| Volume 11 | Janet & Graham Scott |
December 2007 |
A very merry& happy Christmas to everyone Janet remarked the other day that it was that time of year when the annual newsletter needed to be written so having a few spare moments here goes.
So far we have not received any end of year updates from anyone else so we may first to publish. We did get a welcome email from Alan Metcalfe some months ago informing us that he retired in May and shortly after they moved from Ontario to Nova Scotia. Looking at Google Maps they seem quite close to the sea hence they should have a good supply of sea food - we remember the excellent lobster in Maine. Once
again we are putting this newsletter onto the web as well as paper
for who find this online stuff a challenge. |
Work & Hobbies As announced last year Graham finished at the end of January as Parish clerk to the neighbouring village of Davenham. It felt like having a heavy weight lifted from the shoulders. He is still busy with his school work and enjoys Probus especially the walking group who are able to put the world to rights as they traverse our wonderful countryside before retiring to a suitable pub for lunch and a pint. Probus members now seem to regard him as their in house IT consultant judging by the number of calls to help out with their home computer problems. Being a glutton for punishment, Graham has recently become the Hon Treasurer of Moulton Drama Group He has been a member since the group started in 1980 but his thespian duties are largely confined to lighting and effects rather than actually treading the boards. For a considerable part of the year Janet and Graham have both been heavily involved with a home improvement project. Some years ago we had plans drawn up to extend the homestead but for various reasons we put them off. With the additions to the family this year we decided to go ahead. The old garage & car port were removed and a new garage, living area and additional bathroom have been built in their place.
We had a brilliant builder. He started on the due day and was on site every day bar one when he had to go and fix a chimney for someone. Most of the work he did on his own - only subcontracting for the tiling, plastering and electrics. He finished work on the due date in late June- a highly recommended chap. |
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Katherine & Santi Ivan is now happily running around causing the usual havoc and it looks as if Oscar will soon be joining in judging by the speed that he has learnt to crawl!
Shortly after they moved in mum and dad went to visit and dad was asked to bring his tools to build a new garden fence to keep the little rascals safe - it took Ivan precisely 2 minutes to figure out how to undo the gate latch! Katherine elected to take a full year of maternity leave but has been doing 'bank' work at the hospital for the past few months. This enables her to chose when she will work. Santi has some flexibility over his hours so he can double as house father when Kat is on duty. As we finish composing this missive we note that Ivan
has just reached the grand old age of two. We look forward to seeing
some pictures from his party on Sunday. |
Debbie & Chris Their first child and our third grandson, Michael David was born at the end of June. He is a grand little chap who will soon be following his cousins in the mobility stakes. Chris and Debs' home decorating skills as well as Debs' staff discount card for Homebase were well used in preparing the new nursery.
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Holidays Not much to report this year. We have spent a lot of time going up and down the motorways to either Glasgow or Milton Keynes, but no exotic holidays. The new extension has kept us at home for most of the summer. We have spent the rest of the summer laying flags, painting, hanging curtains and finally decorating the dining room just the other week. We did manage to get away to Barcelona for five days in early May. Santi's parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on 1st May and we were all invited to go along. As they don't speak any English it was quite hard going, even Janet's small knowledge of Spanish didn't help too much as they speak Catalan as a first language!.
However, Graham and one of Santi's uncle's share a love of single malt whisky so they got on well! He's the one on the left of the top picture at the right and with glasses. |
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Santi's family live in Esplugues de Llobregat, a small suburb of Barcelona. It had been a village but has been swallowed up by the ever expanding city. However it is very keen to stress its independence from its larger neighbour. Although there has been a lot of modernisation there are lots of small, winding back streets which reveal its village roots.
We went to visit the convent and the nuns who had taught Santi when he was small. They were all (nine of them) very pleased to see the children and one of them proved to be a very accomplished football player! I think she was the novice nun, but aged about 74! (She's the one in pink). The children were hopelessly spoilt by them all and Ivan was even allowed to ring the convent bell. |
Janet After sixteen years I decided not to stand again for the Parish Council in the May elections. I have now rejoined the WI which always meets the same night as Parish Council meetings. My how things have changed! The members never seem to be in, what with meals, visits to the theatre and ballet and a three day trip to the Dutch Christmas markets - and that was only in November! No doubt I shall be getting more involved next year. I still keep myself busy with the Condate Singers, examination invigilation and the occasional traffic survey work. Spanish lessons are still ongoing and I am feeling a little more confident now that I can use some more tenses. It does help! |
The old Talbot Road gang from Domski, Di Fitzimmons (Messham), Denise Longfield (Holden) and Pauline Noblet (Richmond) still get together about twice a year. We had a meal out in Manchester in March and in August ended up at Denise's home in Brandlesholme, near Bury. In the new year we will wend our way to Marford, near Wrexham, to see Di. It's a pity that Anne Book( Hetherington) can't make it but I think we can excuse her as she lives in Canada. Dave and Pat Grundy (Diggle) visited us the other week. It was good to see Pat as she has not been so well this year. They had spent the early part of the year in Australia touring and visiting relatives and she even managed to meet up with Judy Woolley. Unfortunately she has spent the rest of the year on hospital visits. |
All the best to you all for the Christmas season and the New Year. All our love, Janet & Graham |
Ivan enjoying his pudding
Oscar with his Ali Baba act
