Dear Friends,
We have just returned from a marvellous Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral. Nothing special in that except to say that it was our own Duke of York's School service which this year, to celebrate our bi-centenary, we transported the whole school in a fleet of eleven coaches, minibuses...etc and put on a really spectacular event (not my words, although I did have a certain part to play).
This year has been an interesting one for us as a family. Andrew celebrated his 18th birthday in February and we had a great evening down at the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club in Dover with some of his friends from school. A few months later, in July, Andrew took part in his last Grand Day as a pupil and is now working as an English assistant at the Lycee Militaire in Aix-en-Provence. He passed his A levels so hopes to be starting at Plymouth university next September.
Rebecca likewise did well in her GCSE subjects and has returned to the Sixth Form at Dover Grammar School for Girls. She has also managed to find a Saturday job at JJB Sports so is earning some money at last. A cause for concern is that she has had three spells in hospital concerning her diabetes and we hope she can manage to regulate it.
Barbara continues to immerse herself in the life of the boarding house and seems to work long hours. Many is the night when I am first in bed and haven't a clue as to when she finally makes her way upstairs. No wonder that during the holidays she rarely emerges for breakfast before 9 o'clock. To return to the Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral, she agreed to read one of the lessons which must have been quite special since she used to go there each year as a pupil at Simon Langton's.
JR is into his 8th year at the school and still managing to enjoy the work. This year he has a Year 11 (5th Year) group for French and is quite pleased to be back teaching languages, which is where he started his teaching career over 30 years ago back in Lincolnshire. Indeed, going to Butlin's Skegness for the annual Spring Harvest Event is rather like going down Memory Land. For 2004, however, we will be going to Minehead immediately after Easter.
Our summer holidays this year saw us in the south of France, in Languedoc, not far from Nemes and the Cevennes. The weather was terrific (even at home in the UK) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We went slightly earlier this year and found that most people on the campsite were Dutch. (We had wondered about going to Holland next summer as the roads will probably be empty of traffic). Actually we have already booked to go to a campsite near Chambery in the French Alps but in August.
Finally, we have at last got our house in St Margaret's in order after the building of our new extension, which was completed in early July. We had to let the plaster and floor dry out before we could decorate but during the half-term in October we had some new carpet fitted and completed the painting. We are very pleased with the result and hope to let you see if for yourselves once Andrew is home to update the family website. We trust the year has been fulfilling for you as well and look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes and God bless.