1997 has been a more settled year for us, although we are settled in different places; Graeme mostly in Denmark, Rory in Scotland, while Fleur and Judith still live at home in deepest darkest Little Baddow.
Graeme has settled into a regular pattern of weekly commuting to Copenhagen, with occasional forays to Leeds, Halifax and Pudsey. His collection of Airmiles, SAS and Forte Bonus Points is reaching embarrassing proportions, but there seems to be no time to spend them on holidays. [At this rate, Venice will have sunk by the time we get back there. Mrs Ed.] The threat of Caracas seems to have receded for the moment, and there is a faint possibility of an assignment in Edinburgh next year, so fingers crossed.
He has just returned from Copenhagen bearing a silver cup for winning the go-karting championship, much to the chagrin of his younger and fitter colleagues. Perhaps they didn’t realise this is his normal driving style! A once in a lifetime chance to stand on the podium and spray people with champagne – at least it wasn’t a waste of good champagne!
Judith is still pursuing her career in doing not very much at the university, and is continuing her art history course to relieve the tedium. She has recently become a Friend of the RA and zooms up to London at the drop of a hat just to be able to walk in at the front of the queue – as well as to visit the exhibitions. A few more galleries are on the hit list, and we are beginning to run out of wall space. [Just Judith rearranging her assets. Ed.]
We haven’t seen Rory since August. He returned to the frozen north shortly after our holiday to earn loadsamoney working for brother-in-law Neil, in order to finance his mobile phone habit.
This year’s flat, situated in the West End of Edinburgh, between the police station and the massage parlour, is allegedly far less grotty than the previous one, possibly because there is a Japanese girl in charge. He shares with two astro-physicists and two girls who are doing business studies and economics. Judith is the only one who has seen neither of these flats – perhaps it’s just as well. Maybe one day……
Rory is now a green belt in jitsu, and is going for purple very shortly. He may well need all these self defence skills as he is the club treasurer. In spite of the cold, he has signed up with the Scottish Football Association and reffed a few matches for the City of Edinburgh Men’s League. These guys are gorillas with shaven heads, at least ten years older, and much, much bigger than Ninjaboy. However, Rory has his whistle and his red card to protect him. They haven’t beaten up the young English ref yet, but it’s early days.
On the other hand, he does admit to getting beaten up three times at week at the jitsu club – mostly by the girls! According to received information, half these girls want to mother him, and the other half want to kill him! [For those with the technology, have a look at www.ed.ac.uk\~radj and links, for fairly recent pictures too!]
He says he is working hard now, but won’t comment about any social life – so we must draw our own conclusions!
Fleur had her knee operation repeated and this time it was much more successful, although obviously there is still residual pain. However, she did manage a triumphant rounders season, and only got concussion once.
She left school in the summer with a good clutch of O levels and has moved on to Chelmsford College to take a two-year CACHE NNEB Diploma course. She has made lots of new friends and is enjoying life. At least two days a week are spent at the Anglia University crèche where she enjoys looking after the babies and toddlers. She is also developing a thriving baby-sitting business. However, she is still a dedicated Manchester United fan. (But, then, nobody’s perfect. Ed.)
Driving lessons will start in about three months – so clear the streets!
Our senior ginger cat, Baggins, became ill in the summer and had to go to the great cattery in the sky. Not long afterwards we acquired a very lively tabby kitten called George. His footballing skills are excellent, and he is driving poor old Thistle demented as he wants to play all the time. Having used up most of the Hobbit names, it seems we are now embarking on a dynasty of footballing felines.
As we were no longer restricted to school holidays, we took an early holiday to Turkey – our first ever family package holiday. It was an “interesting” experience, but after we had changed hotels (boy, has Graeme learned how to complain since he joined IBM!) everything got better. Eating, drinking and doing nothing featured heavily on the agenda, but we did manage to take in a few ruins and buy lots of fake designer t-shirts. It was very hot, but the drinks were cold and kept on coming, and the swimming pools were not too busy at that time. But it must be hell during the busy season.
Rory caused quite a stir one morning by saying he had been for a run along the beach before breakfast. This is not Johnston behaviour! Even Judith was forced to play tennis on three mornings – before it got too hot. Fleur trounced Rory at tennis, but he said he had the sun in his eyes – his excuse. And Graeme went potholing by mistake, but that is too complicated a story for this newsletter. We all returned rested, relaxed and with varying degrees of suntan.
Fleur and Judith flew out to Copenhagen for a few days in the late summer to share Graeme’s humble executive suite at the top of the Royal Hotel. The highlight of the trip – for some – was the Lindt chocolate shop on Strøget, but we also trekked round lots of castles and galleries. Over the weekend we drove round Zealand and visited Karen Blixen’s house, Kronborg Castle (Elsinore), Frederiksburg Castle and saw the Viking longships at Roskilde. The roads are excellent, but the speed limits are way too low! Some of us like herring for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it’s probably just as well for Fleur that McDonalds has made inroads into the Danish fast food market.
More recently, Graeme and Judith had a long weekend away – on their own! – leaving Fleur in charge of house and livestock. God knows how many people came to the party, but all was in order when we got back. We visited old friends in Weymouth and Devon, and came back laden with goodies from the Dartington Shop (now so much bigger) and the Fossil Shop in Lyme Regis, last visited on our honeymoon twenty-four years ago.
It has been another good year for parties in the garden. Judith and Fleur have seen lots of George Clooney movies, but as Graeme is shattered at the weekends, there haven’t been quite so many candlelight suppers or theatre visits this year.
This year’s visitors included Allan and Louisa from Zimbabwe. It was great to see them again. The fish restaurant in Maldon was pleased to see all of us one evening; and quite surprised to see all of us again (plus Louisa’s son who now lives in London) the following evening! They probably laid a special table for us on the third evening. We’re hoping to go back to Zim again next year and look forward to seeing all relations and friends out there, plus the more recent additions.
Graeme’s mother had a mild stroke earlier in the year, and spent a few days in hospital, but has made a good recovery. She has gained another grandson, and her eleventh grandchild is due in the spring.
The travellers are due home shortly, and we can “spend time with our family” once again. It’s the usual routine: Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, joined by one or two friends, and then a complete veg out for the next few days, interrupted only by those vital drinks parties with friends and neighbours all round the village. Why does Christmas always come at such a busy time of year?
With very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Graeme & Judith ([email protected], [email protected])