THE STONE FAMILY 

Dear Friends,

 

Welcome to our round-up of family news for 2016!

 

Alastair: 2016 has been busy. In March, I had a Grade 4 Organ exam, and passed with a distinction. In June I had a second set of mock exams to mark the end of Year 10, and during the summer holidays I sang with the school choir in Blackburn and Derby cathedral, went (for the 3rd time in a row) to Dolphin Launchpad and camped at Greenbelt for the first time. In November I had a Grade 5 Organ exam and am still waiting for the results - with eager anticipation. I am a third of the way (roughly) through Year 11 and looking forward to GCSEs and 6th Form. Such fun.

 

Tim: My year was sound. Unforgiving on the neighbours, my ears and dad’s sanity but from my perspective was pretty decent. Highlights: Dorje in Birmingham, canoeing in the Brecon Beacons and tackling Snowdon in three and a half hours.

 

Buff: Best bits: Escaping to Lucca with David; family holidays in Deganwy and Annecy; going back to Greenbelt with 4 teenagers after a 3 decade absence... Starting as the minister in charge of St Catherine’s, Stoke Aldermoor; great in faithfulness though small in numbers and housed in portacabins! Finding that Mum is still her lovely self – sense of humour intact despite her increased frailty. Being very grateful to the staff 
that look after her. Challenges: Trying to stay in charge of a family that now all tower over me. Keeping one step ahead of the slugs and the mouse that eats the strawberries. Running more slowly than ever.

 

David: Work continues to be challenging and stimulating, punctuated by some great trips to Lucca (while the boys were on a school trip to Germany and Poland), Deganwy, Annecy (where we coincided with a very impressive firework display – said to be “the biggest in Europe”) and Sheffield. And, finally catching up with Tim and Al, my first visit to Dresden – for the 800th anniversary of the world-famous Dresdner Kreuzchor.

 

We send our love and best wishes for peace and joy at Christmas and for 2017...

 

David, Buff, Timothy and Alastair Stone