25 Years - 2020

It has been quite a year. A trip to the US, stuck inside with the puppy through three named winter storms, then the lockdown. Rowan back to live with us for the duration of the lockdown. It would be wrong to say that life is predictable. Good though.

25 Years - 2019

At the World Cycling Championships at Harrogate, a great weekend. (This was the only bit of sunshine). I've seen the World Championships in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1993, 2001 so it was good to get back to see it again just down the road. Hard to imagine such a massive number of people happily together ever again. But it will happen.

25 Years - 2018

Taken at my 60th in London which we celebrated in York in December and London in January.

25 Years - 2017

Taken at the annual Charity Awards of which Danielle was a judge. That year they took place in the Tower of London which made a change.

25 Years - 2016

Rowan graduated from High School in 2016 (a year that also included the horrors of Brexit and Trump) and we went over to see her graduation. This is a portion of her American family including Great Great Aunt Maxine and her cousins Liam and KC.

Intermission 2

We had book group last night via zoom. Not quite the same, particularly the lack of sharing wine and chat. But it worked pretty well, Danielle in the chair. We discussed The Periodic Table by Primo Levi; most people liked it but found it a bit disjointed. Others went off to read his other books.
We collected bees from the Wolds on Tuesday, Thursday they decided to re-queen and swarm into an additional colony in our bamboo plant. As I type Danielle is fully kitted out and trying to tempt the new colony into a nice clean hive she has waiting for them: house lockdown until she is successful. Here is a photo of The Beekeeper and The Beekeepers Apprentice taken on the roof 14 years ago.

25 Years - 2015

Taken at Manchester Airport just as Rowan went back to George School in the States. First time at the same place it had been a lot of tears. This time it was much more relaxed!

25 Years - 2014

This year Rowan left for high school in the States. We all went on holiday to Italy and stayed in Tuscany with a group of Danielle's high school friends. Not without incident.

25 Years - 2013

Taken by my German friend Angelika who I had not seen for 30 years, at Koln on our bike ride down the Rhine.
We drove to get a new bee nuke today as our colony did not make it through the winter. They are settling in before moving to their new hive tomorrow. Always exciting time of year when the bees start to fly.

25 Years - 2012

2012 was Olympic year, and we had a great time. This is at St James Park Newcastle where we watched lucky Brazil (complete with obnoxious Neymar) beat Honduras. Great fun.

Back in real time we went to a vitrual beer festival on Friday evening (organised by Beer52) which was fun if chaotic. Then Saturday we had a virtual whisky tasting with some friends round the corner courtesy of Zoom. Sunday there was socially distanced drinking in the street in honour of a neighbour's birthday.

25 Years - 2011

At niece Sarah's wedding in Suffolk. Rowan was a bridesmaid.

25 Years - 2010

On holiday in Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania in the summer.

25 Years - 2009

Shots of the two of us are quite rare. Rowan took this on in our everyday clothes.

In the garden, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are busy in the garden, always good to see them back for the summer before they get hidden by the foilage.

25 Years - 2008

Primarily taken for my mother, taken upstairs in the extension.

25 Years - 2007

Taken at Pitlochry Station after we had cycled for a week up from Glasgow on a Sustrans route. The excitement on Rowan's face is probably because she knows her copy of the final volume of Harry Potter, published the previous midnight, will be awaiting her at home. What we did not know is that on the train a third of the passengers were busy reading their copies, so any conversations about the plot had to be unheard.

25 Years - 2006

 Rowan on a trip with me to the model village at Beckonscott. It was during a half term visit to Mother in Oxfordshire. We took the train and had a great day out, beans on toast in the cafe as I remember.

And this is us at a meal in York.

25 Years - 2005

Another cycle ride. This time in Austria. Rowan was 7, keeping up with the 14 year olds. Her grandfather Royce was 77. He wisely chose to push this hill, Danielle holding the centre of the road. A great trip.

25 Years - 2004

On a Quaker weekend in the Lakes. On top of Helm Crag with a couple of friends children.

25 Years - 2003

Our first family cycle trip. With a group of families in the Netherlands. Danielle and I with the old folk at the back, Rowan front row with her mates.

Intermission

A little interjection: here are my mum and my granny. 1981 Cannonbury on a day visit to see me when I lived in the flat with Mark.

25 Years - 2002

Our first trip to Aberdovey, we went with my Mother and visited the Festiniog Railway. Ten more visits would follow.

25 Years - 1998

Bit of a year. Rowan arrived and everything changed forever. Here she is with her grandfather Royce.

25 Years - 1997

By 1997 Danielle was pregnant with Rowan so our planned trip cycling in the States was replaced with a week in the north of Scotland south of Ullapool. We climbed An Tealloch which turned out to be a bit of slog, but this view shows you it was worth it.