Farewell 2012!

The wind is howling, the rain is pouring, and I've got a masquerade ball themed wedding reception to get ready for. So that must mean it's time to wrap up 2012 on my blog! Initially I didn't think I had anything to say, but on reflection a lot has happened in the past twelve months:

2012 was a good year for:

Babies - Seven babies have been born this year to friends, six girls and one boy. Some of the births were tough, others more straightforward, but thankfully each baby is thriving. I have met four of these babies and they are such treasures, each with their own beautiful personality. I have a very special soft spot for my best friend's daughter, who was born in June, and who I finally got to meet at the beginning of December. We don't live close, which I find difficult as I want to be there to help and support my friend whenever I can, especially now that she has a child. The weekend I spent with them was just wonderful. I definitely have a new friend in her gorgeous little girl, who in less than an hour was crawling from her mummy onto my lap and giggling and smiling at me.

Sport - The Olympics and the Paralympics 2012! These two events were fantastic, and it is true that they inspired (most of) the nation. Initially my husband and I had no interest, even ignoring the revered torch's passage through our own hometown. But it was impossible not to become caught up in Olympic fever, particularly as Team GB began to win an ever impressive haul of medals. We found ourselves scouring the website for tickets and ended up going to see the Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the ExCel Centre in London.
We found ourselves back there again in September for the Paralympics to watch the Women's Sitting Volleyball medal matches! Both were a great experience. We didn't get to cheer on Team GB at either event, but the atmosphere was such that you could root for anyone.
Memories have definitely been made. From being caught up in the euphoria at Hyde Park as Mo Farah won his second gold 2012, in the Men's 5000m, to sitting on the edge of my chair in the work tea room as my colleagues and I watched the Brownlee brothers achieve gold and bronze in the Men's Triathlon, to sitting at home catching up on the Gymnastics on iPlayer, and cheering Beth Tweddle on for winning bronze in the Women's Uneven Bars, to watching in awe the outstanding achievements of the Paralympians.
Will I feel the same about Rio 2016? I hope so, and seeing as Brazil has a piece of my heart, I think that I will definitely want to engage in the Games again.

But it's not just been the Olympics and Paralympics that we've enjoyed in the sporting world. My husband has taken up running more seriously than ever, and he ran in his first ever half-marathon in November. We both joined the gym in September, and are both enjoying our improved fitness. I have developed a special fondness for the rowing machine, but I am not convinced that I will be the next Helen Glover or Heather Stanning, as much as I admire them!

Photography - My photography has only marginally improved, despite having complete ownership of one the cameras now. My husband has both the patience and the technical understanding to have mastered the art much better than I. His wildlife photos are brilliant, and he captured the fireworks on Bonfire Night beautifully. He's become so good that he was commissioned to take the official photos for our friends' wedding in Switzerland, and the results are fantastic. He's definitely got a gift there, to add to his long list of other talents!

Travel - Our holiday to Paris and Amsterdam in October was a brilliant break for us both. We had a great time, learnt a lot, and ate lots of different foods. I found using public transport in another country to be less scary than I thought it would be, and my husband found the same to be true of attempting to speak another language. We then went on a day-trip to Switzerland for our friends' wedding in December - crazy but totally worth it! We haven't gone far or wide, but three countries in one year isn't bad!

Academia - Both of my brothers had their graduation ceremonies this year. Brother 1 graduated with a Distinction in MSc Environmental Management with GIS in February, and Brother 2 graduated with a First in BA (Hons) Creative Writing with English Literature in October. I was lucky enough to be present at both ceremonies, and really enjoyed celebrating with my family. My husband completed his MSc in Clinical Biochemistry in June, and finally received his breakdown of results in November, achieving a very well earned Merit overall. His graduation ceremony will probably be in the summer next year, when we will undoubtedly celebrate in style.


2012 was a bad year for:

Weather - 2012 has now been declared the wettest year on record in England, and I definitely believe it! Much of the country has had bad floods, some places through the summer, but many more this winter. The rain and wind have been prevalent through so much of the year, and in 2012 Blighty has lived up to its rainy reputation more than ever.

Garden - Of course, the aforementioned bad weather has had a negative impact on the garden. Every food item we've tried to grow has failed, except for our strawberries, which grew surprisingly well. It was also a bad year for orchards, and my parents' pear trees yielded hardly any fruit so there was no perry brewing for us this year. The only plant that has done well, apart from wretched weeds, is the dark pink cyclamen that we thought we had killed last year. It's a little speck of brightly coloured joy in our otherwise grey and gloomy (and weedy) garden.

Colds - I mean, seriously, three in the space of two months? Not to mention the rest throughout the year. Come on immune system, buck up!

From left column to right - windmill in Amsterdam, USA vs China Women's Sitting Volleyball , Christmas gingerbread cookies for family and friends, fireworks at Newick Bonfire Night, Humboldt penguin at Drusilla's Zoo, Poppy Half Marathon at Bexhill-on-Sea, our exciting badges for our tour of Dover Castle's secret nuclear war tunnel network, birdwatching in late May, flower in the park on our 2nd wedding anniversary.

What will 2013 hold?

Weddings - My brother-in-law is getting married in March, and my husband will be his best man. It will be very much a family affair with quite a small number of guests. The bride gave me sneak-peek at the dress, and the reception venue looks beautiful, so I think it will be very lovely indeed. One of my best friends has recently got engaged, two of my cousins were engaged this year, and a family friend got engaged at Christmas last year, so there are potentially more weddings for 2013, or maybe 2014 - lots to look forward to in any case!

Running - My husband is running in the Brighton Half-Marathon in February, and the Beachy Head Marathon (the alleged hardest in the UK) in October. I will not be joining him, but I will be his most avid supporter. I will undoubtedly be running for the train every so often though...

Writing - I am now one of the official writers for the new church magazine, but more importantly I strongly hope that I can continue my fiction in 2013. I am missing it very much, and I know I need to make more time to write regularly.

I am sure there will be many more adventures, lots of stories, plenty of stress, intriguing developments, and an awful lot of tea drunk in 2013!

I wish you and yours a very blessed and Happy New Year!