2021 - my year in review.

Linking with #WeekendReflection

 

With Christmas now done, and many friends in isolation, I feel a little adrift from the year that was. I'm feeling like all my plans might be snatched away at any point. I'm wondering if heding off to a movie might be the stupidest thing I've ever done...what a world we live in at the moment!

One thing I like about the blog, is that it's like a diary, and I can, at a glance, see where my head was at in a point in time. So the annual year in review is probably more for me than you, if I'm honest.

I was off the blog for quite sometime at the start of the year, a hiatus in Canberra. I did write a lovely little story that has yet to gain success, but I loved the experience of it and the Intrusion of the character as he came into existance and demanded my attention.

With COVID still affecting the borders and interstate travel, while trying to work out a holiday, I coined my now much used saying 'May the borders be ever in your favour'. In April we had a weekend in Katoomba for the sculpture amd Night Lit Walk and at Easter a few days in Hobart and a near miss seeing Orcas but the travel blog fell silent after that. I hope to rectify that soon, but I'm not feeling confident.

The Opera on the Harbour was sensational as always and I'll definitely be going to Phantom on the Harbour this year. We finally used our vouchers from 2020 at iFly and the joy it gave me inspired me to purchase more for this Christmas, as I'm chasing that feeling and it's a sure fire way to get it! I was estatic as I headed to Summer in the Domain, even though at that point we still weren't allowed to dance. I've my fingers crossed Field Day goes ahead but I'm dubious.

I was reminded by my ageing body that I am not as young or agile as I once was when taking the kids on a ropes course. The memory still makes me chuckle, but enough time has passed to make me think I should try it again!

April saw one of the longstanding bloggers retire from the blogging world. It really shook me, to be honest. The landscape has changed so much and it felt like more instability in this fragile universe we live in at the moment.

In May I discovered Share Four Somethings, a monthly link up I really enjoy - a quick point in time recap. May also saw me take over the #Allseasons link up rather reluctantly. It's dwindled a little but there's a small core of regulars. For those interested, it's weekly usually, but over the break is open until my return.

We were lucky enough to have an night in Canberra for a wedding and while I couldn't spare the weekend away, I still got to the Gold Coast for lunch with friends. It was fabulously decadante and rejuevenating all the same.

I was quite philosophical not realising that we were about to have all our slowly gained .normality snatched away again.  Goodbyes, change, what nourishes me and motivation were all discussed.

And then in June, just as we hit the school holidays, lockdown smashed all our plans. I struggled to find my groove this time and the months of lockdown were quite grey and subdued in my posts. The abundance of  time and stillness invades daily life. The limitations and uncertainty really messed with me, probably aided by menopause ticking away. Of course some small surprises really buoyed my spirits - like the red balloon or mystery flowers and of course forcing myself to write Furious Fiction. Reaching out to friends became more concentrated.

There was uneasy jubilation as we inched out of lockdown again, and picnics became the new 'freedom'. The HSC was already a mess with ever changing rules and expected COVID disasters. Spring was heralding not just the warmer weather but all the hopes of COVID being under control. The uplifted mood in Spetember saw the start of my monthly rainbow post of gratitude. Lockdown seems to have heightned my awareness of ageing due to all the wasted time.

In October we started cycling as a family - it's a lovely new routine that I hope we keep in the future. Lamenting that 'lost time is never found again' I jumped in to all the galleries, concerts and shows I could. Then numbers crept up. We managed a covid safe party that was elating. a boat day and many other joyful occasions. However perhaps due to irresponsible decisions, or perhaps it would have happened anyway, we are in shambles again due to theis virus. We hit a very slippery slope in a period of two weeks.

So regardless of the rules, wear your masks and check in whereever possible. If they say 'do nothing but monitor for symptoms' do a home test before visiting friends or goiing to shows. Get your boosters. We need to get this under control as it appears the government might not be capable of it. Let's do everything we can to avoid another lockdown. If you have friends needing to isolate, make sure you check in with them and offer food drops. We need to get systems in place to help housebound people as it appears that is the new normal.

May the arrival of 2022 be able to be celebrated. That's as much as I'm prepared to wish for at the moment. 

Take care everyone, and may the borders be ever in your favour, may your flights be operational and may your tests all be negative.

Note the photos are from our weekend in the Hunter Valley for the Christmas Light Spectacular (on until late Jan). Insta here. Linking this old post with #SaturdayCritters

My year in review - 2020

Linking this old post with #H20Thursday because I really like some of the pics - ignore the words, pictures only

This is a year best forgotten. While I sincerely hope it is done and dusted,  and 2021 brings joys and peace we can barely remember, it hasn't been all bad. There's been plenty of fun and accomplishments along the way.

January saw the end of the fires, we travelled through Norway chasing the Northern Lights and being chased by a polar bear. I managed to catch the fabulous Lizzo and Max Frost and bring in the New Year at my last Festival, Field Day (feels an eternity ago) for Disclosure.

February we had tourist fun with friends visiting from Greece, many plays and concerts, including one of my all time favs, Parov Stelar. 

March saw COVID and hoarding creep into our lives, and then suddenly lockdown was upon us. I am so glad I snuck in Mavis Staples, Blind Boys of Alabama and Grace Petrie in the first two weeks. Then it was a lot of cancellations and confusion.

April and May fluctuated with new fun at home, getting lost in music and memories, and a deep sadness at the pain of the world and the death of great musicians and artists, and numbers....lots of numbers.

June we were out again but a little stressed and unsure how to behave. What was safe? What were the rules?

July we got more confident, found comedy gigs and some live music. Little by little a sort of normal creeping back. We even managed a night in the Southern Highlands!

August saw some success with stories being published and moving through to later rounds of writing competitions (and long listed in Furious Fiction) plus a weekend in Culburra with the Champagne Club.

