Boxing Day at the Wallace home was a noisy day with twelve of us eating a large meal and then playing silly games. The four children disappeared playing in other rooms for much of the afternoon. Pass the parcel ended up as "Throw the parcel" with two parcels being thrown to anyone in the circle of twelve and when the lights flashed the person holding a parcel took the next wrapper off resulting in them either winning a prize or having to do a forfit. Great fun and a lot of tired people at the end of the day!

Wishing you all a Great Christmas and a Really Good New Year

Here's hoping your Christmas and New Year as really good - our best wishes to you,

Erica and John

The South America link

--- and we are not the only globe-trotters!

It was only in January that we helped move Simon W. into a flat with Rachel in London, (also taking in a pleasant evening meal with friends Daz and Sarah in Watford), but on November 5th Simon W and Rachel set off for over a year’s visit to South America. If you want to find out how the are doing, go to http://simonrach.blogspot.com/ , they regularly update this with news and pictures, it is well worth a look.

Life is not all a holiday (or is it?)

Perhaps surprisingly we still find time to fit in regular visits to the Halle concerts, we have joined a small local orchestra, and our family history interest has led us to actually meet up with distant relatives from USA and some living in Hampshire as well as make e-mail contact with others around the globe.




We also continue to make good use of our National Trust membership even visiting 2 sites in 1 day with Dave and Anne in Wales! - the photo was taken at Bodnant Gardens.

On another trip to Wales we stayed at Julie’s home (John’s niece) looking after her cat and dog while she was on holiday and while there even built her a fitted wardrobe – we know how to have a good time! Gizmo (the dog) was great fun and ajoy to look after, but Tiger (the cat) refused to sit on knees and seemed to enjoy waking us up in the night (not like a real cat at all!)

Paris in the Spring

And the early summer in Paris proved very enjoyable with Liz and Norman. It was part of an International Caravan Rally but we also did several visits to Paris and around while there.

Venice

The Venice trip in April had been planned to be with Vince and Pat, but sadly Pat's illness kept her at home (perhaps better luck next year Pat!). But that created an unexpected and pleasant break with Margaret and Morris. Leisurely walks round, many canal trips, (a few bar stops) and a Vivaldi Concert. We made it a partly self catering break as we wanted to sample the vegetable and fish markets that look so inviting in Venice.

Cruise

We went on a cruise this year – but that doesn’t really give you an adequate picture, as it started from Salford docks and ended at Liverpool Pier Head taking in the full length of the Manchester Ship Canal. Industrial Archaeology and wildlife were well worth the trip even if the weather let us down.

Our other trip with Margaret and Morris had better weather – Venice!

November in the Lake District

All our trips have not been abroad; as we had a wonderful couple of days in the Lakes meeting up with college friends, and the weather was exceptionally good to us, as the photo shows. We walked round Buttermere and Loweswater, had a couple of excellent pub lunches and a lot of catching up with old friends!

Summer with the Grandchildren

We have time with grandchildren whenever we can although for this year Reece was a little too young to take away for a summer holiday. However we had a weekend caravanning with the girls in North Wales, and then in July we took them to France. Almost 2 weeks away from home but they were fantastic. The trip that started with the Dr Who Prom Concert in the Albert Hall (even before the ferry) and a night in a hotel on the way down France.

We had a great time both at the sea and river swimming and then we had a party of 12 at the house in St.Genies after Simon W. and Rachel and the Archer family arrived.

But the holiday was not over yet! We called on our good friend Elaine near Limoges on the way up France and then a visit to a Chateau where the girls dressed up and even danced round the grand ballroom and well as travelling round the gardens in a buggy!

Mum's 95th Birthday

Unfortunately Mum has not had a good year with several falls and subsequent trips to hospital that prompted her to move to where a higher level of care was possible. Having survived the trauma of hospitals (7 hours on a trolley in A&E each visit) and moving to a new care home, she now seems to doing very well. We had planned a trip to Cracow with Simon D. but Mum’s illness caused that to put on hold for another year. But we did manage a trip to some very colourful gardens earlier in the year and a happy 95th birthday party in July with family! (Margaret and Morris, Ian and Aileen, Simon and us).

Glastonbury

Although we hadn’t really known what to expect, one of the highlights of our year was the Glastonbury Festival. We know that we have bored all our friends and family with tales of just how good it was, but little can prepare you for the sheer scale, variety, friendliness and good organisation of the festival. You may think we cheated a litle as we took the caravan (our 2-man tent days are over!) It was great fun, and so much to do and take in. We have already booked our tickets for 2009! Simon and Rachel were kind enough to show us round some of the site on our first day.


We spent several breaks in the "Jazz Lounge", tried to fit in lots of different types of music, enjoyed the circus and fund acts, and ended the weekend with Joan Baez. But the highlight for us was a very moving Leonard Cohen. We were also able to renew some old friendships - its not only young people at Glastonbury!

Spain in the Spring

Early in 2008 we flew with our friends, Vince and Pat, to Valencia and we were very well looked after by our hosts Richard and Janice in their villa at Benitachell. Considering how early it was in the year the weather was good to us so managed severl trips and some good meals out including a very traditional Spanish meal up in a hill village. We were very agreeably surprised by the city of Valencia both the old centre and the fantastic new buildings along the old river bed.

Sicily in February

Our first trip of the year (with Joan and Brian) was to test Ryanair’s 1p flights, which first took us to Carcassonne, (for St.Genies ) and after a few days at our second home there, and then a short drive, we flew from Gerona to Sicily for a few days and then back to Gerona, all for 1p a flight!. Although we have to admit to paying £8 to get home from Carcassonne rather that the 1p of all the other fares! We loved Sicily and although it was rather cool (particularly on top of the mountain at Ericé) there was lots to do and see.

2008 building Project

Yippee! At the time of writing this, 2008’s major project has just been completed (more or less). John is the proud owner of a garage/workshop. Many months a dream, many months in planning, and many months of hard work. In addition many, many thanks to the family members and friends who were press-ganged into giving of their time, skills and muscle to make it all happen over the last few months. To get the space where we wanted the garage we dug out 25 skips full of earth and rubble! and to get the type of roof we planned needed the help of a large crane and some muscle. The weather has now slowed the final phase, but with roof on it is now weather tight for the winter.