Christmas Letter 2008

The blog has really taken a dive this year, you can partially blame Facebook for that, and partially me being so slack. Anyway - here's this year in brief.

Robert & Wendy’s Christmas letter – 2008


Looking back on yet another year, we’d have to agree that ’08 has certainly become a memorable one, and unfortunately not for all good reasons – but more on that later. Here’s your yearly catch up on what’s been happening here in Perth at the Griffiths’ residence.

January we started the year with a short driving holiday to Kalgoorlie – this is a small mining town about a six hours drive inland (East) from Perth, not a typical ‘holiday’ destination, but with sufficient tourist stops to keep us interested. We had already planned our big ‘surprise’ holiday for the year – England in June.

February Wendy got the astronomy bug, joining a club, and getting a small telescope to play with. Our house is sufficiently away from the City to avoid the really harsh lights, and giving us some great night views if the weathers right.

March After a couple of months ‘rest’ we started again working on our Christmas lights display for the coming year. From this point on, most weekends had at least a small component of lights-work. We’d decided to double the display this year – twice the number of controlled light channels – all synchronised to music.

April We’re both still very active with the Perth Subaru 4wd club (both on committee, Robert being the secretary), however this month had our only real ‘camping’ trip with the club this year, one of our annual visits to Lochada – an ex-cattle station which the club is helping to re-habilitate (stripping back fences, marking wells etc.). Mam & Michael really love their caravan trips away and are making lots of new friends at the caravan club.

June The big trip for the year, a whole month in the UK, surprising Roberts parents, and as usual taking a week out of the trip to visit somewhere with Roberts sisters – this time Norfolk. We also took the opportunity to have a stay over in London to see a show with some good friends.

July back to work and reality – although Wendy is now only working part time. This month we celebrated ‘Christmas in July’ (an Aussie tradition to help bring some holiday spirit into our winter months) – this was done with the Subaru Club having a camp cookout a few hours South of Perth.

Aug/Sept/Oct Working on the Christmas lights got into full swing now, with lots of soldering, and starting on the lighting sequencing. We continue having small trips out with the club, and Robert finds time to go on a photoshop for photographers course – assisted with his new camera bought for the UK trip.

November Returning from a drive out one evening, our car is hit by a speeding, drunk P-plate driver, pushing us 30 meters up the road, and totally wrecking our car and Christmas. We’re both rushed to hospital, Wendy with concussion and bad bruising. Robert doesn’t fair so well, and is kept in the critical trauma unit for two weeks with collapsed lung, torn liver, four cracked ribs and three cracked vertebrae. If we hadn’t been driving our 5 star safety rated Subaru we may not have been writing this letter.

So here we are in December, Doctors have given every indication that Robert will make a full recovery given a bit of time. Robert’s home now but spending much of his time stuck on his back. However he’s starting to walk again, thanks to physio and pain killers. Wendy is about to start back at work, but still in some pain. All our Christmas light plans had to be cancelled – but at least we’re here to plan for next year.

So that’s our 2008, it’s certainly been memorable, and has given us the change to really appreciate what we’ve got here and how lucky we are (and have been).

Here’s wishing you all a great Christmas, and have a wonderful new-year. Just don’t drink and drive !