Dear Friends,
Another year has almost gone. It started off on an uncertain note with Becky having to start a new secondary school after an unsettling time at the Duke of York's R.M. School. She now attends Dover Grammar School for Girls as a day pupil and is enjoying herself making new friends and coping well with the demands of GCSEs. She also finds time at weekends for the occasional party and sleepover, with dad or mum as the courtesy taxi.
We missed out on Spring Harvest in Skegness this Easter since JR was asked to perform a wedding in Scotland for a former colleague Helen Noyce. It was a beautiful setting in Culcreuch Castle near Stirling and it was great to see a number of colleagues from school also present.
Summer holidays were fabulous. Once again we were under canvas but this time in the lovely Dordogne area of France. It was a long drive south so we were glad of an overnight stop both ways at Pierrefitte, near Orleans. Barbara coped admirably with the Peripherique (ring road) round Paris and refused to be intimidated by the somewhat aggressive Parisian drivers. Now that Andrew has passed his driving test we will have a third driver (assuming Barbara lets us near the controls of our new Zafira). The car is marvellous for being able to stock up on our numerous day trips to Calais.
Barbara is relishing her third year as housemistress. She has the Fifth Form (Year 11) as her tutor group who are quite a handful. This week we have had the run of Christmas dinners and concerts. Andrew plays in the military band and the jazz band. Next year he is hoping to spend a gap year in France as assistant in the lycee militaire in Aix-en-Provence.
Our new director of music put on an excellent carol service in the chapel which was very well received. Next December we have been invited to perform in Canterbury Cathedral. This will be a fitting culmination to the school's bi-centenary celebrations throughout 2003.
Life in the villages continues at their leisurely pace. Tony the vicar has been off sick for the past three months so JR was asked to take one of the harvest festivals in October. He also hopes to conduct the Midnight Communion service on Christmas Eve in the village and then back to school for the Christmas Day Family service, after which we shall all collapse at Barbara's parents for lunch and the Queen's Christmas message. Next year will be our fifth in St Margaret's. It is always good to hear from friends and especially to have folks call in en route from the continent to break their journeys.
Best wishes.