January
After returning back from Marita’s parents warm house in Germany – we were greeted by the mess the builder left us. We missed the New Year’s celebration because we were busy doing DIY, and lost track of time until we heard fireworks at 12 pm! We had a deadline because it was the first time Dave’s family would come to see our (almost) completed house for his birthday celebrations.
March
For a lot of this year the house dominated our lives. Although the most of the basics were there, a lot of finishing off had to be done, including our garden. As we now have new windows installed became a bit of an eye sore. So we had to take up all the ugly paving slabs, tear down the derelict shed and Dave and his brother Paul laid the turf.
April
David left for a friend’s wedding in Australia, Townsville, and Marita spent Easter with her parents in Germany. After just a week in Australia he came back just to leave straight away for a conference in Amsterdam where Marita joined him and we spent a long weekend roaming the streets of of Utrecht and Amsterdam.
May
May normally starts with Marita’s birthday on the 1st of May. But this year it started with Dave falling badly during a football match and breaking his arm. This meant he spent Marita’s birthday in hospital as he had to have a minor operation to get his arm reset. Thankfully he took it like a man and straight after he was discharged from hospital we spend a long weekend in Devon on a walking holiday.
June
Marita’s sister, Eva and Stefan got married in picturesque Dinkelsbughl in Bavaria. It rained heavily in morning, then was gloriously sunny.
July
Part two of Eva’s and Stefan’s wedding arrived in Sunbury, as we hosted a reception at a church hall by the river in an unseasonably sunny English summer’s day. Fifty guests arrived from across the world. hear Bernie’s speech delivered.
November
We travelled to Vietnam and Cambodia to see Julian.
December
We spent Christmas in Ireland with Joseph and Caroline. Dave shares his birthday with Trevor, his **, on 27 December, for his 60th.