Monday 30 December 2019

2019 recap




Leaving 2019 behind and moving into 2020, we surely feel like we are dusting ourselves down and moving forward - just as we say we will do every year. 



2019 has been an interesting one for many and 2020 looks like a nice number; which has encouraged everyone to say, “2020 feels like it’s going to be a good year!”

Myself included!

This past year has been full of learning curves and lessons for many. My year started with no New Years resolutions but an idea of a big manifestation for the year to test myself with. It seems at the eleventh hour it’s shown itself which was something I began to doubt might happen. 
Learning the art of allowing has enabled me to become a great manifester and the year began with a house for sale next door,
“Gonna buy that for Nana,”
I told the twins. Who laughed. September we moved her in, accessed professional care for her and began the process to refurbish my house which needed a whole host of repairs. Better for everyone. 
My blog “dementia mum and me” saw no new posts as I began to struggle to share there. Things got harder; caring for mum. 



January we saw the twins turn 19 and the long dark nights of February began to turn into hope for a promising spring around the corner to everyone’s relief.  



My lack of travel was frustrating me as I wanted some winter sun. Focusing on getting the best out of my creative writing MA instead, I headed through life with the usual motions (as you do). 





A devastating letter dropped onto the mat informing me I’d had an abnormal smear and needed a biopsy. Fear consumed me directly before the strength to research using my science knowledge and then determination to fight. And live. Live hard. And full. This journey is currently still not over. 



Vidcon, at the excel centre London, was the trip that saw Jasmine light up with passion and motivation for her YouTube career. This excited me as we began planning some ideas. 




Nathan and I took a crazy day in Wales. A random trip which we felt Might scratch the itch of us not going away. It was stunning. 





March, a dance weekender, Jasmine and I headed to the coast. I felt certain I would be driving her home the next day but I was wrong. She loved the dance with as much passion as me and we went home to talk with excitement to Nathan who also decided to start dancing. A lovely family activity followed and we love our time together dancing. 




April saw a colposcopy which was incredibly less frightening than I had imagined but sadly confirmed there were cell changes going on which needed an eye kept on them.  I decided to live life harder, faster and cram in what I could while also trying to take better care of myself and improve my immune system.



My university employed me to create VLOGS for them which was inspiring.



A Mozart choir concert saw me proudly holding my own.



My MA tutorial was incredible as they began telling me I write commercially, which means agents and publishers will want it!



My car had its service!
Harley had a hair cut.



The Kent Festival of writing was incredible and inspiring.





I put in an offer and had it accepted on the house next door!



I had surgery on my intestines on Easter Sunday!



Sharon and I had our last night out, I got tipsy.


May started much better as Nathan and I took to the skies for a few days vlogging abroad. The weather was fab and the recharge button was pressed. We made new friends and danced jive.








June saw Nathans first dance weekender in Southport which was incredible for us all! 







Builders-a-plenty started coming round to help us figure out the leaking roof and we decided to make extensive improvements to the house!


In July, Jasmine had a group of her friends enjoy a holiday to Zante - of course, we missed her







"Yesterday" was on at the cinema and I fell in love with the film!
I collected the keys to the house next door




August is always a settled month for me. The heat encourages time at home. But we loved a dance on the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, as well as SITC




There were meetings about mum's care, a dental assessment for me to have braces (but I couldn't as the Crohns caused bone loss, damn), a visit to my old stomping ground at Ipswich as I researched my dissertation and another trip to Southport for dance!





September was fun. We moved mum and I stayed there with her at nighttimes.  We began to get our house back to being home once again. New floors, lots of throwing away clutter and a general good clean up began. This is still a work in progress. 





Center Parcs gave me one of the most relaxing days ever as: I booked into the Spa there during our usual family gathering. 





A work trip to Montenegro began at the end of the month and Jasmine and I were blown away with the resort there!







October was busy. I collected my new car, saw the gastroenterologist again (results were good!), had a meeting about taking a Ph.D., went to Weston Super Mare for a dance weekend, did some more property stuff, sang in an informal concert, had a check-up on my ankylosing spondylitis and started a new writing course.





November started with a dance weekend in Camber.  A writing course in London for a day (super inspiring about Non-fiction!), a reading and book launch from my MA supervisor!  I took myself to Banja Luka to write for a week and had lots of moments there which were very thought-provoking.  Upon my return, I found myself with two new mentees at university in London and I also began to lean on a new friend while Sharon got more poorly.







December saw my heart break as I said goodbye to one of my best friends.  Life instantly began to change once again as I realized that sometimes I need to worry less and go with the adventures which show themselves.  


What will 2020 bring?


I have a good feeling! 











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