15 December 2009

Christmas Letter



The Carnall Family Christmas Letter 2009

Our year began with house-hunting in earnest, having sold our house on Spa Common at the end of last year, and with the money burning a hole in our pockets! (Not much money, you’ll note, as this was the very worst time to sell a property!) Happily we managed to buy in March when it was still a good time to buy. We are now the proud owners of a house in Ordsall, near Retford. We thoroughly enjoyed a few Saturdays sitting in its tiny conservatory and wishing we could keep it as a “bolt hole” before common sense prevailed and we rented it out!

Adam has had a hard-working year – the year of the GCSEs. Thankfully his hard work paid off with an incredible set of results. His parents would like to claim credit for his genius but realistically we feel his grandparents must be responsible. Adam has now enthusiastically embraced life in the Sixth Form (especially since he now gets paid to attend!) He has a better social life than both parents put together (ever) and is enjoying learning to drive. His group of friends recently featured on Radio York when they spent a day in York offering free hugs to any who would receive them! Adam was dressed as a gorilla and seems to have got away with more hugs than most!

As a family we only managed one holiday together this year – but it was a cracker! We spent ten days in Majorca in June/July after Adam’s exams. It was very restful and exactly what we all needed. Chris and Nicky also managed a few days in Ely and Cambridge in August.

This has been a difficult year for the wider family, with Nicky’s Mum and Dad both being ill and needing a lot of support. Nicky’s sister, Angela, deserves a medal for being willing to change her holiday plans so that Nicky didn’t have to fly home early from hers.

Church-wise it’s been another busy year for Nicky and Chris. No major changes, but now feeling very much at home in the parishes and in York Diocese. We love living in North Yorkshire, and hope we will have more time this coming year to explore the beautiful local countryside.

All three of us send you our love and good wishes. We hope you have a happy Christmas, and a blessed New Year.

Chris, Nicky & Adam xxx