It has become traditional for us to write to you at Christmas with news of what we have done during the year.
We usually like to tell you about the enjoyable things we get up to - Michelle's dancing antics, our holidays etc -
but this year has been rather subdued as our time has been spent in more serious ways. Our energies this year
have been directed towards Harold (Duncan's father) and Terri's family (Mandy's sister). However, amongst the
sadness and stress this year has brought us, we have made some happy memories.
Harold has not been well this year, with heart problems and a stroke, and as a result spent a short time in hospital
and has now moved into a care home. We now spend time with him each day and take care of any needs he has that Ashbury Lodge doesn't cater
for - namely making sure he has a good supply of Cadbury's Whole Nut in! Since having satellite tv put in
his room, Harold enjoys watching almost non-stop sport, whilst munching on chocolate, and has settled in nicely to his
new home. In a sort of role reversal, we children are now looking after the parent and have inherited all his
worries!
In April we had the dreadful news that Mandy's sister Terri Lea had died. To add to our shock she had
taken her own life. This left everyone shocked, numb and terribly, terribly sad. Terri had lived in Perth,
Australia for twenty three years and left her partner, Neville, and son Greg to grieve their loss, along with
granddaughter Imajyn and other family. We hope you will remember them in your prayers as they try to re-build
their lives without her.
The choir Terri belonged to sang at her funeral and the service ended with the release of many balloons - a sight to
behold which she would have loved. A few days later we had a memorial service in Swindon attended by her family
and friends from England and Wales.
At the end of November Nev flew to England and we travelled to Cwmparc in South Wales to say a final goodbye to Terri
by scattering her ashes. We met on a mountain overlooking the valley; low cloud meant we couldn't actually see
the valley, but nevertheless we braved the wind and rain to toast her memory with champagne, strawberries and Galaxy
chocolate whilst listening to David Cassidy's 'Cherish'. We scattered the ashes onto the mountain and into
the wind. We were then treated to glimpses of the valley as the cloud moved and sunshine shone through in
patches. The atmosphere was palpable as the cloud cleared and we could see the valley and surrounding mountains
in its glorious ruggedness and beauty. It truly felt like we were releasing her spirit; we know she has found
the peace she so desired and deserved.
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This year we managed a couple of days away at the end of September, when we went to Saundersfoot in South Wales.
We've not been there before, but it isn't far away and we didn't want to spend the small time we did have travelling.
We were lucky the weather remained hot and we had a nice few days sitting on the beach making sculptures
(forgot the buckets for sandcastles!). The beach was long and not at all busy and there's a harbour to watch
and plenty of places to go to. I'm sure we'll return another time and perhaps visit nearby Tenby as well.
We've also been to visit Hidcote, Chesil Beach and Hengistbury Head during the year.
Michelle is still with the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary in London, starting her second year in September.
She had an excellent report at the end of the summer term, showing she is seizing the opportunity and working
very hard whilst at Rambert. Michelle even managed to pass a dance exam this year - the Royal Academy of Dance's
Advanced 1 in Ballet, which she passed with Distinction. The back problem that has been niggling for a couple of
years has now been diagnosed as a twisted vertebrae and associated muscle problems - and although not perfect, is now
behaving very well and doesn't interfere with her dancing.
Michelle still does weekend and holiday work in New Look which she enjoys even though it is tiring after a week of
dancing. Michelle also found time to take an Advanced Driving Instruction course which makes Mandy feel less
fraught when Michelle drives her new car around!
May brought Michelle's 19th birthday. As luck would have it she finished at university early that day so we
all spent the rest of the day in London and even managed to see the stage show of the Lion King. This show was
very memorable, not just for the music but for the production; the costumes, props and set were superb.
Mandy is trying to learn to worry less about Michelle, but has had other worries instead. She's
sorted lots of necessary repairs that needed doing to the house (the roof, walls, ceilings, electrics, plumbing), and
tried to catch up with some of the neglect the house and garden have felt over the last couple of years as we've been
caring for other people. Looking after Harold earlier in the year was followed by the hard work of emptying his
home ready for its sale. Things have become more settled now and so she is trying to become a house wife once again!
Mandy managed to find time this year to have the tattoo done which should have been done for her 40th birthday last year.
Everyone asks if it hurt, which Mandy thinks is a rather silly question. Of course it hurt - a needle
scratches the skin deep enough to scar it forever! However, Mandy also points out that she has given birth and
the tattoo was nothing in comparison to that!
Over recent years Mandy's spare time had been taken up working on the web site. In January the site was deleted
by the web host as they said it had become too big and too many people were visiting it. Mandy admits to being
a mixture of sad and furious. How dare they delete three years of her work with just 24 hours notice.
However, they did. We still have some web space and have uploaded a few family history type items, but all the
church photographs (nearly ten thousand) have gone. Due to all the other things going on this year we have not
found time to look for a new home for the site, but Mandy is hoping it won't have disappeared forever and she can start
working on it again someday.
Mandy still sings with the Scratch choir, this year performing at the Swindon Literature Festival (4.30 in the morning!),
a Holocaust Memorial Day service, the Old Town Festival, the Forrest Festival and a Carol concert. Mandy also
spent one day on a music course; next year she hopes to spend longer as the course was a three day event. There
were so many new and interesting things to see and learn. Mandy went mainly for the singing, but also joined in
African drumming and blues harmonica, and was bemused by the skiffle session which seemed to be a free for all of musical
instruments brought together with voices. Great!
Duncan has not only had to worry about his father this year, but also his job. After taking
redundancy last Christmas he started working for Endeva mid January and settled in very quickly (he had previously
been contracted there so already knew everyone). However October brought the news the company had gone into
receivership and November saw over six hundred redundancies. Duncan's job is 'safe' until the end of January,
but we don't know what will happen then.
Duncan hasn't managed to go to football this year (despite having a ticket for his birthday), and only managed to
watch the cricket a couple of times when he took Harold to watch the team. Duncan hasn't had much time this
year for himself, so is really looking forward to having a week off over the Christmas holidays to re-charge his
batteries.
As another year comes to an end we send our thoughts and wishes to you.
