I quite like the idea of my once-per-year blog, it definitely has it's merits: 1) I only have to do it once every year, and 2) I actually have something to write about if I wait an entire year between each post!
This year has flown by, it's been a tougher year than usual, with lots of stress, hard work and uncertainty. However, every cloud has a silver lining, and when thinking of my 2011 highlights it makes me realise that life isn't so bad after all, and a lot of people have life much worse.
Without further delay, here are my highlights, and not-so-highlights of 2011!
1) Another trip to Las Vegas, this time with my mum and dad! Highlights: Seeing Terry Fator the ventriloquist, watching Dad (attempt) to beat roulette, and the luxurious hotel rooms at the Vdara where we stayed. Not-so-highlights: I'm not sure if this should go into highlights because it was very funny, but Dad declaring that he'd lost the will to live after attempting to consume basically every item at the buffet!! We all ate so much, and that night I lied in bed and seriously wondered if it was possible for my stomach to burst open from eating so much.
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| lots of booze to swill down all the food... |
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| Mum and dad at the Hoover Dam |
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| Me and Ryan at the Hoover Dam |
2) In May, we spent 2 weeks visiting England and a week in Greece! It was such a great trip, it was strange to go back the UK after so long. Highlights: So many highlights!! So much great hospitality from all my family that I haven't seen in ages. Catching up with old school friends over a delicious curry and a delicious meal courtesy of Esther and Giles. I met my cousin Neil's two children for the first time which was great! Trying to drive in England was hilarious, (I only drove on the wrong side of the road once with Hannah in Leeds... an easy mistake to make!) Ryan and I visited Wainstalls, the village that I grew up in, and I showed Ryan my old primary school (Wainstalls J&I) and high school (North Halifax Grammar). Everywhere looked much smaller than I remember! Also, seeing a taping of the Graham Norton show in London was a definite highlight! Ryan and I were front row of the audience, the guests were Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms promoting Hangover 2, it was hilarious! I can't wait to go back for another visit to England, and I'm hoping it will be sooner rather than later! Not-so-highlights: Getting ill in London, I spent most of the time huddled up in bed in our Holiday Inn room like a little hobbit. Also, I wish we had planned more time in Yorkshire, 9 days just wasn't enough to see everyone!
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| Me, Ryan, Ether and Giles |
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| Lots of cousins!! |
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| Ryan and I infront of the house I grew up in, Wainstalls W.Yorkshire. |
3) The major turn of events in 2011 was that Ryan and I bought a house! It desperately needed updating, and we were up for the challenge. Highlights: The satisfaction of finishing a job, and learning so many new skills. Also, seeing Ryan gain so much confidence, going from "we will DEFINITELY have to hire someone for this job" to "I think we can do this ourselves" was great. I am extremely proud of the fact that we have had no hired help for any part of the project, but definitely gained a lot from my mum and dad visiting a couple of times to help! Not-so-highlights: The injuries. I definitely seem to be accident prone, and the constant falling, bashing my head and dropping things on my toes gets really tiring. Also, most of this years stress has stemmed from this project. just . constant. stress.
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| The kitchen before (the gross orange shag carpet ran throughout the house). |
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| The kitchen after! |
3) August and September brought a slight reprieve from house renos in the form of a visit from Ryan's friends Andrew and Michelle, and a trip to Golden, BC where we met up with friends Laura and Chad to go white water rafting down the Kicking Horse, an icy-cold glacier fed river with plenty of rapids!! Highlights: Watching Ryan get the first dunk of the day after calling me a pot bellied pig (it was so worth the humiliation). Also, I hate to say it, but Andrew and Michelle falling overboard definitely added to the thrill! Not-so-highlights: Having to replace two of the Land Rover tires after one blew out on the highway. $550 later we were back on the road...
4) The fall flew by, and soon enough we were into winter! Since I worked through Christmas, Ryan and I visited my family in Nanaimo in mid December. Highlights: Playing lots of Cranium! Seeing how much weight my mum has lost (30lbs!)and meeting my brother Olly's girlfriend Grace for the first time. Also, visiting Val and her 2 1/2 year old Jakob, it always great to see how his personality has changed each visit. Not-so-highlights: The trip was too short, (only 2 days)!
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| View from our house in November |
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Ryan, my parents, myself and brother Dan walking around Nanaimo Harbour
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| Val and I |
5) A great Christmas surprise!: December 21st, I got the long awaited news that I have been accepted onto an air traffic control course in Toronto in April 2012! It's something that I have wanted for a long time, and was an awesome, very unexpected Christmas present!
With that in mind I'll look forward to the adventures ahead, and hopefully by the time I write my next blog, I'll be a licensed controller ! Happy New Year everyone!
