“And presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)
We wish you a most joyous Christmas and a happy 2017.
From all of us.
As we draw near to the end of 2016 we are constantly reminded of the presence of God in all that we do. This year we have been blessed with the continued life of Larry’s mother who turned 87 in October and a myriad of other events that have made this year at Footlights a memorable one.
Living socially is the name of the game and with no pubs along the lane to stop in and have a pint with friends, Larry and Vivienne are regulars at the wood-burning oven and beer taps of their neighbour’s weekly pizza night on Rigsby. The pair also works for their plonk-du-blanc by helping the Winery down the road with summer crushes and fermentations to keep the Merlot and Pinot flowing.
Working the estate is not the same as a suburban garden. Forget secateurs and push mowers, when acreage is involved only the commercial grade equipment will do. Lowes and Home Depot vie for the custom of this enterprising couple that manicure and tend their land keeping the pathways clear and the wild flower meadows thriving for the monarchs and other butterflies. Hawks and owls fly freely in the woods, and coyotes and wild turkey roam the creek beds with the occasional pot-bellied pig and large dog. Roadrunners keep the rattlesnakes under control and the two barn cats who used to work in rodent management over at the Barn were given their pink slips when caught catching and hiding their prey between the barn and apartment walls. “They bring down the tone of the place,” the newly weds/tenants claimed. Shadow and Magic now live under the protection of the dowager Calico who is ‘learnin’ ‘em’ their indoor manners.
Philanthropic ventures have taken centre stage for Larry who has joined his friend, Roger Daltry, in designing and developing some exciting upcoming projects for The Who’s Charity, Teen Cancer America (Teenage Cancer Trust U.K.). The charity provides facilities especially designed for young adults undergoing chemo and radiation treatments and also arranges celebrity meet-ups wherever possible.
Homeschooling paid off in an unexpected way for Vivienne when she interviewed with two private schools in McKinney. She now substitutes several days a month and is pleasantly surprised at how her skills in preparing her own four children for college have paid off in this more formal educational setting. You can read her weekly news posts right here on her blog.
Californian receives magical pass to Disney Land after thirty years of deprivation. Ian avails himself of the unlimited entry to this park suspended in make belief whenever he feels the need to ride a roller coaster or say Hi to Mickey. In October he enjoyed a few days of showing his parents around his adoptive home and they were seen wandering the galleries of the Paul Getty Museum, laughing at Improv and scarfing sushi at the local hole in the wall… Ian’s editing skills are in great demand both at home (note the Christmas Card photo) and abroad. His expertise is drawn upon at the trade shows he attends as part of his role to educate the industry about the latest techniques on offer by the post production company he free-lances with. He continues to feed his love of live performance by attending various plays, concerts and exhibits in the valley and surrounding area with his friends.
The Tiny House is growing into a homestead under the skilled stewardship of Simon and Lindsey. They have increased their winged staff to 24 birds ranging from crows to an African Hornbill, owls, hawks, a vulture and a flock of chickens plus their pair of brightly coloured macaws, the crowd pleasers. Through rigorous, daily training they have gained an impressive reputation in and around the Metroplex with their Free Flight programmes, educational seminars and face-to-face encounters. The Perot Museum and Audubon Centre are regular venues for this entrepreneurial couple. Simon builds indoor and outdoor furniture and makes knives and cabinet hardware in his forge to sell on his Etsy store online and at market. Lindsey makes custom jewelry and delicious baked goods encouraged by the wealth of fresh eggs at her disposal, these include artisan breads, cheesecakes and fruit butters. They grow a large garden that provides all their produce and Simon recently butchered and cured a wild boar shot on the bird sanctuary where they park their home.
From corporate care to personal nanny Paris has moved her skills into the private sector and is taking very good care of a ten month old, her parents and two dogs. She started when the baby was a couple of months old so of course they have bonded well and she takes her to the doctor, drops her off at Mum’s work for an afternoon visit and sometimes even spends the night when her parents are out of town. This year Paris has vacationed in San Francisco doing all the touristy stuff including a stint at Alcatraz and Las Vegas where she saw Piff the Magic Dragon from America’s Got Talent and left behind more than a few dollars on the gambling trail. Her latest boast is a brand new car, her first. She single handedly negotiated an affordable deal with a car salesman and drove away in a black Ford Focus with all the latest bells and whistles.
Malia added some snap, crackle and pop when she changed her name on August 27th 2016. After two years of courtship she married Sam Kellogg, a recent postgraduate student. The pair wed under a sprawling, wild pecan in the grounds of Footlights, her parents’ country home. In attendance were immediate family and the talented Schnauzer, Titan, who bore the ring. The nuptials were followed by a traditional English brunch laid out on the farmhouse, refectory table crafted from salvaged barn wood by her father earlier in the year. Tulle and burlap, wild flowers, hay bales and cowboy boots joined forces to set the rustic scene for this memorable occasion. A large reception is planned for Autumn 2017 to include family and friends from far and wide. The newly weds currently reside at Barnlights in the wooded grounds of the estate. Malia continues to teach ballet at Powerhouse and Sam works for a prestigious auditing firm in downtown Dallas.
We miss all of you and would love to see you if you ever find yourselves in our neck of the 100 acre woods at the bottom of our drive. Travel plans for us to visit England are always on the horizon and soon, we are sure, they will come to pass.
Our hope is that you enjoy good health and fortune during 2017 and find the peace and abounding treasure of this Christmas Season.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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