Into the blogosphere

Welcome to my inaugural blog. I'll start off with an article taken from my January 2010 newsletter, but the blog will be getting bespoke content later this week, so check back soon.

A year gone and a year to come

One of the more difficult years of the recent past, 2009 has been weathered well in this corner of Norfolk. Firstly thank you to all my customers for their support over the past year. The fact so many are still commissioning me for research and attending classes in such austere times is very touching.

Looking at a brighter future, I’ve been invited to speak at Who Do You Think You Are Live, on 26 February. I will be presenting ‘Your Norfolk Ancestors: An Insiders Guide’ from 12.45 to 1.30 pm. The event is at OlympiaLondon, over the weekend of 26-28 February. I’ll have a stand there on every day of the event. The stand is number 86, next door to the nice people from Pharos Tutors.

Life hasn’t been all business, we’ve had drama and excitement on the home front. In August my partner Ian had a rather dramatic and worrying reaction to swine flu, or possibly Tamiflu. This rather put the dampers on our summer holiday. In the finest tradition of the NHS, the staff at the Royal Devon & Exeter hospital were fantastic. Our thanks also goes to the helpful staff at Sidmouth Folk Festival and all my customers who sent their regards upon hearing of Ian’s predicament.

Better family news came when my daughter Cáitlin decided to marry Jos, her long term partner. The wedding is in April, which will add a new Blanchard marriage certificate to be unearthed in the future. I’ll sign off this article by wishing everyone a happy new year and the best of luck in their family history endeavours and life in general.