Look below for greetings from:
Mike and Lesley; Elizabeth and Tommy; Catherine Joan; Gay and Ian; Lily and Charlie; Malcolm and Margo; Walter and Rosemary; Donald and Joan; Isobel and Allan; Helenor and Bengt; Stewart and Gayle; Myra and Doug; Tom and Angela; Elizabeth and Jack; Scott; June and Gus; Dot and Donald
From Mike & Lesley
As we drift into the torpor of the festive season, with lots of eating and drinking ahead of us, it's time to reflect on the year just passed and look forward to the next one. Bugger that, let's pull the cork on a bottle and get stuck into a toast!
To us! Wha's like us! Only three and a half years to the next reunion! Wheeee...
But if you would like to know what we've been up to, here's a summary from our end-of-year musings:
"It's that time of year again when we try and summarise what we've been doing for our friends and relatives who live far away. And for the first year for four years, we didn't visit the UK this year. But we still managed to fill in an eventful year. Lesley's Mum died in Adelaide, unfortunately, although her quality of life wasn't good. We had some family visitors over Christmas. We've become quite involved in the 'Working Voices' choir that we joined late last year. TimeTrackers has continued to keep us both active, and we sold quite a few copies of our book and video to libraries around the country. We drove up round the coast to Broome for a holiday and returned through the inland route, via our old stomping ground of Newman. Mike still does some consulting work for a couple of local clients, but doesn't go looking for more. The money's nice, but there are too many other interesting things to do. And a pair of Willie Wagtails (well-known Australian bird of the fantail/flycatcher type) has adopted us and they are raising a brood in a beautiful nest that they sculpted at eye-level in our almond tree. [19 Dec; both birds have flown, nowhere to be seen. Success.] So we're continuing to have a good time doing a lot of things we want to..."
Cheers to all and have a great Hogmanay! Mike & Lesley
From Elizabeth and Tommy Gough
Tommy and I spent a lovely evening with Stewart and Gayle in Lebanon when we were over in New England in the Fall. It was great to see him again after all those years. It is still hard to believe that over 40 years have passed since we were all in TRA.
Please send our Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season and Good Health in 2004 to all. Elixabeth and Tommy
From Catherine Joan (to us but I'm sure meant for everyone else!)
Wishing you a very happy
Christmas and all the very best for 2004!
Take great care of each other!
Catherine Joan
From Gay and Ian Russell
When I was a pupil at TRA
all those years ago I would never have envisaged that I'd have
the dubious reputation of being the oldest staff member at
my school or that I'd retire twice.However, this year I will achieve
both when I retire next week.
Ian and I caught up with Lesley and Mike when they were in Melbourne
in April. Over some good Italian food and wine we exchanged reminiscences
and filled in the gaps of the past 40+ years -truly a memorable
evening.
In May and June we spent a few weeks in Italy and France but didn't
travel as far as the U.K. this time. However, we will definitely factor
it into our next European trip and will hopefully be able to catch
up with some of you.
We send you Christmas greetings and best wishes for a happy
and healthy 2004. We will raise our glasses in a toast to you
all as we welcome in the New Year (11 hours before those of you
in the U.K.) with Scottish Country Dancing friends
at a Hogmanay party.
Gay and Ian Russell
From Lily and Charlie
Happy Christmas everyone! We had a wonderful
holiday with Scott in Basel this June and also had Dorothy (Shivas),
husband Donald and brother Roger visiting. Also another later
visit from Roger and his wife Isobel -all really enjoyable. Did
any of you remember that Roger was a super pianist?
I remember what a good dancer he was! I had an e-mail from Shane
Moscati. Sadly her brother died at Meikle Ferry this year. We
are well, busy with Gaelic, writing, local history, Art and (me)
doing some supply teaching as there are lots of people off ill
(mostly stress!)
Our daughter Kathleen is much better. She has moved to Edinburgh
and is coping quite well with a degree in product design. Dougie,
Deidre and the two girls are well but always too busy! We are
going to spend Christmas with them all in Edinburgh. Ellie started
school this year at the Gaelic medium unit at Tollcross. She is
enjoying it and seems happy there. We are so lucky to have two
lovely little granddaughters! Have a very happy Christmas and
new Year !
Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur!
Lily and Charlie
From Malcolm and Margo
Have a good Christmas and
best wishes for 2004 to all the reunion website readers.
Our youngest daughter is expecting a baby, due on 1st January,
so we're going down to Shropshire for the holidays.
This will be our first grandchild so as you can imagine we're
beginning to get quite excited about it!
Best Wishes
Malcolm and Margo
From Walter and Rosemary (Walter writes: Mike: What a great job you are doing keeping us all in touch. I have attached a Christmas letter that you might wish to share. Best wishes, Walter)
This letter of family news may be of interest to some of you. Remember, if you find yourselves on Vancouver Island we would love to see you.
"It is time again to reflect on
a year that has passed. It is good to share news if only once
a year and we look forward to what our Christmas mail will bring
in return.
A year ago we were preparing for a first visit to Mexico. We had
a marvelous trip, spending a little over a week in the Yucatan
peninsula, where we saw the impressive Maya cities of Chichen
Itza, Uxmal, Sayil, Kabah and Labna. One day we took a boat through
the mangrove swamps on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and saw
crocodiles, flamingoes, ibis etc. in their natural settings. Another
day we explored limestone caves and went bird-watching in the
forests. We spent time in the interesting cities of Merida and
Izamal. These pleasant experiences have whetted our appetite and
we are going to spend this Christmas in Costa Rica. It is by all
accounts a very beautiful country with many National Parks to
preserve the unique and immense biological wealth of its tropical
forests.
We are ready for a break as we took just ten days out in the summer.
We went to the Kananaskis Country of southwest Alberta for some
hiking in the foothills of the Rockies. Unfortunately our very
dry summer led to massive forest fires and, although we were about
200 km north of them, the valleys were smoky and views obscured.
We had to curtail our hiking when all back-country trails were
closed during our time there. The fire hazard had become too great.
However, we were able to drive out into the Prairie where we spent
a delightful day with my cousin his wife. Originally Rosemary
and I had intended to go to Taiwan to an International Free Radicals
meeting in August. Then the SARS epidemic hit that region causing
postponement for a year. We are hoping to go there in July.
I did attend two conferences during the year, one in June to Columbus,
Ohio, the second to Waterloo, Ontario in early November. At the
Columbus meeting my Ph.D. student reported on her thesis research
and her presentation earned a Rao Prize being judged one of the
top three by graduate students. I presented an overview of her
work and results of several other students at Waterloo. It was
the first time in almost 15 years that I was in Ontario and I
took an afternoon at the end of my time in Toronto looking up
some locations of family interest.
In June Rosemary finished at Pearson College after twenty stimulating
years teaching World Literature to students from German speaking
countries. Changes in scholarship funding had reduced the numbers
in the program below viable levels. She continues tutoring, and
taking courses through extension at the University. During June,
July and August she volunteered as a Victoria Ambassador, assisting
the many tourists in our downtown core. In April Annemarie completed
her second B.Sc. degree, this one in Computer Science with distinction.
She has been taken on as a permanent employee by Computer Services
at the University. Jennie has taken a similar plunge and is following
up on her degree in Music by returning to the University to study
Computer Science. She is just completing her first term and, apart
from having to work hard on Mathematics (after almost 10 years
away from that), says she is enjoying it. She continues part-time
at the municipal library.
As for activities within the Scottish community, I continue to
get out on the dance floor weekly, Rosemary less so as she finds
the movements trouble her hip. We went to a very special dinner
December 6. The Saltire Society of Victoria, an association of
professionals of Scots heritage, of which I am a Past Provost,
celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Lieutenant-Governor of BC
attended and yours truly proposed the toast to Scotland, Land
of our Ancestry.
Up until recently we have had a dry year and for much of the summer
water restrictions were in place. As a consequence our garden
suffered somewhat and our dahlia display was not quite up to usual.
