Happy Christmas!

All of our friends and family tell us how much they LOVE our annual Christmas letter!  And it’s that time of year again.

We’ve had another absolutely FABULOUS year.

The kids are doing great at school.

Little Focaccia is doing really well in her ballet and drama classes. According to the ballet teacher she attacks every dance with energy and gusto. Her drama teacher was so impressed that she has given her TWO parts in the Christmas play! TWO! In the first scene she plays a rock. When the shepherds visit the manger she’s an elephant. She really got into the motivation for both parts, stomping and bellowing around the stage until the angel Gabriel’s halo fell off.

I know I’m biased NATURALLY! but I think she was the best and most expressive elephant ever in a school nativity play. She ABSOLUTELY stole the show.

Algernon has settled nicely into his new school. We think this is the right school for him. Much better than the last four. His anger management classes are going REALLY well. He does so like to get involved in the rough and tumble games in the playground. I’ve only had to apologise to two other sets of parents this year. And I’ve made some LOVELY friends at the local accident and emergency unit.

Simon’s work is fabulous, as always. He narrowly missed out on being shortlisted for the best salesman in the sub-region.  His boss is really IMPRESSED with his dedication. He works such long hours, which means that he often has to stay in hotels away from home. I miss him terribly of course. And he’s been helping the new salespeople to learn the ropes, especially a young blonde lady called Petra. He has really taken her under his wing, like a mentor.

We’ve bought another new car. The other one wasn’t really big enough for us. It’s another four wheel drive. We do so like looking down on other drivers in their cheap little cars.

This summer we had a lovely holiday to Corfu. Simon wasn’t able to join us because he had an urgent conference to go to in Blackpool. While we were sunning ourselves on the beach he and Petra were selling more photocopiers. It felt so unfair that we were enjoying ourselves while he was working. But then he does say that he is never happier unless he is on the job. He just has to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in.

I’ve been keeping up the pilates and yoga. It’s REALLY good to have something to do at the weekends when Simon isn’t home.

Hope you all have a LOVELY Christmas and a SMASHING New Year. Lots and lots of love and kisses.