The year started sadly when Len, Robin's dad, passed away peacefully at home, on 18th January. We thank Sarah and the "Girls of Carewell" who gave such loving and professional care to mum and dad in their own home until very recently. This poem was read at dad's service: "You can shed tears that they have gone, Or you can smile because they have lived. You can close your eyes and pray that they'll come back, Or you can open your eyes and see all that they have left. Your heart can be empty because you cannot see them, Or you can be full of love that they have shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live for yesterday, Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember them, and ache that they have gone, Or you can cherish their memory and let them live on. You can cry, and close your mind, be empty, and turn your back. Or you can do what they would want, Smile, open your eyes, love and go on."
We know that these words echo dad's own philosophy, and so we go straight into the good news: Scott and Saskia got engaged and had a party - complete with rugby crowd and some "serious drinking". They spend time with us or Scott's parents, and I suppose we will have a wedding looming over us soon :-) Michelle got her B.Sc in Maths with Physics from Warwick University, and has - so far - managed to resist getting a job. She flits between here and her Coventry terrace place, where she is landlady. That's Michelle on the left, with friend Kristina - now our "fourth daughter" - just before Kristina flew back to Australia. We hope to see Kristina here again, soon after Christmas, if her parents let her leave :-) In May, Robin and June spent a weekend in Holland, for a 25 year re-union of old NATO scientist workmates. They had great fun, visiting old chums, and even found time to hit some geocaches - their GPS treasure hunting hobby. Samantha joined them for the summer holiday in Italy, in Sorrento south of Naples, Capri again, then further south to the "heel" of Italy. Other trips included Derbyshire, then more recently, Calais - to fill the car with booze for Christmas. Samantha continues with her Japanese lessons and this year treated herself to a nice little red MX5 sports car. She still walks to work in Sunninghill village, so Robin spends time gazing at the car out of his study window, but drives her little rust-bucket of a Nissan Micra when he visits his mum, now residing at Holyport Lodge Nursing Home, just 20 minutes away. Robin still spends many hours of each day speaking by 'phone and the Internet with countless friends in 148 countries where his GPS Software is used - and he continues to tell June that they will "make their first million" by Christmas - but probably not this year :-) So here's wishing you all our love and the very best good wishes from the Lovelock Family in Sunninghill.