Xmas Report 2004




That was the year that was -  can't be Christmas again can it ?

Judging by the awful muzac in the shops it can't be too far away. Though we did hear a good one the other day, extolling a B.B.Q in the back yard and on the beach, prawns instead of turkey etc. And another track saying that Santa Claus is fed up with the weather at the North Pole so he is moving to the South Pole because it is next door to Australia!

Though it's not always hot and sunny here as any of our visitors will tell you. we have had five sets of friends to stay and each time it has rained. we are thinking of hiring ourselves out as rainmakers!

We missed the rigours of winter here by going to U.K. in June for three months. Had the rigours of the English summer just about the same as the N.S.W. winter.

We had a wonderful trip. started off well by flying Malaysian Airlines to Kuala Lumpur. Then KLM to Amsterdam because from there we flew direct to Edinburgh and avoided Heathrow. Our friends from London Nev & Sheila flew out to meet us at Amsterdam and we had two days exploring with them.

Spent a few days with Gareth and family, saw Emily in the school play, she was so good.


Ben had a week at Birmingham University, travelling by train, as a result of a nationwide Maths competition where out of 50,000 entrants he was in the top 30.  Super kids the pair of them.

Alun and family joined us for a picnic.



Then we flew south, had a few hours in Manchester where we met up with Irene,



Tommy's  sister in law, and some of her family. Then we flew on to Southampton and were met by Bill and taken to his home where Brenda,
 Marian and Tom were. A very joyous reunion.



Brenda and Bill live in the New Forest and had been looking after our Ford Capri car. Being an Australian car no one wanted to buy it when we left. We were so glad. Bill had it taxed, insured, cleaned and fitted a new hood we had sent from Australia and we just turned ther key and drove off after two years. It was wonderful.



We went back to Swanage and stayed in the holiday flat overlooking the sea and cliffs, very comfortable. It is so good of Nev & Sheila to let us use it. we love it. I think we've stayed there more than they have and they've owned it for 20 years.

One weekend when they needed to use it my Swanage tennis friend John Keightley let us use his flat in Southbourne near where my sister Marian lives. So that was fun.

We had a week in a holiday cottage in Clun, Shropshire with Gareth and family.  Roughly half way between Dorset and Scotland in a part of England none of us knew well.



We had a great time, very busy every day, lots of different things to do. Ludlow castle and town, red kites at Rhyader, an owl walk in Clun one evening, Shrewsbury town and cathedral, Hay on Wye full of second hand book shops, walking (not far) on Offa's Dyke, and Stiperstones and the Long Mynd.



We were  able to visit South Wales on our way to and from Shropshire and catch up with some friends and relations there.
We had a super weekend with Nev & Sheila in Winchester and Southampton and surrounding countryside. Sheila was brought up in Winchester so she made an excellent guide.

Another great time we had with them was when we stayed with them in Surrey and went to London and went on the London Eye. They played a trick on me, told me we were going there and we'd got tickets. They knew  I would say I didn't want to go if asked so they didn't give me the choice! The Eye was a wonderful experience, not at all frighterning. Very slow and seeing for miles I forgot to look down and see how high we were.



From there we went to to the Diana Fountain in Hyde Park. Very strange memorial, she deserved better than that poor girl.



Next day we went to Wisley the Royal Horticultural Society gardens in Surrey. Our friend Margaret Smith arrived there from Norwich on a bus trip. Margaret, Nev and I were in the same class at Letchworth Grammar School (many years ago) . Wisley is a nice place to meet, magnificent gardens, then we went and had a nice pub lunch by a canal and played Pooh Sticks in a nearby bridge. All very memorable and pleasant.



We had several outings with Marian & Tom as the collage above reveals. Meeting in Bournemouth which was very busy, meeting on Branksome beach. We almost missed them as we didn't expect them to be paddling in the sea! This was followed by a lovely lunch at Harbour Heights (of which more later)  Another meeting to go to Hengistbury Head on the "train" then back to John's flat for lunch. A visit to Stapehill Abbey for a patchwork exhibition followed by a local pub lunch and an expedition to capture several agapanthus. Brenda was with us and won a cushion in a raffle. I met Yvonne one of my Swanage patchwork pals there by accident. We stayed at Brenda & Bill's house three times, coming and collecting the car, going when leaving the car and once to sort out some of our stuff Brenda had kept, at which time I went strawberry picking with Brenda in her Smart Mercedes. I love doing that. Sheila & Nev's pictures are when we shared our visit to the embankment on the Thames and travelled in The Eye.

The parting shot in the South was when we took Marian, Tom, Brenda, Bill, Nev & Sheila to lunch at the Harbour Heights Hotel near Poole. Brenda and Bill had their wedding reception there 30 years ago.



After lunch Bill drove us in his Jaguar to Southampton airport and we went back to Scotland for a few more days (have a look at the Falkirk Wheel) with Gareth and family before flying via Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, where we spent a couple of days and then Sydney and home.




Altogether a wonderful trip, Business Class makes flying long distances more comfortable. Friends and relations were so kind and generous to us. We are indeed fortunate to know so many nice people. Thanks to all who helped make our trip so pleasant.

Once home we had a few days to recover from "747 Flu"  as usual, then we drove to Gold Coast and spent 10 days in a lovely home owned by some friends who were in England and Africa at the time. We love this house sitting time. Managed to catch up with most of our pals from when we lived there. Apologies to any we missed. Pretty hectic time.



Apologies too to those we missed in U.K. We left our car in the New Forest again so didn't have our own transport in Scotland. Though Gareth and Eileen were very generous with their time in taking us places which was lovely.

Now we are happily settled back in Glengara. But expecting a call any minute now to do granny Duty in Sydney when Karen has her second baby. We get to look after Ben (two and a half) for a few days while she is in hospital. We've had a bit of practice because Karen has built up a business for herself playing the harp at weddings. See "Wedded to the Harp"  and latterly she was unable to carry or move the harp so Peter went with her. We had great fun with Ben, quite a character. He follows Tommy round like a shadow.



So with the onset of summer we are swimming in the sea most mornings at 7.0 a.m. and walking on the beach and meeting our 'Table of Knowledge ' pals. One of whom had his 89th birthday last week. We still walk the athletics track sometimes and I play tennis. Tommy goes to a gym as a reward for setting up their website.

Village life is great, suits us very well. Tommy is organising a "Cooking for men" class starting in January. Nev has been going to  similar classes and we had some beautiful meals when we stayed with them. So we will see what Tommy can do. Expect there will be some recipe swapping over Internet! Seven men from the village have enrolled in the course which starts on 29 January.

If Tommy takes over the cooking it will give me more time for patchwork.

My diet suffered greatly in U.K. I put on 5 Kg in 3 months. But I've decided that as long as I fit size 14 clothes and don't look like a beached whale in a swim suit I won't get too upset.

Stop Press

Karen, Peter & Ben are delighted to announce the safe arrival of the latest Hickmott!!!

        Claudia Meghan Hickmott


was born at 11.56pm on 15 December  weighing in at 3.672kg and measuring 51 cm.



Karen & Claudia



Peter and Ben meet Claudia

  

What a way to end 2004
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16 Dec 2004