The things that make us tick!
Judy
- Collecting postcards, mainly of Britain. These are not the historic items that fetch lots of money
(thank goodness) but modern cards which feature places of interest, landmarks, historic sites and so on.
Particularly she collects map postcards and canal postcards. The current count is over 30,000 and is increasing daily.
- Reading. Mainly her choice is children's books, because they're light and conjure up memories of a different, quieter life.
- Travelling around Britain, her ambition being to go everywhere in the country. We're getting there...
- Ringing handbells. Judy is a member of the village team who ring tunes on proper musical instruments
as cast by the
Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, Britain's oldest manufacturing business, founded 1570.
The music they produce is in full harmony and quite complex to ring.
- Musicals and shows. Mama Mia!, Oliver, Sound of Music, Billy Elliot, Lord of the Rings...
- Getting in the way when Richard's trying to cook a meal!
Richard
- Reading. Richard enjoys a wide range of "literature", from the children's books of Monica Edwards
and others to more technical and obtuse non-fiction works. Midway between them come Tolkien and Terry
Pratchett (and yes, he does accuse Mr Pratchett of Literature!)
- Music of almost all breeds. Classical, folk-rock, punk-folk, chorister... Some favourite bands are
Fairport Convention ,
Libera,
The Pogues... (I said it was varied!)
- Church bell ringing. Has rung up to Stedman Triples - plain course - but is now relearning the more basic methods after a sabbatical. Rings at
Holy Trinity, Hurstpierpoint.
- Writing stories. Doesn't happen often and nothing has been presented for publication, but it's as
time consuming as... well, reading.
- Scouting - having gone through the mill as a Venture Scout Leader, Assistant Scout Leader and dogsbody
with the 17th Hove Scout Group, and ADC (Scouts) with Hove & Portslade District, is once again on the
Crew at
Broadstone Warren .
- Tying knots. Yes, really. This comes from Scouting days and is one of those inexplicable things
that caught the imagination. An ex-member of the
International Guild of Knot Tyers - he intends to rejoin.
- Sailing - we have an elderly Enterprise moored with
Crawley Mariners Yacht Club. She has a problem with her mast at the moment which is awaiting attention.
His sailing standard is best described as "rough", as in The art of Rough Sailing. He does not race,
but is very happy pottering in a rather Swallows and Amazons sort of way.
- Information technology - the modern name for making computers work. The most time consuming, infuriating,
rewarding (sometimes) of interests.
- Helping at the Bluebell Railway. Often on
Horsted Keynes station making tea, selling tickets, talking to passengers and staff and occasionally seeing trains off, he's also training to be a guard.
- Theatre technology, which is part of his work. That involves sound, its processing and production;
lighting, its artistic and technical aspects; communications and electrical mains work; and trying to
persuade people that they should spend a little time clearing up after a show as well as all the time they put in before it!
- Experiencing the maturing of young people through the 17th Hove, and now through
Hurst College
; helping them take responsibility for their own actions (and the results of them) whenever possible.
Joint
- Traditional music and folk-style music. From the
Copper Family of Rottingdean in Sussex
to
Fairport Convention and beyond.
- Exploring old churches, stately homes, historic sites.
- Canals! Through
Ownerships we are proud owners of a 1/12th share in a 58ft canal boat which will allow us to continue
to explore the country's extensive, historic system of narrow and broad canals, and its rivers.
- Our family and friends, a continuing source of delight and pride to us both. Grandsons are magic people (that'll cost
you, Jack!) and now have another grandson, Jack's cousin Oliver who arrived in February 2009.
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