2004 Highlights

We stayed at Tortworth Court in Gloucestershire for a few days in February, researching a different part of the country and meeting newly found members of our extended family - second and third cousins also researching their family history.

David has been on a software testing assignment with one of the big retailers early in the year. He and Lynne took a holiday camping in the south of France. They got a new tent bigger than their car - not sure how they're going to get it there!

Jennie and Ian went off to Austria skiing early in the year, then next time they went away they got engaged! They went to Paris for Ian's birthday and he popped the question while they were out for dinner on a Bateau on the River Seine - very romantic! We're really pleased and offer our sincere congratulations and wish them both well. Fortunately there was a photographer on hand to record the occasion!

David has changed assignments to a government department slightly nearer home, so this should be easier to cope with, and Jennie's had a promotion at work - well done. Jennie and Ian have also set 'the date', for August next year.

We're now both on separate assignments with financial services companies, becoming much more expert than we want to be about mortgages, and helping our respective firms get ready for new regulation later in October. Rhys has also been doing some lecturing for the University of Central Lancashire at Preston on their Call Centre Post Graduate Diploma, which has filled the time even more.

Rhys and Jean had a holiday in Florida earlier in the summer, staying a few days at Clearwater and a few near Orlando, and we timed it to be with Samantha, Mike and Elizabeth on their holiday there. We went to see Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World, and felt much better about Sea World after the Killer Whale, Shamu, threw a strop and would not perform!

It was Rhys' mother's 80th birthday in August, so we went down for the weekend and took her on a couple of trips out. She's looking very much better than recently, which is good.

We had a trip to the US in September, to look after Elizabeth while Samantha and Mike came over to Europe house-hunting, and we took the opportunity to do some sight-seeing. A day in Toronto to see Jean's Aunt Redina and her son David, and then a couple of days at Niagara Falls. It's well worth a visit but we got soaked on the 'Maid of the Mist' - a boat trip that takes visitors right into the horseshoe (Canadian) falls.

From the left: Rhys, Jean and Elizabeth on the waterfront at Toronto. The next two pictures are of the view from our (17th floor) room at the Sheraton on the Falls in Niagara - you can just see one of the Maid of the Mist boats in the spray in the distance, then Jean with Elizabeth down river from the Falls, and finally Elizabeth at Dow Gardens in Midland, MI.

Latest news in September is the arrival of Thomas - a new son for Lianne and Peter, brother for Jack and grandson for us. He surprised us all by arriving several weeks early and weighed less than 4 pounds at birth. But he's healthy and Lianne is also very well. His first few days coincided with our trip to the US to look after Elizabeth so Jean was upset at not being able to see him for a while.

Now the year's ended, click here for our annual Christmas newsletter. Jean broke a bone in her foot - the second metatarsal, like Beckham!- but it has healed nicely now. Rhys' contract came to an end with the year-end, so we're looking forward to the New Year. Best wishes to you all.