2014 Our Year In Pictures

We start the year by travelling to the caravan in St Andrews 

Before heading to the Lake District to celebrate our old friend David Wareing's 60th

Dave treated us to a fabulous dinner at the acclaimed Holbeck Ghyll Hotel

We returned home to find that a crack in the rendering had allowed water to seep into the lounge.

Gutted at the headache of a potential £7k bill to repair the house I reversed down the drive and, lacking concentration, straight into a stationary vehicle to make that a £9k headache. 

Into February and we met up with Sarah and her kids in London 

And brought them back to Suffolk for a few days.

In March I decided to have another go buying and selling antiques on eBay - something I had done successfully in the past. Discovering this delft dish from the early 1700s for a few pounds and selling for a good profit was an encouraging start.

But then another bargain buy arrived in pieces and I started to realise that it was a lot of work for little return.

We started to reap the benefits of Suffolk living.

And in April we got out on our bikes to explore the local villages. 

I found my first medieval cut farthing of the year.

In May we went to a fabulous charity art event in Woodbridge and bought our Jonathan Livingston Seagull statue for the garden.

Before driving back to St Andrews and more cycling. 

And plenty of time with the girls.

Mark and Nita Jones from Rochester came to visit us in Framlingham when we got back from Scotland.

And we were thrilled to entertain our Rochester branch of the family here in Framlingham.

Framlingham turned into Rio for a day.

And we had a chance to get dressed up for once when we went to the wonderful opera in the barn at Crow's Hall.

I published my novel on Amazon Kindle

Before we headed to Provence for a wonderful three week June break. 

We got back to Suffolk in time to join FramSoc for a day trip to Cambridge and our first ever experience of punting.

And then it was July and time for Melody's first pair of shoes. 

And Rose's third birthday.

We enjoyed more St Andrews sunshine and cycling.

And spent a lovely 38th wedding anniversary at The Crown back in Framlingham

It was time to say goodbye to the Prius which had safely transported us thousands and thousands of miles during our move between Scotland, Suffolk and Merseyside

And hello to the B200.

We spent more time out and about on the bikes.

I found a rare groat with the detector.

The glorious summer continued

We were delighted to welcome old friends Wyndham and Lesley Westaway to Framlingham

I got a new cover for the novel and published it in paperback. 

In August we had a rare family get together in Richmond to celebrate Marion's Aunty Maureen's 80th

We had a trip to London and went to see the poppies.

Before we knew it, it was September and St Andrews again for a very special little girl's 1st birthday.

Melody is a real character.

She and Rose are going to be wonderful friends as they grow up.

After St Andrews it was time to visit Stratford Upon Avon for David and Janet's son William's wedding to the lovely Sophie.

And we had a fun evening when The Cambridge Footlights came to Framlingham

A childcare crisis in Rochester resulted in our making regular trips to that super Kent town to help out.

At Halloween, the scariest red crocodile ever came to Rochester.

And, again in October I found a rare Danish coin in a field in Suffolk.

In November we went to the Ways With Words book festival at Southward - Always a great event

But the highlight of the month was meeting up with our dear friends David and Jane Haworth in the Midlands for a great overnight pub break.

In December it was time to return to St Andrews for some more family visiting and time in the caravan.

We were back in Framlingham for the X Factor final and my annual flutter which came good

We had a great evening at the Framlingham Christmas Festival and later Marion went to The Crown and hung her wish on their Christmas Tree.

The unseasonably warm weather has continued and the castle has looked beautiful in the winter sunlight.

So that was the year in pictures. What follows is simply for the detector users who read the blog. It was a good year for finding coins. Here are some of the 44 hammered coins that turned up during 2014 plus a nice jetton and a rare Southwold token.