HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Chicklit sells well because it’s upbeat and perky – something that could never be said of these Christmas letters! iF YOU'RE OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION - LOOK AWAY NOW!
The European economy has been shadowed by the Hamlyn-Samuel economy. Greece springs to mind: Ned and Finn are protesting in the streets at threats to cut pocket money, while we consider defaulting on our debts (actually, a Debt Management Scheme is re-scheduling our debts – rather than defaulting). Like Britain, we thought we saw some green shoots early in the year when Architectural Archaeology began to get enquiries about Historic Building Recording – which is closely linked to levels of property development and housebuilding, but after a brief flurry of work on a fantastic site in Dover, these disappeared, not to return until November (which could be a good sign - if it extends to the whole economy).
Nevertheless, we managed a comfortable summer period, even if we didn’t have a holiday (life without credit cards is a tad restrictive). We had day trips and little outings. On one trip we went to Devon to see Mark’s Uncle Jeffrey – whom I met for the first time, after 20 years of knowing Mark. We also visited his uncle and aunt Peter & Heather – the boys swam, hence the bigger splash photo:
(Finn). We went to see some exhibitions, had picnics, went to the beach and generally had a nice time.
Ned and Finn now have active social lives which often take priority over family related outings, especially since Ned got a girlfriend, Gina. Fortunately we have relatively good public transport – and local kids seem happy to walk quite long distances, so a taxi service is not usually required. Just as well, as our car has been "resting" for the last 6 weeks - and we have only just got it back.
Ned is really enjoying his school, did well in his AS levels and has decided he wants to do English & Politics at university. He is still playing the guitar beautifully – although less often than previously. Finn despite, getting more detentions for lack of homework and lateness (it is a disadvantage living so close to the school), managed to do well in Maths and win a Music prize this year – Ned won the Politics prize, and was asked to write an opinion piece in the local paper - opinions are one thing we never go short of in this household!
Finn’s love of fingerboarding (mini-skateboards operated with the finger) has led to trips to Peckham, Hammersmith and in a moment of madness I agreed to go to Manchester – by bus – with him. It was an exciting trip – a police sniffer dog singled Finn out at Victoria Coach station and he was duly searched for drugs – another first for us! (they didn’t find any). In Manchester I thought “I have seen the future – and it sucks!” This was the response to the usual UK mix of public splendour and private squalor – the ersatz glamour of the Trafford Shopping Centre was deeply depressing. We stayed in a Travel Lodge hotel which reinforced this. But Finn loved it!
Note truly disgusting Travel Lodge "breakfast"
The grim effect was very much relieved by Ted Lawson who gave us dinner – we agreed it all looked a bit Bladerunner – I realised that Thanet – because of its size and relative poverty has a comfortable suburban feel that doesn’t allow for these extremes.
I enjoyed the Manchester Art Gallery rather more than the first exhibition at the Turner Contemptible – er sorry, Contemporary – the new art gallery that opened in Margate this year. But the latest exhibition – Nothing in the World but Youth – is well worth a visit or two.
There were lots of firsts for me this year: I gave my first public lecture (a talk on Menander’s influence on the European theatre), and did my first Power Point presentation (they’re so easy – why the mystique?), started online banking (ditto), had B&B guests, helped run an arts festival, became a mover and shaker in Thanet, did some commercial catering, ran a market stall in Margate, tried repeatedly to kick HamlynHolmans into life. But it appears that the local small businesses do not understand Keynsian economics and are not prepared to spend their way out of a recession by using our communication skills, despite our glorious success for the Summer Squall festival in August.
Curiously the most interesting thing that happened to me this year actually happened years ago - my cousin Alaythea got interested in family history, and discovered that our mutual great-grandmother Hamlyn, nee Sawdie, was Jewish - ergo, our grandfather Hamlyn was technically Jewish - making me nearly as Jewish as Mark - and, as Alaythea pointed out, eligible to emigrate to Israel... well, if things ever get too hot for me in Ramsgate, I might be grateful for that! At least it means I can never ever be told off again for telling Jewish jokes "inappropriately" (by a "facilitator" at a meeting - who wasn't of course Jewish herself)!
