Evening all
Happy New Year first of all.
I am a fairly optimistic person, but when I saw all the 2011 review posts I did start thinking about how this year has been for me, and the post title reflects how I feel about it.
It started on a bit of a low, because we were meant to go on holiday last Christmas over the school holidays, but because our plane got snowed on (we were actually on the plane, they de-iced it, we even saw the air safety video!) the airport got closed and our flights were cancelled. What with all the snow it was a bit tricky to get up to much, although we did have a lovely weekend over new years in Bath.
But it was building up to something very exciting- our (mine and Andy’s) first marathon! I turned 30 in May and as a way of celebrating (?) we signed up for it. Even though I had already had my birthday by then it was a sort of present to myself! To help with motivation I signed up to marathon talk’s spring motivation challenges, plus the magic mile challenge later in the year- all brilliant so check them out! The training was really hard (up until then I had run 2 half marathons in the previous year, but my training runs had not gone over 12 miles), but I did enjoy the achievement of it all. I also leant to like ice baths, and had my first sports massages! My birthday weekend was spent in Derbyshire so we could complete a 20 mile organised training run. Anyone who ever worried about being the last person in a race, read my report. It is not that bad!
I did it! I ran 20 miles and got a t-shirt to prove it! 🙂
And we even went on a nice walk the same evening!
One of the “lows” was that this year I kept on being ill- I had a few UTI’s (having never had them before), including one days before the Stockholm marathon. But despite being on antibiotics I felt OK so went for it. The race was a struggle, but I felt totally elated when I finished.
Totally all about the medals here! Yes, I was slow, but I ran the entire way, and finished under the cut off and nothing can ever take that away from me!
Just about managing to stand up straight after nearly 5 1/2 hours of running!
A high note before that was our trip to Italy- two of our friends got married out there and we were lucky enough to be invited- we spent lovely few days out there (of course sampling lots of the local gelato!).
We did share it by the way, this was a comedy photo in which Andy wanted to see how much ice cream I could get on the scoop at once! 🙂
So here is a serious photo as we spent a day in Venice after the wedding and even bumped into the bride and groom on their honeymoon- what are the chances??
Another fantastic high was our summer holiday- we managed to re-book most of the things from our cancelled Christmas holiday, and had an awesome time, especially at Discovery Cove (I still need to put some of those pics on here).
Key West at sunset was one of the many highlights.
Plus a weekend of girly fun in Bristol.
I can’t take credit for this photo- my friend took it but I just love the colours in it.
After the marathon I kept up running, and we booked a few shorter races in the Autumn. My absolute favourite run was the one in Sherwood Forest.
Running the Great South Run was brilliant as I raised so much for charity (thanks to everyone who sponsored me), although it was not the best race experience! On the plus side a post race lunch (enjoyed in the 3 hour car park queue) of a cinnamon roll and soya chai latte was pretty good!
In the background you can see the 4×4 that kept trying to back into our car, and also caused some road rage later on when it pushed in front of some other cars- people get tetchy when they queue that long!
The year was meant to end on a high, as we had booked a holiday (can you tell we love our holidays?) to NYC (I really want to see the big Christmas tree), Philadelphia, Washington, Orlando and the gulf coast, but before that a big old low in the form of me being admitted to hospital came along and scuppered our plans. There is always next year, and it is so much better than I found out I was unwell here and not whilst on holiday! Look on the bright side 🙂
We have been lucky to enjoy a lovely Christmas at home with Andy’s family, and I got to see my parents more as they were away, back for 3 days, then off to New Zealand for a month (although this turned into a saga when my Dad cut his hand and severed a tendon the day they were meant to go- honestly someone does not want my family to get on holiday right now! Luckily he has not done permanent damage and managed to delay their flights by 2 days- he is doing more tennis umpiring out there but only missed a day I think) so as we were here I managed to spend a few more days with them.
I don’t tend to set goals, but initially I had in my mind that in 2012 I wanted to speed up with my running- I wanted to get some half marathon pb’s and have booked the Brighton and Silverstone Half marathons. But at the moment I don’t have my next hospital appointment until the end of January, and the operation will be some time after that, so I highly doubt I will manage either of them. But again, there is always next year!
