Little Moreton Hall

On a Saturday afternoon (20th Aug 2011) we visited a National Trust property at Little Moreton Hall.
It was unusual as the the building was slanted.
The gardens were small, but lovely.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-littlemoretonhall/

The main entrance

Some very big gold fish

Inside the chapel

Adam and Ryan enjoying a Nat trust day!

An art form! So I was told.

A board game, Anna did very well.

Well worth a visit.

Not Travel, but I had to include it. The wedding of Peter and Rachel

                                                  Anna looking grade A

                                                The brothers

                                            Preston Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

13th Aug, the wedding!

Our Summer in Paignton , Devon 2011

                                                                 Our Caravan

The Island of Barra - 2010

July 2010 saw the family head off for Barra an Island on the West coast of Scotland.
The journey by ferry was long.
The Island was lovely, but getting off was not easy as the ferry broke down.
Our car also had a minor break down as we got on the ferry, but we were very fortunate that it only cost £20 to fix. However it did force us to sit in the lovely Scottish country side for several hours, waiting for the RAC!
So the holiday begins with visiting Anna's friend in Balnaclellan.
We then head off to visit Nardini's in Larg. It makes really lovely ice cream!

How is that for ice cream! Expensive though £6 each.

Nairn, Scotland

We are sailing!

On the right is the Ardmamurchan peninsula

Ryan doing without his computer games!

Adam happy?

Stephen Sinclair

Our caravan on the Island of Barra

Our first day on Barra was sunny and Stephen and Ryan just had to climb that hill

Ryan at the top

Me with a sense of acheivement

Anna by the WW2 plane wreck

Details of the plane wreck May 1944

Still preserved

As good as a beach in the West Indies, but a bit colder!

Fixing a bulb, dad and son time

The only airport where planes land on the beach

One of Anna's friends

We stayed at a hostel on the last night. We met some interesting people

Hostel kitchen

The sleeping quarters

Our ferry home

Our Family Holiday in France July 2008

We visited Northern France and lots of war graves.
This is a video only, which I placed on You tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbMYzeQg_EE

The archive continues - My visit to the West coast of Scotland 2008

As the caption on you tube states "The weather was fantastic and the scenery out of this world" Transport me there now!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adiWTh1h7-w&feature=related

My Graduation - Stephen Sinclair BA (Hons) History, Cert Hum 2008

I don't get to blow my own trumpet very often, so here I am blowing it....
Six years of hard work...
There will be those who throw out the line it's the Open University.
Well I have two things to say... 1) "You try it and see how easy it is"
2) Unless yours is from a red brick university mine is a good as yours.
And Neil since you are at a red brick Uni! Don't get carried away!
Humilty is every thing!!
Looking forward to putting Neil's and Peter's graduation on our blog, just three years to wait.
Included in the video of my graduation, Anna Sinclair, Peter Sinclair, Ryan and Adam Sinclair and several other graduates.

I graduate, no hat here OU rules...I don my own hat later!

My certificate of conferral BA (Hons) History 2:1

Below the link to my video of graduation.

It has over 4500 views, but still over taken (only just) by either Ryan or Adam showing their megatron on you tube

WARNING THIS YOU TUBE VIDEO CONTAINS IMAGES OF PETER, ANNA, RYAN AND ADAM SINCLAIR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8PtzGp4ELA

Stephen really IS a post graduate!

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/chester-celebrations/2008/01/25/stephen-really-is-a-post-graduate-59067-20391360/

Stephen really IS a post graduate!

Jan 25 2008 by Allison Dickinson, Chester Chronicle

A POSTMAN added letters to his name after studying for a degree with the Open University.
Stephen Sinclair, 47, has graduated with a BA (Hons) in History.
Stephen, who is married with four children, decided to study with the OU as he wasn’t able to study full-time and work at the same time.
He said: “I wanted a degree in a strong academic subject and I have thought about going into teaching.
“Because it is six years it gives you a lot of time to think what you want to do.
“But my biggest worry is that there are now so many people doing degrees that it dilutes them and makes them worth less.
And Stephen says that there is a fear of ageism among mature graduates.
He said: “Most graduate jobs are geared towards young graduates and pay less than my current wage – so to progress I have to be willing to take a pay cut.
“But I’m glad I did it. I can be proud of my achievements and tell my children that I have a degree, instead of saying I left school with only one O-level.
“The quality of Open University teaching is fantastic and it allows people without qualifications to do a degree – I would recommend it to anyone.”
Indeed, Stephen did recommend it – his wife Anna is currently studying a creative writing course with the OU which she could use as the basis for a degree if she wished.
Anna said: “Stephen has been suggesting I do this for a while and to be honest I was never interested.
“But then I saw the creative writing course and thought, ‘why not?’

Ryan with his cyber megagton and Adam with Optimus prime

Over 4800 views for Ryan, who was a few years younger!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfQwM3pzEeQ
And here is Adam...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNmTGeJ8f5w