Christmas 2019

Christmas good wishes to all our friends. All of you have played a part in our lives in some way, for which we are very grateful.

Gilly Beddow’s News 2019 has been a dismal one for me. In early March I started to get sharp pains down the back of my left leg which become full-scale sciatica. I’ve seen the scan and a protrusion from my spine is sitting on the sciatic nerve. I was told it would heal itself in about 12 weeks. 9 ½ months later and I am still hobbling round with a stick.

A cortisone injection made no difference so I may have to resort to surgery. Despite this, I went with a friend to Slovenia in April and managed to get around using a lot of taxis! It is a beautiful country with plenty to see. No other foreign trips have been possible.

The church takes up more and more of my time. I was elected churchwarden at Easter time, a position made more onerous when our vicar left at the end of October. I am managing to keep on with one of my choirs, a monthly reading/book group and a weekly art class. I did get away for a few days to the Lakes to attend a course in coloured pencil and pen drawing in August.

The end of this year saw my sister, Susan, seriously ill in hospital on end-of-life care. Sadly she died on 5th December. She has had a miserable last few years so this is sad for us all. So hurry on 2020.

The Guessis familyAbigail is well settled as the manager of the Enfield branch of Waterstones and doing well. She has been wonderful these last few weeks visiting Susan every couple of days after a full day at work. I only managed to go down for a week. Aissa is still happily chefing at the International Hotel near Holborn. The renovation of a house he owns in Algeria is now finished and they will all go and visit it next Easter.

Joseph started at secondary school in September getting himself there and back on the bus. He says it’s ‘OK’. Zara’s two years as a midwife in Doha, Qatar, should be coming to an end next spring but she has extended her contract for another 9 months. She has had excellent appraisals and been asked to help with training. The family went to visit her for a week last April.

The Banner familyKaty is now on the 3 rd year of her MA course in counselling and psychotherapy and loving it. She has trainee counselling placements in two hospices. Jo had three weeks away from his busy job to go climbing in Canada with a friend. They climbed in Squamish and then in the remote Cirque of the Unclimbables in the McKensie Mountains. Now that the offices of their firm have moved a bit away into a newly built block, they are able to expand the ground floor of their house and form a garden at the back.

So for a few winter months, they are living in a mobile home on their land, but have been climbing up a ladder every night so they can sleep in their own bedrooms! Luke has now joined Samuel at secondary school and both of them are singing in the chapel choir and having singing lessons. Samuel also sings in concerts, accompanying himself on the piano. The whole family has holidayed in Arran and Spain where they are going again for Christmas.

Matthew Beddow’s family

Its been another busy year for Matthew and family as they continue on their travels with Karens blog and social media.  This year has seen them take in New York (with Katy and Luke Banner), Berlin, Hamburg, Tanzania, Corfu, Catalonia and Puy du Fou theme park in France, to name a few!  In 2020 they are hoping to go to Zambia.

It has also been a sporty year with Lily enjoying here swimming and Isobel and Eve playing football for their local team three times a week. (The club now has over 100 members).   Matthew’s company continues to grow and has taken on more new clients this year.

We wish you all well for 2020, in the hope that we may see some of you.