There was a long gap between blogs recently – basically 2020 happened. What a strange ‘lockdown’ – ‘self-isolating’ – 'socially distanced’ – ‘hands-face-space’ masked, hands sanitised, try not to breathe year! A stressful, traumatic year for me and for so many friends and families around the world and not one to be reviewed or revisited.
But then I thought – 2021 – a new year - it’s a time to think, to ponder, to visit your photo file on your computer and hence this blog is dedicated to looking back over the decade.
Ten years which have changed my life out of all recognition. It has highlighted new career paths – from Tax Consultant and lecturer to author (hopefully a published one before too long). It has broadened my horizons and shown me the need to be grateful for each day and the love we all have for each other and for our family and friends. Life is to be lived and is very precious.
So here are my top5 things that have happened in the last decade:
Travels – there are so many places Mr B and I have visited in the last 10 years.
Age – I’ve turned 60 years old – and suddenly retirement is looming – oh boy!
House – it’s been transformed.
Grandbabies – now we have 4.
Mum – I lost my dear Mum.
1. Travels: As a child I grew up with grandparents who lived by the sea in Wales and regular road trips were made from wherever we lived in England to visit them and enjoy the beach. The need to be by the sea/ocean has remained strong and the need to get away has never left me. Without the constraints of life I’d be tempted to buy a camper van and drive off into the sunset and have adventures all over the world. Life (and finances) do not permit but travelling is so much a part of my life. And having reviewed the timeline on my google photo’s I am surprised! Totally surprised by the trips we’ve been on: UK/Europe – Scotland, Dublin, S Ireland, S. Wales at least once if not twice a year. Devon and Cornwall, York, Bath, Oxford, Hastings, London and Lake District. Then there’s Madrid and Menorca, Corfu and Cyprus, Lisbon and Geneva. Cruise – we’ve been on 6 – to the Canaries, the Med and the Caribbean. That sounds so extravagant and to be honest I was surprised! US – I love visiting the US – I would like to have a tick list and visit each state, but we’ll see. In the meantime – LA and NY, Chicago and Green Bay. Boston and Maine and the Cape. Florida and Georgia. New Orleans and Yellowstone via the Dakota’s. And lastly Savanah – a beautiful city.
2. Age: 60 eh? Who knew!
3. House – t’s been transformed. We bought Bank House in 1999 – our first house together after we got married. I loved it the moment I stepped through the front door and over the two decades we’ve been here we’ve decorated, revamped, updated and redesigned almost every square inch of the inside and the outside. I love it still. My favourite room is the kitchen with the bi-fold doors that bring the restful back yard inside on long hot summer days.
4. Grandbabies – we have 4 now. They range in age from 2 years up to almost 12. We see them as often as we can, and I have a tendency to hug them until they squeal. During lockdown we video chat when we can – send presents to keep them occupied and love them from a distance. I cannot wait to make them squeal again once lockdown is over.
5. Mum – we lost Mum on March 29th, 2019 at 8 minutes past 8 on a glorious peach-sky spring morning and the whole family is heartbroken. She was the glue that held us together and we miss her each and every day.
