Thanks for your Christmas card. I’ve just been looking at your photos – you’ve been to some wonderful places! I had to laugh at the “Dinner at the Krugers” picture – the odd expression on my face was because Rebekah, who was going through a phase of refusing to be in photos, was behind us and had just smacked my bottom!!!

Norman and I have been ill since just before Christmas (you’re lucky you’re not in the UK now – half the country is sick!) so missed contacting people actually at the festive season. I don’t think we even made Level 2, so congratulations that you did!

We just lost one of our stalwart members – Val Lloyd died on Friday of a brain tumour. I think she may already have stopped coming to church when you were here. There’s no doubt where she’ll be going – she was always serving people (all her Christmases were Level 3), and we’ll all miss her a lot.

Have a great 2009!

Love from Val and Norman

PS I read your statistics on your teaching load – is your pay seriously calculated on 35 hours a week? That would be done by someone who thinks teachers have easy jobs and long holidays, then. At least you managed the latter this year!