Diary for 2002

December 2002

Being written (looks like it never happened)

September/October 2002

Well at last I am sitting down to write up the diary but so much has happened and the fact that I am lazy doesn't help. By now you will know that Matthew and Carly's daughter has arrived safe and sound and everyone, especially Glenda and I are over the moon. She is a little sweetie and impeccably behaved so the cat-o-nine-tails is still in the cupboard - and I am sure will stay there.

Talking of cats - Oliver has yet to be convinced as Madison's infrequent cries send him scurrying but he'll get used to the idea. I have 'invested' in a good digital camera for the occasion (what an excuse!) so there will be frequent, - hot off the press - pictures on Madison's progress. If you want to contact the new parents you can do so on matthew@morse.uk.com or leave a message in the visitors book (amongst some of the stranger messages left there)

After that, all other news is rather mundane but I've never let that stop me rabbiting on before, so I will continue. Phillip is following in his father's footsteps (I would not recommend that!) and become a mod - ie he has joined the scooter brigade and bought a Vespa to get himself around London where he lives. I must say it sounds great fun and I can still remember my Vespa (yes the memory has not failed completely - yet - all though I usually can't remember what I had for breakfast unless sample is stuck to my tie! …. Ah yes, I had toast and marmalade today … mmm lemon marmalade .. delicious)..... where was I .. oh yes, Phillip. He assures us that he is being careful as I am sure he is (his mother worries you see) but we are informed that he has got the time from his house to work down to 12 minutes since he has taken to avoiding the traffic by riding on the footpath. He does however have to remember to wash the blood off before it damages the paintwork!

Verity (now also known as Auntie Verity of course) is still at the Nat West Bank in MK but is considering going to university next year. She has taken to riding her bike to work each day … very brave!

Glenda has done a lot of work on the house including decorating the lounge … and very nice it is too. I do feel a bit guilty standing and watching her much of the time but don't worry - I'll get over it!

It has taken me several weeks to write this and since I started we have had the storm and my weekend will be taken up with replacing the fence panels that were blown down. Also retrieving the plants and hanging baskets that are scattered around the neighbourhood. I am hoping Matthew will come round to help and if he does as a good a job on our garden as he has done on his - I will be well pleased. We will have to re-do the base for Glenda's greenhouse. It was lucky that we had not started to build it as we may have had a lot of broken glass to clear up!

My new band nearly got going this week but the singer pulled out at the last minute so I now have a vacancy for a drummer and a singer - check the songs you need to know by going to www.morse.uk.com and clicking on the guitar. Practices are in Lavendon Sports Pavilion which is just across the field from me … very handy … well, for me anyway.

Last night was Halloween, how did you do? I did really well. I dressed up as a skeleton and got enough sweets to keep me going for a year .... well they don't know it's not a kid in there do they?

I do update the pictures on the site from time to time and of course add new ones of Madison. Although I have had many requests for more pictures of me ........ who am I kidding? ....

Till next time - have fun.

jbm 1/11/02

 

July/August 2002

At last I have started to get up to date, so much has happened - oh! what busy lives we lead but that period of stability, peace a quiet seems a way off yet. I am getting bit old for all this zappin' about .. what am I saying? - you're never to old to rock and roll - well that's what it says on my T-shirt!

As you know we have moved and a pic of the house appears on the home page and you will notice the attractive lawn ornament that looks remarkably like a pile of sand. Well that's because that's what it is and it sets the scene for a while yet. Matthew has been working hard putting up sheds and making a shed base for the giant workshop that will appear shortly in the back garden. On to of that the conservatory has got to be replaced, before it falls down, the boiler sounds like it is about to blow up and the roots of the rampant Leylandii are about to strangle us and the house. We have a precession of 'professionals' calling round, scratching their heads and running away at the moment but it will all get done .. eventually.

