Samuel is still living in London, enjoying the city lifestyle with Aky. He is fully occupied with his work for the Department for International Trade, where he draws on his research skills. Samuel and Aky did manage to escape the country and visited Croatia in the summer – which looked absolutely beautiful and is now on our wish list.

Eleanor is living in Leeds and has started her primary teacher training in a multi-academy trust. We are very proud of what she is doing. She is also really active and has joined an outdoor pursuits group and has had lots of fun with that.

What an action packed month making up for lost time. We started by Samuel and Aky visiting us for Bonfire Night, Linda and Eleanor visiting Brenda in Peterborough and then Thanksgiving when at last both children came home, at the same time for the first time in literally two years – or maybe more as Eleanor was in Thailand before the pandemic.

How happy Tom and Linda were to visit their family and friends in Massachusetts. It was a little limited by time and Covid, but we did our best to fit as much in as possible. We were not expecting a big Nor Easter and so that added to the excitement, particularly as we were staying in the Big House which is not winterised. We cannot wait to get back in the summer, and with Samuel and Eleanor this time. Highlights were being together as a family, meeting baby Beck for the first time, a reunion of the Bostones and partners – oh and a three day Monopoly game with Joan!

Such fun with the village show resurrected after quite a few years, and it was the first time Linda had made a scarecrow. Of course it had to be a scare bunny to go with the Bunny Box. That’s another story. Linda now has a Bunny Box on the tree by the roadside. It started because a child dropped a bunny and we put it in the tree for collection. Long story short he stayed and needed a home – friend made, Linda painted and now the locals expect a weekly change in the bunny story! It’s heartening to see people young and old searching for the next instalment. That reminds me…. Christmas Bunny Box decorations needed today!

We also had another family get together in Sheffield for Samuel’s birthday. This really took Linda’s mum down memory lane visiting the area she grew up in and taking a photo on the site of her childhood home – now a car park. Don’t ask Linda about football louts! The Peterborough United vs Sheffield United will not be forgotten soon, and it was not the Sheffield fans who caused any trouble. Brenda had an emotional reunion with her friend and Linda’s godmother Pat. They enjoyed recounting their escapades in the Blitz damaged houses as children.

This doesn’t mean that Tom is any less American, but recognises that he has lived in the UK for many years now. We celebrated with local friends and Samuel joined us too.

We also had a foray into the Cotswolds…

Sadly we had to cancel our planned visit to USA AGAIN. We made the most of it travelling in our camper van to Somerset, Devon and Norfolk and really loved catching up with some of our friends again. There are so many people we have still not seen and we miss you.

Whatever happened to June? We did have a welcome visit from Linda’s longest childhood friend – not allowed to say oldest! July saw us celebrating a pared back July 4th with local friends, sorting sheds in Peterborough and snatching time in the hot tub of said friends, plus a highlight visiting Eleanor in Leeds and having a great time exploring Bolton Abbey and the local countryside.

At last the family was able to be together as we were able to rent holiday homes again and we went up to York to see Eleanor. It was simply marvellous and a joy! We celebrated Brenda’s birthday in style. Tom and Linda later fitted in a trip to Norfolk too. That is one of the places where we breathe deeply and sigh in contentment!

Tom was getting ready for becoming a British citizen in the summer – fittingly in Hunstanton they fly the the British and American flags in tribute to wartime support.

We did our best to meet up within the restrictions so Linda’s mum was in our support bubble and able to join us as we caught up with the kids for Easter as we were allowed to travel – just…

So based in Newton Longville with Brenda we visited Eleanor in Leeds and Samuel in London. We finally gave Samuel his Christmas presents and met Aky.

We also got back to Norfolk!