The Gerrard Chronicles 2005 - More Family &Extended Family

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WE MEET THE "IN-LAWS"

After Xmas, we stayed near Willersey in Gloucestershire to meet Claire's Mother & Step-father, Judy & Dennis Avis (!), left. They live in a beautiful converted farmhouse in the middle of fields below the Cotswold scarp. Right, Ken with their dog, Rosie & below left, the family at Bretforton, nearby. Below: the boys in the sandpit at Graham Street Park later.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Our 'usual' party with Vicky, Fiona & Anna, right & the Carvers.

NOT MUCH BOYS

With Jason leaving the Manchester house, we have not seen much of the grand-children.
Right, Jason, Pip & Freddie visited us in August, when we took them to the "Cutty Sark" & National Maritime Museum.

DEATH OF DEREK HILL

One never thought of Derek as being 83 but he is the second of our more openly intellectual friends to die within a year, on September 19th. On visiting, Derek would greet us with the subject of the next two hour's rigorous debate. Valerie, to whom our best wishes, has obviously taken it very hard. They have been avid collectors of Avis' art work.
Right: Derek at his 80th birthday party

DEATH OF FOLLY SHERLOCK

The wife of Islington's famous architect, Harley Sherlock, died in October & was 'sent off' at St. Giles in the Fields, us havng no idea that they attended a church at all but, unlike Harley, Folly was quite a traditionalist & disapproved of Ken's irreverent attitude to the unelected, self-important & holy. They used this church because it used the old Book of Common Prayer!

CATCHING UP WITH THE BREWSTERS

Charlie & Jane had moved to Abercraf in the Swansea Valley since we last visited them, so we went there in November, staying in the excellent Abercrave Inn & feasting there. Jane has retired from teaching, saying wild horses would not drag her back. Who considers it good policy to wear teachers out? Charlie, still lecturing in Aberdare College, has lost 7 stone (!) (98lbs for the Americans). There seems to be a plot to close the IT dept. at the college. Given that Charlie is a grossly underutilised genius, they would be foolish to lose him.
The trip developed into a Wales Tour, as the Autumn colour has stayed very late this year (global warming) & it was also covered in frost in the mornings, to dramatic effect not often seen in GB. We went up country to Bettws-y-Coed but had to stay in the expensive Royal Oak Hotel there. The weather was glorious except on the trip back, the A5 & motorways to London.

Jane & Charlie

Tree effects in Wales

ANJA & RICK BUILD THEIR FAMILY

We thought that Anja was acquiring the German Figure but no, she was busy producing Marcel Luca Steinbauer-Lewis on 22nd November (St. Cecelia's Day points out the irreligious but musical Ken). Anja & Rick run one of our favourite clubs, "Philosophy for All". If selective breeding works ok, this new multi-national is going to be fearfully bright. Congratulations all round.

Marcel
©presumably Rick

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Contact: Ken Baldry or Avis Saltsman, 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)020 7359 6294 or e-mail him or her
This page's URL: http://www.art-science.com/Xmas2005/extended.html Last revised 6/12/2005 Copyright: Ken Baldry & Avis Saltzmann 1998-2004 All rights reserved but print it off if you want to.