had to share this with you all. Tania is away on work business and we had to DOG-SIT her little dog "MURPHY. it is 11pm and I want to goto sleep, BUT, the dog is in my bed. I call Ria who is still up to come and fetch him and put him in his bed - not mine............ the video says it all.

Cream Tea 25/05/2008

While Billy and Leon were watching the F1 Grand Prix @ Manaco on Tv, Elizma and Ria were discussing their body masses in kgs, the GP was more interesting, but the side line comments lead us to the decision that CREAM TEA of clotted cream, strawberry jam and freshly baked scones would make the day worth while. So off we went when the race finished to Saville Gardens about an 1/2hr away. As soon as we were settled in at the table, Ria was stupid enough to be the camera man and the three of us got stuck in.......................

if you snooze you loose...........................

and as a reminder......... the due date is 26th May 2008 ..... thats tomorrow

OFF TO ITALY - SARDINIA ISLAND

LEON picks us up at 4am Saturday morning and off we go to LUTON airport just outside London, book in and the flight takes off at 07h30 and we landed at 11h30 on the island city of CAGLIARI. Then we drive on the wrong side of the road for just over an hour to the resort town TORRE DELLE STELLE, where we stayed for the 8 days. 3-10 May 2008
We drove approx 1320miles around the island visiting the most beautiful villages and ports, along winding-hairpin bendy roads through the mountains and sea front cliffs. We crossed the sea on a ferry to two beautiful Islands. click here for more maps of our travels.
More pictures and video to be loaded later in the week.

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

You can click here to see some of our photos or click here to see Tania's blog and photos

SURPRISE - THANKS FROM ELIZMA

Surprise! As you may know, Tania and Mom Ria threw me a surprise baby shower last Sunday. It was a wonderful day - I felt utterly spoilt! I just wanted to thank everyone who sent us a beautiful message wishing us the best with our little one. We really appreciate it. Dad Bill went through a lot of trouble to create wonderful cards which we will share with him/her when they're old enough to understand what family is all about...
SEE POST BELOW FOR THE MESSAGES or click HERE

IT'S ME AGAIN - MY MOMMY HAS A STORK PARTY

Yippie party time, and guese who gets all the presents, hey this can only get better! Tania, that's my Aunt, hey one of many, but today she was special for me. She organised a few of my Mom's closest friends around for a Stork Party, just another excuse for the ladies to break-away on OFFICIAL BUSINESS, forget the DIET and without all the Dads around.
Wow, WE, that's Mom and Me got some lovely gifts and there were some very SPECIAL messages from Loved-ones, family and friends very close to MOM'S HEART and she missed them very much today,
I could tell deep down from within herself- Thanks for all those lovely thoughts and prayers from each one of you.
Here are just a few, if I publish every one then the blog would overflow or something like that, anyhow.

But I know Mom put them all away to show me them one day. Hey, just to remind you all, ETA for me is in 5 weeks, so get ready.