Wishing you a Happy New Year

We hope you are in good spirits. We had a good 2003, with Nick back at Alcon, Osh looking after the fort and, and still helping out with the stray cats at the animal refuge centre. We still both run with the Northern Beaches Hash House Harriers every month. Nick also became an unlikely Surf Lifesaver to show just how desperate they’ve become, and both boys did very well in their studies, more on that later.

We enjoyed our share of side trips including our 4^th annual pilgrimage to the Byron Bay Blues & Roots Festival with a number of old friends, couple of trips down to the snow, a few concerts with Neil Young being the standout, and a half a dozen Rugby World Cup games. Nick was there for the big one, and a couple of buddies dropped in from Canada and Vanuatu for the occasion.

Our highlight of the year was the long awaited trip to Europe in December - 18 days in Rome, Florence including a couple of day trips in Tuscany, Venice, night train to Paris, the chunnel to London and drive to Bath. We had a ball - packed with museums, galleries, ruins, country side trips and interesting bars - the time did not go as quickly as expected. It was great just travelling together with lots of fun times. Nicko and Dan enjoyed the whole experience immensely, and we’ve agreed to do it again in the next few years. Here are some photos:

Bar in Florence Feed them to the lions

Pigeon attack in Piazza San Marco Rialto bridge, Venice

Venice – Paris night train Cezanne at Museum D’Orsay

London cab –smoother than the Roman ones! Rugged up at Stonehenge

Poppy moved into an aged care home on the lake at Bolton Point during the year, and has settled in well. Anne sees him regularly, and we see him a couple of times a month, speak on the phone often.

Anne, Craig, Monika and Alison are all well, and enjoying their new house on the lake at Fassifern.

Nick’s brother Peter continues to pursue his theatre writing, and frequent overseas travel, which his building business is able to afford. He is currently travelling a month in India. We see Marie-Claire, Hussein (Beck), Marti, Sally and Peri often and also Osh’s brother Peter, now in Paddington.

We’ve just returned from our annual camping week get together, this time at Sawtell with friends, family, the various kids and their friends. We’ve been doing this for over ten years up and down the coast, and may get back to good old Bendalong for a nostalgic weekend later this year.

2004 will be different with Nicko living away from home in Bathurst, and Dan having finished his HSC, meaning more freedom for the oldies – looking forward to a few trips together, and some weekends away. Nick’s work at Alcon should enable us to get a couple of good trips in conjunction with some of the ophthalmic conferences. Otherwise, his travel schedule is not too bad.

Nicko finished his two year diploma in Film & TV Production at North Sydney TAFE with a flurry of Distinctions in the writing and creative subjects, and has been offered a place at Charles Sturt uni, Bathurst campus for the well regarded Communications - Advertising degree. Daniel worked like a demon throughout 2003, was looking for a UAI in the 80’s and was delighted to learn in Venice he’d achieved Honours in History, Geography and Business Studies to attain a UAI of 96.05. No-one was as surprised as he was! Dan intends to have the year off to chill, and ponder over his current plan to do Commerce in 2005.

We look forward to hearing from you during the year, and catching up if we can. May 2004 bring you good health and happiness.

Love Nick, Catherine, Nicholas and Daniel

Byron Bay BluesFest: Ian, Peter, Lynda, Eva, Osh and Badger. Roger and Peter et al at the pad.

The Sawtell Hash group prepare for another run Kids and adults in the background at Coffs