Hello 2012 - onwards and upwards

Someone said to me the other day that they had stumbled on my “old blog” and to begin with, I wasn’t too sure what they meant – then I realised that they meant this blog and that they had a fair and valid point – not much has been visable on here for a while now has it?! I’ve said it before that the more I have going on in the real world, the less I seem to talk about it here – and I’m sure to a large degree that’s true, but seeing as I like documenting and indeed reading about our lives, I’m surprised that I don’t make it more of a priority – and I was beginning to think that I could no longer ‘surprise myself anymore!’ So, it is in part due to time – I never seem to find myself at a lose end and I have another blog elsewhere but writing it takes time, and I need chunks of time to do it, not dribs and drabs of time, but about an hour or so at a time…..and when does that happen?!

So? What's new? Quite a lot and very little all at the same time. 2011 brought us some fantastic new friends and a healing addition to our family in the form of my beautiful niece Isla-Rose. Her arrival was traumatic – not least because Daddy was living it large in a field in Hampshire without a working mobile, because I had the largest hangover of the year, spent the late morning/afternoon panicking & when it was ‘resolved’ threw up unlike I can ever remember. All's well that ends well though and 4 months on they are all doing amazingly well. Sassi has never ever complained about the birthing trauma, or the section and Davey seems to have taken to fatherhood firmly in his stride. I sincerely hope that appearances aren’t deceptive and that they are finding parenthood a world easier than we ever did. In October Mum reached 60 which does surprise me. Not that she reached 60, but that she IS 60. I guess 60 really is the new 50 as she hasn’t appeared to have changed at all since I reached adulthood – well perhaps only to be a little less ginger but still as short – although I concede that might just be my heels.

Speaking of which, Iron Fist shoes are a big part of my life. I don’t buy as many pairs as people might think - but I talk about them a LOT. I even wear them sometimes – but frankly they aren’t all designed for hiking in!!!! Dave and I celebrated our 6th Wedding anniversary in June by taking our summer holiday early and going to Tunisia with Sebastian. We had a great time (thanks in great measure to a fab kids club, free booze and an onsite gym) and didn’t actually leave the complex at all in the 2 weeks we were away – which is polar opposites to days gone by of wandering around the globe and never sitting still. We are definitely still not joiners though – I don’t think we spoke to anyone (except someone I knew who we bumped into – small world eh?!) the entire time. I quite like that we are chilled and happy in each others company - well once yours truly had chilled out……going on holiday is stressful!

I still follow the ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos, often burning the candle at both ends & in the middle – and I guess something has to give. For me this year it has been a couple of key things. I gave up my allotment in August and it was so very hard. I loved my allotment. I seriously loved spending time there when it was up together – but more and more it wasn’t and I couldn’t keep it that way by myself. People had offered to help, but none of it materialised and I accepted that I took it on by myself. So rather than being banned through too many points (the allotment society is a cut throat place!) with a heavy heart I returned my key……..and left the council offices in tears.

Some friendships have alsotaken a bit of a back seat – distance for some, being organised for others and plain old oddness on my part for more still. Following my ‘social experiment’ (see earlier blog) there is one particular relationship I really should do something about but I’ve firmly got my head in the sand hoping the issue will just fade away and that I don’t have to do anything about it – because this person has an amazing knack of making me feel like its only my fault and I am the bad guy. I wonder if they feel as though they bare any of the responsibility? I know I can be really odd with people – I’ve said that some people can do no wrong..and then, just like that they are out of favour. One once good friend is in that category at the moment. I’ve thought about it a lot and I think I can even pinpoint when it happened – she told Seb off. Usually I am more than happy for people to tell him off if he is doing anything they find unacceptable – indeed for many of my pals, we do the same for each others children. But…… this was somehow different and as I sit here writing this I have realised that this person doesn’t treat me as the friend that I treat them as – well, did.

Anywho, this is neither the time nor the place. Speaking of which, I am actually at one of my most favourite places writing this – sitting in the coffee bar at David Lloyd. I love it here and im not entirely sure why. I didn’t love my old gym the way I love this one! Partly it’s due to the fact that exercise plays a large part of my life. It still makes me feel great and is helping to keep the weight off. I’m not skinny or even little but I love feeling strong and fit and that helps me to feel confident. In October, and one of the real highlights of the year was Dave and I running in the Great South Run. It’s a 10 mile road race through the streets of Pompey. Weather wise it was distinctly average – late October was cold, wet and grey – but it honestly didn’t matter. Dave and I had decided right from the start that we wouldn’t run together – and it turned out that our predicted finish times dictated our starting pens. I met a woman in the green pen who asked me if we could run together – and although I’m not really a joiner and hesitated, I agreed. She was my saviour and she kept me going until 8.5 miles. At that point it was clear to us both that I was severely holding her back so I instructed her to go on. I plodded on – only stopping to choke on jelly babies at 9 miles and when I reached the final she had waited the 2.5 minutes for me to finish. Dave took 1h.30 and I took 1.45 which as I had never ran that far outside before, I am really really chuffed with. Now all I need is the next challenge………....... suggestions please!!!