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!

Christmas Cheer

I cannot believe it is Christmas Eve already! I have just done a half day at work, met up for lunch with one of my best friends, and am now home about to get on with some chores before some friends come to dinner, we go to the pub for another friend's birthday drinks, and then onto Midnight Communion when Christmas Day will begin!

Getting into the Christmas spirit has been a little difficult, which it always seems to be for me nowadays. One of the main culprits for this is the weather - gale force winds and heavy rain. We're always dreaming of a white Christmas here, but we usually never get one. Tomorrow will be as bleak as today most likely,.perhaps with a few sunny spells if we're lucky.

The other culprit was being ill at the beginning of the month. My husband had a horrible cold that kept him off work for the best part of a week, and a few days later I was struck with the same. In my case it has lingered and lingered and lingered. I'm still stuffed up and coughing now, but at least my voice has almost returned to normal and I can finally sing carols again, hooray!

Yesterday we had the beautiful carol service at church. Afterwards we went out carol singing around town with the youth group. It was a real joy to be out and about spreading cheer, despite the rain and the chilly wind.

The rest of the weekend my husband and I have been busy making gingerbread cookies, chocolate Yule logs, and chocolate truffles, as well as wrapping presents and doing some other last minute prep. All in all that has led to us feeling a lot more festive.

I learnt long ago not to expect too much from Christmas, and to focus particularly on the message of Advent and the birth of Christ. As a result, and as I've grown closer to God, I always eventually reach that point where the magic begins to seep in again. The excitement of my childhood returns, and I begin to feel the joy. I love the truth of the Christmas message, but I also love the time spent with family and friends and all the preparations that lead into that.

I hope and pray that every Christmas my focus will always be on the arrival of God as Man and what that means for my life, and I am thankful that right now I am able to enjoy the festive spirit.

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

This is my county's carol and a family favourite. Enjoy :)

Photo my own.

Paris & Amsterdam Trip 2012 Day 4: A New Favourite Develops

I am getting a little behind with blogging, mostly because that cold I mentioned turned into a proper nasty sore throat, chesty cough, croaky voice, and blocked sinuses thing that has left me a bit out of action of late. I am still recovering, and although I am feeling much better, this is one of those things that has chosen to linger. But enough of that. Christmas is just round the corner, and I want to get back to blogging!

So here is Day 4 of our holiday - exploring Amsterdam!

We woke to a gorgeous morning - clear blue sky and sunshine, at last! We decided to get out and enjoy it straightaway, by walking down the pleasant cobbled streets alongside the canals in search of breakfast. So many people in Amsterdam cycle and there were far fewer cars than any other city I've ever been to. The only issue as a pedestrian was to ensure that you didn't get in the way of any cyclists, but that proved to be a lot easier than dodging cars and mopeds had been in Paris!

The morning was truly stunning, and we kept pausing to admire the views and take photos.

We soon found ourselves in the Western Canal Ring where we stumbled across a perfect little cafe for breakfast called Pancakes! which does what it says on the tin - pancakes! I ordered a Dutch pancake with chocolate, and my husband went for a deluxe Dutch pancake with chocolate and banana. They were scrumptious, as we had anticipated, as well as huge! The waitress was lovely and friendly so my husband took the opportunity practise some more Dutch by saying, "Heerlijk!" when she came to clear our table and asked us if we'd enjoyed our pancakes, which means "Delicious!" She was delighted and gave us a few other phrases to practise during our stay. She also gave us a little clog keyring with our receipt, which is now attached to my camera bag.

Such an indulgent breakfast meant that a long walk was on order, so we headed over to the Vondelpark. As soon as we walked through the park's gates we were greeted with the vibrant colours of autumn, the trees ablaze with oranges and reds. We meandered around the lakes, where my husband was delayed for several minutes taking pictures of a very photogenic heron. We continued along woodland paths, through flower gardens, over bridges, past lively fountains, and sat for awhile by a stage area that is presumably is abuzz with outdoor theatre on summer evenings. It was blissful, and the air felt so fresh.

Feeling thoroughly chilled we made our way back into the centre of the city, soon surrounded by the hustle and bustle of tourists. We were so busy admiring the beautiful buildings, many of which are old warehouses that have been converted into homes and businesses, that we hadn't realised we had reached the Medieval District, otherwise known as the Red Light District. We were soon affronted by the site of other Brits out in loud, rowdy groups on stag and hen parties, and groups of nervous but excited teenage boys looking for 'coffee shops' and possibly something else. I have to admit that I was more intimidated by the crowds than by anything else. It was a bit like a Saturday night out back at home gone slightly wrong and at odds with the very picturesque setting.

It probably didn't help that I was getting hungry again. It was with considerable relief that we found a bakery just on the outskirts of the district, where we bought some sandwiches for lunch. We found a bench to stop and eat, and to consult the map.

We decided to go back across to the Western Canal Ring and see Anne Frank Huis. It didn't take long for the morning's calmness to return as we made our way back along the canals to join a long queue waiting to get into the house, but thankfully we didn't have to wait too long to get inside the museum.

The original house is now contained inside another building which forms the start and finish of the museum tour. Almost immediately you walk into a room designed to emulate the warehouse that Otto Frank had worked in, and there are quotes from Anne's diary on the wall. This instantly changed the atmosphere from the entrance - which has a very classy, contemporary feel - to pulling you right back to the Amsterdam of the early 1940s. With each step the atmosphere became stronger, and before long you are in the offices, and then through the door into the Secret Annexe where the Franks lived with the Van Daans and Mr Van Dassel for two years, before they were discovered by the Nazis in 1944.

