Christmas 1999

Greetings at the century's close!

Lez and University

Lez graduated from Sheffield (with a first!) and is now at De Montfort University, Leicester (DMU) studying MSc in Information Technology.

If you've been following her results, here they are:

Composition portfolio (double module)	12/16
Medieval Song	15/16
Music of Elizabethan England (Elizabeth I, that is!)	14/16
Classical Harmony	12/16
20th Century Compositional Techniques	14/16

As well as a class 1 degree, Lez also won a prize for highest marks in the year, a cheque for £110

The DMU course is very intensive. It is like a 3-year undergraduate course lasting just 12 months. Andrew is discovering just how much Lez has been doing these last few years. She just can't do much more than study at present. You may notice that Andrew has written this missive. The really observant will notice this has been printed on a laser printer.

What Comes Next For Lez?

We have had to find the course fees and expenses ourselves for the DMU MSc course. Lez hopes to find work when this course ends next September!

Summer Jobs

This summer Lez worked for Sears Pensions. It was a most enjoyable summer. Lez certainly made a good impression and was very pleased with the lovely bouquet they gave her at the end of 8 weeks! Lez won't be able to get a summer job next year because of her MSc course at DMU doesn't finish until September 2000.

Travel

The Volvo (Burt) we bought last year had lots of problems. We replaced the alternator (twice!) and had an engine-rebuild to replace a snapped cam-chain. Finally, at 132,000 miles the engine could give no more. We now have another Volvo (Fred), including many parts taken from Burt. Fred is well run-in, currently at 139,000 miles. Andrew discovered that Scrapyards don't like old Volvos!

John and Grayhame helped Andrew to bring the electrics &c up to the required MOT standard, and Fred is currently behaving! We hope Fred will continue behaving, as we won't be able to replace it until Lez gets a paid job.

There have been few opportunities this year for Andrew to cycle between Hinckley and Leicester. We often travel together to Leicester in Fred.

Lez sometimes finishes at DMU as late as 8pm. This means we often don't get home till quite late. It may also explain Andrew's podgy tummy.

Overseas Holidays

Yes we had a foreign holiday this year. We went to Dublin by ferry for the day! Andrew has a T-towel to prove it. We spent a week at St Davids (camping), followed by a week on Anglesey in a lovely cottage. It was great to celebrate Lez's first with Champagne in the open air!

We camped at Wolverley in September just before Lez started at DMU. The campsite is alongside the Staffs and Worcs canal, built in the 1770's by Brindley. We were able to walk along the towpath watching the boats and dreaming of owning our own.

We also went to what may be the last ever Braunston Boat Show, and enjoyed the many narrowboats and displays.

Decorating and Painting

We have decorated the office. This is the room where we spend most of our time. We've been here 10 years, and this was the last room to be decorated. We used our Easter break and it was very tiring. It took a whole day just to empty the room!

To mark Andrew's 40th birthday, Lez sent him on a day's painting course - painting roses and castles narrowboat style. Well, at beginner's level it's just roses. So far, he's painted a tea tray. Now that he has paint, brushes and articles to paint, all he needs is to make time!

The Bookshop

Andrew is still there! The new century will bring new (computer) challenges, and if all goes roughly according to plan a complete new computer network with new workstations and new software. Work is certainly not promising to be boring!

The Great Fire of Hinckley

At the start of every new era, there is a fire! Early October and we were knocked-up by the police and told to get out! We watched flames lick their way through the roof voids towards our home. The Angels were working overtime. The flames stopped just short. Such a lesson in what is really valuable. We walked out leaving everything. We still have a filthy smelly attic, but no other damage. Oh, and we are now fully insured(!).

With love

Andrew's signature Lez's signature

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Christmas 1999