We come from opposite ends of Europe - Iain is from Reading, in the UK, Oana from Bucuresti, Romania.

We met long ago in Dortmund, where we both worked for the same (long dead) software company for a while. We have both spent a large part of our working lives in Germany, but decided in the end that the life-style of western Europe is more relaxed. For five years we split out time between Tiefenbronn, in Baden-Württemberg, where Iain was working, and Pignans, in the Var, where we actually want to live.

Iain has now retired and is established in Pignans, where he will devote his time to sitting in the sun doing nothing and similar un-German activities. Possibly he will continue writing software, just for fun. (Seriously, there's a book-full of things he's been putting off until he has time, so he isn't short of things to do).

There'a also the house to look after, of course. The garden is older now than in the photo album (Iain took the pictures when we moved in), but no less work.

He also has to complete the web site, of course, which is a never-ending activity. As long as anything happens, it shall be recorded.

Oana occupies herself with various canine friends. Our dog of many years, Yuki-the-large (left), finally died of old age, and has now been replaced by Olaf-the-running (right), so she has plenty to do. The creatures appear in our photo albums here and here and have a section of the site devoted to them.