What did 2008 do for you?

Before I go off on one; take a look at Hanna's blog as it is much better than mine and has a new entry this week.


I normally write something short, with pictures, about what we have been doing this week. It's nice for me to be able to scroll down and see what we were up to this time last year. As I have to wear reading specs, but am too vain to put them on, the pictures help a lot. Anyway, expect this one to be more random than usual, with less pictures.

This family is half American, so we took more than the average interest in this year's Presidentials. We didn't really have any choice as the British media gave it blanket coverage and, when we escaped from the radio, the TV and the Guardian, there was Jim Winkler's e-mails waiting on the kitchen computer. Thanks Jim! We found Sarah Palin fascinating; she could have been the first American President to assassinate someone else. I think that Obama's election is extremely significant, and it gives hope to so many people in the world that America can again take a leading role in global politics with policies that don't just reflect the need for cheap fuel at home. Even if he turns out to be a dud, it's still been an amazing ride. I have my doubts about trying to revive the US car industry. Consumers have shown that they prefer foreign cars, just like in the UK (and they were right, by the way.) However, American agriculture could, and should see a revival in 2009.

Back home, it's been a year for re-unions. Susy came over to stay, which was great for all of us, and Jim Winkler too. Katy and Joost came in the summer and my niece Lisa came home from San Francisco with her husband Juan. We'd love to go and visit them. Juan is a coastguard and we could stay on a Nature Reserve by the lighthouse. One day.....

A few years ago, I tried to track down old school chums by using "Friends Reunited" which was free. They then decided to charge for membership and we all quit. The message must have got through to someone at the top and its now free again. A few more chums have signed up, but not many. Looking at my year groups in Southampton and South Wales, I have constructed a theory, which I think holds up. You see, most of the people on the site no longer live anywhere near their old school or college. A high proportion of us have worked abroad and some still do. Others have retired to Spain. I think that the ones who travelled furthest away are rootless and the website offers them a connection. The ones who stayed home see their friends and family every day. Why do they need a website? Why do they need Facebook? Why does anyone need Facebook?

I have the answer to that one too! When my brother Alex and I were fishing in the Yorkshire Dales (thanks Alex, it was brilliant) we had no cell-phone reception anywhere. The local young farmers used Facebook to keep in contact with each other, even though they are in the same valley. They organised their Thursday drinking night at the Framer's Arms in Muker. This had the added benefit that their parents didn't know where they were. Sadly for them, the old folks also meet at the Farmer's Arms that night to play dominoes. I've no idea how they communicate but my guess is telephones with wires on. (Yes they still exist.)


Just so you know how things go around here, it has taken me three sittings to write this far. I just had to break off to fix a walkie-talkie that Dan dropped in Hanna's coffee, and make a fresh coffee. The picture show's Dan at todays "princesses" concert.

Where was I? Oh yes; Facebook stole my life. If any one of your acquaintances, or family, gets a Facebook account, they want you to be their "Friend" and that means you have to have an account too. I've had one for a year because Roy, our carer, insisted. This was so I could see pictures of his daughter and dog! (Actually one of them looks very nice.) I don't look after my Facebook page; it's a mess, and I guess this is because I haven't really engaged with it. It's just a portal to all my chums who used to be with Friends Reunited, and are now all on Facebook. Even politicians and rock stars are on Facebook. However, if you are not, don't bother, that's my advice. We used to read books and talk to each other; now we have Facebook. Thank-you 2008.

On the bright side, 2008 marks our 25th Wedding anniversaries (all three of them). We celebrated by going to Norfolk for two whole days. It was really great for us, though not so great for James and Jo who had to stay up all night after Dan's bed collapsed. Back in February, we also spent two absolutely amazing days away, this time in Paris to celebrate Hanna's 50th birthday. Thanks again to James, Jo and our team of carers.

One regret that I have is that we didn't see as much of James. Jo Jake and Thea as we would have liked. Our brilliant grandchildren are growing up fast. 2008 brought them a terrier puppy, named Molly. She will be with us on all our outings from now on, which means that we need to spend more time in the great outdoors. That's fine by me.

Our core team of Bridget, Nina, Hannah, Jenny and Roy continue to keep the show on the road for us. No-one could have a better bunch of carers, or friends. We can't thank them enough and Dan loves all of them.

We have hardly seen Nick all year. He's really settled into his second year at art school and is working hard after the summer of a lifetime in Maine. His art and music are both going well and we look forward to hearing his new band soon. I suspect that they will get a lot of gigs in the Bristol area, where the rest of the Stevensons can hear them.

Dan seems to be off to a good start this term with his new teacher Jerry. He comes to Paxton Pits every Friday with a minibus full and it's very revealing for me to watch how well he socialises with his peers and staff. I enjoy their visits.

The big change at work has been on the farming side. We now have quite a sophisticated farm operation with a baler, two tractors, a small 4x4, lots of implements and a combine harvester. Our hay and grain crops now go to feed our own herd of highland cattle in winter. Having our own livestock means we are now a 7 day operation and I've had to move Ranger Matt Johnson into the role of stock-man. Luckily he shows a real affinity for the work. Meanwhile we have a new ranger, Matt Hall, to take on some of his work and to back up the farm operation.

'No mention of the recession? Has it affected us? We don't have money in Iceland or any of the failing banks so no, not directly. However, the high fuel costs are definitely a problem and we are seeing the closure of many companies around us: especially in the building trade, and in retail. My job looks secure at present, but the tar-mac plant next door has closed down and the gravel company is working a short week. They have moved staff around and slowed down on gravel extraction. This makes it increasingly unlikely that I will see the extension to the reserve finished before I retire in 2015 as we are scheduled to take on land as the gravel company moves out. Still, there may be opportunities to acquire new land, outside of the current expansion plan. Time will tell.

Hanna has taken on a new job at the village school, looking after a little boy with autism. Typically, she got promoted in the first week, so she should make head teacher in 2009!

On a more trivial front, what music did 2008 bring us? We love to find new music. Nick is constantly pointing us at bands that don't seem to be well known here; bands like Pavement for example. The ones that have stuck with us are Iron and Wine, and Sufjan Stevens. I still like Deathcab for Cutie as well. We saw them in Birmingham this year. The British musical press is really keen on the Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver and I like them both but can't get excited about either. Reflecting the music industry as a whole, I've got hooked on iTunes and I've loaded an old iMac computer with all my stuff, especially 70s Joni Mitchel and Bob Dylan. I still hear them like they are new. Give Sufjan Stevens a go. Listen to Illinois (he is making an album about each state) or his Christmas box set.

I'll be back to write the usual updates next week, but, until then, enjoy what's left of 2008.