2013-a new year
Well, here we are in 2013. I cant help but wonder how the year will shape out. Busy is one thing that I'm certain it will be, as I've already found myself booked for one thing or another all weekends of at least one month already.
As I write this blog post, I find myself thinking of goals or intentions to make note of for the coming year. Perhaps before I do so, I should put down some thoughts on my last year
In many ways, I don't think last January really was the greatest start to the new year, but it did bring the family together.
March was definitely an interesting month, with a trip to Romania, and seeing a country not so far away from here, yet showing such contrasts between the "withs" and the "withouts" and them often being side by side. I also managed to clock up my first visit outside of uk to a geocache.
In April I kicked off my 365 project. I have missed a few days here and there, and because of that, my colleges at work have told me I would have to do another one!
The 365 project has been quite a good plan, as the need for photos drove me to not just sit at my desk around lunch time, but to go out and stretch my legs while trying to find a photo. Over the summer months I got to know some nice spots to sit down and eat my sandwiches, and down by the river near work, often had the company of swans. It felt quite special to have them sitting only a few feet away preening themselves, and unfazed by me eating (or taking photos of them). They always seem to swim over as I walk along the river bank!
The summer also brought a first for me. From quite far south in England, I saw the Northern Lights. Quite faintly, and it took post processing to bring the detail out from the long exposures, as there was a bit of light pollution too.
That wasn't the only excitement in the summer, as the Olympics came to London. I got the tickets I wanted for the archery, and it really was a fantastic experience. Its a shame that none of the British archers got very far in the eliminations, but the atmosphere was great. I found it quite amazing seeing the way that both competitors and officials mingled with the spectators.
Summer also brought round the camp season, and I spent a good deal of time up in Norfolk helping there. I think people thought I was a little crazy in having a good number of early morning swims in the sea too. I assure you, I woke up fast when I got in the sea!
The last camping of the year was in September, when some friends from Norfolk came down to help with activities at my church, and I forsook the luxuries of my bed and joined them at the camp site.
In October I put together the funds to refurbish my kitchen. I was quite amazed when I removed a couple of the old cupboards to find on the back of them a sticker stating the order and delivery date of the units. It turned out that I removed the kitchen 27 years to the day that it was ordered, back when the house was built. It certainly presented some challenges, as I had to learn a few new skills like tilling and plumbing. Over all, I am really pleased with the end result
The winter months soon rolled in, and for the first time ever, I chose to shave my beard off. On a few occasions, friends at camp have more or less forcibly removed it, but not for a while. I decided to give the whole Movember thing a go, and that required being fully shaven, as beard + mustache is not allowed.
December was another busy month. But I think the best bit of it had to be Christmas. I really enjoyed catching up with the family, and getting to spend time with my siblings and nephew.
I suppose I should annotate this, and add some pictures of the more interesting events