Of course 2012 brings with it the Olympics! I can still remember when we found out that London got them (and I actually was going “oh my word I will be 31 when they come” )and it seemed years away- we got some tickets in the second chance round so that is very exciting.
So, I am hoping that in 2012 I get my health sorted, get back into running, enjoy the Olympics, and also have an awesome summer holiday to make up for the cancelled Christmas one.
What are you looking forward to next year?
Happy New Year!
Then heat up some milk (I used soya milk) in a smaller cup- this is probably about 250ml and it took about 1min 40 in my microwave. When the teabag has steeped enough (a couple of minutes- basically the time it takes for the milk to heat) remove it and add some flavour syrup (optional but I was excited to try it- the gingerbread syrup smells amazing). Then pour on the warm milk.
Then get out your milk frother (mine is an 
Look how frothy it goes! 🙂
Then I used on of my cookie shape things to try to make a cinnamon star on top- I think I needed to use my sugar shaker for this! Next time.
But very tasty and warming all the same.
A cool spotty teapot, some chocolate chai (Andy got this for me years ago and I love it but our local one never stocks it any more), Christmas tea and also cinnamon syrup, which I totally forgot I ordered! Hope I like it! 🙂
I was really impressed with the speed of delivery- I ordered them on the 26th in the afternoon, and got a dispatch email early on the 27th. They arrived on the 29th (today).
Well, they fit! Hooray! They are tight around the wrist, but they are meant to be keeping my hands super toasty so being extra snug means they will keep the cold out.
Whittards had lots of tea for £1- Andy got himself some Assam teabags and loose tea, I got myself a box of peppermint teabags, and this cute set of syrups (for coffee, but I think they could go in lattes, baking? etc)- I was looking at them online and they were £10 but out of stock- when I asked the guy told me they were £8, but they then took another 30% off so they were actually £5-something. Bargain!
Hazelnut, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and the best sounding one of all; gingerbread.
Yes I know it looks like some kind of potato gratin- it is actually baked oatmeal (used gingerbread porridge for the oats) with sliced pear. Was much nicer than it looks!
Dark chocolate with caramel. I prefer their coconut one, but this is nice.
A small tortilla with cheese and picalilli, baked for a bit, plus cucumber and hummus and clementines.
Blurry photo!
I made a version of the 
Plus some gingerbread tea and a few leibkuchen.
We had a very cosy Christmas Eve. We had a nice walk in the afternoon and then put up some decorations. Last minute much? The moose candle holder is my favourite- a few years ago we went to Copenhagen for the weekend as our Christmas present, and that was the one thing we brought home with us. The Christmas tree is a tealight holder but it was not lit when I took the picture.
After a nice tea of bread, cheese (I had some Wensleydale and cranberry cheese), salad, grapes and clementines we had a slice of Christmas cake too. Well I did want to try it before we gave the other ones away, for quality control purposes, of course.
The cake boxes were so huge they took up most of the hampers! There was also 
Some of my gifts- a cute owl hot water bottle, some lovely recycled socks (from recycled plastic bottles) that came all the way from Yellowstone when Andy’s parents went there in the summer, nice handcream and a lovely baking book.
And some latte making equipment! A little hand-held whizzer thing, and a cocoa powder/ icing sugar shaker, a marmalade making kit and the sweetest present ever. (I did warn you I would ramble on). Andy has 2 brothers and they both have girlfriends/ fiancées. The 6 of us decided this year that instead of exchanging gifts we would choose a show in London to see in the new year and go together. We had to bring a “fun” gift (with a small price limit) that everyone could enjoy, so we went for 
I did start off with mincemeat topped pancakes 🙂 Yum! They were made of spelt flour, baking powder, almond milk, apple sauce, cinnamon, ginger and a few raisins, topped with the mincemeat from Meridian. Yummy. My best ones yet. I just realised this picture is almost identical to the one with cake and tea- I am loving my tablecloth, placemats and little table decorations right now! 🙂