I can't really put into words how it felt walking through those rooms. They are unfurnished and have not been made into replicas of how they were once laid out, as Otto Frank requested that they remain empty. Even so, there was something tangible about the place, a strong sense that people had really lived there, more so than in many of the other historical buildings I've visited - and as you know, I've been to several. This had been their reality, and there was something about the space that made that hit home for me, more than the excellent TV dramatisations of Anne Frank's diary had done. It really helped to imagine what it must have been like living in that cramped space for so long, not being able to go outside at all, especially in the case of Anne, her sister Margot, and Peter Van Daan, growing up in there.

The last part of the exhibition within the old house was the most emotional. Firstly there were information panels on what had become of the Franks and Jews like them after they had been sent to the concentration and death camps. This was information I knew well from school, yet it still had the power to shock and anger me when I was confronted with it again. Then there was a video on repeat of Otto Frank talking about his daughter and the discovery of her diary that his old assistant, Miep, had kept just in case, and how he had not been able to read it immediately. I just could not imagine the grief Otto Frank must have gone through upon escaping the war alive but finding that none of the rest of his family had done.

Finally there was the diary itself. Again, it is strange to see something like that behind a glass case, but I still felt able to picture Anne writing in it. I remembered myself at 14 and thought how I would have coped in the same situation. The only thing I can say for sure is that I would have written too but I am not so sure I could have faced it so bravely or so philosophically.

There is a legacy in a place like the Anne Frank Huis that forces you to think about what oppression really means, how it can lead into some of the most devastating and evil acts in history, and that is why we must keep learning from the past and never give up on hope.

We were both in a particularly pensive mood after that, and quietly wandered back to our hotel to rest for a bit before deciding where to go for dinner.

We chose the easy option of the steak house down the street, called Piet de Leeuw. It was packed when we arrived, filled predominantly with Dutch people in large and small groups, their voices rising to the ceiling. We absorbed the jovial atmosphere as we sat and waited for the owner of the restaurant found a way to squeeze us in. We were seated at a large round table that was already occupied by an older American couple, who greeted us briskly and then continued their conversation. Nervously we looked at the menu and picked out our steaks - I went for one with extra mushrooms, and my husband chose one with extra onion. It was only then that we realised that we had been given the French menu! Both pleased and amused that we had been mistaken for French we couldn't believe how we hadn't noticed that it wasn't written in English or Dutch. We had just sat there and made our choices without giving it a second thought - obviously our brains were still a bit stuck in Paris mode!

The steaks were fantastic, as was the ice cream that followed. The menu was simple, with not too much choice, but it was obvious that the place is very popular with the locals, which was sign enough for us that it was somewhere worth eating at, and we were glad not to have been proven wrong.

We went for a brief walk around the nearest canal before heading back to the hotel and promptly falling asleep. As I closed my eyes I smiled at the thought that Amsterdam had already worked its way into my top three cities, just behind Rome and London.

What Do I Blog About When I'm Ill?

That's right - fun facts about me! Chelsie from Miss to Mrs has very kindly nominated for my second Liebster Award!

Firstly, thank you Chelsie! Secondly, I am currently out of facts about myself due to similar posts I've written in the past. I also have no one to nominate, as my first Liebster award wasn't that long ago.

But - as I am currently full of cold and my throat feels like I have swallowed a cactus - I thought it would be fun to respond to Chelsie's questions, so voila!

1. What is your favourite movie of all time?
It is quite hard for me to choose, but I would have to say the Lord of the Rings trilogy - I can't just pick one of the three. I love the acting, the cinematography, the soundtrack, the hope that the story inspires in me. Everything about it is just fantastic. It's also a big family favourite, so I am very fond of it.

2. What season do you like to dress for the most?
Autumn, as I love accessorising with brightly coloured tights and scarves, and I prefer wearing boots to any other kind of shoe. I also don't have to wrap up as much as I do in the winter.

3. Coffee or tea?
Definitely tea! There is absolutely no competition.

4. What is the most exciting thing that you have ever done?
Probably going on mission to Brazil. It was a big step for me, as it was something I'd always dreamed of doing but never believed I would ever have the courage to actually do. That trip definitely changed my life, and God richly blessed my experience out there, even though it was only for two weeks. It taught me a lot about stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking a leap of faith. That has altered how I look at things and I believe it has influenced other life decisions, stopping me from staying 'safe' and closed from the world.

5. Fashion trend that you hate?
There are many, I'm afraid. How do I pick one? At the moment I'm really not digging the whole skulls and crucifix print clothes in high street shops. It's just not my thing. But a trend that I really hate? Playsuits! Always have done, always will. I guess because I would look like a total idiot in one, but I don't really admire them on others either. Sorry to those of you who love playsuits!

6. What is the one thing that you cannot live without?
Mmm...oxygen? Hehe, I don't know, probably more things that I care to admit to being attached to.

7. Do you have any pets?
Sadly not, but I do hope to have a cat again one day.

8. What is your biggest phobia?
Tough call between thunder & lightning storms and spiders. Both leave me physically sick and trembling. Thinking about either also increases my heart rate. Not good.

9. Any hidden talents?
I don't think so. I mentioned in my response to my Liebster Award from Kayleigh of A Million Little Somethings that I inadvertently do allegedly uncanny impressions of other people. Does that count as a hidden talent?

10. Favourite indulgence?
If we're talking about food, then definitely chocolate. Cheese is a close second. However, my favourite indulgent activity is spending an entire afternoon reading a good book, with a steady supply of tea, and utter peace and quiet. I only get to do that every so often so it's a real treat.

11. What did you want to be when you were little?
The first job I remember ever wanting was to be a ballerina. I then wanted to be a nurse, then a teacher, and then settled on becoming writer, something which hasn't changed since the age of 4 or 5.

Hope you enjoyed more fun facts, and thanks again Chelsie for a welcome distraction to my cold :)