2012 reviewed, well almost

I noticed an amusing if not cynical look at the Channel 4 programme "The 50 funniest moments of 2012".  It was punctuated by the fact that "Youtube" has all, funnier and more interesting clips from the year and further back.  Coupled with the fact that 2 "insufferables" from X factor were presenting the programme made it a programme not only "not to remember" but also probably not to watch until the bitter end.

With that in mind then I shall be brief on my reflection. -----  Our 2012 was to be punctuated by a number of "events" to be remembered for one reason or another so here go's

I bought a van in Jan which would be the replacement for my beloved Freelander "Phil" well i say replacement, not really, the first time i took the van "cyril" to our logging area i got it stuck!  anyway hes lots more MPG a little dearer to insure but nothing like a 4WD.

Feb and the snow came the kittens loved it but unfortunately the day after the snow our beloved Tesco was hit by a car on the road and everything went a little flat for a while

Here she is pretending to be a christmas present last year.  She's really waiting for us to look away so she can either climb the tree or remove a red bauble or two.

Feb however was time for us to jet off to the Maldives and have 8 days in paradise on Kurumba island resort.  We enjoyed it so much we decided to scrap our trip to Australia later in the year!

Returning home we eventually let little Sainsbury have his head and let him out at night.  Out theory was that it would be safer for him to be out at night rather than keeping him in and him wanting to wander in the daytime.  So far a success but the amount of livestock or more to the point deadstock we find in the kitchen in the morning is staggering

The morning of the shrews is depicted here but he also had 2 mice as well which had been devoured.

I had decided to write a book about my time on the Army and estimated a year to do it!  sadly underestimated!!!! but I'm getting there!

I had hoped to get some logging done in summer but the wet weather made it almost impossible to get onto the land where the trees are so in the end i more or less gave up on the idea.

The walking challenge for 2012 was to be the "Welsh 15 Peaks".  Quite an arduous walk, so some serious training was called for and old friend from Hereford was press ganged into joining our merry band.  Unfortunately the weather was seriously against us and we had to abandon our second day

Here we are having done Tryfan and being soaked with the idea of another 7 hour walk about to abandon the day.
 I returned in Sept to do the missed peaks and had a superb day.

A view of Tryfan from the Glyders

Looking back up to the Glyders on a fabulous day from our abandon position way back in June. Unfortunately Ginny one of our group went the following week with Adam our guide and the weather was appalling once again.

Both Sally and I give Cyril a hard time but i think "her" effort wins! 

The summer ended as it had begun, very wet and we waltzed into Oct with two "things" in mind. Sally's finishing work!  she finished on the 19th Oct and our for our second "thing" we jetted off a few days later for 2 weeks in the Maldives at Kurumba island resort.  Once again it was a fabulous holiday, fantastic staff great food spacious accommodation.  We did however decide that that would be our 9th and last time we would visit the maldives.  We should really have gone to Oz!  

So the sun sets on our last Maldives experience.  Mmmmmmmmmm

Returning to Gatwick was followed by "short stay" at the Gatwick Europa which can only be described as "Fawlty Towers"  Recommendation - "Dont stay there".  On arriving back home and picking up the cats from "Stankirk Kennels" our feeding instructions had been ignored, Recommendation - "Dont let your animals stay there". 

Settling back into "normal" life was strange because every time i arrived home from work there was Sally!, rather than being at work until 1730 ish.  Over time i got used to it! 

Boris gets a carport to shield him from the rain and forthcoming snow

After a bit of a cold snap

when the over the river pic for my next time lapse project looked stunning we returned to the very wet and rainy weather that seems to have dogged us for most of the year.

My job at "the Shop" namely Sainsbugs Matlock has been generally amusing and will, i hope continue into the new year. 

New Year resolutions, - -  Mmmmmmm, don't really go for them but hopefully in 2013 I will, - - - - get on and finish "the Book",  Enjoy the "challenge" of "Ice climbing on Ben Nevis" the first week in March, get some trees chopped down in the summer and generally have a good year!

Finally then - - - here we sit at 1700 on the 31/12/2012 sipping a bottle of fiz looking forward to a Chinese culinary masterpiece cooked by Sally, taken from one of our trips to Hong Kong where it is already 2013! 

All the best, a Happy New Year.

Enjoy the day