Very best wishes for a enjoyable Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year.
Jacky, John, Ben, Susie, Hattie, Sarah and Daniel
2010 News from The Husons.
A quieter year for celebrations this year – the highlight was Hattie’s first birthday – where has that year gone!!?? Two parties – one in London and one in Southwell gathered families (4 generations) and friends together. Only family guests missing were Heather who had to leave early, and Dan who had work commitments.
Back: Jacky, Ben, Sarah, Janet (Susie’s Mum)Front: John, Tony (Susie’s Dad), Ben, Susie & Hattie, Bunty (Susie’s grandma), Sid (Bunty’s friend) |
Touch Therapy work continues to be busy – the Probation Service massage therapy work with Substance Misuse clients became a permanent contract so that’s a couple of days spoken for. My job at Arnold Library is yet again ‘at risk’ as more budget cuts bite into opening hours. I’ll hang on until they kick me out!! Voluntary work for Red Cross at Framework Housing and some training, plus yoga, private clients and organising the local therapists’ support group just about sees me fully occupied!
John and I did our second ‘trip of a lifetime’ to South Africa in January/February – we just loved it so much we can’t stay away – planning again for 2011. Enjoyed meeting up with familiar and yet more ‘new’ relatives and particularly our stay at Kleinmond in the cottage next door to some of the Mathew family (see photo) whom Hayley (cousin John’s daughter) had recently re-joined having been living in England for 12 years.
Braai (BBQ) at Fish Cottage, Kleinmond, home of Mathew family. Hayley (cousin John’s daughter), Joan (cousin John’s mother), John H, Norton (Joan’s oldest son) |
We went on our family ski-ing trip to Ruhpolding in March/April – this time without Ben and Susie (Hattie still a bit young?!) but happily with Daniel. Two adjoining cosy self-catering flats with a hot tub made it very much more familial. Yet again, we met up with Brigitte and Philip who took Rob and children up to (or rather down) one of the black runs.
Brigitte, Sophie, Sarah, Sam, John, Dan, Philip, Rob in our cosy flat (no chalet maid!)
In addition, I have travelled more modestly than in my 60th year!
- Brighton in April to be a course supporter with Jing (my favourite advanced massage academy)
- Ibiza (oh dear you think – is she having a mid-life crisis!) with some of the Jing tutor/fellow therapists. Had a surprisingly great time, lovely weather and lots of craic.
- camping in a very wet Lake District in August with Sam and Sophie, Sarah and Rob
- Whitby in September with Jenny – what a lovely part of the coast and yummy fish.
- Aldeburgh with a neighbour in September for the Food and Drink Festival – excellent and more yummy food – are you getting this year’s theme!!?
- A week in Charente Maritime at a colleague’s lovely converted house in the middle of nowhere – an ideal place to chill out with friend Elaine and enjoy some gourmet French cuisine.
- London in July and October to see Hattie – and of course, Ben, Susie and Dan
John continues to grab the cheap flights with ‘Ryanair’ …….Bratislava (highlight of his trip was an exciting town tour on a Segway see photo) also a very timely trip to Malta (he missed the worst of our snow!!) A busy social life, golf and supporting Nottingham Forest keep the little grey cells active!
Ben and Susie have just about finished decorating/alterations to the flat and have put it on the market with a view to moving…. possibly to Southwell – which would be lovely. Susie is enjoying motherhood, so much so that she continues to be a full-time Mum which is admirably rewarded by Hattie being an absolutely delightful and amiable toddler (nearly). Ben’s offices were sadly burgled a while ago – despite very strong doors and alarm system – a professional job, they knew what they wanted and were in and out very quickly. Stop press: they have just been burgled again!! Plenty of witnesses but again a very slick operation and no number plate spotted. Despite that, business is perky and Ben is hoping to keep working remotely for Camber wherever he lives.
Zanzibar |
Sarah’s Highly Strung (and Wired) String quartet work is flourishing. She is very busy with cello teaching at Trent College, The Elms and private students. Her Youth String Camerata (www.youthstringcamerata.co.uk) is giving string pupils experience in playing in small ensembles – and following an approach from the Age of Englightenment Orchestra they have done a workshop and will perform prior to AoE concert in Southwell Minster soon. She and Rob went scuba diving in Egypt with Trent College for the 2nd year running as tutor/supporters (it was Youth Hostelling in our day if we were lucky!!). Sarah and Rob split up in September but they are both fine. Sarah went to Zanzibar in October to enjoy a great time diving, on safari and spending time with her school friend Kristen who has a hotel out there.
Dan continued to work with Nottingham Forest until June, when the budget finally ended the secondment. But he was SO lucky to find work very quickly with Millwall Football Club as their Marketing Executive and a room in a house near Canary Wharf with three mates from University. After wanting to move to London for so long it couldn’t have worked out better. He’s very busy with campaigns and projects to move the Club forward off the pitch and is enjoying all the culture of London, when he finds time! He revisited Malia in the summer with some of his schoolmates.
Hattie with her habitual chirpy smile (particularly when there’s a camera pointing!) |
Our warm wishes for Christmas and all the very best for 2011.