Christmas Message 2012

2012 started with us sharing parental leave until the summer. After the summer holiday Liam started full time in Kindergarden. We were very lucky to get a place in the same kindergarden which Une is in. Liam settled in very well and it's been great for both of the boys to have each other. It's a real pleasure when you fetch them and they are sitting in the sand pit together or climbing on the big cushions in the gym room. For us, having both boys and full time careers proves to be a challenge and sometimes it feels that life is one constant struggle to get places on time whilst getting enough sleep to meet the next, equally hectic day. All in all though, life is good and we are really enjoying family life and watching our boys growing up.

Liam is a real live wire and unlike his big brother is not afraid to try and fail. He spent the summer trying and almost managing to walk and was toddling around by 11 months. Since then he's mastered climbing on whatever is available and really is high and low and all over the place. There's no resting when he's about but he's great fun and a real character. He seems more interested in mastering the physical challanges that life presents than mastering language but he is very clear with his nods and shakes of the heads and generally manages to indicate what he wants by pointing.

Une, on the other hand, really has mastered both languages and is now working on the (both) alphabets and simple maths. He's been going to "jazz ballet" and had a performance together with older children a few weeks back. He really enjoys this and will continue next year. He's also cycling on 2 wheels and completed  a couple of races, a challenge which he has really enjoyed.

Mari is nearing the end of her PhD. Her thesis is pretty much complete and she plans to hand this in during the first 2 weeks of the new year.  After that there is an approval process which takes about 6 weeks and then the final public hearing. Knowing Mari, I expect this will go fine. Then, there's the question of getting a job! Nothing in the pipe line just now but fingers crossed.

I'm still working at Flowtite and with our 45 production facilities around the world I am kept more than busy enough. There lots going on including a large upgrade project in Saudi and plenty of development work in many lands. I've been overseas a fair but mostly managable amount including time in Turkey, Qatar, Saudi, Germany and Poland. There will be more trips to Turkey and Saudi next year and plenty of possibilities to travel to other exciting places if it fits with everyday life. I'm still keeping as fit as I find time to and have competed in a number of events including my first ever cross country Ski race, 41km in just over 4 hours and the worlds largest mountain bike race the 94km Birkebeinrittet with 18,000 starters which I completed in 4h15mins. This year is even more ambitious including the 54km cross country Birken ski race and a (terrain) half marathon.

We've only had a few trips overseas as a family this year, but managed to have a great Easter Holiday in Finland with the Finnish gang and summer in Ireland for my Dad's 70th celebrations. A rare occassion when all of my parents 5 children and 10 grandchildren where in the same place at the same time.

Peggy is showing her age and is quite stiff in her back leg. For many years it seemed that she would be forever young, but time is now catching up with her. She's given us and the boys a lot of happiness and many great memories and she will be sadly missed the day that she is no longer with us.

The other half of the room we split in two is still half finished and the only real progress in there has been tidying enough so that we have space to hang clothes to dry! The fuse box still needs moving, only half the loft is fully insulated and as for the basement and the barn!!!!! We did manage to find time to fetch the other half of my 3rd tractor from Bergen and the David Brown restoration has made some progress in that it is now half painted! Too much to do, but that's the way I like it. Mari, on the other hand, has simply given up!!

Life is hectic but we still like to find time for visitors. So, if any of you want to come over then give us a shout!

Wishing you all a very merry christmas and all the best for 2013

Love Andy, Mari, Une and Liam.