We wish you a very, Merry Christmas.

We Wish You

a

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

Yes, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s Christmas time again.

But how could you not have noticed? The big department stores have been flogging Christmas gifts since mid-September. Each year we know Christmas is coming by the tuneful sounds of  those busy cash registers going ka-chingle bells, ka-chingle bells, ka-chingle all the way..

What is more, our meticulously kept records show that you are still on our mailing list, which explains why you are receiving this Bourke Family Christmas Greeting. 

Yes, folks it Christmas time already.That’s what happens when your short term memory goes. You are fated to experience rapidly recurring Christmases that come around with ever increasing frequency. Like this one has done. Let’s face it, everybody knows that it is only two months since last Christmas!

As for being on our mailing list...well, we are like the Readers Digest. As regular as clockwork and very difficult to shake off.

At least we don’t tell you that you have come through six stages of elimination to be in a position to receive our letter and we definitely do not promise to pay you $500 000 if you post this letter back within seven days and your lucky number is selected from eight million other people in the draw.

However, there is a special gift bonus for those who take up our offer to have a Merry Christmas. It is the gift of HAPPINESS! Please take good care of this gift and use it as often as you like.

                       

We had our fair share of happiness and good fortune this year and will again enjoy a very Merry Christmas with family and friends.      

Of course the BIG news this year is that Denis’ parents, Rheal and Annette, his sister, Ginette, brother in law, John Pineau and nephew, Justin, have all travelled from Moncton, New Brunswick, to celebrate with us. It will be the first time since 1991 that Denis has had Christmas Day with his Canadian family. In 1992 he left Moncton to work in Jasper, Alberta, where he met Sarah and the rest, as they say, is history.

As Moncton usually has a white Christmas with temperatures well below zero degrees Celsius, Denis' family are in for a very different Christmas experience. They cannot say that we did not give them a warm Western Australian welcome.

         

We could call this year the Christmas of the In-laws. Emily and Carl with Jack, Sari and Kai in tow, will celebrate Christmas in Dunsborough with Carl’s family. Jane and Ian, together with Pascal, Cisco and Havana, will celebrate Christmas Day with Ian’s parent’s in Sorrento. Noel and Lesley will celebrate Christmas with the Belliveau family at Denis and Sarah’s spacious new home in Ocean Reef.

However, there will be the usual family gathering at Bourkeville (Population 2) for Noel’s birthday on Christmas Eve, which is always a nice way to start off the festive season. Well, at least Noel thinks so.

The Bourke family enjoyed their year, although it was tinged with sadness a few months ago with the passing of very dear cousin, Ruth Carr. She is sadly missed by everyone.

Noel and Lesley continue to enjoy good health and keep up a hectic round of orchestral concerts, ballet, opera, films, cricket, football, movies and socialising with family and friends. These activities are interspersed with increasingly longer and longer periods of rest and relaxation in front of TV or with a book or some wine and classical music. Which reminds me. Did you hear about the lady who said she was really looking forward to a white Christmas? And when she finished the whites she was starting on the reds.

Lesley has a variety of friends from school and teachers college days which she sees quite regularly. However, one of the  highlights of her week is when she looks after three year old Kai on Fridays while Emily teaches at West Morley.

Noel still does one morning a week with the WA Principals Association and mentors student teachers from Edith Cowan University when they are on their Teaching Practice.  They are like hobbies which he enjoys very much.

All of the grandchildren are doing well at school and Pascal has performed outstandingly well in various state surfing competitions and is in the WA State Junior Surf Squad. Pascal will be in Year 11 in 2014.

Next year Sophie will be in her final year of primary school (Year 6), Jack in Year 4, Luc in Year 2,  Sari and Cisco both in Year One and Havana in Pre Primary. It certainly doesn’t take long for them to grow up, but we are thankful that they are growing up healthy and happy little individuals. We did have one scare at Christmas time last year when Cisco cut his wrist on a piece of glass while playing in the shallows at Sorrento Beach. It was serious injury which required treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital. He even had his photo in The West Australian.

OVERHEARD. Emily had enrolled Jack in a junior cricket competition. Sarah asked Luc if he was also interested in playing in a Kanga Cricket match each week. After a little thought Luc replied, “Well, I don’t think I want to play professionally just yet. I’ll just keep playing cricket in the backyard for a while.”

It is amazing what these young children come out with. Jane had Havana attending a Playgroup called Busy Kids. One day I said to her, “So, Havana, you are going to Busy Kids after lunch.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

“Well, what will you be doing there?” I enquired.

“She gave me an exasperated look and said, “Well, I’m going to be busy, aren’t I.”

With Test Matches, the beach, our Canadian family with us, The Perth Film Festival at the Pines, Rottnest in January and a variety of happy times with family and friends, we are looking forward to a great summer of happiness. And Christmas really is the happiest time of all.

So, let the good times roll, or as our French speaking relatives would say, Les Bon Temps Rouller!”

Wherever you have your Christmas, we hope it is a happy one and we wish you all the best for a healthy and happy New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM NOEL, LESLEY AND FAMILY.

(To be removed from our mailing list please send in your name and address neatly

printed in 2B pencil on a $100 note).

    

Rottnest fun. January, 2013.  Hands up, who is having a good time?  It will be on again this year as we have adjoining units  facing on to Thompson Bay.