|  HOME  |  FOOT  |
1990    1991    1992    1993    1994    1995    1996    1997    1998    1999    2000    2001    2002    2003    2004    2005    2006    

CHRISTMAS 1993

Well here we are at the end of another hectic year; it doesn't seem possible it's twelve months since we last sat down to write.

As usual Michelle has kept us (or more precisely Mandy) very busy.   She has continued with dancing lessons (5 per week) and has passed examinations set by the Institute of Teachers of Dancing in Ballet (Grade II), Tap (Grade I), Modern (Grade II), and National (Grade I), passing all with the highest of five pass grades.   Michelle participated in her dancing school's summer school, in July, and lost her voice on the first day due to all the shouting and excitement!   In September Michelle was presented with a silver progress medal at the Judith Hockaday School of Dance prizegiving ceremony, and (with two very proud parents watching) was awarded the Westbrook Cup which is given to the pupil (out of about 400) who has worked the hardest during the previous year.   In October Michelle entered her first dancing competition at the Rugby Festival; she won the gold medal for her Romanian dance.   In November SALOS (the Swindon Amateur Light Operatic Society) put on their annual show (this year it was Funny Girl) and Michelle along with 15 other children took part.   This meant three months of rehearsals followed by some very late nights for the actual show (fortunately most were during the school holiday), and apart from stepping on the leading lady's toes, all went well.   Besides her dancing, Michelle also belongs to two choirs, is learning to play the guitar, flute and recorder, and has been 'promoted' to the senior Gymnastics club, which means a 1½ hour lesson each week, and has been picked for the school team twice (they went to Bridgewater and Warminster).   Michelle is usually quite blasé about her achievements, but at the end of November she gained her Bronze swimming award and was really chuffed - it was her sixth attempt - and at last she could do it.   In May Michelle celebrated her 9th birthday in style with a party for 20; after games and food, she had a disco with loud music and flashing lights but definitely no boys!   When she has time, she goes to school, where she is 'progressing nicely'.   Any spare time is spent eating and resting.

Mandy's year has been busy acting as chauffeur to Michelle in addition to all the other things that fill her time.   Central Sounds still takes up a lot of her time (especially at Christmas) and they have played at Avebury, Highworth, Stratton Hospital and Bristol, as well as a once a month service at Central Church.   At Michelle's school she ran a choir until the summer holidays, and will start it up again after the Christmas break.   Guitar club is still going strong.   Mandy continues to keep pastoral and directory lists up to date on the computer, as well as being on the 'minutes' rota for Church meeting, helping out at Sunday School, has typed up the memoirs of a Church member, and has recently taken over the duties concerned with Pastoral membership matters.   Unfortunately Mandy hurt her back at the end of July (slipped disc and muscle and ligament problems); she doesn't remember August, September is a 'foggy' memory, October becomes clearer in the middle, and November is remembered as "I’ve had enough pills to last me a life time".   X-rays and her physiotherapist diagnosed 'degenerative disc disease' along with some funny sounding name which means inflammation.   Duncan has banned Mandy from any heavy lifting etc, but with lots of physiotherapy, life is getting back to normal.

Duncan's year has been its usual round of 'family fund raising', combined with cricket, football, readings, serving Communion and operating microphones at Church, and this year the added bonus of learning how to go shopping and cook!   A lot of his work takes him to Jersey, and this has meant a great deal of time away from home during the year and several hours (and in one case, days) waiting for fog to clear at various airports.   Unfortunately he missed our firework evening when the family came over - including Gregory all the way from Australia - due to the fog, and missed lots of good food, then the following weekend missed another family dinner (Mandy left the Christmas turkey out of the freezer by mistake, so invited everyone over to share in the misfortune!).   He did get to eat the leftovers.   After two consecutive years of promotion at cricket the team were relegated this year in the mid-week league, and narrowly missed promotion in the Saturday league.   Duncan again missed Swindon Town playing at Wembley, but despite the results has enjoyed seeing Premiership football at the County Ground.   The reason Duncan missed the Wembley match was because it clashed with our holiday in North Wales.

The morning after we arrived on holiday the weather was awful; but it cleared up later in the day, and the rest of the week was bright sunshine and warm (although Michelle did get a bit cold when she fell in the river).   Snowdonia and surrounding area was breathtaking; we played for hours in streams, loved seeing the waterfalls hidden in the mountains, and even found time to make sandcastles on the beach.   But those narrow stone-edged roads - they were a worry!   We've nick-named the area "God's Adventure Playgound".   It won't be our last visit.

In August we were due to have a week in Broadhaven (West Wales), but because Mandy was 'unavailable', Duncan's parents stepped in and took Michelle.   It was Michelle's first trip without parents and she was worried before she went; but like all grandparents should, they spoiled her rotten and she thoroughly enjoyed herself.   Doris and Harold also said they enjoyed themselves, but they looked at bit tired to us!


Our thoughts go with you as we wish you a Happy Christmas, and a healthy and prosperous New Year.


1990    1991    1992    1993    1994    1995    1996    1997    1998    1999    2000    2001    2002    2003    2004    2005    2006    
HOME       Contact Us       Errors       Introduction       Lea Family       Rabbits       Surnames       Us       Your Photo       TOP