Christmas in Edinburgh, with Moira, Colin, Sam (home from Uni.), Catriona, Sean and Daniel was fun. Our Christmas dinner, at a Chinese Restaurant, was a success, with the little boys clearing their plates. None of us wanted to eat that meal at home, without John.
On January 10th Ian and Alison, who as you know live in Toowoomba, were fortunate to live in a high part of the city. When the floods we round the world witnessed poured down into the area, they were not swamped, but the incessant torrential rain did flood their basement - garage, one bedroom and, maybe worst of all Ian possibly thought – the wine cellar! Some of the lower part of Toowoomba was a disaster area with scenes a little like an inland tsunami. As we all saw on TV, night after night, the floods caused a lot of damage and inundation throughout many parts of Queensland, including Brisbane, and the loss of over 20 lives many of whom were in the Lockyer Valley between Toowoomba and Brisbane ……
Ruah and I came home the Wednesday after Christmas and on New Year’s Eve I watched the bonfire and fireworks from the house. On the first and second of January friends popped in to say “Happy New Year” I was totally speechless when Moira and Catriona bowled in, especially as Catriona had phoned seconds before, saying a visit to Tesco was on the cards! The call was made from my gates – checking I was in!
We had a lovely two days, visiting round the village……
Since then I have at last moved into the Granny flat. It is amply big enough. I do miss my Rayburn cooker and coal fire, though!
Friends, who are having their house (in the village) completely renovated, are staying in the other end of this house, so I suppose I’m gently dipping my toe into my latest venture – self catering.
My chemotherapy has finished and I have one small op to have, before finally saying goodbye to doctors and hospitals. I have been very lucky to have sailed through all my treatment, which began last March, without trouble.
I am looking forward now to seeing Ian and Alison in Paris at the end of April – that will be so exciting!
Then it is back to work! I shall be ready to welcome guests, whether self catering or B&B. Do visit my web sites www.heronsflight.org and Heron’s Flight self catering accommodation on the Plockton Web.
It is a little late to wish you all a Happy New Year – but I do it anyway. 2011 can only be better for our family than 2010, when we had so much sadness.
I hope your year is a happy and successful one.
Ann
