And To Make An End Is To Make A Beginning

 

Thank you 2020 for all the moments of joy you brought.

Yes, it was a challenging year; but there was lots to celebrate.

January 1st was a beautiful day of blue skies which we enjoyed with a family walk on the beach.

The following day Paul and I travelled to Rydal Hall in Ambleside in the Lake District for two nights.

There were only two other couples staying there and it felt like we were Lord and Lady of the Manor.

January was also my mum's 77th birthday and we had a lovely meal at home - something that became very familiar in 2020.

February was a busy month.

I used to teach a monthly yoga workshop in a cozy church hall but this was the last time we would meet exploring partner work. 

I look forward to returning to those.

I was also invited as a guest into my old workplace, The Liverpool Echo, where I was interviewed for their Menopod podcast on the topic of careers changes in your fifties. It was great to catch up with my old colleagues, Sue Lee and Dawn Collinson. You can find out how to hear it here.

I scored a beautiful red suede skirt from a local charity shop which made my month and we were lucky enough to return to the Lake District for another weekend away which had been a  Christmas present from our children.

And Bud made many visits.

March arrived and while Joe, pictured left on the top left photo celebrated his birthday on the 8th with friends, poor Ben marked his birthday on the 30th with a game of Chess and an Indian takeaway.

I had to shift my school classes online and a school sent me this photo of their key worker children enjoying yoga in the hall via the big screen.

Lockdown aside we made the most of the warm weather with walks on the beach and time to spot this cheeky little mouse in the bird feeder.

April came along with the sun and I decided to plant some seeds for the first time in my life.

I was also asked to become The Liverpool Echo yoga teacher and taught a weekly live yoga class with people following afar afield as Canada, Australia and Africa.

As the farm where my husband worked was on lockdown we were on the rota to feed the animals and the farm was a beautiful haven of peace and tranquility and I filmed some yoga classes there too.

The ducklings were growing and with all this time we managed to spot the rare Tiger Beetle on our local beach.

Hooray for May  and the first of many barbecues in the glorious sunshine.

The strawberries and tomatoes were thriving and of course I filmed more yoga in the farm when I wasn't dressing up to feed the chickens.

In June lockdown eased and we were able to celebrate our daughter, Briony's birthday on the 12th and return for a barbecue the following day when her boyfriend of four years, Jordan, proposed.

We took Bud to the farm and I was delighted to see my very first courgette harvest.

Walks to the pond in the dunes revealed some lovely little froglets too.

Beach yoga returned in July and another chance for my four children to get together.

The sunflowers were blooming and Briony booked her wedding venue for July 2022.

August was the month we got away to the beautiful south of Wales.

We stayed with family in Swansea and met up with some old university friends in Pembrokeshire who we hadn't seen for 20 years.

The garden was blooming and it was warm enough for my workout to move outdoors.

It was also the last chance I had to get together with friends indoors before the lockdown returned.

It was back to school in September although I had to teach yoga in bubbles in the classroom instead of the hall at some schools. Luckily yoga is all about being flexible.

Some warm weather meant we enjoyed some lovely walks and a barbecue in the garden for my  husband and eldest son whose birthdays are a day apart.

I also got some fab pre-loved Alexander McQueen trainers from my sons who own Luxe Collective UK a brand which sells pre-loved designer womens' clothing and handbags.

The gladioli and calendula were still in full bloom too.

As the weather cooled in October it was time to bring the yoga back indoors and in front of the camera.

The leaves were turning and the wellies were needed for the farm work.

And Bud was back.

The garden was finally going to sleep in November and I tidied up the plants and planted some bulbs.

The weather was wet but there were lots of rainbows.

Bud came round for a sleepover and Frankie came to stay.

December and the days drew shorter, the nights longer and the Christmas quieter.

But there was lots to celebrate.

A game of scrabble on Christmas Day.

Bulbs pushing through.

And a granddaughter on the way.

We made it.

Thank you 2020 for the laughter, the love and the learning.

Here's to 2021 and everything it will bring.

I hope you managed to find moments of joy this year and wishing you all the best for the New Year ahead.

'For last year's words belong to last year's language.

And next year's words await another voice......'

'And to make an end is to make a beginning.'

TS Eliot