New Year's Eve 2022

Exactly a year ago, I posted this blip. At that point in time, I was coming off the back of another failed attempt at a relationship and was back on medication.

My feelings about New Year’s Eve haven’t changed - this is more of a work thing and resetting the counter back to zero - but it was interesting (for me at least) to remind myself of the things I was looking forward to in 2022 and how each of them has changed my life for the better in some way.

Things were off to a great start with the arrival of a nephew who is growing up alarmingly quickly, grinning at everything and torturing his parents by moving at pace and sticking his fingers on and in everything that is most dangerous around the home. He’s great and fits right in to the wider family. 

The first major turning point in my self-obsessed life was the wedding of my best friend to the absolute love of his life. It was such a special weekend, I felt privileged to be a part of it, but it was the pure happiness I felt for them both which awoke something in me and reminded me that I could still feel joy and that I wasn’t a shell of a human being running on autopilot, so I resolved to kick the anti-depressants I had been taking at that point. And did.

Not long after that, the second major turning point nonchalantly strolled into my life and despite having been informed of my mushroom allergy,  immediately poisoned me with truffle-coated fries on our first date. I ate them because it was going really well and didn’t want anything to interrupt our flow. Yes, I had a horrific stomach ache the following day. I am of course talking about the arrival of LadyV; Vicky, into proceedings. Due in no small part to her, my little family and I had one of the best summers ever splashing about on the paddle board and enjoy the water fountains and beaches of Heysham on those smoking hot days.

With life being all about balance, in the winter months she also got us all on the ice rink too. These are things that I almost certainly would not have even thought of but for her. 

She has brought much love, happiness, loads of cheekiness and her own little family into my life (for which I am truly grateful and with whom I will be celebrating the New Year with later today) and we are lucky enough that our children really seem to like each other too.

It’s quite a 1-2-3 combo with which to begin 2022, but it set the tone for a very busy, but ultimately enjoyable year which featured home improvements, all-family holiday, a play and many other things. Somehow, I even found time to work and in a display of how short we are on quality staff, I, ME (!), won Employee of the Year, so it’s little wonder then that I don’t want to reboot the year!

There is of course; the offspring. No, not the band, my children. They have had a great year, with each of them facing challenges in school, but dealing with them head-on and overcoming them. The pride I have in watching them evolve into the people they will ultimately become is immeasurable. They have their moments, we all do, but they fade quickly and if I achieve nothing else in my life, I will die happy knowing that I have sent three very bright, nice, cheeky, kind, funny and loving human beings out into the world - whilst feeling a little guilty for contributing to our burgeoning over-population issue.

So, one year on from my last self-inflicted Blip-review, I’m pill-free (the beta blockers were making me wheezy), in a loving relationship and little by little am learning how to enjoy the show, by taking things one day at a time. Not letting my mind run away to paint a vision of a future that hasn’t been written yet. Just being in the moment and enjoying the gift of today, because - everybody join in here - that’s why we call it the present.

I had a bunch of extras to use up, so there is a load of my personal favourite photos (no, I don't know why some of them are the wrong way up) which I think encapsulate my last 12 months - thank you, 2022. You’ve been great!

And thanks to you, you wonderful Blippers (and anyone else who has the misfortune to read this), your comments, kind words, continued mickey-taking (naming no-one, Pedros) and guidance are all equally appreciated.

Happy New Year! 

dunkyc

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