And a Happy New Year to you all from poolside, here in the Hawaiian Islands. Yes, it's a bit late, but the sun is warm and the living is easy... Here are some of last year's highlights that I'd like to share...
A is for... Aardvark - a creature I wouldn't ordinarily come into contact with, let alone rub its tummy. But that's exactly what came to pass, and it was a fantastic experience. See also L...
C is for... Croatia and Cuba - these were my new countries for the year, numbers 53 and 54. My quest to visit more countries than my age continues in 2014, but I've still got a few spare, and Europe still offers plenty of opportunities.
D is for... Diet - I finally attempted to get a grip this year, and lost more than a stone (7.5 kg, for those of you who prefer metric). It felt surprisingly good, so I might have to try for the same again in 2014.
E is for... Examinations - I sat, and passed two major ones, as well as ten smaller, but no less stressful, ones. After twenty-six exam-free years, it came as a bit of a surprise to experience once again the stress of doubt. It gets no better with age...
F is for... Football - the cause of one of the biggest events in the history of Needham Market, the day that Cambridge United FC came to town to play our local Ryman League Division One North team. The giants from the Skrill Conference Premier weren't that impressive, and my beloved Luton Town finally removed them from the top of the table this week.
G is for... Gym - I joined one, which may turn out to be foolish, or inspired. But diet AND exercise have been proven to be the most likely way to lose weight and improve fitness, so what the hell, how bad could it be?
H is for... Home - which is where the heart is. Most of the big, important work has been done on our cottage in mid-Suffolk, so it is ours rather than a place with other people's influences. It is a bastion of sanity in an often bewildering world.
K is for... Kitchen - which we had rebuilt from scratch. Our Polish kitchen designer and his team delivered the job on time, in budget, and did exactly what they promised when they promised to. This came as a bit of a shock.
L is for... Lemurs - Ros had arranged for me to be a Keeper for a Day at Colchester Zoo, which is how I ended up covered in lemurs whilst I fed them raisins. It turns out that they really like raisins.
P is for... Parish Council - it was time to give up on being a parish councillor, as I had reached the point where I was continuing for the sake of it rather than in the expectation of achieving anything. So I did. It feels good...
R is for... Readers' Editor - my new role at Liberal Democrat Voice, whereby I test the limits of my reasonableness and explore human nature in a 'thinking aloud' sort of way.
S is for... Select Committee - Ros was appointed to chair one, the Lords EU sub-committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy. As a result, I was introduced to fish and food waste, subjects that might not have entered my consciousness otherwise. I do know what a spurdog is now.
T is for... Treasurer - this year, Bury St Edmunds Local Party, next year, Mid Suffolk Local Party, following a Ros-designed county reorganisation. I don't expect my job to be any more complicated...
W is for... Walrus - I discovered my inner walrus this year and felt good about it. I'm not sleek, like a sea otter, I'm rather more rotund, and whiskery. And there was a lot to be said for accepting it. That's not to say that you can't build a better walrus.
BAH! I KNEW I forgot SOMEONE important off of my list of thank-yous.
ReplyDeleteSorry.
And thank you.