Curiously the most interesting thing that happened to me this year actually happened years ago - my cousin Alaythea got interested in family history, and discovered that our mutual great-grandmother Hamlyn, nee Sawdie, was Jewish - ergo, our grandfather Hamlyn was technically Jewish - making me nearly as Jewish as Mark - and, as Alaythea pointed out, eligible to emigrate to Israel... well, if things ever get too hot for me in Ramsgate, I might be grateful for that! At least it means I can never ever be told off again for telling Jewish jokes "inappropriately" (by a "facilitator" at a meeting - who wasn't of course Jewish herself)!
Mark’s year was more steady as she goes. His health has really recovered since the horror of 2009/10. He still has to watch his sugar intake because of diabetes, and take statins which he doesn’t like much. His choir gave a fantastic performance of the St Matthew Passion just before Easter – which was utterly wonderful.
On a rare trip to Planet Agreeable! (no, that's not the name of the restaurant).
He had a reasonable amount of work, which kept us from going under, and he’s continuing to work on Claudius’ Elephant in the evenings. The book is now just over half way complete, and may soon join mine in making the rounds of agents/publishers. In addition he has seen the publication of a number of monographs and books in which he has had a large part, or co-authored, the most glitzy of which is a new book about St. Paul's Cathedral - a snip at £100 (wonder why we didn't get a complimentary copy?).
While Finn fingerboards in Peckham, Ned visits old haunts: Dulwich Park
My ‘literary career’ feels more established, because I have been able to write and research a great deal more of Conscience – while the other book, re-named The Romantic Feminist – is still receiving great plaudits from agents, who regretfully decline the opportunity to represent it. They also send me advice – some seems useful: “It is difficult to place 1st person novels at present” and some seems a bit bonkers “you need to get a hook – write more like Jodie Picoult” - in late November I was invited to send the whole book for consideration by an enthusiastic agent who hasn’t yet turned it down.
October and November this year were a bit of a dead loss for me as I managed to have a virus which effectively knocked them out. It was made worse with labyrinthitis for about 6 weeks. To add to the general excitement at the year end I now have to go into hospital for a hysteroscopy – a sort of hysterical biopsy – which I feel fairly sanguine about, but I hope the general anaesthetic won’t knock my brain out like the last one did...the op is on 23rd - and I cannot operate machinery for 48 hours - this includes cookers... oh dear!
October and November this year were a bit of a dead loss for me as I managed to have a virus which effectively knocked them out. It was made worse with labyrinthitis for about 6 weeks. To add to the general excitement at the year end I now have to go into hospital for a hysteroscopy – a sort of hysterical biopsy – which I feel fairly sanguine about, but I hope the general anaesthetic won’t knock my brain out like the last one did...the op is on 23rd - and I cannot operate machinery for 48 hours - this includes cookers... oh dear!
The good news this year is that we have acquired a cat, a free male house-trained (that was the USP) kitten, whom we have named Bernard - he originally looked like this:
This was when he liked me best - he now prefers Mark and spends lots of time with him, and has even begun to take an interest in archaeology:
I guess life is pretty tough for a lot of us at present – especially for the self-employed. So not a lot of laughs in this letter this year. The prospect of another 5 years like this is not appealing – but nothing I can do about it except stop listening to the news and lull myself into a false sense of security. At the moment, we remain distinctly Micawberish – sure that “something will turn up” – and if that isn’t enough, try to think, like Julian of Norwich that “all things will be well, and all things will be very well"... So I guess we'll be toasting her at the Christmas Day drinks on the beach...
Christmas on the Beach - Ramsgate Style: Darcy & Bingley assess the talent outside the Assembly Rooms
HAPPY CHRISTMAS! AND ALL GOOD THINGS FOR 2012
HAPPY CHRISTMAS! AND ALL GOOD THINGS FOR 2012
