2017

2017 has been rather overshadowed by the fact that Mike’s younger brother Peter died in June of a heart attack. He was only 62. On a slightly more uplifting note the funeral was amazing - a hundred people came and everyone told us how inspiring Pete had been to them personally. Mike’s older brother David has spent most of the rest of the year sorting out Pete’s things, whilst moving house in Sheffield himself.

The normal business of the year goes on though...

In March Mike retired from his job at the Animal Health Trust. Sad to be leaving such nice colleagues, but exciting to be facing the challenges of retirement. Also by the end of March we’d already been to six gigs!

In June we headed to Wales for our first holiday of the year. We went to nice places but it was here we heard the news of Peter’s death. The funeral was in July.

In August we went to the USA to chase the total solar eclipse. Fantastic! And no clouds! We also saw Mike Heron in London, and he sang ‘A Very Cellular Song’!.

In September we saw the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, and a great musical about the Small Faces, ‘All Or Nothing’. Very nostalgic, and actually quite sad.  Also Kate finished her volunteer stint at the homelessness charity Wintercomfort - after 20 newsletters it was time to pass it on, and to focus on other projects such as the Repair Cafés.

In October we stayed at Sue and Andy’s house in Broughton, which was just the tonic we needed. We also visited Bletchley Park with Phil and Katie which was extremely interesting - well worth a visit. I still don’t understand how an Enigma machine works though! Also three wonderful gigs - Leveret, Richard Thompson and The Furrow Collective. And we squeezed in a much-needed relaxing holiday in Italy.

In November Kate helped organise and run the ‘World’s Biggest Repair Café’ which was loads of work, but a huge success, and very heart-warming really. Gigs included the jazz saxophonist Trish Clowes and Martin Simpson.

Another November highlight was visiting David and Shirley in Sheffield, with a new house and two new kittens! We saw Sue and Pam too.

In December we made what will probably be the last visit to Peter’s house in London. A great relief to have it all sorted out, due almost entirely to sterling work by David, but a sad occasion as well. Also sad in December - Mike’s mum’s great friend Margaret Pearson died. They used to go on holidays together all over Europe.

Our last concert of the year cheered us up though - Kate Rusby’s Christmas gig. Kate Rusby had a reindeer on stage, and she came on for the encore with huge white wings, and the whole band in nativity outfits! What more could you want?

And there have been other good things: Chris has started a new job in the Cancer Research UK unit in Cambridge, which he’s enjoying, and John has started a Creative Writing MLitt course in Glasgow, which he is loving.

Anyway, let’s hope 2018 goes well. Hope to see as many of you as possible. Keep in touch! Click here to contact us.