Christmas 2015

Happy Christmas to all our friends and best wishes for 2016. Thank you to everyone who keeps in touch and sends interesting news each year. Even though I don’t see many of you regularly I have fond memories of many shared experiences over the years.2015 proceeded fairly uneventfully with the run of usual activities. I am still a school governor (Vice Chair) and sing in 2 choirs, performing 6 concerts across the year.

Mendelsohn’s Elijah was the highlight. My weekly art class is increasingly enjoyable and I took part in a week’s art summer school in July…..still the rookie in the class but getting more competent with pastels and oils. I try to pass on tips to Katy’s boys whom I see most weeks.

My involvement with Escomb Saxon Church increases. I still jointly run an informal, monthly all age service and am completing a ‘speaking in church’ course in February. The tourist party visits increased this year too and we have, in total, many thousands of visitors each year. Come and visit and you’ll get a personal guided tour.

One of the best things about retirement is the freedom to go away whenever one wishes. In February half-term I went to Rome with my grandson, Samuel (9), Abigail and her son, Joseph (8). Weather was ideal and we enjoyed all the sights, though the boys voted Italian ice cream and pizza the best. The most enjoyable outing of a week in London in April was being taken out to a posh tea by Abigail and then on to the Alexander McQueen exhibition. I also managed other exhibitions and the chance to catch up with London-based friends and family.

In the summer holidays Abigail and Joseph holidayed with me in County Durham and we had a few days in Arran with Katy’s family too. My first ever trip to the Edinburgh Festival in late August happened when a friend of Katy’s cancelled at the last minute. We packed in 15 events in 3 days, often having to taxi between venues to keep up. September saw a week in Madeira with Jenny Maguire – our first, but, I hope, not last, visit to this beautiful island. The year’s jaunts finished with a few days with an old friend in the Yorkshire Dales in October. I wonder where it will be safe to travel to next year. I am staying put till at least Easter.

KATY, JO, SAMUEL AND LUKE

Katy quotes her father, who said of her in a Christmas letter of 1992, “She careers into life with a mixture of energy, enthusiasm and enterprise, leaving a trail of amazement, affection and anxiety in her wake.” So 24 year on, what has changed? Katy says that she continues to go round in circles, volunteers for too many projects and wears herself out. Apart from working part-time for the Georgian Theatre’s museum as a heritage officer and a day a week in Jo’s office, she takes on various cultural management roles for a variety of organisations.

Jo is working too hard and his sheer determination enables the family business to plough on, working alongside his father and brother. He still knows how to play hard and is climbing a lot, as this is the one sport he can still do after he broke his heel a few years ago. He recently bought a couple of new additions – a one year old VW campervan and a Canadian canoe for the house in Arran.

Samuel is nearly 10 and full of creative ideas. He loves school, especially Science, Art and DT and singing in the school choir.  He never has to be asked to practise the piano or do homework as he is just like his Dad, very conscientious and keen to get it right. He is full of spirit and a joy to be with.

Luke (7) joined Samuel’s school this September and loves the uniform and being with his brother and cousins. He is a very sociable and caring child,  loves to perform and will phone me to see how I am doing! He still has white hair and walks just like his grandfather, Nick, with his hands in his pockets. Both boys have solo parts in the school choir this Christmas.

ABIGAIL, AISSA, ZARA & JOSEPH

Aissa surprised Abigail with a trip to Istanbul to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary and I went down for a week to look after Joseph. This year Joseph went to the Dr Who convention and met 2 of his idols, Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker.

Abigail also took him to his first Comic Con and to Harry Potter World. These 3 events were the highlights of his year. Aissa has left The Priory and is now the sous chef for the 5 star Chelsea Harbour Hotel.

Abigail is working part-time for Waterstones and has moved to the Trafalgar Square branch. Some of her time is spent working for the area manager across 9 stores, dealing with health, safety and security monitoring.

Zara is still living at home and has completed her first year as a midwife for Barnet hospitals. She has bought her first car.

MATTHEW, KAREN, LILY, ISOBEL & EVE

Life has changed again for Matthew and Karen’s family. Matt has started a new job in Manchester as Head of Asset and Property Management for WHR and the firm and his new clients are keeping him very busy. Karen has decided to leave her solicitor’s post at Brabners Solicitors and focus on her travel blog www.minitravellers.co.uk which won a national award this year for best UK Family Travel Blog. More on Matthew and Karen’s adventure here http://miniventures.co.uk/changing-from-lawyer-to-blogger

The blog has brought opportunities for skiing and water sport holidays so the three girls have had a wonderful year. Lily (5) continues to be the family chatterbox and has settled into Reception well, being chosen as the narrator for the school nativity play. Isobel and Eve (now 4) are developing their own very strong personalities with Eve still being our very cheeky, pirate-loving monkey, and Isobel becoming besotted with ballet and tap.

SO ANOTHER YEAR ENDS

We are all busy and happy and it is an enormous regret that Nick was not able to see his children mature and never met any of his grandchildren. The 18th anniversary of his death will be in January.

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