"We have an unforeseen hygiene issue"

Happy New Year
Just that! Happy New Year to you both and your Christmas was certainly different too. We are all good here, and had the regular family days. Sadly my mum died last January so we were without her for the first time. However my middle sister has moved into mum's house with her son as that remains the family home. The bungalow she was living in(which also belonged to mum) is still on the market after nearly 6 months but we are hoping it will be more interesting after a lick of paint inside to brighten it up. My baby sister(52!) who is an assistant head in Hartlepool and lives in Ingleby Barwick near Middlesborough is home for the holiday and we all spent Christmas day at mum's house. Christopher, Nicole and Dominic came too, along with Nicole's brother, 17, who is having a few problems with his mum and dad. also my aunt who lives next door to mum so we were a large group of 10. I cooked the goose and took it with me and the others sorted out what seemed like the 10 veg at Sutton Bridge. On Boxing Day we all went as usual to Roger's sister's at Kimbolton .for the day and were 11 for lunch.. It is lovely to see all the little ones now, Dominic certainly gave Isla, who's nearly a year older than him(he's just 3) a run for her money when it comes to claiming toys! On the day after Roger went in to the garage for the morning to help Christopher as it was just the 2 of them on bank holiday duty. Christopher was closing early so when roger came in around 1 we went to spend the rest of the day with a friend near Thorney. Wednesday we had a rest before our anniversary night away Thursday to Newmarket where we have found a very nice hotel with a spa and pool.that is more reasonable than Congham Hall! Tonight we are going to Fincham near Downham, to a Country Lodge cum restaurant with the other Marshland retirees - Sian and Dave, Chris and Paul, Phil and Ian, Bob and Jan, Tricia and Gordon and Sue Renwick and Alan (remember her?, before your time?) Am enjoying reading your blog, you're not even half way through your trip yet, would love to do prolonged trip too, but Roger really still needed to help out in the evenings for Christopher. We are thinking of going away at some point very soon for 10 days, possibly Cyprus, but need to be in Uk on 27th to support my middle sister as that is the anniversary of when mum died this year. We all still miss her desperately but I think Leila is still grieving more, and quite depressed as she used to spend every evening with mum and every weekend with her more than Louise and I, until the last 3 months. I have my family here and am very lucky. Louise is stronger too, and buries herself in her work and has a very close friend nearby, although sadly for her a friend who's a boy(although I hope he was more than that for her, she's never said!) from her college her age died not long after mum very suddenly so she was doubly bereaved. We did go to Malta in November for 12 days, the Soroptimist conference was there this year so we killed 2 birds with one stone. It was very warm, hardly less than 20 degrees and mostly more, and similar in the evening. The warm weather really does make us feel much better! Haven't done a Christmas letter this year but will try and write one in the new year so fill you in on my other activities over the last few months eventually. I look forward to hearing from you again when you next post your blog. Continue to enjoy yourselves and make the most of every day. Much love, Lyn xx