It’s that time of year again, another year has passed and I always feel like it’s another year gone and nothing has changed, so it’s a good time to look back and notice what we did and realise we have actually done things.
Last Christmas we had a very poorly cat and we didn’t think he would see out 2015, in May he celebrated his 17th birthday and is still happily plodding along, he is more “chatty” and friendly than he has ever been. Sorry to those of you not keen on cats, but I think he is gorgeous and try not to complain too much when he wakes me at 5am! Although I can’t resist the temptation sometimes to poke him when he is asleep, sometimes have to just to check he is still breathing :-O
At the beginning of the year Rob had his 2 yearly MRI and they said it was unremarkable, we assume that is good news, but wonder sometimes if they mean there is no Brain to remark on! I got the same comments when I had a Colonoscopy in June, there is obviously no brain inn my Colon, but again reassuring if somewhat unpleasant to experience!
November marked the 10th anniversary of Rob’s surgery to remove his cancer. After he recovered we did a fundraiser where he shaved his head. This time he decided to do the opposite and grow a beard for a month, shaving it off on the day he had the surgery 10 years ago
Emily had her 9th birthday in February, I can’t believe it and now we are making plans for her 10th! This year she had a photo shoot party in her bedroom with some friends. We got hundreds of great pictures, just a few family and edited ones here.
Rob’s birthday is also in February and he enjoyed a couple of experience days beer making and clay pigeon shooting.
Rob finally started his new job in February after 6 months of red tape, so ridiculous as the job is in the same place.
For my Mum’s birthday we managed to get Mum and Dad to our house for them to see the loft conversion, they have not been for 5 years due to my Dad’s Parkinson’s. He managed very well and it was nice day so they could see the view and Emily took her Grandma out for a walk.
In May Emily went on a school residential for two nights. Rob and I took the opportunity to get a couple of nights away ourselves and had a peaceful trip to Haworth. The only downside was that our room was at the top of two flights of stairs, so rather a struggle. The advantage of being high up was it was quiet and there was a good view. We are now waiting for her next residential trip next November. Sadly her pet hamster, which had been a birthday present, died whilst she was away, but it had been expected and we had prepared her for it. We new have a new very healthy and active hamster.
Rob and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in June. I am still waiting for my crystal!
Our main holiday this year was in Devon at the Manor House craft and activity hotel. We did lots of different activities, well Rob and Emily did I mostly watched. We travelled by train, which made it easier on Rob, and the assistance we got at the stations worked well. We only had one day away from the hotel when we met up with family who live in Devon and who we haven’t seen since our wedding, so of course they have never met Emily.
Unfortunately whilst we were away my Dad fell on the stairs and took my Mum down with him, so they both ended up in A&E. My Dad was admitted for 36 hours, but seemed none the worse for it. My Mum broke her wrist and was in plaster for 5 weeks and is still recovering.
Also during the school holidays Emily and I had a weekend Elephant hunting. Sheffield had 58 large elephants and 72 smaller ones around the city to raise money for the Children’s hopsital, called Herd of Sheffield. Each one is 1.6m high and made of fibre glass and then decorated in an amazing variety of themes and colours. We stayed in a hotel in the city centre, dropped off by Rob and then I used my mobilty scooter to go round and Emily must have walked miles as you cannot take mobilty scooters on public transport even the supertram! Emily has great fun and never complained about the walking and it is very unusual for me and her to get to do something together. It was nice to wander around Sheffield, think I now my way around better than in Leeds as we don’t go into Leeds very much.
We didn’t see all of the Elephants, Emily saw the most as she went several times with different people. There was also a goodbye event where all the large Elephants were gathered at Meadowhall and we got tickets for that, it was so cold and wet, but we survived even though we had to go inside and buy some new clothes and get a hot drink! After the event the elephants were auctioned off and raised £410,000. Rob is related to the auctioneer, but we couldn’t afford tickets for the sale and I don’t think I could have trusted Emily not to put in a bid! she still knows the names of all the large ones and what colours they are. We followed the auction online, amazed at the prices they reached.
We have hundreds of Elephant photos I will share a few here;
My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September, we had a vintage tea party at their house, which was lovely and my Dad was having a good phase so was able to appreciate it. My Mum had her plaster removed a couple of days before.
During the year with help from Rob and a friend I started up my online shop again and merged my blog into the site. Unfortunately I do get carried away and feel I have to be really productive either on the craft side or the blog side and end making myself very ill and then losing enthusiasm and it all becomes a bit of a vicious circle.
Emily is now in year 5 at school and enjoys it most of the time, they do some amazing things, nothing like the school days I remember. She also still enjoys her out of school activities including gymnastics and sewing. She shows everyone we see that she can do the splits. She has recently made her own advent calendar and a cape at sewing class. She has been inspired by Bake Off and frequently asks to bake. I get sent out of the kitchen for her to do the “Technical Round” while she gives a running commentary of what she is doing and shouts me back to deal with problems, which seem to happen every 2 minutes!
A few weeks ago Rob’s Mum had a hip replacement and seems to be recovering well so hopefully she will be more mobile in the new year.
We had our usual photos taken at the weekend, here are a few nice ones
We have a few events to look forward to next year, with Rob’s 40th birthday in February, a trip to Euro Disney in April and a new niece or nephew due in June.
Hope that you all have a lovely Christmas and all the best for 2017.