News from Home

We have been home for five weeks now and I thought a quick update would do no harm. Since we have been back, there have been numerous admin jobs to be sorted along with all the visits to the doctors, dentists and hospitals. While we were away, our neighbours did a great job of looking after the house. We are now vetting estate agents/letting agencies so that the house will at least cover its own costs while we are away next time.

England continues to be beautiful, but the noise from the media gloating over MPs who had taken legitimate and illegitimate expenses has been deafening. We now do not have one socialist run county council (local council) in the UK, which is a fitting tribute to Tony Blair, the best Tory whom the Conservatives never had. Insurance for the Pacific is proving expensive and we have to decide if we should forego the cover of insurance at £2,500.

On 30 May, 2009 Emily Spencer and Ben Deacon were married in Woodbridge. It was a fabulous day. The wedding ceremony was lovely and the reception at Thorpeness Country Club was most enjoyable. As father of the Bride, I gave my daughter away, gave the speech without too many errors and waved farewell as the Happy Couple moved onto the next phase of their lives. Emily and Ben have travelled extensively and it was following their exploits which lead to Kathy and I setting out in Sal Darago. We would have been in the Pacific now if it had not been for their wedding, but come the day, we were very proud to be the (present) Mother and Father of the Bride. Simon, our son who is working in South Korea, and his girlfriend Erin both made the trip to be with the family on this special day. It was brilliant to see them both looking so well, despite all the travelling they had had to do.

In May we attended my nephew, Patrick’s 40th birthday party. Next week, my niece, Amanda, brings her third child, Nathan, to England from Chicago, where the family live at present. They will stay with Julian, my nephew, near Alton in the South of England. Most of the family will attend Nathan’s Christening. So we have another chance for a big get together of the Spencer Clan. In July, we sail (on a ferry) to the Isle of Man for Albert’s 60th birthday party. This should give us a chance to catch up on Kathy’s family (as well as at the wedding), as Al is her brother-in-law.

Oh yes, Kathy started working last Monday (1st June). I think she would have preferred to be sailing in the Caribbean! So all is going well for us and we hope the same is true for you too.