A very Happy Hogmanay to you all, I hope your Christmas went well, ours was splendid, in The Mother Country, with the family and David Tennant on tv every single day, how good is that? As the Queen gets to do a wee speech at Christmas I feel it's only fair that I get to do a wee blog on Hogmanay, after all nobody puts my face on a stamp and you don't have to pay to keep me in tiaras, corgis or castles (but if you wanted to, stroll on, be my guest)
How has your decade been? For me this has been the decade which has probably seen the most change, some for the better, some for the worse, some I have just had to accept and adapt to.
On Hogmanay 1999 I was meant to be at a ceilidh in Linlithgow to see in the millennium and our last Hogmanay in Scotland, instead I was at home with a poorly child (Eldest Beautiful Daughter) in Edinburgh, sad that I was leaving Scotland, worried that I was leaving my mum who had just had a stroke and low level excited about our new life in England, we moved here in March 2000.
I stopped being a nurse and retrained as a nursery teacher and then again as an adult eduction teacher specialising in childcare and parenting skills (no laughs from the back row please, my kids are perfectly fine, thank you). The group I set up in 2001 to support first time parents is still going strong 9 years later and I have worked with over 1000 families just through that wee group alone, it remains my favourite job of all time, one day a week I get to squish and kiss babies to my hearts content. I have taught in FE colleges and in a high school (which my bloody year 12 btecs nearly finished me being a teacher for good) and now I work for a children's charity but I still do a lot of training and working with families. All change on the job front.
I am still in the same house in England 10 years on, the longest time I have ever lived in the same house. I don't love this house like I have loved some of my others, but I know I will probably stay until the Beautiful Baby Daughter finishes school, so I have another 5 or 6 years here. I also have The Beautiful House in Turkey as well, until it sells, so if you know someone who wants a house abroad, let me know, mates rates and all that. Same goes for rentals, I think all you bloggers should visit my house this year. Not much change on the house front.
My children have gone from nearly 8 to nearly 18, 4 and a half to 14 and a half and 3 to 13. Huge changes. They are all now bigger than me. They are my life's work and the joy and pride of my heart. They are kind, funny, polite, smart and beautiful and I know I am biased but other (non related) people say these things to me too. They are the love of my life and my reason for everything.
My family, my beautiful parents are alive and well and enjoying retirement.I have added 2 nieces and a brother in law. My sister very sadly has had 2 miscarriages and this has been a hard realisation that her dream of 3 children won't happen. My brother in law has safely had a tumour removed from his brain and at his last 6 monthly check, all remains well. I lost my paternal grandmother at the age of 90. I have almost completely lost touch with my inlaws barring 1 set of brother and sister in law who still love me and I remain a part of their lives. That is sad, I spent 21 years as part of that family and I miss some of my nieces and nephews muchly.
My own personal life has gone from being totally happily married to totally unhappily married and then a detour through separation and a journey through divorce. I have ventured into the dating world after a few decades absence with sometimes painful and sometimes hilarious consequences. There appears to be a theme with my relationships which I call The Unholy Trinity. If you drive a BMW or are an IT/Project Manager or indeed a management consultant or are a Virgo you will be attracted to me. Only men who have at least 2 of the 3 will ask me out. I am catnip to the middle aged executive. The last 3 people I have dated have had 2 out of the 3, the one who had the 3 of 3 (IT GOD) for those of you have been reading a while was the one who was the most difficult to be with, to love and to forget.
Friendships have remained fairly unchanged I still have the ones I started the decade with and very fortunately I have added a few more. Some friendships have seen me through my darkest hours and I will be forever grateful for that. Some of these friendships are virtual, I now know courtesy of blogger, people from all over the world, people who mail me and facebook me and I have never actually met but they are still my friends. Some of these friends I have now met in real life and I have really enjoyed their company. I now have some male friendships, I didn't have that when I was married, I just had female friends and coupley friends, some of these male friendships are completely platonic and some have a will we won't we quality, I like this, a lot.
So for me the noughties have been overwhelmingly a time of change, I didn't think I liked it or could cope with change but I do. I have rediscovered lots of passions and added some new ones. This has been definitely a good decade for me, definitely. So once again I am truly grateful for my beautiful life.
21 comments:
It's certainly been a decade of change. Marriages, divorces, children who are now adults. Goodness! I definitely love where my life is now and wouldn't change a thing. My resolution for the next decade is to make that trip across the pond to visit you my friend. Yep, I gave myself a decade. Going to take a minute or two to save up! Love you girl! Happy 2010!
