Dear all,
Well, here it is at Christmas time again. We were planning on sending a newsletter in the summer, but somehow we just never quite got round to putting the plans into action. Anyway, we hope that this reaches you in good spirits and you are looking forward to Christmas and the New Year.
We have had an interesting year. Life has been busy and most things have to be 'squeezed in' to the hectic schedule.
Decorating
One thing we have had to squeeze in is decorating. Over the New Year we decorated our bedroom. Later on in the year we did down the stairs and now, in November, we have just finished the dining room. Gradually the house is beginning to look more presentable. The bedroom, stairs and dining room only needed painting: the three rooms left to do need more than that though!
The kitchen needs a box making for the various pipes sticking out of the wall and all the paper needs stripping off, plus there is some tiling to do round the sink. The front room has a patch on the wall which needs plastering and then papering and the office .. well, we don't really know quite what we want to do with that yet!
It has been really good to see each room being finished and having a real sense of achievement. (Lez: maybe I should become an interior decorator!) Decorating has been banned over Christmas this year, so we can have a really relaxing time away from work. Speaking of which ...
Work
No drastic changes have happened to us on the work front. We are both still in the same jobs as we were last year.
UCCF
At UCCF there have been a few changes:
- A new computer system is being installed. This is an ongoing process as each bit is tried out, made towork and another bit added - plus of course, dealing with all the problems and errors such things bring with them.
- Lez is now working as Secretarial Assistant in the Support Department, which means sending out packs for new supporters and producing lots of 'thank you' letters.
- Robin Wells, UCCF's General Secretary, is leaving at the end of the year and as yet there is no-one to replace him. This comes on top of various other senior staff vacancies.
LUB
The Leicester University Bookshop Receiving Department has been busy, as usual. Books come in and books go out, but this year Andrew knows what he is supposed to do with them. At one point there were so many books arriving that they were piled from floor to ceiling. A pile so large that it took a couple of hours to move each morning before the actual work could be started!
Music
This year has seen an increase in musical interest. We are members of a newly formed group called Stapleton Sinfonia. This is a group of about 24 players, mainly school aged and with a wide variety of ability.
Our first concert is planned for the Friday evening before Christmas. For many this will be the first time they have played with a group in front of an audience: for others this will be their very first performance! Lez is principal clarinettist - a fancy title which means that she keeps the rest of the group going by taking a lead. Andrew plays his violin and is learning more about his instrument and music generally from his fellow violinists (whose combined ages are just over Andrew's age!).
Lez also plays in a group which meets on Sunday afternoons. There are five players playing a total of nine instruments between them! This little group is of a higher standard than the Sinfonia and so play slightly harder music.
Holiday
For our holiday this summer we went to Devon. Starting off near the north coast we made our way, very roughly, down the River Exe to the south coast. We took the tent with us and had our first experience of camping together. Going away in May meant that the nights were still very cold and we had to pile most of our clothes on top of us when we went to bed to keep warm! The holiday itself was great and we had a very relaxing time.
We also managed a long weekend break with Lesley's parents. They went up to Yorkshire for a week's holiday and we joined them for the weekend plus a day. That was really good to, but not nearly long enough!
The Future
1992 looks to hold many changes for us.
- Andrew is looking to change his job for one closer to home.
- Moving home - the reason for all the decorating is so we can move. Preferably to somewhere else in Hinckley, but we may have to move to Leicester temporarily.
- Lez would like to get her clarinet playing back up to standard. This may not be possible as lessons are expensive and time is at a premium.
We expect to go away for a break once or twice in the year, although that will depend on whether we manage to move.
Well, that was our year in brief. Maybe next year we will manage a newsletter in the summer ... but don't hold your breath waiting!
With best wishes
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