2011

Well today is the 31st December 2011........tomorrow is a whole new year!!! In in an unusual turn of events, both hubby and I have the day off. Now there is something that never happened in hospitality. The only time we have ever had New Year off together, is when we have taken annual leave. So, are we going out...................are we heck! Having had a very misspent youth in the inhospitable industry, nothing could fill us with more dread...........paying to get into a pub that last night you could just walk in the door............double or triple the prices...............no thank you! So hubby and I are having a quiet night in, nice food, few bubbles and then some fireworks.

As is the norm for this time of year, I should really do a quick review of any major occurrences..... if I can remember anything that happened that is.

Well, on the births, death and marriages side, my second nephew was born in January, and there have been no deaths or marriages. Work wise, I have now been working for the police for over two years and hubby has been a bus driver for over a year. I had my gall bladder along with the two large stones that it contained removed at Easter. On the endless weight loss quest I took up running in October, and after nearly dying on the first attempt, can now run for three miles. We both went to South Africa at the end of August for two weeks, to meet second nephew, who really is the most lovely little chap.

This is Anthony a few months after we saw him, by now crawling and finding out the cat biscuits are the most wonderful play things!

Other than our two weeks in SA, we had a weekend at Longleat Center Parcs in April to celebrate eldest brothers 30th and first nephews first birthday, and then the week before Christmas we went to Elveden Forest Center Parcs with youngest brother and his girlfirend. Next year we hope to get to Cyprus in the autumn, hopefully meeting up with my sister and youngest nephew.We are also planning to go Northumberland around Easter time...........this is hubby's summer holiday - yeah I know, Easter is not summer, but this is the way the bus industry works apparently, holiday gets allocated for you and at bizarre times! We thought Northumberland as although we have been 'up north' a few times, we always go to the other side (family connections to Cumbria), and I have always wanted to go to Lindesfarne and Bamburgh castle. While in that neck of the woods, we might go to Newcastle, or even make it as far a Edinburgh, but who knows?

So what is 2012 going to bring? For me, we are currently 'under review' at work. This is what happens when the public sector is being made to pay for the bankers screwing up the economy!!! No, I'm not bitter................ but when your employer has to make £25 million worth of savings, and we don't actually make anything as such (peace and harmony maybe??), where do those savings come from...............yeap, from your biggest expenditure...............wages! I hope I will still have a job as I really like my job.............and if the truth be known, I think I will, but you can't count you chickens before their hatched and all that! So fingers and everything crossed please!

I am hoping that the running will continue to pay dividends and by the end of the year I will be much leaner and fitter. I may even pluck up the courage to actually enter a race.........you never know.

But now all that remains is for me to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2012.