The Lings, 4 Cefn Melindwr, Capel Bangor, Aberystwyth SY23 3LS, Wales, UK.
phone:  +44(0)1970-880-416     mobile:  07974-113-283

e-mails:  jrl@aber.ac.uk   wendyling8@gmail.com    website:  www.johnling.co.uk

 December 2008.
 

This has been the memorable year of a son’s marriage, another grandchild on the way, a significant birthday, a holiday in Spain and a new exercise regime.  Read on! 

Bioethically, the year has been dominated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.  We have written letters and articles, attended meetings, given talks, lobbied in Parliament and watched every deliberation on the BBC Parliament TV channel.  Eventually, after months of heated debate and political wrangling in both Houses, the Bill’s extremely controversial measures were passed.  The UK now permits the production of human-animal admixed embryos, IVF without any consideration for the role of a father, genetic selection for ‘saviour siblings’ and several other ghastly procedures.  Some may regard us as the world leader in these fields, but at what bioethical price? 

John is currently researching and writing about human organ donation and presumed consent – a hot-button issue in the UK.  An extended article, maybe even a book, could be in the pipeline.  It was gratifying to learn that the Christian Institute has had to reprint another 5,000 copies of his book, The Morning-After Pill – Uncovering the Truth.

In March, someone (actually, at least two people, because of its weight) stole the tender (the rowing boat we use to access Lazy Lady in the harbour) from our back garden.  If you find it, let us know!  We eventually got hold of another, but it slowed down our fishing activities.  So did the purchase of a sparkling, second-hand Mariner 60 hp outboard engine – it rapidly developed a fault that baffled several engineers and currently the manufacturer is attempting to sort it out.  Despite these setbacks, and the extra-miserable wet and windy summer, we did manage a decent total catch of fish – and we are still enjoying eating them.

Habitual activities continue – committee meetings (in London and Leamington Spa), bioethics lectures (in Sheffield, London, Chesterfield and Manchester), magistrates’ training and sitting on the Ceredigion bench (at Aberystwyth and Cardigan), visits to art exhibitions (the 'From Russia' exhibition at the Royal Academy in January was stunning, and perhaps our best ever), plus our musical education continues with attendance at concerts by the National Orchestra of Wales plus some free lunchtime recitals at the University.

One of the great delights of living in Aberystwyth is that of entertaining summer visitors.  During the annual Aberystwyth Conference, organised by the Evangelical Movement of Wales, we fed and watered 14 old and new friends from Reading, Nottingham, London and Newcastle – what a pleasure that was.

This year, we have attended more family and friends’ funerals than ever before.  These included that of Wendy’s father, Charles Shelley, who died in his sleep in July, aged 92, at a nursing home in Cheshire.

Wendy has enjoyed her second year of retirement – even more than her first!  Homemaking, patchworking, knitting and swimming have continued and she still takes great pleasure in sketching and painting throughout the year.  Gardening is her other delight.  And she is currently making a splendid cot quilt (see below).

Apart from celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary in July, there was another significant event in October – Wendy’s 60th birthday.  We marked it primarily at the end of September with a two-week trip to Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona.  The art museums (the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia), blue skies (and balmy temperatures to match), transport systems (cheap, punctual, and clean) and the food (especially the fish and tapas) were just superb.

For Wendy's birthday, John bought her a Nintendo Wii Console, Sports Pack with Wii Fit and Balance Board.  It might seem like a ‘blokey’ sort of present, but actually, it is a real whizz gizmo that has given hours of fun for us (and all visitors).  Exercising with it, we have both lost weight and now have body mass indices (BMI) of around 22, which is classified as ‘ideal’.

And now that we are both officially pensioners, we use our free bus passes together, receive our pensions (which seem like money for nothing) and enjoy other perks, such as free swimming sessions, reduced dry-cleaning bills and the Government’s annual winter fuel payment allowance.  Getting old has so many hidden bonuses.

Simeon and Anne press on with their three daughters in Birmingham.  They had a wonderful three-week summer holiday in the Ardèche.  Esther (5), in her second year at school, has just lost her first front tooth, and she is to be a snowflake in her school Christmas concert.  Rachel (3) has started nursery and her speech and general communication skills have vastly increased – in fact, she has become a real chatterbox.  Naomi (1) has yet to walk, but she can charm everybody, like no other.  We bought Simeon a webcam for his birthday and now we can talk and see the grandchildren – it is so amusing.  Why did we not think of that before?

On Saturday 24 May, Benjamin Mark Ling married Glenda Jane Benjamin, the fourth and youngest daughter of a local farmer.  Simeon was his best man.  You can see some of the wedding pictures at www.johnling.co.uk, (which, incidentally, and surprisingly, now clocks up about 1,000 hits per week), by clicking ‘News’ and scrolling down to ‘24 May’.  It was one of those solemn, but jolly, occasions when the whole family managed to get together.  So now all of our children are married – hurrah!  Then in July, Ben and Glenda moved into their new home – one of the very few couples recently able to secure a mortgage approval – in a village, about five miles away from us.

Anna and Christopher are still in Dublin as teachers of special needs children and English as a foreign language, respectively.  And their BIG news is that they are expecting their first child on 23 April.  Anna has suffered in the early weeks of pregnancy, but has now recovered well.  The recent 20-week scan showed them if it is a baby boy or girl but they are not telling anyone (yet).

Simeon, Anne and their daughters are coming to us for Christmas – a recipe for early mornings and late nights, as well as loads of fun and games, of course.

Christmas can be a time of over-eating, over-drinking and over-spending.  Perhaps this year, the credit crunch will increase the focus onto Christmas proper – the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity.  Now that is an example of God’s over-extravagance – His lavish love in sending a Redeemer to assuage His anger and to rescue prodigal men and women like us.

We wish you Christmas blessings and then a peaceful and happy 2009.

Greetings,

John and Wendy.