Some brief family news for 2008:

Boris got his BSc in Mathematics from Warwick with a very pleasing result, after a lot of hard work - well done Boris!

In September he started an MSc in Risk Management at the new Duisenberg School in Amsterdam, with an almost full scholarship. It’s a new course, very mathematical (which is fine with Boris) but still, he has to cope with a very demanding work load.

His girlfriend is taking a year abroad in France, having a great time but neither find it easy being so far part. Still, they’re coping with the difficulties of a long-distance relationship.

Hopefully, he’ll graduate in 2009 and then - who knows!

 

Helen started her second year at Woldingham School. She’s the star shooter in the netball team:

 

And she’s writing and illustrating a series of books about fairies, publishing them herself on lulu.com! Three so far: Crystal the Clean Fairy, Laurie the Green Fairy and Ebony the Night Fairy... with more in the same series planned  in 2009.

She’s just as energetic as always with her musical productions, with Jacques making several wonderful sets, like the Tiger Cafe on the right! Clarinet and piano are progressing (especially with a new teacher who lets her play songs from little mermaid, cats etc). However, she gets easily bored in some lessons at school. Since October she’s had novels confiscated 18 times, so we now buy them in triplicate.

We are all proud that she’s maturing well, but not everyone sees it that way. Some teachers think she is wonderful - others not!

 

Jacques is working even harder than ever, now he’s officially retired. He’s got 4 PhD students and teaching 3 large MSc courses at the ICMA centre.

We had a splendid party for his 65th birthday, with Bedouin marquees in the garden - lots of entertainment including a Ceilidh band and a belly dancer!

 

 

 

Jacques’ younger daughter Anne gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Xavier and his younger son Tom got married - here’s a photo of us at the wedding...

 

And me? Well, I finished the books... da-daaaah!! Eventually, at the beginning of December. Its totally amazing to have TIME to do all the other things I want to do. Right now, I’m organizing Christmas - no mean feat with 2 Christmas lunches for more than 30 people in all, other entertaining and present buying for two large families!

We had some good family holidays this year: skiing in Morzine, at our time-share in Spain and game-spotting during a long conference in the Kruger Park.

 

 

Carol
December 2008