This Nativity scene was handcrafted by trainees at the C.S.I. Katpadi Industrial School
Christmas Letter 2012
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given ALLELUIA !
Through the study window
the trees lie bare
against a blue sky flecked with grey clouds
whilst in the distance Cruachan stands majestic
white with snow and from Cornwall to Comrie floods abound
swirling sodden sadness within the weeping walls of many a home.
For us the year began on Pilgrimage in India
reminding the good people of St Andrew’s Kirk on New Year’s morning that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and luxuriating in simply being in Chennai once again
with its 9 million people
and a kind of feeling that we had met them all!
India is shining and also incredible.
Traffic which on the first day seemed horrific
soon became quite normal and we quickly became convinced that all Indian babies are now born with cell-phones in their hands.
But some things will never change including the overwhelming hospitality of lifelong friends, rich and poor alike, who welcomed us and cared for us as part of their own
family.
Once back in Scotland by mid-March daffodils were dancing everywhere and our week in Ayr and Rabbie Burns country with sunsets over Arran and Culzean Castle saw us basking in the sunshine whilst hosepipe bans in England and 23 degrees in Aboyne beggared belief. And yet by 3rd April snow was 8 inches deep with half of Scotland snowbound.
Elsewhere Aung San Suu Kyi was winning 42 seats in Burma and Syria declining Kofi Annan’s mediation.
St George’s Day saw us with Roy and Jo Newell in Burnham visiting a cinema to watch ‘The Exotic Marigold Hotel’and seeing Roy for the very last time. Later visiting Jenny Gunton in Bedford and from there to share in John Robertson’s induction into a new exciting stage in Mission in Milton Keynes.
Roy died on 10th May and we attended his wonderful funeral on May 31st.
Meanwhile back in Connel cuckoos sang amid spring and summer sunshine and Boris Johnson defeated Ken by just a whisker with 1000 boats sailing down the Thames and St Paul’s rejoicing in Diamond Jubilee mood.While in Edinburgh Toby Hogarth Comer was born on Corpus Christi Sunday while Iain was with us in Connel. While far away Egyptians were going to the polls and Greeks voting for austerity and staying in Europe and Aung San Suu Kyi accepted her Nobel Peace Prize and became the first woman to address both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall.
Anne’s hard work in the garden was bearing fruit and on our 48th wedding anniversary we had a day out at Glenorchy and the head of Loch Etive. Soon the hosepipe ban was over with flooding in many parts of England including the East Coast line with no trains from Edinburgh to Newcastle though Murdoch reached Lincoln Cathedral high and lifted up and spacious as ever for Mark Thomson’s ordination while Ruth and Chris left for Vietnam and Burma and we had a duck and four ducklings on the lawn with another wonderful sunset in Connel.
Catriona rang from Bled Lake in Slovenia to say their moving house in Edinburgh was confirmed at last. Hana and Benjo continue to gain many medals for swimming and recently have had their Bosnian citizenship secured. Then on St Swithin’s Day Barry and Margaret arrived for a very moving encounter burgeoning with surprises and talk of websites and reminiscences of sadnesses long gone but ever present.
Then came the Olympics and solar panels and wonderful weather for a month or two, with a visit to Birmingham and Jean’s amazing ‘tour de force’alone on stage for her 80th birthday in Torrington with our Peugeot 307 reaching 40,000 miles
and Neil Armstrong dying aged 82 with a wink at the moon
while Andy Murray won the US Open at Flushing Meadow.
A memorable visit from Anthea and another later from Sarah
with the first frost of winter at the Autumn Equinox!
Murdoch attended the 25th Reunion of the Leipzig-Milton Keynes Link and stayed with Iain in his very comfortable flat in London, seeing Chariots of Fire at the Gielgud theatre and sharing in the Friends of the Church in India celebration in Fitzroy Square. Later in October, together with Iain, we visited Torridon and Skye in beautiful weather, saw many relatives including wee Hannah who is doing well and Esthi and Iain after their marriage in South Africa.
The year is ending with sadness as Chris’ father, Tony, died peacefully at home in Salisbury aged 91 though the previous week he was with Chris and Alison at the opera in Southampton. His was a long and full life of great distinction.
