Dear All,

Our Rambling group is woefully short of walk leaders, and so we have tried our best to offer a walk every month.  This is quite an undertaking because each walk needs to have a recce carried out to check any potential problems.  Sometimes a second visit turns out to be necessary.   I have added a few pictures taken on some of our walks to the picture gallery.  

In Spring we did a walk recce in Sherwood Forest and noticed that Nottinghamshire’s famed Major Oak (of alleged Robin Hood fame) looked sick.  By the time of the actual walk in August it was dead.  Not just a bit dead, but like John Cleese’s parrot, DEAD.  Very sadly, no-one is ready to admit the sad fact!

Taking advantage of the long dry spell. John, with a couple of colleagues, volunteered to help out at our Church in sprucing up the doors ready for the installation of our new vicar in the autumn.  Since it is many years since the job was last done, it is not surprising that many and varied minor problems cropped up which needed sorting.  Re-oiling the South door was fairly uneventful, but then the two benches in the porch looked in need of TLC, so they were re-varnished.  Then it was noticed that dust and sand was falling from the walls, so a brief scrub down was indicated.

The west door was re-painted, but the damp weather in the autumn caused the carpet to swell and jam under the door.  Fortunately, the removal of a short portion fixed that problem.  The boiler house door needed professional treatment to re-align it prior to painting; but it is now much the better for its re-furbishment.

We both help out at Church with little jobs, and also with the monthly free film shows, when Felicity assists with the supply of coffee & tea.

In March we went to Chatsworth House to see the Chatsworth Players’ production of Pride & Prejudice, which was superb.  We enjoy amateur productions, and also support our local theatrical group, Bonington Players who produced the comedy “It’s Never Too Late” in October.  The highly spirited action took an unfortunate turn when the leading lady was “placing” wine glasses around a table rather too vigorously, and the inevitable happened!  Fortunately, the rest of the cast stepped in to rescue the situation in a remarkably professional manner.  The audience loved every bit of  it!

In June we paid a short visit to Norfolk, staying at Caley Hall close to Hunstanton.  A pity that we picked the wrong time to go seal-watching.  It proved impossible to match the boat times with the tides and the bus timetables.  Travelling about on the local coastal buses is really quite delightful, and saves the chore of finding somewhere to park.

We enjoyed a week in July sailing round Ireland, and the weather was exactly as Felicity had been threatening all year!  At least we did not get sun-burnt!  In September we spent a week on lake Orta in Italy when the weather was a bit warmer.  John was a bit miffed that the hotel seemed to have run out of olives, which he really enjoys when on holiday!

Felicity continues to volunteer at Nottingham Castle assisting visitors, and particularly enjoys meeting foreign visitors to Nottingham.  Some days can be a bit of a drag particularly if it rains!

Things always go wrong at the most inconvenient times.  The complex plumbing system in the greenhouse started leaking in November (when we had the cold bugs) and has only just been sorted.  Last week the car went in for its 16th annual service, which should have been straightforward, but it needs a new rear sub frame.  Fortunately, this is covered by warranty.  

Compiling the website is a bit of a juggle.  Windows gets ever more complex, and John finds it harder to remember how all the bits go together.  It usually makes it in the end.  Hope you enjoy it!

On the bright side; towards the end of January we go to see The Bonington Players next production.

             Do have a very Happy Christmas!

                          Felicity and John