Wednesday 1 January 2014

2013 - What a Year!!

 
Happy New Year to all our family, friends, Blogging Buddies, Followers and readers, especially to those who have taken the time to comment over the last few days and who have helped lift my spirits just when I needed you most.
 
2013 was a special year, magical, busy, family orientated and full of hope for the future for all of us.  I've been through my photo archives and quickly pulled out a picture that I think sums up each month at a glance.
 
 
January saw us attempting to live on the contents on the Sealed Pot, we managed a total of £480 £2 coins and they lasted us for half the year before we had to hold our hands up and go back to regular shopping.

 
February was about getting down to a frugal lifestyle, saving every penny towards our forever home.  Knitted dishcloths from a 10p ball of wool from the charity shop, eating from the fridge, freezers and cupboards and just generally watching that the pennies stayed tucked away in the bank account.

 
March saw me hit a low and take off for some time alone with Suky the Pug.  As is the way when I am down I am comforted by a bird, it's usually a Robin although I think our little Robin was busy comforting Mum this month, so he sent a little helper in the form of this chap who perched each day on my wing mirror, singing to himself and making his presence felt.

 
Talking of birds these three lovely ladies joined us in April. 
Gorgeous Skylines who present us with blue eggs, when they feel the urge (not very prolific these particular girls!!).

 
In May we were eating from stores, planting out in the Veggie Patch in earnest and making the most of what we had, aided and abetted by photogenic Suky as usual!!

 
Returns were fast and furious and Radishes were the first crop to really give us a glut in June.

 
The cats basked in the sun in July and posed for shots knowing how beautiful they were.

 
Caldwell II took charge of the flock in August and has managed his ladies with a steady and reliable strength that even the largest birds recognise, not bad for a bird that is knee high to a grasshopper,.  He still has a love hate relationship with Lovely Hubby though and thinks it's great fun to chase him from Chicken World whenever possible!!

 
September was hot ..... much too hot for a certain little dog who had to flop in the Thames to cool down on a regular basis after doggie walks.  We bought our forever home and the keys were ours on the 13th.
 
  
October saw the new house start to take shape with little corners of home appearing from the chaos.

 
November was the moving date for many of the plants, they were potted up and loaded into the trailer.  This Rhubarb is now in it's final location .... I can almost here its sigh of relief as the roots stretch down firmly into Welsh soil wrapping protectively round our best boy.

 
Christmas came and went in a flurry of busyness, but little moments of lovely family visits, laughter and drink, chocolate and chat made the days seem wonderful.
 
All in all it was a good year  .... even if slightly too busy at times for me to cope with.  We lost our beloved boy on the last day of the year, the same day we gained a new car and most wonderfully of all we gained in a most unexpected way a new furry member of the family.  All will be revealed when I can get her to pose for a photograph, while she settles in with us she is a whirlwind of energy and life, something we badly needed at the end of a tiring year.
 
 
So I would like to wish you all, each and every one of you lovely folk, a wonderfully Happy New Year.   
 
Whatever you are up to and whatever you are planning may it work out in the way that YOU chose it too.   May your dreams be fulfilled or just simply started, and most of all I pray that each morning will be a fresh and hopeful start to an ever changing journey of hope and love.
 
Me ... well I intend to keep on doing what I do best .....
 
 
 
Sue xx
 
 

37 comments:

  1. Happy New Year to you Sue and LH,
    2013 was a good one for us and it seems generally a good one for you. I am sorry I missed your post yesterday about Archie, I can so feel for you as I lost my cat a few years ago in the same way. She was only three and like yourselves was the first thing hubby and I got together (we got two rescue kittens) after our marriage. Lisa was furry and black and was always my 'baby', did not like hubby at all, but her brother was fonder of the males in the household. Life can be really cruel at times, and my heart goes out to you; just what you did not need at present. I hope you can enter 2014 with hope and not too much heartbreak. Lots of love Xx

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  2. Hi Sue, as ever you amaze me ... You are so giving to everyone who reads your blog and it goes without saying, those you meet in the REAL world:) hope 2014 brings good things to us all:) 2013 although it had its times brought me a lovely new friend who means a lot to me... Much love Karan xxx

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    1. That's lovely Karan :-) Thank you. I hope that 2014 is everything that you and Kev hope for, dreams are for living as well as dreaming. All the very best to you and all your lovely family, my Blogging AND real friend.

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  3. It's been a tough end of year for you with losing Archie but good too with moving to your forever home, I guess life is like that isn't it? Some good, some bad!

