weather

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With love from Troyes, France (2017)

with love from Troyes

Hello Hilary, No sea for holiday this year for me, but typical Troyes city and champagne wineyard! It makes a change but rain and freshness are more present! Anyway it’s very plaisant to discover a new french department. A place to come Bises [kisses] Christine

Troyes looks great in the sunshine on the front of the card, but Christine has not been so lucky with the weather, it seems.

The card is postmarked 28-07-17 when most of northern Europe was suffering a very high rainfall during the, so called, height of the summer!

The stamp is the latest (controversial) version of Marianne.

Another message from Christine, who now regularly sends me cards from her travels 🙂

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With love from Lastingham, UK (c1988)

with love from Lastingham

Weather is superb – clear and sunny. Can see over the moors for miles. Went on the steam train from Pickering to Grosmont today and going to Whitby tomorrow. Staying in an excellent location – beautiful scenery in every direction. Love Jo & John

The fine weather is obviously making this a memorable trip to Yorkshire for Jo and John!

There is no date on the card and the postmark is not visible, however a combination of the postage cost and the other postmark which is encouraging us to ‘Collect British Stamps’ indicate around 1988

Another one from Jo and John. We recently saw Jo at a family gathering – it was lovely to catch up in person after what has been quite a long time 🙂 

 

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With love from Jersey (1987)

with love from Jersey

Petit Port, St Brelade, Jersey  Dear Simon + Hilary Greetings! The …. are on holiday again; alright for some, eh? We’re staying with friends we met on honeymoon. Everything has been ‘just-so’…what a pity they can’t organise the weather equally well! Still we’ve been on lots of long walks and we are enjoying it all. Fingers crossed for our weekend with you in the Autumn – I just have to check with the Naval College that I’m not required (but it’s 99% o.k.). Will ring you soon. Looking forward to it. In the meantime, both fit, fat and well. Hope you are too! Love Graham and Sheila xx

Here’s Gra again with another chatty status update, this time from Jersey. They are expecting their first baby, hence the ‘fat’ reference.

The postmark is just visible as ‘JERSEY 14 AUG 1987 CHANNEL ISLANDS’ and the stamp is a 15p Europa.

We did indeed see Graham, Sheila and the new baby in the autumn, but we have lost touch with all of them now.

 

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With love from The Gambia (1991)

with love from the Gambia

Banjul, the Gambia 31.1.91 Dear Simon, Hilary and Talulah, The wandering nomad has discovered the richness of W. Africa and likes what he sees! This is such a rare place – desperately poor and under developed, yet so welcoming and very pro British from it’s historical background. It’s also VERY HOT! Yesterday I actually played cricket in 90°F heat against the national side…we very obviously lost (in fact the game was almost abandoned because it was so oppressive) I hope you are all safe and well. The war news is pretty dreadful and I am still a little concerned that my ship may yet get called upon. It’s unlikely, thank Goodness. Mandy will probably be in touch soon when details for our wedding firm up. Can’t wait! Take care now. All my love, Gra x

Gra continues to enjoy tours with the Royal Navy, but on this occasion the 1991 Gulf War overshadows events.

There is no postmark on the card, but Gra has helpfully dated it. The stamp is commemorating the artist Raphael, but I cannot find any other information about it – can anyone else help?

By this time Gra is looking forward to his second marriage…

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With love from Cornwall (1991)

with love from Cornwall St Anthonys

20.5.91 Here in a lovely hotel for one week. Weather dull but went to lovely St Mawes & found sun. Most enjoyable Trust things are sorting out for you Love Auntie Vi

Another brief update from Auntie Vi, once again featuring the hotel and the weather – those stalwarts of British postcard writing!

Interestingly, Auntie Vi has written a date of 20.5.91 on the card, but the postmark can clearly be seen as ‘NEWQUAY 14 MAY 1991’ – that will remain a mystery…

1991 was a difficult year for us, and many others, as the UK was deep in recession, to which Auntie Vi makes reference in her message.

 

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With love from Algarve, Portugal (1986)

with love from Portugal

Dear Hilary & Simon, Weather lovely Having a good time I suffered losing a stone for my holiday I will put 25 stone on the food is fab Love Auntie Laura

A short and sweet note featuring our favourite topics of the weather and food!

The card is postmarked ’25-VI 1986 Armacao‘ and carries a selection of stamps, two of which are from the Traditional Portugal Architecture series and one from the Development of Technology series, issued in 1978

Auntie Laura was my great aunt, she was married to my Nan’s brother. We saw them regularly at family gatherings when I was young, and they were fun to be around. Auntie Laura was a rock within her own immediate family; she died some years ago.

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With love from Shanklin (1988)

with-love-from-shanklin

Spending a week with a local Probus Group in Sandown for one week.  Excellent hotel & good service.  Quite warm at the moment & air like wine.  Love Auntie Vi

Postmarked ‘Portsmouth & Isle of Wight 9 MAY 1988’ this is another brief status update from (Great) Auntie Vi.  The important things are mentioned, of course; the weather and the quality of the hotel 🙂

I’ve never heard of Probus and, with the ignorance of youth and the lack of Wickipedia back in the day, I probably never bothered to find out about it in 1988!  Auntie Vi was a professional, intelligent woman and always sought out like minded people.

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with love from Armaçāo de Pêra, Portugal (1986)

With love from Portugal

WED Sun very hot but a constant cool breeze – just right. Being very lazy this week but will try and be a bit more energetic next week and look around the area.  Love Jo & John

A brief status update that concentrates on the weather 🙂

Armaçāo de Pêra is in the Algarve region of Portugal, on the southern coast.

The clear postmark reads ’20H 26-VI-1986 ARMACAO DE PERA’ and the card carries stamps to the value of 37.50 escudos (the currency in use before the euro was introduced in 2002).

The 25.00 escudos stamp is from the Traditional Architecture series issued in 1985 and the other two are from the 1978 Instruments Working definitive series.

Another card from Jo & John; as well as being my Mum’s cousin, John was also cousin to Betty and Ted.  (Family trees are always much easier to understand in diagrams rather than words!)