A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
September Walk and Wedding – 24th September 2011
With today being the final Saturday in September and with sunny weather to boot, it was high time that we completed the latest in our monthly walks to Cookham Dean and back.
Accordingly, I headed over to Cookham with Rebekah on a sunny but slightly chilly autumnal morning to complete the trek.
Blackberries
Dew on the grass
Rebekah
Looking over towards Maidenhead
Following a pheasant
Looking down the path
Looking over the fields
More blackberries
Apples!
Rebekah taking another shot
A young foal
Sedums in flower in the September sunshine
Acorns
Rebekah in Cookham Dean churchyard
A budding rose
Cosmos in the churchyard
A bountiful apple harvest
Looking down to the cricket pitch
Rebekah
Rebekah heading off down the path
After the walk, Rebekah and I popped in to Mum’s house and enjoyed a coffee sitting outside in the warm sunshine. We also picked a few more beans, tomatoes and carrots from the vegetable plot.
After returning home for some lunch, I popped out to see the emerging newlyweds Nabil and Ioana following their wedding service at Jubilee Church, Maidenhead. Alan Michael was Nabil’s Best Man.
Ioana and Nabil heading down the aisle
Ioana and Nabil
Wedding kiss
Spotted by Alan!
The happy couple
Alan handing out sandwiches
Alan being Alan
The last hurrah for @dataman2000 – 14th September 2011
We enjoyed our final circuit around the streets of Woking with Mr Stone today – but not before I had already completed my own circuit – buying various leaving gifts for him!
The final foray was hampered further both by the main man being encumbered with a departmental last luncheon and by Mr Herrington choosing today of all days to book an opticians appointment!
Eventually I met up with Stuart and we enjoyed an al fresco cold drink and slice of chocolate cake from Starbucks before being joined by Alan.
Stuart with cake and drinks
The regular circuit continued via WH Smiths and Greggs before we reached Appy Feet. Here we pondered a visit but ultimately decided against it.
Stuart and Alan
We made a brief stop in Tiger before heading back towards the office. On the way we paused for a couple more photos.
With Mr Stone outside his least favourite store, perdry
Mr Stone
Alan and Stuart
Alan and me
Embracing the circuit
Arty shot
Later it was time for Alan’s farewell speech. This followed a short presentation entitled Ten things you never knew about Alan Stone.
It was an interesting and somewhat sad day. Alan was among my two or three best mates at work and pounding the circuit alone will take some getting used to.
He’s a good lad and I wish him well for the future.
Two Alans
Tiff and Alan
Sam and Alan
Me and Alan
Three men and a cleaning sign
Alan and Stuart
Final manly hug!
A rolling Stone – 14th September 2011
After some four years, today marks the final day that Alan Stone is with us in Woking.
A quietly spoken, hirsute man sporting a vaccuous grin, Alan would regularly be spotted padding about the office in socks. Behind that grin is an actually an immense brain belonging to a man who reads books on data analysis for light relief!
He became a regular on the ‘circuit’ – a walk around the shopping centres of Woking – and his speedy pace ensured that accompanying him was never a dull time.
Now it’s his time to move on and with his passing a small light in my life is extinguished.
All the best mate. You’ll be missed.
Mr Stone in typical Friday apparel
Taking part in the 'High Rollers' World Cup sweepstake
Mr Stone's image remains after his passing
Posing with Ben on his one and only circuit
Crammed into the lift
Out for a Christmas lunch at Nandos
Keeping dry
A wet circuit
Outside the new Tiger store in Woking
Posing with Sam in front of The Apprentice's Helen Milligan
Cooling down in a freezer in Sainsburys
Sporting his favourite shirt
Alan expressing some disappointment at this size of his new umbrella
A final drink with Mr Stone
Holly’s first day at Infants – 12th September 2011
Holly had, on the whole, been looking forward to starting school and when the morning finally arrived she was eager to get there!
After breakfast I took a few photos in the garden before we left for school.
Excited Holly
Close up
Rebekah joins the party
Holly and Rebekah
Once there, just before the children went in, Holly noticed that everyone went ‘very quiet’ – presumably the magnitude of the occasion finally hit home.
She went in fine and is already looking forward to the next day!
Holly duly delivered into Infants without any concerns. Daddy a little more emotional. Two of his little girls are now at school.
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) September 12, 2011
A Few Ramblings... 