{"id":3198,"date":"2021-12-20T17:54:03","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T16:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.helengailey.com\/?p=3198"},"modified":"2021-12-21T00:02:55","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T23:02:55","slug":"reflection-on-2021-family-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helengailey.com\/fr\/reflection-on-2021-family-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflection on 2021. Family Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\"\"And so we are running up to the end of the year. Yes another year has gone past, and what a year!
\nWith Covid still present as we are hit by this 5th wave, we may wonder when will it stop! And despite all of this, we are all so busy, and concentrated doing our good in the world helping others… So like many others I thought I would share some family updates![\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\"\"So firstly, I haven’t cuddled my Daddy for\u00a0 2 years (darn this Covid), he continues to follow courses on-line with the Victoria & Albert Museum…. did you know that my parents met there? so I am the fruit of their encounter! Daddy has been particularly busy with Dante\u00a0 700th anniversary, studying courses with the Italian Institute of London (all via Zoom!). He has also worked relentlessly on his garden vegetable patch, so I saw, but did not taste his home grown carrots! The best in the region he says! I will of course believe him! We were just confirming his trip to visit, when restrictions were put in place! He had waited for his 3rd jab and the 3 weeks after to be fit. So at 85, I am still very lucky to have such an active daddy in London, and we will get together soon!<\/p>\n

This was our last cuddle in Jan 2020, he gave me the Red jumper…. which I wear very often with love! Miss you Dad![\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Now for my family, starting with my dearest Maya, 21, and working to be a nurse at the prestigious Ecole de La Source in Lausanne. She worked for 6 months last year & summer at the H\u00f4pital Rivera Chablais, and is now finalising her stage at La Ligni\u00e8re! She takes great pleasure and pride in her work, and we can all understand what a complex and stressing career it is! I admire her stamina and her determination. Thank you my dear beautiful Maya! (No pictures with her \u00ab\u00a0La Madre\u00a0\u00bb!).<\/p>\n

Ralph, 22, now all of a Swiss Lieutenant with his 100km hike under the belt. He is enjoying a well deserved rest before taking on the new recruits in January. He continues his military journey to become a pilot. In this picture, I joined him at km95… after 18 hours of walking… during the night… to arrive at the barracks just around 11am,\u00a0 some pain au chocolat gave him & his team a little boost for the last few km! (Mama’s boy!)\"\"<\/p>\n

Estelle, well my beautiful blonde daughter decided she wanted to be a brunette ! Yes, horror! I still do not recognise her when she walks in the house with a black main!! She is preparing her portfolio to enter the ECAL school of Design in Lausanne. So we have many projects started, painted, designed… around the place!<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\"\"The kids and I missed our beloved Siddhartha, we decided to get a new baby kitten. Scotch joined the family in august, a beautiful Siamese kitten, you can follow his adventures on @scotchadoo on both FB & IG, he is 7 months, and I had forgotten the energy these kittens have! But we laugh constantly and curse when looking for a sock![\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I managed to visit the Spanish family this early summer, and enjoyed a fabulous 10 days of rest , beach and chatting with all the cousins. Here are a few pictures… nothing to say just bliss to see everyone again after such a long time. I have a special mention to my dear cousin Tono, who has just retired. He remains my superhero, like this drawing made for him! I loved singing in the sea each day, and I carry your Mandala in my PC pouch! Gracias guapo.[\/vc_column_text]