Permanently No Cards!
As usual we didn’t send Christmas cards last year and donated what we would have spent on them to ActionAid. This year the money we’ll save will be donated to the destitute refugees and asylum seekers in Bolton who are being cared for by BRASS (Befriending Refugees and Asylum Seekers) – http://www.brassbolton.org. Why not help too by either donating to BRASS yourself or by giving to another deserving charity?
Growing Up Far Too Quickly
First day at school Sunday brunch Mr Jack the pirate
That lovely little baby, Mr. Jack Morris is now a 4½ year old fulltime school boy and hasn’t been on the naughty mat yet (or so we’re told!). In fact he seems to be doing rather spiffingly and us old codgers get to take him swimming on a Sunday morning whilst dad is off tandem cycling around Lancashire and mum is doing whatever mums do on a Sunday morning!
And Not a Sprout in Sight
The Grand Place, Brussels
So where’s the fun European destination for New Year? Did we hear you say Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris? In fact we headed for Brussels and had a wonderful few days seeing 2013 out and 2014 in. The food, the sights, the people (and wonderful beers and chocolates) were excellent and we’d highly recommend it. Our visit made us very pleased to be European!
A Haven of Peace?
About two years longer than planned and, of course, way over budget we present (roll of drums) – John and Noelene’s new garden, complete with raised beds, patios to catch the morning and evening sun, a greenhouse, new fences and (still to be built) a wildlife mini-wetland and outdoor kitchen. And we’ve already had delicious home-grown organic veggies!
Not Again!
If you’ve been around the real Fourth Estate in the last few weeks you’d have seen a familiar site. Yes, the house is “scaffolded” again. But thankfully nothing major this time — just plastic (yes, you purists, “plastic”) soffits and fascias being put in so that yours truly won’t have to break his neck clambering up ladders to paint in future. As if I would, anyway! And we’re also trying to get everything done in time for the great day in December 2015 when the old codger will be FREE from the demands of work — YEAH 🙂 !
Update, update, update – job finished!
Age Shall Not Weary Them
(Oh yes it will!)
The IBRG London Marathon team – London 1983 and Lodz 2014 left to right – John, Malcolm, Dennis and Glyn
The 1985 International Biodeterioration Research Group (IBRG – www.ibrg.org) London Marathon team were reunited at a conference in Lodz, Poland this September. All of us have, at one time or another, been President of that fine body of travelling scientists and although we don’t run a great deal these days we do enjoy the sport of “talking about running” over a beer or three!
Around and Around
Well deserved at the end of the Bolton Rotary Way
Drowned rat on the Bolton Rotary Way
The Oldham Way in the dark with the LDWA
No long distance footpaths this year but as long as the legs and joints keep going so will the old fart!
So this year’s challenges were day walks – 35 miles of the Fairtrade Way, the 42 mile Oldham Boundary Trail and the 52 mile Bolton Rotary Way — the complete Bolton Boundary in a day, starting at 5:00am and finishing at 11:00pm in the dark! It “Bolton sunshined” (i.e. rained) most of the way too. So a huge thanks to the support team of The Boss, Mr. G. and Mrs. B. and for the well deserved beer at the end! Who knows where those feet will take me in 2015.
Travels
With the gang en Español
In the hills
Now let’s see — well, after Bruxelles for new year, we enjoyed the Spanish spring sun with the Titters, Goughie and Mrs B. in March had a pleasant long weekend with them and Dawn and Jon in the Lake District to celebrate someone’s further “coming of age” (yes, okay John’s officially a pensioner now!) in June and in July the six of us headed to the isles for 12 days in the utterly sublime Outer Hebrides. Unfortunately we didn’t get to meet up with Peter Clarke, whose book The Timeless Way (www.gillatt.org/hebrides) first took us to the islands. Guess we’ll have to just go back then!
Finally, in October, the two of us had a few days in Athens tacked on to the autumn IBRG (www.ibrg.org) conference.
He’s how old??!!
The senior dudes!
“Ageing rock stars plan reunion tour in the Outer Hebrides”
The three stooges at Lochannan Lachasdail, Harris
At the Callanish Standing Stones
Wind blown on the Isle of Barra
Olympic champion
At the Acropolis
On the beach
With a very special event (i.e. the general election) next May there’s an embargo on holidays other than a trip to Bilbao over Easter. But it seems that in July we’ll be celebrating Ed Miliband becoming PM with the Titters on a boat in the Norfolk Broads — somewhere we’ve always wanted to visit but have never been to. We’ve been given to understand that it’s compulsory to moor close to a good pub each night 🙂 !
Maybe Next Time
Just wait ’til next time!
John and Andy Burnham – almost best mates!
With the comrades on the campaign trail
Well, we continue to fight the good fight. Noelene is now coordinating the Bolton West general election campaign (Labour majority 92!) and John stood for council for about the 13th time in the ward where we live (yes, the guy on his right with the blue rosette won yet again!).
But we are undaunted and with John having been selected for Smithills ward, a possibly winnable seat, the revolution could start here on May 7th 2015! As the Irsish say, “vote early, vote often“. See what we’re up to at www.smithillslabourparty.org.
Sounds, Tales and Fun!
It’s been a good year for all sorts of music and events including Fairport Convention, Mike and the Mechanics, Runrig’s 40th anniversary tour, Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds amongst the best music. Noelene saw the Iranian comedian Omid Djalili, we went to a benefit for the Working Class Movement Library with Maxine Peake, Sheila Hancock and Mike Joyce and saw Dawn French’s wonderful one woman show full of wit, some pathos and some righteous anger!
Fairport Convention
Mike & The Mechanics
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Runrig’s 40th anniversary
Maxine Peake
Segway riding!
Preparing for Masterchef!
Giving John Torode a few tips at the Bolton Food Festival!
War of the Worlds – “the chances of anything coming from Mars….”
Another island well worth a visit!
Dawn French – “30 million minutes”
Noelene did another cookery demonstration (she’s aiming for Masterchef, you know) at the Farnworth World of Food event and met John Torode at the Bolton Food Festival.
In 2015
Well, before 2015 starts, a very happy Christmas and then a wonderful New Year. For the first time in ages we’re at home over the festive season so, if you’re in the area please call in for a chat and “something warming” (best to phone first, though, ‘cos you know us 🙂 ! Our love and best wishes to you and we look forward to staying in touch, or even meeting you in person, in the year ahead.
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