Happy New Decade!

My first blog posting of the New Year - and the new decade. Will it be a repeat of the Roaring Twenties? I wasn't around then, but this is, statistically, my 9th decade, although I obviously don't remember much about my short experience in the 40's. so the only decade I haven't experienced - yet, hopefully - is the 30's. If I'm spared, I'll be in my 80's by the time it comes around again.

Enough of the numbers game - I'm supposed to be writing about what we've been up to recently as it's now almost 2 weeks since I last reported in. Jo and I have just returned from the movies in Aberdeen - we watched Jojo Rabbit - a slightly surreal, although both amusing and emotional experience. It's about a 10 year old boy who's a member of the Hitler Youth (his imaginary friend is Hitler himself) but discovers that a Jewish teenage girl is hiding in their attic. Worth a visit.

As I write this, we're awaiting Gary sending us a photo of a post-haircut Luca - they've apparently finally agreed that it's time for the long locks to go. This is the "before" shot:

He does look a little apprehensive, doesn't he?

Anyway, back to the latter days of 2019 - we celebrated Luca becoming a teenager over in Inverurie:

The following day, we celebrated Hogmanay at Anne and Leslie's new home in Drumoak:

Gary and Luca came over for the traditional New Year's Day meal at our house. The table was set:

It has to be Jo's home made steak pie, followed by a huge trifle:

Ross was suffering from raging toothache so couldn't make it through, but we managed to Face Time with both Lucy and Kelly, after which Kelly sent us this slightly bizarre photo of her boys with their cousin:

I've managed a few short cycles and a couple of climbs up Scolty plus a session of racketball, at which I tweaked my Achilles a little - hope it improves soon as we've got another session of walking football in a couple of weeks.

The next few weeks before we head to Australia are going to be pretty busy, starting with the next 7 days when I have my usual weekly radio show to do, followed by a Headbang on Friday night then a fund-raising Quiz Night for River Dee Radio next Saturday.

I have my appointment at the Dermatology Clinic at ARI on Tuesday 28th, then we're off for a week down in the south of Fife, where we will be joined at various points by Gary and Luca, then Barry, Helen and Dawn. The week after that we're heading to Elderslie for a couple of nights with Jo's sister, plus another old school reunion for me.