However, on the flip side, when we had nice warm weekends I could
take advantage of the weather to work together with Rosemary to
paint the outside of the house."
We hope you and yours enjoy a happy Christmas Season.
Walter and Rosemary Balfour.
From Donald and Joan
Hello everyone!
Best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.
Loking forward to keeping in touch - special thanks to Lesley
and Mike for making it all possible via the web site.
Cheers!
Donald and Joan.
From Isobel and Allan
Hello everyone,
The highlight of our year was our visit to Helenor and Bengt in
Southern Sweden this June. Allan had to attend a conference in
Helsinki so from there we flew to Copenhagen. Helenor and Bengt
live twenty minutes from Copenhagen airport, thanks to the new
bridge. They were such wonderful hosts we didn`t venture far from
home.There are lots of interesting places to visit. Malmo and
Lund, two lovely old towns are close and, as mentioned, Denmark
is next door. Malcolm, we played quite a lot of golf. I was out
of my league as Helenor is a superb golfer. Helenor may send her
version of the event!!
In October, I was pleased to have a visit from Joan and Donald`s
daughter Morag. She was on a polar bear-whale watching adventure!
Allan is scheduled to have knee replacement surgery in February
so life will change for a while.
Merry Christmas and all the best for the coming year.
Isobel and Allan.
From Helenor and Bengt
Happy Christmas to everyone
and a special thankyou to Mike and Lesley for "connecting"
us.You've even got me checking mail early morning and it's
not only to check on wagtail progress!
Sorry Isobel and Allan, but the highlight of my year was a Safari
with my "South African" grandchildren and
golf with the family on a course called Hippo Hollow. No
retrieving balls from water hazards there!
The fantastic week with Isobel and Allan was a very close
second. So all you conference people and other city break people
now you know that Copenhagen is only twenty minutes away from
Svedala and I am a very experienced bridge traveller!
We are spending Christmas here in true Fanny and Alexander style
before going to Edinburgh for New Year.
All the best for 2004
Helenor and Bengt
From Stewart and Gayle (Stewart writes: Thanks, Mike, for keeping the TRA ball rolling in such grand style. The "reunion" page has been a delight and your efforts are hugely appreciated.)
Greetings Everyone:
Best wishes for the Holidays and the New Year from snowy New England two storms so far and three feet accumulation. A white Christmas seems pretty well assured.
A high spot in our year was an all too brief visit from Elizabeth and Tommy. It is amazing how one can slip into easy chat after forty plus years. Gayle and Lindsay were in awe of the number of Highland "wordies" that suddenly appeared in my vocabulary during the course of the evening.
We wish everyone a very happy Holidayand a safe and healthy New Year.
All the best, Stewart and
Gayle
From Myra and Doug
Doug and I would like to send Seasons' Greetings
to all those we met at the reunion and also to those who were
unable to make it this time.
Slainthe!
We are looking forward to Christmas with the family and our first
grandchild, Rachel (at long last!). It has been a funny old year
because of our great joy when she was born in April followed by
our great sadness at the sudden death of my sister in May. The
one consolation I have is that we stayed with her in Alness after
the reunion and had a wonderful time revisiting many of the haunts
of our youth which gave rise to lots of happy memories. I have
the reunion to thank for giving me the opportunity as she tended
to visit us rather than the other way round.
We are very busy with various projects and are off to Thailand
in January for three weeks most of which will be spent in Chiang
Mai after three days in Bangkok.
Once again may we wish you all a very happy festive season and
remind you that if you are ever in this vicinity you are always
welcome at 9 Dawson Crescent, Monifieth - provided we're not off
globe trotting. I'm sure the golfers among you would appreciate
all the great courses. Cheers, Myra
From Tom and Angela
Season's Greetings from
the frozen North.The Ottawa river is frozen hard enough to drive
on and the snow is falling. What could be better? Immediately
after the reunion we moved into an older house on the river with
a huge garden. The last year has been taken up with renovations
and landscaping [Angela's domain]. Our first grandchild was born
in October and will be staying with us for two weeks over the
holidays. Our son is flying in from Calgary for Christmas so we
will have all our family together for Christmas day.
