Reflections of 2017

I love New year, I've always loved New Year. I love looking back on the year gone by, then tomorrow I will look forwards to the year ahead. It's been quite a year. We started waking up in a cottage in Norfolk and ended our year having an epic December away from home, so have shut the doors and not going anywhere for the New Year. Highlights of this year -

• Got stuck at the top of a ski jump in Oslo when the lift broke down and we had to be rescued.
• Multiple English heritage sites
• I joined Women's March in London but spent the entire time in Grosvenor Square as it was so rammed, it took hours to leave the square, then I had to leave. So 'marched' is an over exaggeration. But I was there.
• Cottage holidays - Norfolk, Hull, Cornwall
• Big birthdays - Dad's 60th and Al's 40th
• Countries visited - Norway twice, Germany, Belgium, Denmark. First cruise together
• Poppy hunting - Essex and Derby
• Rediscovered my love of archery
• Ali discovered that clapping at the London marathon equates to steps on her fitbit. She did over 30,000 that day!
• I got my Nespresso machine!
• Lived the high life in the Windsor Enclosure of the Windsor Horse Show and loved being so close to the Queen again.
• Afternoon tea - The Shard, Fortnum and Mason twice (one of them included seeing a naked bike ride)
• Visits - HMS Belfast, Thetford forest, Royal Yatch Brittania, Krays tour of London, Althrop house, Liverpool to see our friends from Australia, Wendy and Roger
• Theatre - Curious incident of a dog in the night time, Matilda, Royal Albert Hall for classical spectacular (complete with indoor cannons)
• Brownies - Space centre visit, raising money at Great British get together on the hottest day of the year, marching with Girl Guiding in London pride, the best Christmas craft day to date. Winning tickets to go to Parliament was amazing. They loved it.
• Stepping down from the Women's Network - Hardest thing I've done but was so completely overwhelmed by the thought that went into my final committee day. My handbag cake ill go down in history and sharing my cake with my Brownies, and telling them what I do for work, was the best
• Para athletics - We've been huge fans since 2012 and this year spent 3 days at the games.  
• TV- In the audience of Celebrity Big Brother, Great British Bake Off Extra Slice, Women's Hour, Insert Name Here and Generation Game.
• Speaking at women into leadership on my birthday. 800 people in the audience! Loved every second.
• Award - Winning the outstanding contribution award at the local community awards. Over the years I've been the association secretary, newsletter writer, dog poo lead, baking for the community café, been behind the bar and occasional caretaker. I like to move roles.
• Bake off  - Yet again I baked an item a week during the Great British Bake Off and found homes for all of them.

So, it's been pretty full on. Next year I'm already looking forward to Prince Harry's wedding, visiting Bristol aerospace, afternoon teas, more cottage holidays and more random visits. Alas this year we could do without being stuck at the top of a ski jump.