Penang, Malaysia - Wonderful Holiday with the Kids and Mary

Well once you stop laughing I think you'll agree she is a very good dancer, ha ha! Maybe a little too "sexy" for a 3 year old, but dear me so so so so so funny. Just take a look at her face. Very proud of herself and also you can tell she knows this is really funny for everyone. Bless her. This was at out hotel in Penang, a place with amazing "entertainment" he he!!!

OK and then here they are are the underwater swimming double act, Ollie and Amy. Ollie is a very well accomplished swimmer under and on water, but now check out Amy. We bought her some goggles on this trip and hey presto she turns in to a water baby. We seriously could not get her out of the pool. Check these videos and photos out of water baby. Wow Amy!!!!!

Then there was Adventure Zone, literally net door and part of the hotel. Kids balls pens, slides, climbing frames, and AAZING slides. We were in there literally for 2 hours for 5 days of 6 if I remember rightly. The kids LOVED it as you'll see from the photos and videos, what a great idea, well done Shangri La Hotel Group, Mr Kennett had VERY happy kids for the 6 days we were with you. Check the fun they had!

Ollie was extremely brave to go on "the slide of death" ha ha! It was so so steep and he literally free fell for seconds before hitting the slide and coming to earth. I tried to show how steep but the photos really don't give it away, it was rather scary I have to say! But he would do shuttle runs up and down it non-stop. Way to go Ollie. He also met some great mates in there and would play tag chasing each other up and down the slides and round and round the play area. Mary and I sat and had coffees and read papers, played on iPad. Nice!

OK some culture then shall we. So just down the road is George Town, a Unesco Heritage Site. All French Colonial style, occupied by British too prior to Malaysian Independence. So you have the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, frequented by the likes of Noel Coward, yes lovies. For those that have been to Singapore it is VERY similar to Raffles. White Louvered door panels and all that. Beautiful place. Here is a couple of Ollie stood outside City Hall and Government House. Nice Huh!!!

OK and also some nice family shots mostly when eating or about to eat he he. Recommended by the Woodwards was Jewel of the North Indian restaurant literally 5 minutes from the hotel. Oh My God, AMAZING food. Literally and maybe the best Indian food ever consumed by these 42 year old lips. Thanks Woody! Lamb Kebabs to die for, on our second trip we got a plate full and family Kennett was like a pack of wild dogs devouring everything and anything. This by the way included Amy who'd have the whole chop in hand and be eating tandoori lamb off the bone. Way to go Amy boo!!!!!! Amazing food that I would recommend to each and everyone who ever gets to Penang, let me know and I'll give the address - WOW!!!

Bugger just realised all the photos are loading to the top not next to the text. Hey you get the picture right!!! So now also some obligatory sunset shots from the hotel balcony, not too bad at all I think you'll agree. Beautiful in fact, and every night the same. Really good considering I checked the 14 day weather forecast and it was supposed to be raining EVERY single day, and when we arrived it had been for EVERY single day prior. We were there 6 days and not a drop. Lucky us! Mind you was bloody hot on certain days, like bloody hot. Phew!!!!

And now some for Yuko, yes we went to Butterfly Garden. No nets allowed Yuko, ha ha! Beautiful place also with lizards, scorpions, snakes, geckos etc. We had a great hour or so round this place, although Amy did get a little scared with the lizards. How beautiful are these butterfly shots! Wow! Check out the stick insect to the left of the butterfly in one of the shots!

On the way to the butterfly place usual stop overs at shops and all that so the limo driver can take a cut. But we went to coffee and chocolate factory and ended up buying hot curry chcolotaes, chili chocolates and even durian coffee. Go figure ha ha!!! Very tasty!

Some Random things!!!!

OK a random bunch here everyone, so let me try to explain one by one. Yes we had yet another trip to Universal, you'll see from the faces that the munchkins just LOVE it there.

So these bird things are on at 2100 every night, and it's a free show, just off Sentosa. So you walk out of Universal and there's this platform, not lit or anything and then it starts and literally cranes made to look like cranes (birds) move in to action with massive TV screens showing their insides and then the water being their wings, pretty amazing huh, although it did break when we were watching ha ha. OK OK teething problems for a new attraction, but still, I think you'll agree, amazing show! Beautiful it really was.

OK then random shots of me, Mary and the guys in Universal. Check out the one with me and Amy, yep she's tall enough now to go roller-coasters. And she loves them. Look at t coaster hat face not even pensive. Ollie actually went 4 times in a row on the new super roller-coaster, BattleStar Galactica. Amazing, DKHNY - you would LOVE it mate, amazing!

A few of mucky mucky kidlets with blue tongues from a colouring based drink after Universal. How good is that for them, NOT!!!! Ha Ha, and check out ice-cream girl - eat it not wear it Amy.

Videos of course are self explanatory, merry go round by the way we went on something like 6 times, but still great fun every time. Look at the faces again, smiley smiley!!!

And some breaking Amy Kennett news, yep she is nearly fully potty trained. Miz/Yuko/Haruko, shame no Shimajiro to help me this time like Ollie. But she did it with a lot of encouragement and cheering, and look how proud she looks on the throne, ha ha! Amy baby, VERY proud moment for me, but I know when you're 18 you're going to hate me for posting this picture of you on the loo having a poo. SOrry babe, but still you look VERY cute. Love you babe.