So at the end of an interesting year we wish you Joy at Christmas and Peace in the New Year.
Anne and Murdoch
the trees lie bare
against a blue sky flecked with grey clouds
whilst in the distance Cruachan stands majestic
white with snow and from Cornwall to Comrie floods abound
swirling sodden sadness within the weeping walls of many a home.
For us the year began on Pilgrimage in India
reminding the good people of St Andrew’s Kirk on New Year’s morning that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and luxuriating in simply being in Chennai once again
with its 9 million people
and a kind of feeling that we had met them all!
India is shining and also incredible.
Traffic which on the first day seemed horrific
soon became quite normal and we quickly became convinced that all Indian babies are now born with cell-phones in their hands.
But some things will never change including the overwhelming hospitality of lifelong friends, rich and poor alike, who welcomed us and cared for us as part of their own
family.
Once back in Scotland by mid-March daffodils were dancing everywhere and our week in Ayr and Rabbie Burns country with sunsets over Arran and Culzean Castle saw us basking in the sunshine whilst hosepipe bans in England and 23 degrees in Aboyne beggared belief. And yet by 3rd April snow was 8 inches deep with half of Scotland snowbound.
Elsewhere Aung San Suu Kyi was winning 42 seats in Burma and Syria declining Kofi Annan’s mediation.
St George’s Day saw us with Roy and Jo Newell in Burnham visiting a cinema to watch ‘The Exotic Marigold Hotel’and seeing Roy for the very last time. Later visiting Jenny Gunton in Bedford and from there to share in John Robertson’s induction into a new exciting stage in Mission in Milton Keynes.
Roy died on 10th May and we attended his wonderful funeral on May 31st.
Meanwhile back in Connel cuckoos sang amid spring and summer sunshine and Boris Johnson defeated Ken by just a whisker with 1000 boats sailing down the Thames and St Paul’s rejoicing in Diamond Jubilee mood.While in Edinburgh Toby Hogarth Comer was born on Corpus Christi Sunday while Iain was with us in Connel. While far away Egyptians were going to the polls and Greeks voting for austerity and staying in Europe and Aung San Suu Kyi accepted her Nobel Peace Prize and became the first woman to address both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall.
Anne’s hard work in the garden was bearing fruit and on our 48th wedding anniversary we had a day out at Glenorchy and the head of Loch Etive. Soon the hosepipe ban was over with flooding in many parts of England including the East Coast line with no trains from Edinburgh to Newcastle though Murdoch reached Lincoln Cathedral high and lifted up and spacious as ever for Mark Thomson’s ordination while Ruth and Chris left for Vietnam and Burma and we had a duck and four ducklings on the lawn with another wonderful sunset in Connel.
Catriona rang from Bled Lake in Slovenia to say their moving house in Edinburgh was confirmed at last. Hana and Benjo continue to gain many medals for swimming and recently have had their Bosnian citizenship secured. Then on St Swithin’s Day Barry and Margaret arrived for a very moving encounter burgeoning with surprises and talk of websites and reminiscences of sadnesses long gone but ever present.
Then came the Olympics and solar panels and wonderful weather for a month or two, with a visit to Birmingham and Jean’s amazing ‘tour de force’alone on stage for her 80th birthday in Torrington with our Peugeot 307 reaching 40,000 miles
and Neil Armstrong dying aged 82 with a wink at the moon
while Andy Murray won the US Open at Flushing Meadow.
A memorable visit from Anthea and another later from Sarah
with the first frost of winter at the Autumn Equinox!
Murdoch attended the 25th Reunion of the Leipzig-Milton Keynes Link and stayed with Iain in his very comfortable flat in London, seeing Chariots of Fire at the Gielgud theatre and sharing in the Friends of the Church in India celebration in Fitzroy Square. Later in October, together with Iain, we visited Torridon and Skye in beautiful weather, saw many relatives including wee Hannah who is doing well and Esthi and Iain after their marriage in South Africa.
The year is ending with sadness as Chris’ father, Tony, died peacefully at home in Salisbury aged 91 though the previous week he was with Chris and Alison at the opera in Southampton. His was a long and full life of great distinction.
So at the end of an interesting year we wish you Joy at Christmas and Peace in the New Year.
Anne and Murdoch