Probably the most exciting news of the year is that Natasha and Graham have had a baby! But more of that later. Is it our imagination or do the years get busier and time passes more quickly as we get older? Looking back over 2023 it seems to have been busier than ever. Our first trip of the year to Bosham (West Sussex) coincided with Robbie’s third birthday in February– how on earth did he get to be three so quickly? It seems like only yesterday that he was potty training!
We have been friends with Maggie and Judith since meeting at Portsmouth Polytechnic sailing club way back in 1977. Jonathan started trying to organise a get together with them to celebrate his 60th birthday some years ago but it was postponed several times for various reasons including Covid. We finally made it happen (together with their partners David and Graham) in the Lake District in March, arriving just in time for a proper snowstorm / blizzard whilst we were walking over Hampsthwaite Fell. To be fair we did also get some lovely sunshine for hikes up Pavey Ark in the Langdales and along the shores of Lake Coniston.
The extended family with Ben, Eddie, Harriet, Robbie, Tash and Graham all came together for a sunny warm week in Alfaix, Andalucia in early April. The children both loved the choice of swimming pools & activities; Harriet was very confident in the hamster ball and Robbie mastered the crazy golf.
Our kitchen refurbishment project finally came to fruition around Easter. What a lot of decisions to be made! There is just too much choice about every possible aspect of kitchen design; but it is now done and we are very happy with the end result.
The weather was lovely for the King’s coronation in early May. We travelled down to Bosham a day early meeting Judith and Graham who had sailed up from Hayling to Bosham Quay - we enjoyed an al fresco picnic with Judith’s delicious Coronation Quiche. In the afternoon we enjoyed the coronation garden party at Harriet and Robbie’s school / nursery.
We were lucky with the weather for a camper-van trip to Torridon on the West Coast of Scotland in May; we were last there 40 odd years ago – it hasn’t changed much although the roads are now better. We didn’t summit any of the big hills this time but still had some great walks and bike rides. We called in to St. Andrews for a couple of days on the way home – in contrast to the West Coast this had changed quite a bit since Jane was there as a student and was teeming with American tourists. Jane somehow managed to fall off her bike at the side of the road whilst stopping to let a car go past. I had only left her alone for a couple of minutes whilst I popped into a shop to buy some bananas!
The weather smiled on us again for a trip to Northumberland in June with Pam and Tasha. We really love those amazing beaches, usually with a castle at one end as a focal point for your walk, and so quiet that you almost have them to yourself.
Ben, Eddie, Harriet and Robbie visited us at Hill Top in July. Lots of trips to the swimming pool, bike rides and hikes, including a double ascent of Harriet’s mountain (aka Embsay Crag) by Harriet – she climbed to the top with us, then on the way down we met Ben who had set off later than us and Harriet chose to go back up to the top with Dad!
Robbie and Harriet also thoroughly enjoyed sailing Jane’s Laser Pico.
Natasha gave birth to Hannah Rosie (weight 8lb / 3.6 kg) on Aug 30. We happened to be driving down to Bosham when we got the news so diverted to Portishead (North Somerset) and met Hannah when she was just one day old. We were back again a week later and then a month later for lots of cuddles. Mum, Dad and baby are all doing very well.
Harriet turned six in October and had a birthday party with a bouncy castle in the garden. Everyone got a go – you should have heard the screams when Jane went down the slide!
Later in October Pia visited us from Finland; Pia used to work with Jonathan and had last visited us about 20 years ago when she was seconded from Helsinki to the Birmingham office for a couple of years. Pia enjoys watching old episodes of the Heartbeat TV series and was keen to visit the filming locations in the North Yorkshire Moors, especially Goathland and Whitby.
Jane continues to enjoy her daily swimming, pilates, and trips to see the grandchildren which are always lots of fun – especially when paddle-boarding in warm weather, swimming and off-road biking. Harriet and Robbie are amazing on two wheels!
There was no sailing for Jonathan this year (apart from defending his Vortex National Champion status in May) due to medical issues including waiting for a double hernia operation (diagnosis late last year, operation finally done in October) and a damaged tendon in his shoulder. He has been considering taking early retirement for a while now but then the company unexpectedly decided to make him redundant at the end of this year. Jonathan is taking this as a positive development since he not only gets the decision made for him but they also pay him to leave, yay! With three young grandchildren and a camper-van we don’t think that he will be bored!
Christmas is going to be very busy here at Hill Top with a houseful of visitors: all the children and grandchildren are coming to stay – luckily we have just about enough spare rooms for all seven, but the rooms do need a good clear out!
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy 2024.
Click here for a link to our 2023 photograph album.