It's CHRISSSSTTTTMAAAASSS!!!!

Dear Dancers,

Can you believe it's almost the end of 2009 already?! We have just ONE more class this year - and thats THIS Wednesday, 23rd December in Westergate.

We had three lovely parties last week - the balloon challenge was an eye opener! (Photos to follow....) I just want to end the year with a summing up of what has been a great year for me of linedancing and fun......

What a great year I have had dancing with all of you lovely people! I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to be in the position of running classes full of such lively fun loving people. Each and every one of you are important to me, I look forward to seeing your smiley faces before each class opens!

Im not just saying this to butter you up either! I truly mean it - my lovely 'London' crew, with incredible people like Kellie, Christine, Suzannah, Debbie, Isabel, Lisa, Viv, Pat, Jean, Linda-Carol and Carol-Linda, Sarah Lou and Paige, Jeanette, Diane and their gorgeous daughters and the rest! And our brilliant 'early class' dancers such as Doreen, Vera, Rene, Brenda, Eileen and Claire.......how could I fail to smile on a Monday morning when I wake up and know that later in the day I'm going to be greeted by a mass of smiling, cheerful easy going brilliant people?

Some people have questioned my sanity about continuing the class in West Wickham - wondering why I would want to drive so far every week to carry on teaching you. Well, Ive just answered that one everyone - because I LOVE THEM!!

Thank you all so much for your cards and prezzies, Ive been very good and they are still wrapped up under my slightly ad hoc Christmas tree, waiting for me to open them on Christmas morning !

When I started up my class in Westergate (originally in Phillip Howard School) I was nervous about it, not knowing how I would be accepted into this new community. I needn't have worried for one second as the people that joined the class on Wednesday nights turned out to be just as fun loving as I was!!!! With people like Linda, Jane and her lovely daughter Charley, Jane-Kate and Kate-Jane, Chris from the Barnham Bridge Inn, all our lovely little dancers that make up my front row! Mick, Liz, Kim, Richard, the very quiet and sensible Julie and her slightly cheeky looking hubby Bill, Gill, Ian, Paul and Nicki....our dancing sisters Jean and Paulina, Sue, Mick the Butcher, and so many more people.......how could I fail to enjoy this class just as much as I enjoy Monday nights? The answer is I couldnt - and I wouldnt want to be without any of you - you light up my days with your smiles, friendly encouragement and enthusiasm for Line dancing......thank you for your brilliant Christmas prezzies! The cat theme was very much appreciated - I loved opening each gift so thoughtfully wrapped one by one by our lovely Linda.....and the mummy cat and her two little kittens now have pride of place on the speaker next to the TV as I type!

Fridays little afternoon class was a new venture for me this year - initially we tried a beginner class followed by improver but it didnt entirely work and so the improvers class has be held back whilst we concentrate on attracting new dancers into our hobby. The people that have joined this class are, once again, fun loving indivuals that NEVER fail to make me laugh every time we meet up - this could be down to the exceptionally funny Chris (with the hat) and Chris (without the hat!) and their escapades -- although the laughter that comes from the back row girls (Jane, Linda, Maria etc) makes me wonder what Im missing out on at times being stuck at the front!

I love Fridays class just as much as the other two classes - they are brilliant people! Anne and Jim are always up for a giggle, Debbie, Brenda, Sandra, Jackie and our newest member Pat have taken to linedancing like ducks to water (we arent going to mention the progressive partner dance we learned this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and I think we have created several potential line dance addicts, about which I am very proud! Thank you for your prezzies everyone - once again beautifully wrapped by our Linda and cat themed......! brilliant!!

Teaching at the Viking club is a pleasure for me too - many of the dancers at the club have been dancing there for years, and have seen the coming and going of several instructors before my arrival in 2006. They took me under their wing, and any early apprehension I may have had about teaching a very gifted class of intermediate dancers soon dissapated (impressed with my big word eh?)and I very quickly began to look forward to Saturday afternoons in the company of such lovely people like Roger (ROGER!!!!), Helen, Ann, Yvonne, Welsh Annie, Sue, Angie, Sally, Sue and lorna etc....by the end of the last season I was looking forward to that break from teaching on Saturdays but by now I've had enough rest and am looking forward to getting back to the club in March to start a new season of brilliant dances (probably not yet written!!), with this fab group of people who I now consider to be as special and as precious as the dancers in my own classes.....

And before anyone asks me if Ive been drinking, no I havent! haha - Ijust thought Id take this opportunity to let you all know just how special you all are in my life, and if you cant tell people that at Christmas, well, when else can you!?

Im going to take this opportunity to wish you all a very very Merry Christmas and a happy new year - and I look forward to seeing you all in January......Im on the mend now for sure, blood tests are all normal, iron levels are going up, and with only a tiny bit of a cough left I think I can safely say that this horrible virus that has had a hold on me for the past month is well and truly behind me. Thank you all as well for all your well wishes and real concern for my health - Im only sorry that you all looked so worried!

Take care everyone, Im now going to sit back in front of my lovely warm wood burning stove with Andy and watch a nice Christmassy film.

Lots of love

Julie xxx (and Andy xxx)