To all our special friends and family, Merry Christmas and a very
Happy New Year!!!! Love from
Elaine & Ewart xxx
It is Elaine’s turn to produce the letter this year so this addition will be short & colourful…. Ewart is working & Elaine is home recovering from a fractured right shoulder after a fall.
Elaine and Ewart
2010 started well with Ewart taking me to Luton Hoo to mark our Christmas together—a perfect evening beginning with a new diamond & ruby necklace, a chauffeur driven Mercedes, ankle deep snow, very high shoes & flash evening dress, a stately home with all the special service treats and a perfect dinner… This was a perfect beginning to a very happy year which has included: watching our delightful little grandson Liam growing up, with travel to far off climes to visit special friends and with a happy year for both of us at work—Ewart as a self employed contractor working with InTermIT providing computer support to schools around Hertfordshire, and Elaine continuing to enjoy teaching at Sandridge School, which has also included mentoring teachers and trainee teachers, also in Hertfordshire. Our cameras have played a big part in our year this year, a hobby we are really enjoying sharing together as it gets
us out and about while recording memories of special times and places we are sharing.
Luton Hoo
Travel
We had several trips to Amsterdam to spend precious time with Genevieve, Barry and little Liam. During these visits we experienced Amsterdam and its colours of the differing seasons. We have also been building a lovely friendship with Barry’s parents, Leny & Cocky de Vent, who have shown us love and generosity on each of our visits… Gene took us to Delft for a great day out and G & B spoilt us daily with specialty menus!!! Scrumptious!!!!
Liam de Vent
This is Barry & Genevieve’s apartment block, note the frozen canal in the foreground. Gene and Barry are the couple walking. G,B & L have also visited us here in St Albans where we have enjoyed animals, pub meals and family time. With being in different
countries & Genevieve’s job taking her regularly around the globe
Skype is an integral part of our lives these days..
Barry and Genevieve’s House
Our travels also took us to USA for a month over summer to visit special friends—Sam, Daniela & Logan Crompton & family in
Sherman Connecticut & New York, and Shayne, Lee Bate s & Shaun In Fairfax Virginia with several day trips into Washington DC & the
Shenandoah Forest. We have taken thousands of photos capturing every special moment. Every day was action packed and we walked until we could walk no more!!! In USA we experienced lots of variety and thoroughly enjoyed the rail trip between Washington DC and New York.
We even got separated by police when there was suddenly pandemonium at the White House!!! Got some great photos though before the police moved us on. Other highlights were walking the Brooklyn Bridge on a gorgeous sunny day, doing jigsaws well into the night with Sam, & D & being rescued with tow truck at Kent Falls!!! All Blacks cover on the back of Sam’s jeep made us get noticed with that one! We all had a great time crushed into the front seat of the truck!
Back in the UK, Iris turned 80 and also Ivor’s sister Jean. These were two great family parties for us to attend. As usual the year was also filled with hours of family history research, great family emails arriving daily from all over the world and meeting with family and friends. For me a highlight was the two days we spent with my nephew Michael who is currently doing his BIG OE here in London. We had a great day together exploring City Hall and Lloyds of Lond
on with our cameras on the London Open Day.. Mum got her clearance at last from cancer which was the best news of all!. We are now saving for our next trip… Hope you have been happy
this year too!