And just like that, 2019 is history.
The husbear and I remember celebrating the new millenium and joking that we’d blink and it would be 2020. Suddenly it’s not so funny!
I didn’t think much had changed over the last 12 months, but looking back I quickly realised how wrong I was …
January – This time last year we were still going through the stress of trying to sell our other house. With most of our furniture still there, and camping out in our new home, it was a very unsettled time. Have to say we’re very relieved that’s all over and done with!
We took the first steps of a major project – levelling our backyard; installed some cat net to enclose the pergola and make it safe for the kitties; and checked out some display homes for inspiration.
February – We signed a contract of sale on our old house, hip hip hooray (with settlement due for April); and wedding planning started in earnest for our daughter and her fiance – including booking a lovely venue for May 2020.
March – We attended a reunion for the husbear’s side of the family, which drew descendants of his Maltese grandparents from north Queensland, Stanthorpe, Sydney, Melbourne and Malta; and saw our first tornado, while watching a storm from the shelter of our back deck (fortunately the twister was some distance away!).
April – What a great month: the sale of our old house was finalised, and I climbed Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge. I also attended a wonderful Colour Consultant Workshop, and the hunt for a wedding dress began!
May – We managed to get permission from our neighbours to clear away some bush at the rear of our property, and get access so we can have soil delivered. And I was very excited to get a smile makeover – you can read about my dental bonding experience here.
June – I tried a new darker hair colour; and things were busy on the work front with plenty of client meetings, training, networking, etc. Oh, and our daughter found her dream wedding dress!
July – You could tell I was feeling much more settled after moving house, I did my first jigsaw puzzle in months! We also went on our first trip away in our new motorhome, and I registered for GST.
August – We had some work done around the house – wallpaper on a couple of feature walls, and a built in entertainment unit, desk, and pantry installed. The first loads of soil were delivered for the backyard; and after a break of about six months, I started up my morning walks again and felt much better for it.
September – We joined the “empty nest” club, with Mr 25 and his cat Seth moving into their own place. I fulfilled a long held goal (it’s been in my business plan since about 2017!), and hosted my first ever SEO workshop. Meanwhile, a checkup at the optometrist revealed some cause for concern …
October – I had a number of tests and specialist visits, and was diagnosed with a blood clot in my right eye. I now need regular injections in my eye; apparently I’m very fortunate not to have lost my vision altogether. I held a second SEO workshop, and both our kids got new cars … so jelly!
November – We got a ping pong table and it is so much fun for all the family! In other news, I was interviewed by Myf Warhurst on ABC Radio about blogging for over 50’s; conducted a third successful (sold-out!) workshop; and we finished the filling of our backyard and laid turf, a project that has taken most of the year.
December – A busy month tying up lots of loose ends for work before the holidays, and also preparing for Christmas – complete with a brand new Christmas tree and decorations!
As the sun sets on 2019, I can’t help but wonder what 2020 holds … we’ll be getting the exterior of our house painted in the near future; plus we have our daughter’s wedding, and our own 30th wedding anniversary in May.
Will the work “on” my business I’ve been doing, catapult me into a bumper 2020? Will I add a couple of new members to the Front Page Web Writing team? Will I give more SEO workshops and training to small business owners?
Could there be some travel or holidays on the agenda? A new car (I’ve had mine for over 10 years!)? Is it time the husbear and I sought out the advice of a financial planner?
Oh, and let’s hope there aren’t any nasty health surprises!
On a broader level, so many areas in Australia are in desperate need of rain, yet is it possible without causing floods and other damage? Will there be another royal baby? Or will we see any dramatic shake-ups in some of the current political leaders?
To each and every one of my readers – thank you for following along in 2019, and here’s to a joyful and prosperous 2020 for all of us!
Love
aka the Middle Aged Mama x