James and Sarah
It is no surprise that so many of these memories focus on John’s generous hospitality. He was an excellent host and the picture of a smiling John opening another bottle of good red wine will always be with us. New Year’s Eve became a particular tradition and going over to the church at midnight to ring the bells, well-oiled after good food and drink, and then toasting the new year with a bottle or two of Champagne, was very special. When we started bell-ringing John was the star pupil! He had learnt as a teenager, and despite a gap of many years, the basics came back very quickly and we could rely on him to provide a steady ‘dong’ around which the rest of us would wobble wildly!
John was a man after James’s own heart in his attitude to DIY. ‘I prefer to earn money doing the things that I am good at, so that I can pay someone else to do the things that they are good at’ is, in James’s opinion, the only sensible approach.
John we will miss you, your smile, your welcome, your interesting views and your quiet good humour.