December 2014.....

Before the end of this year I must apologise for my absence from blogging.   I have been so very busy!

I had every intention of writing part 3 of our America/Canada trip but got caught up in organising a campaign to try to get a vital screening service reinstated to our local clinic!     It is still ongoing, so I can't say too much, but suffice to say I think we are getting somewhere with it and I will write about it fully once the situation is resolved.

In the meantime, besides organising Christmas I was also organising a party for our family and friends to help MWM and I celebrate our Ruby Wedding Anniversary on 7th December, which was our actual anniversary date but we had the party on 6th.   We thought 40 years together was worth celebrating and could think of no better way that gathering family and friends.

We hired a room at a local social club, booked caterers, a DJ and a live band, had an anniversary cake made by a local baker, had the room decorated with balloons, banners and etc and just hoped everyone would be able to turn up.  

Here's some photos from the evening.

The Cake

The married long time couple

Guests: MIL and her friend

 Our youngest son Daniel and his two sons, Kai and Nate

Eldest son Nick and his wife Alison

DIL Alison, her Mum and our granddaughter Gracie

 My eldest brother and his family

 My youngest brother and his family

Old friends

 The children eagerly awaiting the announcement that the buffet was open!

The band - Mr Bifter

Our five gorgeous grandchildren, from left to right and in age order, youngest first,  Nate, Gracie, Harry, Kai and Sam, just before they each presented us with a red rose each!

Guests having a good time.

 The childen doing Gangnam Style!

 Dancing round the handbags like in the 60's! 

Everyone had a wonderful time, as did we, it was so lovely having everyone together in one place.

Now Christmas is all but done, we are busy packing for a few days away over new year with some friends.  We leave on Tuesday and get back on Friday, it's just a short package for a hotel stay in the south of England, with a gala dinner on NYE and a day trip to Brighton - a complete change to what we usually do.

I'll tell you all about it when we get back and promise to continue with the America/Canada trip and will, eventually, get round to posting about the trip to Italy we made in May.   Such a lot to catch up on!

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Happy and Healthy New Year.