I've never been much for looking back -- too busy swimming upstream, I guess. But you've given me pause. I think maybe it would be a good thing to spend a little time pondering where I've been. So thanks for being a friend, again.
And I'm loving the new pix! :-)
Great blog - I will certainly pinch (sorry, borrow - with credits) your idea of a review. Great picture by the way.
May I wish you a safe, prosperous and happy New Year for 2010.
May the next decade continue to be all that you hope and wish for m'dear. TFxx
Gwennie, this was certainly fitting of a Queen, and how regal you look in the new picture and indeed in the Royal Family portrait. Lawd how those lovely bairns have grown!
Wishing you love and light and moments of great joy in 2010, and may the next decade be one of continual growth and wonder for you... xox
Happy New Years Gwen, I'm sure you'll find an IT Hottie soon =)
Big change this decade in every aspect of your life. Started to do my decade post yesterday - will appear soon. Hope your teenies are a decade of enjoyment and fulfilment! Best wishes for 2010, WM x
What a ride! and such a lovely summing-up, great picture and God bless you for counting your blessings so....
great post! happy new year to you and yours!
Josie & family x
Brilliant blog, happy new year.
What a beautiful picture of you all - and yourself! Happy New Year! It's been so nice to meet you and am looking forward to getting to know you better in 2010!
Well said Auntie, as always. I just love the way you speak about your children. I feel like that about mine too, but can never do more than moan about their arguing! Here's to a happy and healthy 2010 for all. xxx
Lisa - I would love for you to come visit
Shirley - it is my great pleasure to be your friend and thanks for the nice complement on the pic, I hate how I look, all fat and wrinked like a very uncute baby :(
RLS - pinch away pet, what's mine is yours, and the beautiful children are certainly growing up, this wasn't the best picture but it was the only one of the 4 of us
TF - I await the next decade with great interest, who knows what it will bring?
Fhi - thank you, I hope the next decade brings you all you want and more xx
Paul- no no no no no more It guys, Happy New Year to you, I hope you get great customers in the main with a few crazies to keep you in blog material
WM - I wish you all good things too for your next decade, me dear xx I will be here to see you through the teenage years !!!! xx
Libby - thanks, I hope your new decade is fulfilling for you too xx
Josie - I hope you have a great New Year too and maybe some new neighbours????!!!!!xxx
Magnumlady - a very happy new year to you too, I hope it's a good one xxx
Gigi - likewise my dear, heres to 2010 xx
ACTTF - I so laughed at your last post and thank you for the nice stuff about the children, I love them so much and so much of this blog is about them and am I EVER mentioned as a mummy blogger ??? am I feck, nearly all my bloogy chums get a mention and me nada.
It was a nice 10 years, but with lots of surprises and turmoil. like 9/11, wars, and other terrorism. That's the way of the world now.
Can't believe it's really ten years... don't the decades get shorter? I blame the government, or the credit crunch or something. I can sum up the last ten years in similar words to you, although my millenium started with divorce. It was only ever going to get better, and it did. Have a great 2010 Auntie Gwen!
Dear Auntie Gwen, what a lovely review of your last decade - it doesn't sound half bad considering everything. It made me think about maybe doing something similar - though it might not be so positive?
I wish you all a very happy 2010. M xx
PS. That's a lovely photo of you.
"catnip to the middle aged executive" - genius.
Here's hoping the next decade will be a happy and fulfilling one!
xx
Secretia - yep, those were very sadly a huge part of that decade but my omnipresent Pollyanna tries hard to focus on all the good stuff that still happens. I believe that most people are still intrinsicly good.
Tim - glad, as always to hear of anyones second time around happy, gives me much hope, have a fantastic year too x
Margot - have read your last post, sending you much love xxxx
Mud - oh yes auntie has a niche market ! Hope 2010 is our year xx
what a great post gwen! i'm not sure i could sum up the last 10 years so well - it would take me hours and i'm sure i'd miss plenty! love the pic and love the new profile pic too - new do?
Sue - is that you Mrs Scrappy? if so, where be your picture?, don't confuse the auntie, I'm very old xx and if it's a new Sue, hello and welcome, auntie indeed has a new do, I now have toffee, caramel and something else edible low lights ( Eldest beautiful daughters wee pal Anna is training to be a hairdresser and she needed a head of hair to colour in)
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