Dear Julie
Please forgive the ramblings of two old duffers but my husband George and I
remember you from the Aviemore Hilton at Christmas a few years ago.
We came across the advert in the Scots magazine regarding the old Aviemore
Centre and whilst looking at the photgraphs of you and your husband on the
website that you and your husband have made, George remarked that he was
sure he had seen you at the Hilton Hotel, Aviemore, when we last stayed in
Scotland.  We seem to recall that you had some children with you when Father
Christmas visited on Christmas day, and that there was some kerfuffle over
the reindeer not being allowed in the hotel areas... foot and mouth or
something similar?
The children were with Father Christmas (a member of hotel staff i believe)
and had photos taken with him.  Happy days and I'm sure the children will
remember it with fondness.  George and I have not been back to the Hilton
hotel as I had read that the Centre had been taken over and that all was not
well with the staff, with many leaving to seek gainful employment at the
Coylumbridge Hotel on the Cairngorm Road, now a much more popular hotel I
believe, because of the problems in the village.  My younger sister Emily
who is now 65 has recently moved from Reading in the South to Newtonmore and
says it is a wonderful little village.  We shall visit her in the Summer and
hope to stay with her at wintertime for Christmas.
I'm rambling here but I just wanted to say that we have lovely memories of
Aviemore but sadly no photographs of the "old centre" as we have only been
twice.  You must be very clever to be able to put all that information onto
the web thing (can't think of the word).
Oh and also I really do admire your cross-stitching, it really is wonderful.
  How did you ever manage to come up with such a beautiful idea?  You really
are very talented.
If you ever go back to Aviemore, perhaps as you say soon to live there, I
hope both you and your hubby are very happy... I know I shall be very
jealous - maybe we'll be hot on your heels and moving near to my sister. Who
knows?
All the best and happy memories
Lena and George Painter