HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

OK....who's had it? Where did the year go? Last December 3rd it was a Saturday and we were at Rye Town Hall ready for our nuptials. The Dark Lady was worrying that there weren't enough candles and I was worrying that the superb Edwina Hayes had been delayed and so wouldn't be on hand to sing her definitive version of the Randy Newman song "Feels Like Home".

(You can watch a special wedding "vimeo" by Neale James by clicking here.)
We've had a wonderful year. Not without drama. Dark Lady managing to lacerate her finger spectacularly on Boxing Day. We spent much of the afternoon in the hospital waiting room. At least we spent it together.

We had our first proper family holiday in Florida with my two excellent step children, Jamie and Ella. I was probably the worst behaved of the four of us!

We've seen the cycle of life with friends and family from births via Bah Mitzvahs to weddings to sadly funerals.

We've had our fair share of worries about business about job security about future planning and a couple of health issues that luckily turned out to be minor.

All through this we've had each other to lean on.

In case you are starting to hear violins and heavenly choirs and you are feeling your gorge rise and are looking for the sick bucket….

…we've had a lot of fun and mischief and I don't think I've ever laughed so much.

What have we learned over the last twelve months?

DL has learned that I'm incapable of any domestic chore after I've taken my shoes off.

I've learned that if we are in a shop DL has to pick up, examine and comment on every item of stock. In the China department this is a white knuckle ride as I know sooner or later - maybe not this store, nor the next or even the one after - one day she's going to drop something!

If every year is as good as this one, even with its upsets and worries, I can never complain. I am blessed.

OK cue the sick bucket. ..