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16 February 2006

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Dear Reader,

Last year’s letter was full of Sarah’s engagement to Ian: now they are married. A day that was lovely in every respect. The bride looked as wonderful as brides should – or even more wonderful; the weather was hot and sunny-the first hot day of not many in the year; the hotel, where the ceremony and reception were, was delightful. And the guests were pretty good, too, – even though we would have loved to invite more. I could go on about all the things that we liked (the ceremony, the food, the company), but it was one of the best days of our lives. As good as Emma’s wedding, but different. We just have to remember to call her by her married name, and not Babbage!

They have joined the property race, and have a 3-bedroomed house in Haverhill, near Cambridge, which they are working on. But then, her sister has also joined the property race and has a 3-bedroomed house in Flixton, which they are working on, too. They both have 2 kittens who are charming and ruling their lives. Utterly insane – the four kittens, we mean!

Holidays may have been scarce for us this year, but weddings haven’t. We have attended four since May (one being Sarah’s of course), so you would think that we were becoming expert. Weddings are definitely not going out of fashion. Let’s see about staying together.

We had our pearl wedding this year, and maybe Geoff is relieved that Judy is not keen on pearls! 30 years, and it only seems like, well, forever! So much has happened, (the best being our daughters) and so much has unfortunately been forgotten.

Judy’s supply teaching is still important to her and, financially, to both of us! It doesn’t get any easier for her, each year! Judy does more than her fair share of the garden, and Geoff thinks that it’s beautiful.

Geoff’s photographic hobby is still important to him and he is very pleased to be a reasonably-sized fish in a small Camera Club pond. He is profoundly moved and pleased that some of his photographic work has proved to be important to other people, as well. 

He’s still running 4 web sites, even though his own is a bit neglected, as you may have noticed! He blames the Wedding! But he id working on them now!

We did have a couple of weeks in Bexhill, thanks to Judy’s cousin. The sea can be so rough there, even though the rain is a degree warmer. I never realised what an interesting area West Sussex and environs can be. We particularly remember Scotney Castle Gardens and Michelham Priory amongst others. And I thought that anything of any interest was in the North. (Well, it is really, isn’t it?)

We are getting to know a little bit about Cambridge and the area nearby because of Sarah and Ian. More foreign territory. But it helps me to realise even more that we are so lucky to live on an incredible island, with such variety, geography, beauty, interest, talent and history, as well as the awfulness and the weather.

It won’t stop us from trying to take holidays overseas, though. Some day, we might eventually get to Australia and/or New Zealand, and we might get to the Far East or India. Or North America. We suppose that we can dream…..

We wish you a truly enjoyable Christmas and hope that 2005 will be kind to you.

Geoff and Judy Babbage