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September 2012 NEWSLETTER
Dear Friends all over the world:
If I were standing in front of you all and hearing grumbles of "so where was
the newsletter?" I would be on my knees with apologies, but before I go into
the whys and wherefores of my absence and lack of communication, let’s get
all the good news to you.
Next week sees the release of Roger's absolutely fabulous new album "WUNDER"
which in English would be read as 'Miracle' and the title song is a duet
with our darling daughter Jessica. There are so many great songs on the
album, but you will have to judge for yourselves which are the greatest. It
is the 'baby' of Michael Hagel and his co-writer who have read the Roger
character so well, and the art of story telling in songs.
I won’t say any more because of course I am biased!!!! And keep watching the
website for all the TV appearances he will be making.
While this album was in the making, so many requests for concerts came in to
Semmel concerts, that Roger finally agreed to do 10 very special shows in
Germany....All the detail are on the website and we really hope you will
grab your seats asap and come from all over. As it is spring the weather and
countryside should be beautiful, so get together and let’s make it one huge
party!
My own news and the reasons why you have not heard much from me, were the
same old, same old problems on encroaching old age! Within three months of
my knee replacement (which has turned out to be less than successful) I
started to get a bad back. Within a month I could hardly move, and was sent
for an MRI. Unbelievably it showed that a huge cyst had developed on
arthritic bone, and was affecting all the nerves in the base of my spine,
most especially both legs, and by Christmas I was bent double and could only
crawl upstairs.
Luckily our GP managed to find a neurosurgeon who was prepared to chance it,
and in January I went under the knife again. I was warned it could possibly
re-grow, but for now apart from post-house moving and lifting too much, it
is bearable.
To brighten our lives came the news that Guy and Mette are expecting another
baby, at the end of October, so Roger and I will take it in turns between TV
shows to go over and meet yet another little Whittaker.
The rest of the children are all great. Emily is now concentrating on real
estate and just pulled off a great sale, which in the property market at the
moment is a good result. They didn’t come out this summer as apart from the
fact that Roger and I were in a total tangle unpacking and trying to sort
out our new home in France, and Jamie was doing his first work experience in
the legal profession.
Jessica, Isabella and Max came over and we were so grateful for the local
lake as it was incredibly hot. Just after they left we had temperatures over
40 and it was impossible to do anything physical after 10 in the morning.
The Alex came out and introduced his girlfriend to the neighborhood and all
the beautiful historical villages around us.
The packing up of the house in Ireland and the unpacking left us both a bit
drained to say the least...I still don’t have any cupboards to unpack into
so everything is in cardboard wardrobes, and it will be at least Christmas
before I can unpack my huge library when the shelving in finished. The rest
of the house is pretty organised but my 'office' is under the stairs! The
main office is still in Ireland, and I will be going back to see all my
friends and sort that in about November, and Roger will be going back and
forth sorting his last studio equipment for France and shipping it over.
The most nerve-wracking part of it all was BORIS who absolutely hates cars
and travel of all kinds. Roger and I were a bundle of nerves that he
wouldn’t survive the journey. But just like kids, as soon as he got in the
house, explored etc., he declared it was a very fine KENNEL and immediately
sorted out his routine as if he had always lived here. He has made friends
with our neighbors dogs, and also, again like small children, has made new
friends for me with the locals who think he is wonderful! People who never
smiled at me before, greet me warmly, especially as they were all pretty fed
up with the mess the rebuilding made for so long.
So here we are, basking in the sun (although winters can be very cold here)
with me trying to sort out local taxes etc., the paperwork has proved almost
the most difficult thing in the move, but I think I am getting there.
So in two weeks Roger will be on the 'promotion' road and I will continue
unpacking all the 'stuff' in the garage. How we have so much I don’t know!
Sony, Jesse and Semmel will keep you in touch on the website with events as
they happen, and I will update every body with snippets of news, such as the
new baby when he or she arrives..
Loads of love to you all and thanks always for your continued support.
Natalie and Roger
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