Looking Back At 2021

Well, what a year it's been again. I didn't think we could have another year like 2020 but with Coronavirus still in our midst and further lockdowns and restrictions throughout this year, it's been another turbulent year. Still, life goes on so let's take a look back at the things I've been up to these past twelve months.

I started the year off with some sad news, one of my mum's older sisters died just before the new year. Here is my Auntie Beryl on the right of the photo, sitting next to my mum. Only one of the six sisters are still living. For the last three years I've hoped for a happier year than the previous one following the deaths of my mum and dad, but yet again there was sadness at the very start of the year and reading my post back now I can see how much this affected me.

In February I wrote about Eleanor and Jacob becoming First Time Buyers. They've done so well and worked so hard to afford their own home at such a young age and we're very proud of them. They're currently doing a few renovations, they've had new windows fitted and are decorating various rooms.

The big news in March was that I was Jabbed when I got the first of my coronavirus vaccinations. I had the second one a short time later and I had my booster earlier this month. I'm pleased to report that I only had very mild side effects with the first one and nothing at all with the second. I did feel rather poorly the day after I'd had my booster but it was short lived and it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

It had been over a year since we'd visited the seaside but in April I got a dose of Vitamin Sea when we visited Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast. I think Archie enjoyed it just as much as we did, it was a beautiful day.

I've finished quite a few craft projects this year, in May the Twinkle Twinkle Blanket finally made it off the needles. I didn't make this with a recipient in mind, there haven't been any babies in the family for a long long time, but sometimes I see a pattern and just want to make it, so that's what I did. I enjoyed knitting this so much that I've got plans to make another one, still with no baby to knit for, but who knows, one may come along soon.

Mick had a week off work in June so we had a staycation, taking days out here and there throughout the week. One of our days out was to Bridlington. Archie, at eleven years old, is starting to slow down, but he always shows his pleasure when he's taken to the seaside, you'd think he was a puppy again. We couldn't have chosen a better day, the sun was shining and it was lovely and warm, we had such a wonderful day.

In July I wrote about Eleanor's journey to become a biomedical scientist. She'd worked so hard for it so we were so proud when she finally Qualified. I wrote in that post that she now had to find a job but wasn't keen to change hospitals. Well, in the end she decided that she did want a complete change, she applied for three jobs away from the hospital she was working at and got offered two of them, one of them being in the department she really wanted. She had a three month notice period at her current job but left on Christmas Eve and is starting her new job in the new year. Jacob has also now qualified and is working as a biomedical scientist too.

Daniel and Jasmine spent more than a week with us in August but I was lamenting that All Good Things Must Come To An End. We had a lovely time while they were here, enjoying days out as well as time together at home. They came to stay again a week before Christmas and they're still here, they're going home on Sunday or Monday, they haven't decided yet, but I won't be as sad this time as they're coming back to live in Leeds at the end of January. It will be lovely having them living close by again.

In September I finally finished the Little White Cat cross stitch which I started more than forty years ago. Don't worry, I wasn't working on it continually during that time, I started it as a child and came across it again recently. I didn't enjoy finishing it off but I do like the fact that I've still got the very first cross stitch I ever started.

I took you on a visit to Halloween At Ledston in October. The whole village had made an effort to decorate and it was a fun trip out to somewhere close to home.

In November there were some Colder Days after a mild start to autumn. Towards the end of the month we had Storm Arwen blow through causing death and destruction but earlier in the month we had some lovely weather.

We visited The Fairy Dell at Lotherton in December, just part of the Christmas Experience there. We visit each year and it was nice to see that they'd changed things up a bit this year. It's a lovely place to visit at any time throughout the year but especially so at Christmas and especially if you have children.

A massive thank you, as always, to everyone who visits my blog and reads along, especially those who leave comments, it wouldn't be half as fun if I felt I was rambling on to myself. I've always said that the friendships we make through blogging can be so rewarding, so thank you. It's been another tough year for many and it does help sometimes to post about how we're feeling and know that there's always someone who is there with an ear to lend. Let's hope that 2022 is a good year. Wishing you all happiness, health and prosperity as we head into a brand new year.