Fortunately, Greg was able to maintain his tradition of assisting not in the slightest as he went under the NHS neck knife for the second time in early August, just in time to be utterly useless in the run-up to the wedding. [Was he really planning to be anything else…?! P.] This second operation was intended to address the lingering pain which had not been completely eliminated the first time round. Sad to say that while the NHS has tried its best, he is still a pain in the neck.
After three weeks meandering our way down the west coast, we flew east to spend a week with Greg’s folks and to enjoy the splendid autumn foliage in New England. The colours were stunning and the chance to spend a few more days in the magnificent glory of Lake George is always a most welcome distraction. Pen also was reunited with her best friend from boarding school in Kenya, discovered via the internet after more than 40 years.
And so, another great year passes us by. It has been grand to see those of you we have, and disappointing that so few of you take any notice of our continuing invitations to come and visit. On the other hand, a visit to the dentist might be preferable. All our love to you all.
Back to Greg's Temporary Home Page
|
In September we were able to undertake an extended excursion as, for the first time in our working lives, we are no longer constrained to school vacation times for our amusing little diversions. We decided to spend a few weeks mooching off various friends and relations all down the west coast, from Seattle to San Diego. We had fantastic weather and a horde of wonderful adventures – a wooden boat festival in Port Towsend, Washington, a stunning display by the Chapman Elementary School swifts in Portland, Oregon, the magnificence of the California redwoods, a memorably 
juddering flight to Santa Barbara for a hundred dollar hamburger, not to mention a gathering in honour of Greg’s 40th High School Reunion. It was great to catch up with everyone but what is still puzzling – how come some look not more than a week older than when we left the Webb School all those years ago but others of us, including most notably Greg, look as if the intervening 40 years have wreaked absolute havoc. [Living with me for 37 years, perhaps??!! P]
Back in the UK and we received the news that, after overcoming a number of bureaucratic hurdles, Adam and Sugar had managed to get married (fortunately, to each other) in November in Guilin near Sugar’s home. This was the civil ceremony, similar to a Registry Office wedding in the UK. The family celebration is still to come at a date and venue to be decided. Looks like another trip to the People’s Republic will be required in 2010 – too bad. As well as managing to negotiate all the red tape required for a Chinese subject to wed a running dog imperialist foreigner, they also secured permission from the Office for Having Children, to produce not one but two children! If only we had a similar Office for Having Children in the UK – it would wipe out unwanted teenage pregnancies at a stroke. Heck, if you haven’t got permission....
In spite of all the distractions, Molly continues to keep the house and homestead in order ensuring that we get out into the gales and storms at least twice a day. Her love and affection knows no limits provided there is no significant delay in her daily walks and that food appears in her bowl early every evening.
