This year was dominated by three watersheds in our lives: two retirements and a brush with cancer Our photo album is however full of images of the long hot summer: trips to the beach, outings by boat, crabbing expeditions, dens in the wood, model railways, and walks. Most include small people, making the most of the delights of Cornwall in fine weather. It has been wonderful having two grandchildren just up the road in Truro and the other two have visited regularly.
A routine breast examination before last Christmas revealed a nasty lump and in February Kate had it removed. This put on hold any idea of a major adventure holiday in the summer. She had already decided to retire in the summer and taught her ‘last term’ while undergoing radio-therapy. Being her, priority was given to the teaching. She even completed the Race for Life. She was then persuaded to stay on an extra term and only finally finished a week ago. So, during the Christmas term, there was something of a reprise of lines like ‘This is my last assembly’ and ‘This is my last ever Latin play’ (Nivea et duo pumiliones, since you ask, there being a slight shortage of pumiliones in Truro High).
In lieu of an adventurous summer holiday, we took a river barge trip down the Seine on our own ‘Special Needs Trip’: Jonathan’s aged Mother, his sister who had just had a new hip, Kate recovering from her op and Jonathan (with something very serious like a sore finger). Despite being well-travelled, Felicity had never been to Paris. We were all pretty fit but we liked the idea of demanding extra attention.
Meanwhile, Jonathan too had decided that it was time to retire and stopped work in mid October after eleven years at the Museum. Winning a national award as the Family Friendly Museum of the year was a great final satisfaction. The leaving parties were endless and mostly very silly involving a helicopter making a salute, tugs firing water cannon, being arrested by Darth Vader (no we don’t either) and a final escape in a launch. A fire curtain in the Museum was even re-named the ‘Griffin door’.
We got out in the open air as often as possible. When the rain stopped briefly in the Spring we finished the Tinner’s Way from St Ives to Cape Cornwall past some of Cornwall’s best ancient monuments: almost enough stone circles, quoits, standing stones to satisfy any fogou-hunter. We also did some sailing and canoeing.
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| Emma is now head of Boarding at Truro High School and so our links with the school will continue even though Kate is no longer teaching there. Wyl is carving out a successful career as a freelance writer. | Claire has been taking a career break to look after Zoe and see Olly into school while Nick has been involved in seeing through some clever bit of legislation for the Ministry of Justice when not catching crabs. |
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Peter and Rebeka bought a house in what they call Wimbledon, and the rest of us call ‘somewhere in South London’. They continue to jet off on glamorous holidays or for work, bringing Monopoly to the masses and caring for kidneys. Their appearance in Cornwall enabled us to capture a picture of ‘Three Mrs Griffins in a direct line’, an achievement last briefly possible nearly 130 years ago.
As you read this, we are facing our first Christmas as retired people, determined not to say that ‘we are busier than we were when we were working’. We have many challenges: a mother to move to Truro; a cliff path to walk; some canoeing to do; more sailing (yesss!) and a proper holiday to take.
We leave you with a message of love and hope for the year ahead. There is always a warm welcome for you in Cornwall (if we are here).
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Much love, Kate and Jonathan
| Now, remind me, which of these is which;
and which is whose? |
If all of this does not satisfy you then there are even
more photos here