However it's not all bad news as we are near the kids and many friends again and that's worth it all. Talking of kids .. Matthew and Carly's sprog is doing fine and is due to make an appearance end of September. It's all happening for them what with moving into their new home in July. I'll get some pics organised before too long.

Not much of an update this time - sorry - I will do better next time!

jbm - 12 Aug 2002

June 2002

The plot thickens! - I have a job based in Wellingborough which is about 10 miles from Lavendon where we will be moving to in the next few weeks and Glenda also has a job at MK College in ... youv'e guessed it ... MK. I start on 10 June and Glenda on 8 July.

The house move appears to be on schedule and the target date is 21 June but that is getting close. The new house is a bit smaller than this one so the challenge is to get all our stuff in it - stuff being the operative word a s a few thing will get stuffed in corners I'm sure.

May 2002

So much has happened that I have not had time to keep this up to date but I have relented to my regular soap fans who are itching to learn what happens next. (and for those that are just plain itching - I suggest calamine lotion!)

After losing my job, Glenda and I have decided to sell the house here and move back to the Milton Keynes area. Glenda's job appeared to be remaining on a job-share and temporary basis and my job prospects might be better over that way. In addition, the fact that we missed family and friends, all added to the reasons why it had to be. Both Glenda and I have interviews for jobs in the MK area lined up, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

It will be sad to leave this beautiful house and the garden but we know few people over here. I will miss the band but I am sure they will continue (probably better without me putting them off!) I guess I will just have to start again so if you live in the MK area and want to play Rock 'n Roll/ Blues etc. let me know. NB if you play the comb and toilet paper, do use the old fashioned Bronco type stuff as the modern tissue types just get soggy and fall apart!

The house is sold and we are in the process of buying another in Lavendon, near Olney, about 10 miles NE of MK. - more details when it all happens in case it all goes horribly wrong. As you all know buying and selling houses can be a nightmare!

Glenda is very busy organising all the plants that we will take. We had ordered quite a few as we were going for prizes in the local garden competition but that's now off, of course, and we are putting many of the plants into pots and window boxes. In addition we are doing the usual packing thing and trying to chuck things out - it's not easy!

Matt and Carly are also on the move at much the same time - mid June - they are going to a bigger house at Tattenhoe which is another part of MK. They are moving to a bigger house - they need the room with the addition to their family due end September. I have been asked to show the scans of the babe that I have Christened Peanut . (If you look at the pix you will see why). We are all very excited and happy for them - it will be lucky to have so many people doting over it and if it is very lucky .... it will look a lot like me! .... (who said "yeah right")

Well that's about all I have time for now as I have to get back to 'sorting things out'.

Best wishes

John & Glenda
jbm 10 May 2002

 

Jan/Feb 2002

The big news is that Carly and Matthew are 'expecting' ..... the due date is late Sept. I have suggested a few names - they were really impressed! If you have any suggestions you can e-mail them on matthew@morse.uk.com . So they are now in the process of collecting baby 'stuff' and we wish we had kept more from the years when our kids were sprogs. Much of it was 'as new' ... well, nothing that duck tape and super glue wouldn't fix!!

This is great news and we are all very happy for them but fact remains that I am just toooooo young to be a gr*ndad (I can't even bring myself to type the word). Glenda wasn't so surprised .. I was gob-smacked and if anybody can tell me what causes it .... answers on a postcard to: ...... Seriously though folks, we are tickled pink as are 'Gr*nny Glenda', 'Uncle Phillip' and 'Auntie Verity' and we all send our sincere congratulations.

Well the big news was to be that the band (Loose Covers) played at the Talbot Hotel but that news pales into insignificance now. We were invited back 24th Feb so we must have been alright. I won't let the fame go to my head but do watch the next series of 'Pop Idol' you might just be surprised.

That's it for now as I am changing this site around a bit, as you can see, and I fit 'bits' in when I can. The visitors book now puts the date on and seems to be working fine again so please feel free to use it - we love to hear from you.

Very best wishes

John and Glenda
jbm 10/2/02