** West Hill,
Wembley Park,
Middx. HA9 9RR

3rd December, 1983

Dearest Rita and Lex,

From March to December is a long stretch and that lovely long letter of yours with enclosed picture of your two grandchildren deserved a prompt reply and many thanks. Well, here we are again, with Christmas almost upon us and what better time is there to remember old friends and put pen or type to paper and say hello and send all good wishes for 1984!

Your letter was such a happy one and showed once again, that you are leading a full life, enjoying work and leisure and taking delight in your family. The children look lively and healthy and, having joined the club, I can appreciate the fun you have watching them grow. My photo of Michael was taken last August and he has changed a great deal since and is running around and causing trouble – emptying cupboards etc. and he has a particular liking for rubbish bins. Ruthie is expecting No. 2 in April and has just moved house, to be close to family and help when needed! They have also bought a house in Fairlight, near Hastings, where they go at weekends and holidays. It is a lovely spot, a few minutes from the sea and next to National Trust land. As Ruthie is working, she has a girl looking after Michael, an absolute treasure. I can’t think of anyone more caring and warm hearted. Leslie is getting on very well at work and is much in demand as a barrister.

Next on the list is David and Noga. We are expecting them back from Israel on 8th December. David has established a business there and here and as far as I know, he is taking over the running of the place here. We are looking forward to having them back – but I fear they will feel very cold when they get here. As you know, we go to Israel regularly to attend to family matters and we may go early in 84 before Ruthie has her baby.

Daniel is now a fully qualified solicitor. He is back from working in Madrid (though he was asked to pop over this weekend) and the experience he gained there plus another language stand him in good stead. At the moment he is buying a house in the dockland development area right out in Rotherhithe. He has always loved the Thames and has got himself mooring rights and hopes the boat will follow soon. There are plans, in fact, to take people to work by small hovercraft, which would suit him down to the ground.

Simon, after much trial and error, has found his niche in the advertising world. He is a trainee account manager with Leo Burnett and his self confidence is growing by the day and he is doing very well but has to work very hard and long hours. To his great delight, he has found a flat he liked and could afford, just off Clapham Common. He is there every spare minute decorating and we hope he can move in before Xmas. At the moment, he has a German girl friend who runs a language school in London, and they are booked to visit Berlin together for a few days to see the new year in.

Jonathan, last but not least, has just signed his indentures with the Western Evening Herald and Morning News. He works in Plymouth, having completed his postgraduate course in Journalism at Cardiff. He is very successful and noses out stories and makes money on the side, selling to radio and television. He has evidently a real flair for making documentary films for television, but he can’t branch out until his two years at Plymouth are over. Mind you, he is enjoying himself there and phones regularly. He has just had his first photo by-line.

Nick and I spent some time in Italy and then went to Germany to see old friends. I had also wanted to see my father’s birthplace in the Rhine Pfalz and we had a truly amazing time there. The family must have been very well known and my grandfather’s factory is still standing, though empty. We also found the family graves and traced them back to 18th century. An old friend of my parents in Frankfurt is 94 now, incredibly alert and bright and you wouldn’t believe her age if you saw her handwriting.

We certainly don’t go to such exotic places as you do and I wonder what the conference will be like in Moscow. It would be lovely if you could find your way to good old England. It isn’t as ‘good’ as it used to be but it is certainly old and I, for one, love London.

To you and your families, we wish much happiness in the new year,

Lots of love from us all,

Lore and Nick.