KJ NEWSLETTER 2016
Here it is again – the annual newsletter and another exciting year passes in the Guest household. As you can see below, we have grown! This year we have bought and sold a house, had a party in the garden and generally engaged in wonderful church, community and family activities.
KIM: It has been a busy year with lots of opportunities to travel and lots of time on the motorways of the UK. My mum and dad are quite well and were able to come to Essex to meet their new great granddaughter Maya and attend her christening in September. Both celebrated their 83rd birthdays this year and their 60th Wedding Anniversary with a small party and a card from the Queen. I continued to deliver on my promise to John to give him 60 things for his sixtieth birthday last year, so we visited Paris on the Orient Express in June, he went horse riding near the River Dee in Scotland in September, and we walked barefoot in the moonlight on a beach in Sydney. Top of the list was realised in May when we both got to hold our second grandchild – pictured here with big brother Elijah. The final few things on John’s list are taking a while to organise including his wish to meet Patch Adams!
We are loving the chance to travel and our “big trip” this year to New Zealand to visit Auckland and Hobbiton and amazing glow worm caves, then to Sydney to join our cruise ship taking us up the East coast of Australia and over to Darwin, Bali and disembarking at Singapore to visit Raffles and try the inevitable Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. The thing about travel is it leaves us wanting more!
We also visited the movie set from Harry Potter this year so you can tell we are keen movie buffs!
In between our travels we have been delighted that Ben and Kyoko are settling in well into their lives in Bristol and recently moved from their small apartment in Bedminster to a spacious semi in Fishponds. Both work in the City Centre which extends their commute, but they are looking forward to making the place a home and welcoming visitors from the USA and Japan as soon as their spare room is finished.
Elijah graduated from Nursery and started school in September. He occasionally stays over with us which is a great treat for us.There have been a number of opportunities to babysit already and we are keen sitters!
JOHN:This sexygenarian business is such fun! Completing my BIG SIXTY (things to do) has been both challenging and exciting. Since Kim graciously extended the scope beyond my 61st birthday I have, as of now, just six left: a hot-air balloon trip, a mobile-home drive to Scotland, Shakespeare at The Globe, play a tune on the bagpipes, take the Tea Ceremony with Kyoko and Ben and meet Patch Adams. We have managed some super outings in 2016 as you can see from the list above!
Taking the difficult decisions to move Gwen into Cedar House in 2015 and to sell Father’s bungalow in Southwick and move him in with us have been deeply stressful but ultimately fulfilling and blessed. God has been so good to all our family in His gracious provision! I have now found myself becoming a carer and getting to grips with issues like Power of Attorney, inheritance matters and a whole string of medical appointments at clinic and hospital. Kim and I are engaging with the issues of caring for elderly family members and we have been so grateful for the support and encouragement of many around us. My own health has not been at the best and, in addition to coping with Type Two Diabetes, I also have the pain of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and the bother of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. The latter means I have to wear a face mask and threaten to eat Kim’s liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. (Sorry – just kidding about the second bit!) At least it deals with most of my appalling snoring and means we can share the same bed.
In April, our 34th wedding anniversary was spent in Cheltenham Town Hall where I starred as Jacopo the pirate in Treasure (a musical adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo) as part of the Christian Arts Festival. Hard work
preparing but such a joy to “tread the boards” again. Thank you Shirley!
Jokey is approaching the end of her training curacy with us and is actively looking for an incumbency. It will be so sad to lose her but, together with Janice our Administrator, we are helping to develop a brilliant lay team. Our church plant, Fresh Hope Community, have decided to go independent and align with the small local denomination - UEC. It is a bit like the children growing up and leaving home and rather “bitter-sweet”. I still write for the local paper and have also now recorded a number of devotional pieces for Basildon Hospital Radio. I am still wrestling with the studying, reading and researching necessary for my doctoral thesis on PLAY and Professor Elijah J. Roberts has joined my academic team to help with the empirical work. He’s an expert!
MARY and KEN: Whilst we may be the least adventurous citizens of this crazy household, we are nevertheless the oldest and therefore the most deserving of respect! I (Ken) will be 95 next year and I (Mary) will be 20! I (Ken) went back to my honeymoon hotel at Carbis Bay in May and in June took Kim and John on the Orient Express to Paris; my first time in France. I visit my dear sister every week in Cedar House and although she is often confused it is good to share the day together. I’ve seen a lot more of the country since moving house and in September and October had an extended visit with Peter in Carlisle. I speak to my niece (Pam) in Canada every Sunday evening and try to keep in touch with family and friends, especially Christine and Clive. I love being part of the wider St. Margaret’s family. I(Mary) have now been forbidden from the new sofas (cheek!) but am still able to find a good spot in the sun. The staff do still tend to get distracted a lot but since Ken arrived I at least have regular meals and a lot more stroking. Miiiiaaaaauuuuuoooowwww!
Well – that’s it. Goodbye to 2016. We wonder what the New Year will bring! Please come visit us soon. May the Reason for the Season impart the wisdom of Magi, the courage of Shepherds and the dedication of Donkeys!
The Rectory, The Green, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex SS17 0EP UK
Directorhavco@aol.com (Kim)
Gof4God@aol.com (John)
Skype:goftheclown
Twitter:@Goftheclown
Facebook: look for our name!
Blog: kingdomclown@blogspot.co.uk
Websites:
www.Smarg4God.org.uk www.brf.org.uk
Love and blessings from us all
Kim, John, Ken and Mary xxxx
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