Saturday 28 December 2013

A look back at 2013

This was a very busy and enjoyable year for us.

January - we spent a month in Uganda during which time we attended our Ugandan daughter, Doreen's, graduation from Makerere University with a degree in business. Her graduation party was held at the 5 star Serena Hotel in Kampala. She deserved it!

We also visited many of the dear friends we made while we lived in Uganda. 

Uganda photo album is here.

Doreen and her 'original' mum

Murchison Falls safari



































Feb - We spent a week at the home of our friends', Micky and Nicole, who live in the Rhone-Alpes region of France. We took the trip with our friends Mick and Susanna.

Almost every meal was created by either Nicole and/or Micky and all were superb!!

It was unusually cold when we were there but that didn't stop us from wandering around the beautiful medieval villages in the area.  Both Nicole and I celebrated our birthdays during that week.

Photo album of France is here.

View from the top of Crest Prison


Friend Micky who lives in France

Friends Susanna and Mick

Guess who?







































































May - Doreen began volunteering at the Iona Community on the Isle of Iona off the west coast of Scotland. She loved it and we often visited while she was there. Doreen spent a total of 4 weeks visiting us at our home during this time, and was also able to meet both my sister and brother who had come for a visit. She returned home to Uganda in November but will be returning in late January as a staff member for at least 9 months. 




















June/July - visited my family in Michigan for 4 weeks. We visited various places in Michigan and also celebrated the 8th grade graduation of niece, Grace. 

Photos are here.

Granddaughter Allyson


Granddaughter Haylee




Danny and Jesse play 'real' football









































Brother's family - Christie, Grace, Ben





















Sept/Oct - My sister, Cathy, came to visit for 4 weeks.  Soon after her arrival we travelled to Donegal in Ireland and stayed for a week.  

Our brother, Larry, came during her second two weeks here and we toured Scotland. 

Photos for these trips are here.


Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Kilmartin - Templewood stone circle and pit

Siblings

Danny's Brewery




















































































Other:

We also visited adorable grandson, Mason, who lives in Inverness with Danny's daughter, Kathleen and her husband Riaan. 





















As usual we took lots of local trips and several overnight and day trips to Glasgow.  

Upcoming trip in Jan 2014 is to Thailand for the wedding of Danny's niece, Laura, who lives in Australia. We'll be staying for two weeks after the wedding as well with some of the family, including Danny's two brothers and their wives. 

In July we will meet my youngest brother and his wife and daughter in Bruges, Belgium for a few days. In spring or autumn we will take Doreen back to London for a visit as well as a visit to Enfield to visit our friends. 

Aug/Sept we will go the US for a long visit. Possible out of state trips are still being decided.

Other trips possible but haven't decided.  2015 is expected to be very busy travel-wise!

Friday 6 December 2013

Doreen got her visa!

We are thrilled that Doreen got her work visa to return to the Isle of Iona for a staff job. She'll be there for 9+ months next year.

She will, of course, have some holidays to take off and we plan to take her on a return trip to London as she enjoyed it so much in 2010.

Her arrival here will coincide with our holiday in Thailand, but we'll see her a couple of weeks after she begins her new job.