2015

To begin at the end - Kate’s dad Norman died on December the 19th 2015.  He had been declining rapidly in the last few months but it is very very sad to lose him.  Still, he was playing Schubert impromptus on the piano almost to the end. 

Kate and her brother are up in Garstang now helping her mum Jean out. Here are a few pictures of him.

So ... going back to first part of the year - this was spent in a major operation to try to find a home for as many things from Mike’s mum’s house in Thornton Way as possible, after she moved into a care home. Lots of Dropbox and spreadsheets.  And more recently Kate had been visiting her mum and dad a lot, helping to get things organised to look after her dad, after he had come back from hospital following a fall. But there were also some upbeat developments. Holly was offered an irresistible job in Glasgow, working with the Turner Prize at the Tramway arts venue, so she moved up there very suddenly, and John followed after selling the house in Norwich and sorting out loads of stuff!

In February Mike finally caved in and bought a smart phone which he was very excited about.  We also went to visit Pam in Sheffield and witnessed a fantastic sunset over the snow (we don’t get much snow down here!)

In March we met up with John and Holly at Oxburgh Hall, half way between Cambridge and Norwich.

In April we both went to one of Mike’s Mad Professor’s Ceilidh Band gigs at a wedding on the edge of the beautiful Ormesby Broad in the Norfolk Broads (actually one of three Mad Professor’s gigs this year!  Practically a world tour!)

In May, we got to the end of sorting out Mike’s mum’s stuff from Thornton Way (well maybe the end of the beginning).  It was nice that homes were found for many of the items.  To celebrate we went to stay on the coast at Walcott in Norfolk for a few days.  Wonderful sea and skyscapes!  Also in May we went to stay in Sue and Andy’s new house in Broughton in Furness. Wonderful - it felt just like old times.  We also went to stay with Phil and Katie for another fix of the sea.  All these trips in one month! I think we’d got cabin-fever with all the boxes of stuff everywhere!

In June we had a full week’s holiday in the Lakes - staying near Bassenthwaite.  Beautiful weather and gigabytes of photos of Buttermere!

In July we were proud parents at John’s PhD graduation ceremony. John looked great in all his colourful gear!  We also tried out the Folk By The Oak Festival at Hatfield House, which we very much enjoyed. In September Chris bought a new long lens, and four days later took a picture of an osprey catching a fish!

In October we went up to Glasgow to see John and Holly in their new home, and had a very busy few days walking, eating and listening to music (and fox-watching). Also in October, Mike joined another band with Dave Mattey in it -  ‘Hadron and the Colliders’.  And we did Jean Genie!

Finally in November we escaped to Tuscany for a much needed week of relaxation.

So back to December.