drEAming…of a happy New Year

 

Goodbye to 2017 already and hello 2018.

I feel like the year has whizzed by and although I haven’t done half of what I intended to do a lot has happened over the twelve months – the good thing about keeping a blog is that the year is well documented.  It was quite enlightening for me to look back at all that I have achieved.

And now I am looking forward – I particularly love this moment – the fresh start feeling that a new year brings.

The world is quiet outside my window this morning – the new year celebrations and fireworks over – calm at last has descended.  It would be nice to think that everywhere was closed today – a day off for everyone like it used to be… but sadly not;  there are still many shopping opportunities in Meadowhall and I presume every shopping mall up and down the country – but that is not for me, not today – today I am going to savour the quiet and just be still with my thoughts.

This is just a few highlights of last year –

January – we started the year with the reinstatement of the stream bank at the cottage.  It all looked a bit bleak but by October the grasses and wild flowers had begun to grow through the black mesh so that once again it now looks like a natural banking.      

 

February – was mostly spent in the home having a major declutter, evaluating and reorganising cupboards.

 

March – was our yearly trip to see the village pantomime that my sister and BIL take part in – such a wonderful community spirit.

 

April – we were back in our cottage garden – taming the jungle and uncovering more of the stones around the little pond like an archeological dig.

 

In the summer months we built a birdhouse…

 

 planted a Courgette…

 

and enjoyed our tiny garden here in Yorkshire.

 

We visited a number of Open Gardens for inspiration…

 

played on the beach…

 

and celebrated a 3rd birthday at the Zoo

 

As Autumn arrived we completed the decorating of the mezzanine bedroom…

 

and drove down to Birmingham to watch our SIL compete as one of seven finalists in the Anchor Care Homes Chef of the Year.

 

October – we had a trip down memory lane as we passed through the historic village of West Linton on our way to Edinburgh

 

November – as the cooler weather takes hold I spent more time in the kitchen baking and trying out new recipes…

 

and of course making a few gifts for the ‘Crisis’ craft fair at church.

 

December – saw us collecting together and scanning a lifetime of photographs to make my mum a special family album photo book

 

and celebrating with the family at our Not so Secret Santa present swap…

 

just enough time for making Lemon Curd for the girls…

 

and my Christmas ‘wreath’ for the door although it was not a wreath and I didn’t hang it on the door!

 

and finally a visit to the Living Advent in Saltaire Village.

 

All in all a good year – of course there was a fair share of ups and downs, trials and tribulations – but interspersed with many positive moments.

I know many bloggers now will be choosing a focus word for the year and I am looking forward to reading about these.  Over the last month I have been thinking long and hard of what I might like to accomplish in 2018 and unless I suddenly change my mind I have now settled on a focus for this year and all will be revealed soon.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday…back soon x