2014

No theme to this year I don’t think, unless it’s beginnings and endings. Chris began life on the housing ladder in a new apartment in Cambridge.  Mike’s mum ended 59 years of living in her house in Thornton Way to move to Woodlands, a care home in Cambridge.

Anyway, from the top... in April we went to a significant birthday party for our friend Vivien, and stayed in Edinburgh very near to Scotland Street (of Alexander McCall-Smith fame?). 

In June we had a week’s holiday on the Pembrokeshire coast, near Fishguard - and we saw seals, and even more exciting - puffins!  In July we went to the Cambridge Folk Festival again after having enjoyed it last year - after a long gap. We discovered O’Hooley and Tidow, and re-discovered Martin Simpson.

In August the main achievement (for Mike at least) was the culmination of a year-long project to form a work band and put on a concert. Fabulous! Must do it more.  Still buzzing! We also spent a week in Norwich, cat-sitting for John and Holly. Everything was fine once we got the right cats identified!

In September Mike and Kate and Pam went to St Petersburg (Leningrad) for a long weekend to visit The Hermitage.  We stayed in the Hotel Dostoevsky appropriately. Even more momentous in September was the final purchase by Chris of his apartment, after months of frustrating delay.  Hurray!

In October we went to Birmingham to see Nic Jones perform with his son.This is the first time he has toured since his road accident in the 70s and was very moving. In November we went to Italy for our relaxing Tuscan holiday.

Also in November we saw Holly’s “Passing Through And Settling” exhibition in Girton.  And talking about settling, Mike’s mum was a model aged parent in that she survived a longish hospital spell and the move to a care home - whilst remaining cheerful and positive throughout.

[Late breaking news]  John has passed his PhD viva!  Brilliant!