2012 has been a fabulous year both for us and my city. The year started with us moving into our new home and slowly renovating it. The renovations still continue but it now feels like home. We spent the early part of the year glamping with friends in the Peak district. Unfortunately for all of us after an unusually warm April we arrived at Knotlow farm during a freak change in weather and were surrounded by snow. Lets just say that despite having a wood fire oven in our yurt, I required three layers of clothes to sleep in. Glamping in bad weather does not suit us ! Thankfully friends stayed close by and we spent the last few days in their beautifully renovated new home warming our bones.We then moved into jubilee celebration mode that took over the entire country.
Elizabeth II birthday celebrations were done in style all over the country, we had a little street party which was a nice way of meeting other residents on our street. I realised we have a street mailing list with some very enthusiastic people organising events along the street. Soon after that my parents came visiting in separate lots. My dad first and mum followed. Mum was lucky, we got to see Wimbledon finals and Olympic semifinal football match.
The Olympics took over our summer. What can I say, London rocked! As a country and as a city this event got everyone absorbed. We spent agonising hours between patients catching news about Wiggo and Pendletons achievements. Wishing the gold medal tally to increase with each passing day. We were lucky we got to watch several events, hockey, football, boxing , archery and wheelchair fencing. I enjoyed every minute of it. The Olympics was in my city and I felt every bit a part of it. The volunteers made the game, every event I went to had rows of smiling helpful volunteers engaging us in banter. These people were normal Londoners who felt strongly enough to take time out of their lives in order to help organise the biggest show in the world and welcome the world to their city. What can I say, as a Londoner they did us all proud.
The end of the year brought us much travel, we did a two week trip through Peru, visiting Machu Picchu, bits of the Amazon and Lake Titicaca. For S and I this will be a vacation we will never forget and hopefully the beginning of many more such holidays. October brought us a trip home and my first visit to Kabini. The year ended with Christmas spent with close friends and family in Cornwall on a little farm relaxing , eating and knitting. The New year was probably the quietest I have had in a while, I spent the morning walking from Vauxhall to Holborn because S and I had just realised our lives were going to change and energy needed to be expended. 2013 I cannot wait for you to begin!
PS ( I wrote this a year ago and sat on it for a while, better late than never, Ha! )