September and October raced along with weekends in Canberra, Culburra, Currawong and Whale Beach. And all of life resuming tentatively in person.

November saw me back at the Opera House and I've been there many times since.

I am wrapping up December with this post so I can fully enjoy the parties (yes! Outdoors, and under 50, with COVID safe food and hand towels), the school farewells and the Christmas traditions.

I wish you all a merry Christmas, or holiday break, and may 2021 be the miracle year we all need it to be. I've been out every night this week and feel elated and energised. Next week is focused on the kids and their things, so it's like my xmas season came early. 

I will be gone until Feb as I have much writing to focus on. My Insta will continue as usual.

You may have noticed the 'snaps' aren't related to the words (the links in the text will lead you to those photos) but I did enjoy taking these, and I don't think they'd made the blog yet.

2019 - a year in review

I have not a lot going on for #LovingLifeLinky so I thought I'd go early for my year in review, as there's plenty to be grateful for.

I started the year with a bang, celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in Bora Bora and then a family holiday in Thailand. Then it was gearing up for the big milestone birthday, which I discovered I took ageing in my stride and had a wonderful time. Having watched a number of friends struggle with their big birthday, I didn't know how I'd be when it hit. But I had a fabulous party and loved every minute of it.

Photo by 3 Island Whale Shark Dive

We had a blast at Bluesfest and swam with whalesharks in Exmouth. But sadly neither were holidays with our eldest child. We are reaching that stage of life where the family chips away a little...






I am continuing to give away stuff daily, and was delighted to learn we have been called the Magic House, as a stranger came to introduce themselves to me and thank me, letting me know which things they've taken over the years, and they're now doing the same. A small achievement but it felt SO good!

I toured around Canberra, Hunter Valley and Fitzroy Falls this year, in little mini adventures, as well as daytrips to the Blue Mountains and Wollongong. In the next weeks we have our annual jaunt to see the Hunter Valley Christmas Lights (so check out Insta for that). The biggest trip, however, was my 50th birthday trip with a friend to see the Great Wall of China. And it really is great! China blew my expectations, and it was interesting to see how little you really know about a place.

It has been a year of 50th parties, and I'm relishing the all the festivities - and discovering I've become so much more confident than I used to be. Even when some women ditched me on the dance floor, I was horrified they would behave so badly, instead of taking it on and making it about me, as I would have in those old days when I wrote about my Epiphany. With age can come great things.



My highlight of the year, however, has to be the invitation from the Prime Minister of Finland. It meant so much to me to be a part of something like that. I intend to wrangle another invite next year and go.


Day to day life has been busy and uneventful. But after many rough years, I'm quite happy with that. As I said to a friend, not great is still a luxury. Fine is just fine by me! I am focusing on keeping the fun and frivolity alive, the music and dancing on a regular basis, and finding joy where ever, and when ever I can.


I am very excited to be heading off to Norway, and due to a map reading error, heading into the Polar Night to an island very, very far North. I intend to take an extended break and actually write some stories, as I've really lost my mojo there.

 May 2020 bring us as a nation much change for the better.

Linking with #BlueMondays

2014 in Review

This year has been crazy with plenty of good but unfortunately it's fair share of bad. But such is life, as they say....so for my year in review, I'm picking off the blog and finding my pretty pics I that make me smile:







1. A big personal highlight was when I made the long list of the Hunter Writers Centre short story competition and got my story published.

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2. My partner and I had a long overdue holiday away to Singapore for the Grand Prix (for me) and Berlin for the Marathon (for him) WITHOUT KIDS. It was fabulous and we definitely made the most of it, and had a lovely time reconnecting. I will treasure that always - not to mention I absolutely loved Berlin, and thought the people were fabulous and the city is cool and beautiful. Singapore I've visited plenty over the last few years (Thanks Scoot) so it's like a second home at the moment but at GP time, it truly shines.

3. Our family holiday included Siem Reap, and I discovered a love for this city, and found I really changed as a result of this trip. The lesson learnt at the Landmine Museum really altered the way I see the world, and how I see my role in it.

4. My youngest started school and I am stretched across three schools and failing a little to keep up. (My diary has the words 'presentation day' written on Monday and Tuesday but not for which child or at which school).

5. The kids are wonderful, and continue to delight and bring light into my day but being a parent can suck in so many ways. It's hard to reconcile the two truths at time.

6. Weekends away are good for my sanity. Sometimes I surprise myself. Having wondered why we would go to Thredbo out of ski season, I had a great weekend and we all had fun together. Sometimes you need to ignore your attitude.

7. I am currently trying not to let things get me down, but I am sinking a little. I am grateful to those that are accommodating my crappiness and not pressing me when I pull out, but continuing to be patient. I am also happy with friends who know not to ask me too much.

8. I only crossed off one thing from my Torschlusspanik list this year - and only set myself two challenges. This is a loss in my quality of life, so I will set that as a New Year Resolution and try to reinvigorate my lifestyle again.

9. My piece on Siem Reap on my travel blog was translated into German. I am very proud of this and I feel good that my effort to promote the NGOs is now in two languages.

10. I get a lot out of my blog, from the community that reads it, and very occasionally, some money. As finding suitable paid work has been harder than I imagined, this keeps me busy and is great for my self esteem. Positive pats on the back from bloggers I consider far more popular and talented than myself, really make my spirits soar. Writing these reflective posts help me keep my focus on the good things I've done in the year. If you aren't writing a year in review, I suggest a 'proud moments' post is worth a try.

I would also like to thank those that have joined in First of The Month Fiction over the year. I love reading your work and seeing just what can be done in a short, short story.

Linking up this old post with  #MuralMondays and #SundayPhoto (Meadow)