In winter, Scottish Country Dancing plays a big part in our social
life and we will be dancing in the New Year with a large group
of friends.
Ottawa is a beautiful city and we would be delighted to have visitors
at 300 Grandview Rd. Ottawa.
Angela has her own e-mail address - arskinner@rogers.com
Slainthe,
Tom and Angela
From Elizabeth and Jack
Hello Everyone
Here I am coming in at the last minute as usual. Thank you Mike
& Lesley for keeping us in touch - lovely to read everyones
news.
I'm afraid that Jack & I have had a very conservative year
compared to all you "globe trotters". In April we spent
10 days in Tain to attend my niece's wedding & then 4 enjoyable
days with Elizabeth & Tommy.The rest of the year has been
very busy, but enjoyable, as I was Ladies Captain at our local
Golf Club.
We wish everyone a Happy Christmas & Good Health in 2004.
Regards to all
Elizabeth & Jack
From Scott (Scott writes: Dear Mike and Lesley, You're doing a great job keeping us all in touch. Here is my five cents'worth: )
TRA-ites, it's almost a year and half since
we got together - hard to believe. This last year I've continued
to explore "semi-retirement". Instead of a nice cushy
rhythm of four hours' work a day 45 or so weeks a year interrupted
by extensive holidays it's been more like 10 hours a day for three
weeks and then nothing for two weeks. For a Presbyterian (at least
notionally) with Lewis blood in him, "doing nothing"
is a very uneasy feeling indeed (though, yes, I still manage to
enjoy it. I'm at my best lying on a sofa reading a book). One
highlight of the year was a visit from Lily & Charlie, who
were quite undaunted by my relentless efforts to organize them
and make sure they had a good time (I can still hear myself say
to them - in severe Henrietta-like tones, as I sent them off to
a remote part of Switzerland to visit a museum of agricultural
implements: "Now I don't want to see you back here before
7 o'clock!). But they survived, as did I. Though unfortunately
we didn't have our singsong around the piano until half an hour
before the taxi taking to the airport was due to arrive... Poor
Charlie had to put up with a lot of reminiscing by Lily and me
about Ardgay - did the townies among you realize that we "country
children" lived in fascinating places? Another highlight
was the month or so I spent in Berlin, theoretically "flat-sitting"
for friends. I set out every day with my travel pass and map to
explore a different part of the city. It's by no means "beautiful"
but has so much history, going back way before the 1933-45 period
- it's worh at least a weekend's visit. I'll return this year
and work there for while if I can get it organized. I made some
shorter trips to North Germany (Bremen), Bordeaux (don't go there
for another six months or so - they're building a tramway system
and the city centre is one great building site), Paris, London
(twice) for my older brother's 65th birthday.... Another highlight
(of the negative kind) will take place tonight when I cook for
colleagues - what a nightmare, I've been planning it all week
and started preparations at the crack of dawn. The problem is
I can't cook.....Sorry, must go, have to be in the kitchen...
Enough. Here's wishing you all a happy festive season. I shall
raise my glass to you at midnight Central European Time!
Best wishes, Scott
From June and Gus (June writes: Keep up the good work, Mike. Its been so much fun reading about all your comings and goings.)
We're wishing you all a happy Christmas and a great 2004.
Gus and June Livingston
From Dot and Donald
Dear All
Here I am, risen like a phoenix from the ghastly bed of influenza,
to send a quick, belated Christmas greeting to everyone. It
is just great to hear from everyone and know that life is
treating everyone well. Since August 2002 Donald and
I have been to New York and very recently Donald was in Annapolis
with the Dumfries Male Voice Choir singing at various venues including
the John Paul Jones Chapel. We are off to India
on 25 January for a 3-week trip in the company of the Lonley Planet
Guide. Wish us luck! We should have
been doing this forty years ago but it is now or never!
Switzerland, Vancouver, Australia..... you never know where we
might pop up next.
Seriously, A very happy Christmas to everyone and and most
importantly, we wish you a peaceful new year. I will look
forward to fresh news as the months go by.
Dot