    Happy new year to you and Lovely Hubby, take care

    xx

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  4. Happy New Year from one Sue to another xx

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  5. Thank goodness you are going to carry on blogging, I was a bit worried that we wouldn't hear about your new life in Wales.
    All the best from Suffolk

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  6. A lovely post Sue - it brought tears to my eyes. New Year wishes to you xo

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  7. Here's hoping that 2014 is a wonderful year for you Sue. May it be filled with much love, laughter and adventures in your new life in the country. I look forward to following along further with your life's journey :)

    x

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  8. I love the ten minutes a day I spend reading your blog - it calms me xxx

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    1. A good reason to carry on ..... if it makes you sit still for 10 minutes and stop all the cleaning and jogging, your energy amazes me!! ;-)

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  9. You sound brighter - I hope you feel it. Thank you for writing here - I love my visits.
    Happy new Year.
    L.x.

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  10. Happy New Year Sue and I pray that you both and all your furry and feathered family take root in the Welsh countryside and have good health and happiness this coming year, in your forever home. I am still waiting for mine...two more years till the last two children finish their education. This time next year we can begin to think seriously about choices for ourselves for a change. Reading you blog is inspirational....thank you. Xoxox

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    1. .... and THANK YOU for taking the time to read and to comment. Your future awaits and is within sight, exciting times ahead.

      And we have most definitely taken root on our Welsh hillside now, Archie is buried with the newly planted rhubarb, safe and secure outside our kitchen window, where pot washing will be tinged with sadness for a while and then will be filled with happy memories of a cat that loved adventure and helped start us off on ours.

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  11. A beautiful, poignant musing today. Here's to a good and healthy New Year for you all. I love the sound of a new energetic bundle of ?!! X

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  12. What a lovely post Sue! Happy New Year to you and LH. I hope 2014 is filled with joy for you both xx

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  13. Happy new year to you guys, such a lovely post. Looking forward to seeing this new addition :) Hope 2014 beings you both some new adventures :)

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  14. Sorry to hear of Archie's demise :( But wonderful news re a new furry friend! :) Looking forward to following your life in 2014 xx

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  15. Happy New Year Sue.
    I hope that your new life in Wales is just as you want it to be. x

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  16. All the best for 2014 Sue.x

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  17. I always enjoy your posts Sue, today's was special and beautifully written.
    Thank you so much for sharing your life and giving me inspiration. A new year, bringing new beginnings and a year of goodness is my wish for you and your readers.
    So sorry about Archie, he will be in your hearts forever.

    Love from Pam in TX

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  18. Happy New Year to you and yours. 2013 went out on a sad note for you. I received a phone call last saying my dad was in hospital with bladder problems. Everything is okay but still a worry-he is 88 years old. Today we have more snow so must go and join my DH outside to shovel AGAIN! Have a wonderful new year. Look forward to following your new life and adventure in the country!

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  19. You have some wonderful pictures on your blog, very nice. My favourite picture is of you behind those huge leaves, I'm not sure what you are holding but it always makes me smile.

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  20. I'm so sorry about your cat. That's so sad x

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  21. Wishing you and your lovely hubby a very happy and successful 2014. I'm curious to see your new furry friend. This will be the year that you settle into your forever home, and I hope you both enjoy it and have a wonderful year.

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  22. New furry friend. Well you've got my attention! I'll be back to find out more x

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  23. I still can't get over how much you achieved in 2013!
    Looking forward to see your new 'furry' fiend or is it friend lol!
    Happy 2014!
    xxx

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  24. Wishing you a happy and blessed New Year. Looking forward to seeing the newest furry friend!

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  25. What a year you had. Did the landlord's puss cat come with you when you moved ? Wishing you a wonderful year ahead x

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  26. Blwyddyn Newydd Da! Looking forward to seeing my old stamping ground through new eyes.

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  27. I have been a, mostly, silent lurker here, following your hard work with great admiration. I am so sorry about your recent tragedy and heartily wish you all a very Happy New Year in your Forever Home:)

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  28. Hi there, good to hear of your 2013 highlights as I'm only a fairly recent subscriber to your blog. For the record, your feathered friend is a Chaffinch, equally as common as your more usual Robin, but certainly not known for singing from vehicle's mirrors. I wish you all the best for 2014.

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  29. Happy New Year Sue! I've just been catching up and sorry to hear you ended your year on that sad note. Sx

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