So there you go all, some lovely snaps after what has been quite a challenging and worrying time with Japan, earthquake and Tsunami and for some time missing relatives. BUT so happy and delighted to say now ALL are safe and sound which is just the very best news you could ask for.

Quite an amazing one that as I was on a phone call to my colleagues in Tokyo, they started speaking in Japanese, then shouting/screaming, crashing, running, more screaming and explaining that earthquake was hitting them. I then rang Miz/Yuko and Yuko was home alone and going through after-shocks, again very scary to hear. Miz got home 7 hours later as she was stuck in traffic because of it. Just so so scary footage, so I hope these cheer you up wherever you are in the world.

Much love Bri xxxx

So my starlet munchins are at it again, bless them.

Not sure what order these will come out when I upload, but anyways I'll take a lucky guess.

So here is Amy literally today, and me doing what was supposed to be "spycam" as she danced with guitar to the Wiggles on the DVD player - BUT - do you notice that she actually knows I am recording and plays up to it, watch the face, especially when I laugh a little loud, ha ha. She cracks me up. Look at those little Michael Flatley feet going, River Dance eat your heart out!

The there should be 3 of Ollie on stage, yet again. This time one of the remaining Year 4 assemblies. Split to two sections of; "Year Four's Got Talent". So one being invidual/small groups and one being the whole 2 classes in Group singing.

I just LOVED the joke telling as he had been practicing these, but bless you Ollie it turned in to a Q&A session not you telling joke you monkey. We were all sitting in the audience not hearing the answer going huh, what was the joke answer cos the front row kept answering and we couldn't hear. Next buddy PLEASE tell us the answers too. But have to say it was so so funny, everyone was giggling and laughing mate, well done and see no book all done from memory, so he sings, he dances, he tells jokes and soon to come he acts for REAL on the stage with ticket sales and everything - more to come on that one followers - ha ha!

So there they are growing fast and showing great talent, as well as being beautiful, clever, loving kids - we're all so so proud of you, and especially me. Love you always munchins, Daddy xxx

My final one for today.

So as mentioned before away I went on the business trip, and whilst away Mizuyo came to help Mary with the kids. Whilst here she had a Naochan celebration too for the girls over lunch on Sunday 6th. I prepared a card for that event for the girls to keep and did some shopping, nd Miz wrote a lovely card and gave me a beautiful book to say thank you.

Now Miz did you realize this is a sonnet written by relatives of Craig and Dani Rossetti? Yes Dante Gabriel Rossetti (buried in Birchington, Kent - where my brother Darren lives now), is a long distant relative, and so therefore is the sonnet writer Christina Rossetti.

Quite amazing how again this world becomes just SO small.

Craig/Dani/Katherine this one for you too, and this needs typing and airing here as it is so so beautiful it really is! Thanks to your blood line, and thanks so much Miz too, here for all to see.

The moving sonnet written by one of the nineteenth-century Pre-Raphaelite movement, has bought comfort in bereavement to millions. It is a simple message of remembrance with no regrets, and the re-assuring message of it is better to "forget and smile" than to "remember and be sad".

Although I don't think we'll ever forget, but hope one day not to be sad!

It may help when guilt or even bitterness could cloud the thoughts of who we have lost. I hope you love it too.

Remember Me When I am Gone Away

Christina Rossetti

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land.

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day you tell me of our future you planned.

Only remember me.

You understand it will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while,

And afterwards remember do not grieve.

For the darkness and corruption leave a vestige of the thoughts that I once had.

Better by far you should forget and smile,

Than you should remember and be sad.

My final one for today.

The "other side".

And then I suppose here is the

"other side", the stones that now stand to represent two people I love, loved and miss desperately - Nina and my Grandfather Joe.

It was such a strange feeling to be stood there seeing Nina for the first time since April (despite still having some of her at home as explained earlier in previous Blogs), but is it seeing her? I was standing there with brother and friends and stared and stared but did not get it, this is a piece of stone I was thinking, she's in my heart not carved on here. But still it is so very important to have this stone, this reminder, this place to stand, this place to gather with friends and for that I am happy to have seen it and seen it with those that I also love and loved her.

The same goes for my Joe Joe too, so lovely to have time for Mum to pop me up to Margate cemetery to say Hi to him too. Cold cold cold though Joe. not good weather for the allotment this. Dear me!! But even so you can notice some beautiful flowers there on his grave, I tell this buddhism/shinto has some merit the more you think of it.

Well that's enough from me on this, I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. It was lovely to see you Nina, love you darling, miss you darling. And thank you to all my family and friends that came to see her with me to on this special day! All my love Bri xxx

The Portfolio Shots

Dear me Amy Boo.

So I come back last night from a rather long business trip to UK and Germany, and whilst in UK have a Nina (Naochan) celebration in London with family and friends, and get to see the gravestone. So as you can imagine was massively missing home and of course the wee ones. Mary says to me the CD's on the computer hun and here they are. OH MY GOD Amy Kennett you are such a beautiful girl, and yes babe so much like your Mum, juts stunning.

Need I say more everyone, here she is, and the more I look the more I know Daddy is in trouble later. He He!!!!

Love you Amy Boo, always yours Daddy xxx

HERE SHE IS

OK guys - follow the link to the super model.

SO CUTE AMY BOO!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.impactmodels.com/index.php?option=com_joomnik&album=7&Itemid=22

WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD!!!!!