Christmas Message 2009

2009 started with our final 2 months on shared parental. We took this opportunity to get Mari's overseas period out the way while we could do this as a family. I was left in charge of Une in a rented house in Hatfield, while Mari did a 6 weeks at the Royal Veterinary College in London.

Une began full time in Kindergaden in Late Feb, with both of us back at work full time. We didn't get a place in the nearest kindergarten, but were so pleased with the place he is in that we decided not to move when the chance came in September. He really loves it and we're really have no complaints at all.

Combining two full time jobs and a toddler is a challenge. Especially when we both travel at times and Mari has to leave at 6a.m. the days she is in the office, although she does try to have home office a couple of days each week.

Une is growing and developing rapidly. Towards the end of this year he is learning new words every day, some in Norwegian and some in English. It's now easier to play with hin (he is becoming more constructive and less destructive!). Amazingly he is remarkably tidy and likes to keep all his toys in there respective places.

Mari is now nearly half way through her PhD, she is finding it pretty tough but enjoyable. She also took and passed 2 more courses towards her RVC Masters, leaving 2 final course which we are hoping to get out the way in 2010.

I am still enjoying my work and have a fairly acceptable amount of travel. I had another trip to India in May and had a few trips to Spain during the Summer. I'll be off to Columbia early in 2010 for a couple of weeks, after then there's no more travel plans on the horizon.

Project priorities at home and on the farm have shifted somewhat but there has been some progress. It's been difficult to find time to do anything other than essential work on Vehicles, so the Spitfire, Landrover and Tractors have been a little negleted. Various toddler related modifications have been made, including a sand pit for the summer days that barely happened. Thanks to help from my parents, half of the outside of the house is now painted, we hope to finish that in 2010. We're also working in one half of the basement, which is now fully insulated. Next step is to dig out the floor and replace it with a new one including damp proofing and insulation.

All in all, life is tiring but mostly enjoyable and we are starting to not only adapt but also feel that we can cope and succeed with our new family life.

Here's wishing you all a (slightly belated) Happy Christmas and the very best for 2010.

Mar-Apr 2009

March began by parting with what will most likely be the final Starsprung kittens (at least for a good while). These three from Starsprung Skiddaw, daughter of Asia and Vegas. The two pictured had become great friends with FBS, they tolerated lots of "handling" and really played when he waved a cat toy (quite violently) in their general directon. It was sad to see them go, leaving us with our 4 "retired" Bengals, Gaylee Anitra, Tuhina Vegas, Ozalet TuhinaAsia and Starsprung Amazing.

In April we started what will be a long process to hopefully get a new coffee table by taking a chainsaw to the pear tree, more on this in a seperate post (one day!). It had some sort of Fungus that came every year and it gave nearly no fruit. It's been replace by a garden arch to hold the clematis. This will be the entrance to the kitchen garden one of these days.


FBS's 1st Birthday was celebrated with a delicious (if I say so myself) North African Lamb Stew, which he really enjoyed, stuffing himself as normal.

It was a family affair, with MorFar, MorMor and Aunt, uncle and Cousin present. HE got loads of great presents, perfect for long afternoons playing together with Daddy! For the rest of this post, pictures speak louder than words!