CHRISTMAS 2006

 

Rounton House, Oxford Road, Guiseley

Leeds LS20 9AB

01943 872789

e-mails:Joy  jc@swiftykins.com  John: jd@swiftykins.com

 

 

John’s favourite music is the Gaither southern gospel homecoming series. One of their productions is called ‘Old friends’ and I suppose, for us, this has been the theme for 2006.  Early in the year Joy signed up to the web-site ‘friends re-united’ and found an old friend, Pam. They had been best friends all through school but had lost touch on leaving school over 40 years ago. Joy has never stopped talking about her. She had been trying to track down Joy! We met up with her and her husband in August and have just returned from spending a weekend celebrating their wedding anniversary. Again in August we met up with a couple of couples who had got married in the same year as us. One couple we hadn’t seen for 35 years. We celebrated our mutual 35th with a picnic in the grounds of Chatsworth House. We then spent a few days enjoying the Derbyshire Dales. In April we had been to California and enjoyed a few days in the splendour of Yosemite National Park, saw some old friends in Sacramento, paddled the streets of San Francisco (what wild weather we had!) then had a few days with Ruth in Los Angeles.

                                                                

Joy continues to child mind and enjoys seeing more of the folks living nearby.

Amongst his varied activities, John is a trustee for a charity seeking to promote fostering in the developing world. A newsletter is enclosed for some of you!

 

Other family news:

 

Ruth worked with the Dream Centre near Hollywood from January to October. She is now back living with us and has a teaching post in Bradford.

Rachel worked for Joy until the summer and after a fraught time trying to get onto a teacher training course she was able to gain a place at Cheltenham & Gloucester’s University campus in east London. So she’s living in Docklands and really enjoying her course.

She and John managed to complete the last 30 miles or so of the Dales Way walk in the summer, having taken about two years to do it in small chunks!

Stephen is now looking for work in the mental health field having finished his time in Middlesborough. At the moment he is based at home – it’s a good job we didn’t downsize!

Andi & Vicki (in Maidenhead) have just become parents again. Bethan – our second grand-daughter was born in November – a beautiful sister for Anna. The internet has brought the family closer as we can use the web-cam to see and hear them on a regular basis.

 

We do have a family web-site, which is still under construction. You can visit it to see a few more pictures of Bethan if you wish!  www.swiftykins.com

 

At the close of this year as we thank God for family and old and new friends, our confession is still ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus’. We trust that this is so for you and you will enjoy a happy Christmas and a blessed new year.

 

John & Joy