Well - my plan to revise this blog more often hasn't quite gone to plan, though the start of a new year is not a bad time to reflect on what I/we have been up to since last June
It's been a lovely Christmas and New Year. Intentionally quiet but having both girls home for a while was more than I could have wished for. Some of the usual festive events, some quiet days, a bit of running around, but nearly all exactly as desired. My annual "shopping" trip with Simon and Richard (and JB) changed to Borough Market area and was lovely - good old beer up. OS festive do felt a little flat despite now being on the other side and among the ex-OS lot. I'd been carrying a cold since October time and just not really feeling too festive - but good to catch up with some not seen since pre-pandemic years. I still feel part of the current OS Norfolk lot and plan to meet up with them reasonably regularly again. Rosie came home around 18th Dec and is still home till 9th Jan. She is very happy with her lot in Cardiff and Owen came to stay with us through the New Year. Jenny was home 22nd - 30th. Happy resting, knitting, running and swimming - we all did the Boxing day dip this year - brilliant. Me being a silly arse, sprained/twisted my ankle a couple of weeks ago so have hobbled painfully through till now. Will need another week or so to rest up and recover before running again. DG really embraced time away from work. Plenty of rest with added running, lots of football and happy to be with the girls. Throw in a visit from Jim and Hayley with nieces and partners and lovely Molly - then a day later Graham's lot for the day, it really has been a good way to end the year
I couldn't be more proud of my girls just now. Still sad (for me) that Jen and Jack went their own way but fully understand. Jenny is going to have the most amazing year this year with her travel plans along with loving being with some really good friends in Finsbury Park. At last she will be doing what she wants to do. Rosie has thrown herself into Uni life in Cardiff and clearly loves it there. Owen is a lovely lad, an absolute bonus on top of really enjoying living way out west, to the point she seems happy to make it her home when the studying is done. In my heart Jenny and Rosie will both be living near by here in North Norfolk but their path to happiness shouldn't rely on what their silly old dad wants and I support them 100% in whatever they choose to do
The football will hopefully drag them back to Norfolk occasionally, that and my amazing culinary skills, lovely coast and beautiful countryside. However, Norwich City aren't being very appealing just now. Currently on an awful run of form and awaiting a new manager to get things going again. DG loves having her own season ticket and we still love going to the games. I'm taking our Bessingham Ukrainian family to the match this weekend coming. Hope they don't mind! Sally has been hosting them at the other Barn Cottage. A very noble thing to do for a lovely family, though I wish it wasn't necessary at all. I don't see an end in sight to the needless Russian attacks on Ukraine though maybe common sense will prevail and Violetta and the boys can be reunited with their dad later this year
My retirement is always the 1st thing anyone mentions when I see them - "how's retirement going?" - which is fair enough as I made the decision to go earlier than maybe I would have and while I haven't thrown myself into charity work or volunteering or other paid work, I am having a really enjoyable time. Those who know me will know that I'm not very good at lazing about, watching telly all day so try and fill my days with plenty of activity - be it round the house, wandering along the coast, photographing everything, cycling, swimming, cooking, occasionally running - and occasionally resting. I do feel fulfilled. I've helped some friends do some building work on their new house, I've helped our Ukrainian friends with school runs and the like and I went big on selling plants out front of Barn Cottage - plants raised in the polly tunnel (way too many tomato plants but who cares?). Raised around £300 for the DEC Ukraine appeal. Maybe this year I will take on a bit of paid work or do some voluntary stuff but I have enjoyed not committing to too much other than my weekly bike rides with Roger, Andrew and Philip
I did spend a lot of my summer on the beach in Comer - with temperatures rising to 40 it was the best place to be - and probably the only place where I truly relax. I've had a few folk say that they saw me there, but I was asleep. Lovely
So to 2023. A strange year in that no one seems to have any money - things are tighter round here than expected, hence the thought of maybe earning a few quid. The unknown of how the Ukrain situation will end. A horrible uncaring government with a revolving door of PM's and other senior folk - that won't change till the next general election. A health service on its arse, lots of strikes and at the moment, warmer weather seems months away. DG and I will return to Crete in August. Last went there in about 1989. DG and Jen have a fancy Caribbean cruise planned before Jen sets off to who knows where. Rosie has taken to bargain trips abroad (Barcelona in 2 weeks time). I have little planned so far other than a trip to Cardiff and The Lakes but that will change, though if I have to spend every day round here, that will be just fine.
Hopefully my ankle will allow me to get back up to full speed again soon. I was doing ok for a while in December - did the Holkham Beach 5 mile run in an ok time. I may enter the Norwich 10k to give myself a target but it would be great to think I could run a lot more Parkruns this year than I managed in 2022. As ever at this new year time I think to myself that I really should loose some weight (weighed in at 15stone 5lbs this morning - about the same as I have been for 10 years or more), cut down on the booze a bit - dry Mondays may become dry Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays and eat more healthily (portion control Jeremy). Having written those things here may make me more likely to stick at them - so will report back on my next post.
That'll do for now. Time to take down the dec's
